Iceland 2018 (part 1) - birds

I have just returned from a five day trip to Iceland, where I finally got to see Harlequin Duck (52) and Barrow's Goldeneye (295). Excellent views were had of both species.

Other birding highlights included Whooper Swan (1650), Pink-footed Goose (631), American Wigeon (male), Greater Scaup (320), Common Eider (7650), King Eider (male), Long-tailed Duck (77), Rock Ptarmigan (4), Red-throated Diver (51), Great Northern Diver (27), Slavonian Grebe (31), Merlin (2), Gyr Falcon (2), Purple Sandpiper (12), Red-necked Phalarope (283), Arctic Skua (43), Long-tailed Skua (1), Great Skua (1), Brunnich's Guillemot (300), Black Guillemot (2), Puffin (274), Arctic Tern (5350), Iceland Gull (1), Glaucous Gull (286), Short-eared Owl (3), Eurasian (Icelandic) Wren (2) [a future split ?], Common Redpoll (25) and Snow Bunting (11).

A total of 72 species were seen in 5 days by our group, of which I saw 70. The two I missed being Grey Phalarope and Knot. I'll write up and upload a report over the next few days. Until then here are some of the bird photos I took. Other photos will follow in other posts. It was the wettest and coldest June on record since the 1800's for Iceland.

 Arctic Tern - common breeder, this one inches from the road

 Barrow's Goldeneye - common around Myvatn Lake

 Lots of flocks of Common Eider on the sea, this one also contains a male King Eider, can you spot it.

 Glaucous Gull

 Harlequin Duck - all males

 Long-tailed Duck - pair

 Pink-footed Goose - non breeding flocks like this gather together before flying to Greenland to moult, leaving the best pasture land for the pairs rearing young.

 Rock Ptarmigan - 2018 was a good year for this species, with this individual "Terry the Ptarmigan" wandering around our campsite oblivious to human disturbance as was many of the species.

 Red-necked Phalarope - feeding on the myriad of black flies on Myvatn Lake.

 Common Snipe - another species breeding feet from our lodge in Lake Myvatn area.

 Redwing - the commonest passerine and were literally everywhere.

Whooper Swan - lots of breeding pairs on the lakes and fields and large flocks of non breeding birds gathering on the lakes.