Iceland - August 2002

19.8.2002 - 29.8.2002

© by Stefan Tewinkel and Brigitte Andrew

Daily Log with site descriptions
Species List
only photos
home of www.bavarianbirds.net

Introduction


We got a cheap flight and so we decided to visit Iceland. Normally May and June are THE months for birders to visit Iceland, especially when you are interested in seabird colonies and bird photography, but August is not too bad since you have a slight chance to find vagrants. The "special" duck species like Harlequin Duck and Barrows Goldeneye are still easy to find, although they are all in eclipse plumage, and the Gyr Falcon might be even easier to get than in early summer. The auks of Iceland like Guillemot, Razorbill, Thick-billed Murre, Puffin and Black Guillemot have already left their colonies and are hard to find afterwards. We only found single Puffins and Black Guillemot which were either late breeders or staying close to their breeding grounds.
Transport and accommodation is expensive on Iceland. We took the smallest available rental car. You don't need a 4x4 for birdwatching, a normal car is sufficient. Only if you want to visit remote areas in the inland, you will need a better car. We slept only in our tent during the stay, this is with ca. 8 to 20 Euro probably the cheapest form of accommodation. Wild camping is also allowed. More expensive are sleeping bag dormitories which are about 20 Euro per night and person.
We drove clockwise around the island, if we would have driven anti-clockwise we might have had better weather but who knows before? Nevertheless we definitely recommend warm clothing including gloves etc., a warm sleeping bag (warmer than MY down sleeping bag) and a warm soup.
Last not least I would like to thank Yann Kolbeinsson and Gaukur Hjartarson from Husavik.


Our route around Iceland

Links, Maps and Literature


Comments, Remarks, Questions, Postcards to the Authors:

Stefan
Dr. Stefan Tewinkel
Brigitte Andrew
Riegerweg 9
D-82024 Taufkirchen
Germany
tewinkel@gmx.de
Brigitte


© Tewinkel

© Tewinkel; www.bavarianbirds.de