Before the snow

At this time of year the ground is littered with scurrying furry birds - many almost flightless. With the number of predators about, it is a wonder that any survive at all. They all seem to nest in similar areas, so you frequently get tiny Phaleropes and Buntings nesting almost alongside their arch-enemies the Arctic and Great Skuas.

This one is a young Snow bunting, still fluffy and very silly, but knows to keep quiet when anyone big is around. As soon as an adult Snow bunting turns up it shouts and follows it round, pestering for a beak full. 

That is it for this visit - we will have to come back to Iceland again soon.

Iceland 2016 bird list
Redshank
Dunlin
Black-tailed godwit
Whimbrel
Oystercatcher
Red-necked phalarope
Snipe
Golden plover
Cormorant
Shag
Gannet
Puffin
Black guillemot
Common guillemot
Razorbill
Fulmar
Kittiwake
Greater black-backed gull
Herring gull
Black-heeded gull
Great skua
Arctic skua
Arctic tern
Snow bunting
White wagtail
Starling
Wheatear
Redwing
Whooper Swan
Greylag goose
Barnacle goose
Red-throated diver
Red-breasted merganser
Eider duck
Harlequin duck
Tufted duck
Mallard
Raven
Carrion Crow
Rock dove
Ptarmigan