Iceland - Autumn 2012 (3)

Heimay is the single best site for american passerines in Iceland so when a low pressure system passed just south of the islands we off course had to try it out. We were kindly invited to stay at Ingvar Atli Sigurdssons house in the central part of town.

We started checking the Golf Course and the beaches close to the Lighthouse. Some Meadow Pipits and Wheatears were the only passerines found. Shags, Gannets and Eiders were seen all along the coast. Back in town we tried our luck with the gardens but unfortunately it soon became clear that the island was almost empty. Single Meadow Pipits in the bottom of bushes and one garden with 4 Wrens was as exciting as it got. One flock of 20 overflying Meadow Pipits could have held something good but we could not relocate the flock on ground.

30/9 Heimay. Not sure I would name my house this.... 

30/9 Heimay. We checked most gardens in town two times during the day. Unfortunately we only saw a single Redpoll, four Wrens and some Meadow Pipits. Not quite what we had hoped for.

30/9 The entrance to the harbor on Heimay is really extraordinary. The cliffs on the right were formed during the eruption of the volcano Eldfell in 1973.  

The sewage outlet is located just north of the Harbor. It attracts loads of gulls and fulmars and one can just sit on the rocks and enjoy the spectacle - the only thing is the really bad smell.

30/9 Iceland Gull, Heimay. The sewage outlet in the northern part of Heimay attracts loads of Gulls and Fulmars. Several hybrid Gulls, Glaucous Gulls and Iceland Gulls were seen. 

30/9 Fulmars near the sewage outlet on Heimay. Dark -and double dark birds are seen in good numbers here outside the breeding season with the site probably being the best in Iceland for these "forms". We saw one single dark bird.

So we did not have much luck on Heimay but as with other islands its often either/or. Would surely be fun to experience a day with birds on this beautiful island. We left the island on the late ferry enjoying a Short-eared Owl foraging over the mainland as we approached the harbor.

RDN