Sea Duck Conference in Reykjavik

The fifth international sea duck conference was held in Reykjavik during 8-12/9. With a late start on the first day I had planned a day out with my old friend Yann Kolbeinsson. The weather was absolutely horrendous but this was the only day during the conference with time off for birding. We started off in Gardur - which is one of the best places for american shorebirds in Iceland. Good numbers of plovers and snipes were seen and it didnt take long before icelands first American Golden Plover this autumn was found. It was seen at quite close range. Several other stops in the area didn't bring anymore interesting sightings. At Hafnir we caught up with a Bar-tailed Godwit and at Reykjanes Light House we had two passing Sooty Shearwaters both new Iceland Ticks for me. 

8/9 American Golden Plover Gardur, Iceland. 

8/9 American Golden Plover Gardur, Iceland.

8/9 American Golden Plover Gardur, Iceland.

8/9 American Golden Plover Gardur, Iceland.

8/9 American Golden Plover Gardur, Iceland.

8/9 American Golden Plover Gardur, Iceland.

 The days were pretty full with talks so not much time for birding during the conference. A quick visit to Seltjarnarnes gave ok views of the adult Ring-billed Gull which I saw for the first time in 2009. Other than that the site had good numbers of more common birds. A Shoveler was only my second in Iceland.

9/9 Ring-billed Gull adult Bakkatjörn. 

The 10th saw us going to Gardur again. Five man strong we covered as much area as we could. Simmi did best with a Buff-breasted Sandpiper just south of the light house at Asgardur. Finding rare birds in Iceland is fun and quite different from Denmark. 

RDN