Reykjavic early March (1 Viewer)

Hi folks

Just got a chance of a trip for the first week in March 2014. Any local knowledge what I might expect?
Would love Harlequin Duck as I missed it in the States.

James

Hi James

Harlequin Duck is rather easy to see near Reykjavík if you have access to a hire car. Send me a PM so I can send you maps of easy locations for Harlequin.

Icelanders seem to be very active on eBird; here are their March birds (I don't know their language so I didn't know which province Rejkjavik is situated in):
http://ebird.org/ebird/GuideMe?cmd=decisionPage&getLocations=countries&countries=IS&bYear=1900&eYear=2014&bMonth=3&eMonth=3&reportType=location&parentState=IS-

In addition to the sites I sent you by mail James you might consider visiting the fjords of Kolgrafafjörður and Grundafjörður in western Iceland, if conditions are still good (depends on the presence of herring). A Swedish birder contacted me yesterday and said that there were approximately 25,000 Gannets feeding in the fjord yesterday (which is only 4-5 miles long), as well as thousands of white-winged gulls, 25 Killer Whales, several White-tailed Eagles, a Gyr Falcon, a drake King Eider and more besides. There are Harlequins in that area for sure too. It takes 2-3 hours to drive to that area and the scenery is great (if you have non-birders in tow).

Thanks Edward

My wife is also a birder and I have booked a car so this is definitely on!!!

James

Don't know if you "need" them for your list, but hang out for a little while on top of most any seaside cliff on a breezy day, and you'll have fulmars whizzing past a few feet away, quite a sight. Locals should be able to steer you to the larger colonies for the full experience.