[baddowbill]

My wonderful girlfriend has organised a week in Iceland in May 2006, are there any members out there who have visited Iceland at this time of the year (or indeed any other time) who can pass on any birding tips?

[delia todd]

Hi Baddowbill

Iceland Birding link below

http://www.hi.is/~yannk/index-eng.html

Hope this helps

D

Edward - where are you

[annap]

Hi baddowbill
I visited Iceland in May last year on an organised holiday with Discover the World. Wasn't really a birdwatching holiday but two whalewatching trips were organised (didn't see any whales as weather was much too cold, unusually so for that time of year. Take plenty of layers just in case!) We stayed at Lake Myvatn and although the numbers of birds were reduced due to the cold weather we went for a walk round the lake and saw some great birds with little effort required -slavonian grebes, barrow's goldeneye, long tailed duck, red throated and great northern divers, arctic terns etc. We also enjoyed being able to look out of our hotel room and see golden plover, snipe and redwings on the ground outside. Wherever you go Iceland is a great place to be. Have a good holiday!

[CornishExile]

Originally Posted by baddowbill

My wonderful girlfriend has organised a week in Iceland in May 2006, are there any members out there who have visited Iceland at this time of the year (or indeed any other time) who can pass on any birding tips?

Hi baddowbill,

Speak to Edward when he gets back from Kenya in a couple of weeks time - he lives up there, and what he doesn't know about birding in Iceland isn't worth knowing.

Cheers,

ce

[StuartReeves]

Originally Posted by CornishExile

Hi baddowbill,

Speak to Edward when he gets back from Kenya in a couple of weeks time - he lives up there, and what he doesn't know about birding in Iceland isn't worth knowing.

Cheers,

ce

I'll second what Cornish has said, and also direct you to various threads on this very forum. Search on Iceland and you should find a fair few - I should know, I started one of them!

Stuart

[Edward]

Originally Posted by baddowbill

My wonderful girlfriend has organised a week in Iceland in May 2006, are there any members out there who have visited Iceland at this time of the year (or indeed any other time) who can pass on any birding tips?

Hi baddowbill

May is probably the best time to visit Iceland for birding as the daylight hours are very long, all birds have arrived back to breed and are very noisy and conspicuous. As for strategy, then you don't really need any special strategy as, with one or two exceptions, all species are pretty easy to find. We don't have many different species but those that are here are generally abundant. See here for tips on where to find certain birds http://www.hi.is/~yannk/specialities.htm

As for areas to visit, then I'd recommend concentrating on the Snæfellsnes peninsula in western Iceland and then around Mývatn in the north-east.

Let me know if you want any more advice.

E