RFI: "Greenland" Northern Wheatear near Reykjavik (1 Viewer)

Hi

Looks like I may have a chance of a long weekend visit to Iceland in early August 2009.

This would be a strictly non-birding trip, as I would be going with some non-birding friends, and probably restricted in the most part to Reykjavik, other than the drive over from Keflavik, and one possible day trip to Geysir and Gullfoss, and possibly Thingvellir.

However I would, if possible, be very keen to try to see the local race "leucorhoa" of Northern Wheatear on this visit, and wondered if they are possible in and around Reykjavik itself, or if I am likely to see one from the car on the journeys described above? Stopping the car en route to have a look at one would be fine, going on an extended trip to look for one definitely won't be!!

Any info very gratefully received.

Thanks,

GRUFF DODD

Hi Gruff

Come on Gruff, you know as well as I do that there's no such thing as a "strictly non-birding trip" (I saw 200 lifers on a non-birding trip to Australia once) so I expect that you'll have you binoculars at the ready ;-)

Wheatears only tend to be seen in Reykjavik itself on migration (May and then mid August-September) but they do breed in rocky areas at the edge of city. If you do the trip to Gullfoss, Geysir and Thingvellir then you have a good chance of seeing roadside Wheatears as they are still common in their breeding areas in early August. For example, the mountain road between Thingvellir and Laugarvatn (on way to Geysir) takes you through good Wheatear country and the area by the waterfall itself should also be useful (just walk a bit upstream/downstream away from the crowds). I've also seen Gyr Falcon on circling above the canyon below the falls in the past. Wheatears become very common along seawalls in August, but usually later in the month. You could try the seawalls at the end of the Seltjarnarnes peninsula 5 km west of Reykjavik city centre, which is a good birding site anyway and you might see some early migrants. If you're struggling then you can always send me a PM and I'll see if I can help you find one!

E

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=31972&highlight=greenland+wheatear

UK passage migrant if missed in Iceland?

That's fantastic info Edward - thank you very much indeed. If the trip goes ahead, it's likely to be mid August onwards, so migrants might be a better bet.

You are of course completely right about non-birding trips - don't know how but my bins somehow always seem to end up in my hand luggage!! I tend to define non-birding trips as any where I have do something else like sunbathing, sightseeing, shopping etc, even if it's only for part of the time

Thanks also for the thread link McMadd - interesting reading. We do actually get these in the Cardiff area on migration, but there seems to be a lot of uncertainty and overlap in their ID. I have already promised myself that I will try to identify a genuine Greenland this autumn, but will hopefully have already seen them in Iceland by then!

Thanks again both,

GRUFF

Gruff Dodd said:

That's fantastic info Edward - thank you very much indeed. If the trip goes ahead, it's likely to be mid August onwards, so migrants might be a better bet.

You are of course completely right about non-birding trips - don't know how but my bins somehow always seem to end up in my hand luggage!! I tend to define non-birding trips as any where I have do something else like sunbathing, sightseeing, shopping etc, even if it's only for part of the time

Thanks also for the thread link McMadd - interesting reading. We do actually get these in the Cardiff area on migration, but there seems to be a lot of uncertainty and overlap in their ID. I have already promised myself that I will try to identify a genuine Greenland this autumn, but will hopefully have already seen them in Iceland by then!

Thanks again both,

GRUFF

Click to expand...

Yes, migrants should be easy to see in mid-August, Gruff. I'm off to Greenland in June so I'll be interested to see if I can see any difference in Greenlandic Greenland Wheatears and Icelandic Greenland Wheatears (I've heard differing opinions on this)!

E