140530 Whale Watching at Husavik and volcanic activity Krafla

ISLAND 2014-05-28--06-04
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© NF Photos 140530

140530 Friday  Whale Watching at Husavik and a bit more.

Woke up at 6.30. Made myself ready for the day and had breakfast. Better be ready for cold and windy weather on teh sea I so dressed for that. I had tiem for a short morning walk as well. Iceland is very rich in artwork and sagas. You find it everywhere. This is a nice statue close to the harbour.

We left at 8.30 We headed north to go to Husavik for our trip to watch wales. On route Jon guided us on history events on that road. We arrived to Husavik on time to embarked the boat. This time our guide did not get any coffee break. :) But he did not go on the boat so I bet he had some coffee after all.

We headed out at 10 for a three h trip. First thing I saw was Gannets. Happy me. I love them. It was a nice day with very calm ´wind. Nobody got seasick I believe. The only backdraw was that there was rather much people and it got very crowded when everybody stayed at the same side trying to watch the dolphins and whales and puffins. I can´t say I saw many whales, but I did see a few fins.  Whales or dolphins? How can I tell them apart?

 

To finish off the tour we were offered a cup of chockolate and a bun.

Back at 13.00 to Husavik and people started to have lunch. As I had a little in my backpack to eat on the bus I took a walk instead.

We continued our trip at 13.45 heading south towards Krafla and Myvatn. On the way we made a short stop at another turfhouse. Not as impressive as the one yesterday. But still nice. 14.30 a photostop over the valley

Then KraflaCaldera. There was still snow at the rim of the volcano caldera so we had to walk the last part to the rim in thawing snow. It was very beautiful to see.

 

VitiCrater/Námaskarð was the next stop. A marvellous place IMO. Loved it, I could have stayed there all day long.  It is me beside one of the fumerols. :)

But, as usual, the guide wanted a:

Coffee break
so we had to leave that lovely place. :(




Well, true to my habit I spent the coffee breake in a different way. If you look carefully on the dark horse you can see the proof that we were in Myvatn area. Lots of flying critters in the air.

It was getting late so instead of birding at Myvatn north shore we drowe back to Akureyri. Route 87 and 848. Did see the Godafoss waterfall from a distance.  After a short round tour in Danich part of Akureyri he let us off at a Botanic Garden, Lystigardur Akureyrar, to walk the last part to the Hotel KEA and late dinner.
 

Dinner at 19.30  Finish the day with the usual shower and photo work.

Well, before I finish, I got to give you some fins, don´t I?

Namaskard overview

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120626, tisdag och dag 3 på vår resa till skottland. Farne Islands

120626, tisdag och dag 3 på vår resa till skottland.  

Huvudinlägget på engelska finns H Ä R.   Main entry HERE

Alla bilder NF Photo 120626. Klicka för förstoring.

Idag var vi på Farne Islands på öar i havet. Vi befinner oss just nu i England.

Staple Island, den första ön för vårt besök, är ett riktigt fågelparadis mitt ute havet utanför Englands nordöstra kust.

Sillgrissla - Common Guillemot

Turen började med att vi åkte båt och först förevisades en del sälar som låg och solade på klippor.  Sedan började havet sakta men säkert fyllas med fågel. Både på vattenytan och i lufthavet. De flesta var nya för mig men Lunnefåglarna kände jag igen. Inte utan att man började fyllas av förväntan när vi närmade oss ön.

Att gå upp på klipporna och fågelberget kan knappt beskrivas. Det var översållat av fåglar. Fåglar som flög, fåglar som satt, fåglar som ruvade. Och så en del folk förståss. Ivrig som man var tyckte man ju att det var för mycket folk. J



Tretåig mås - Black-legged Kittywake

Så småningom lugnade man ner sig efter den värsta adrenalinkicken och började så sakteliga vandra runt på de gula klipporna.  Nu började man hinna titta också och inte bara plåta. Med hjälp av folket runt omkring började jag kunna identifiera fåglarna. Lunnefåglar i mängder med sin färgglada näbb. Tretåig mås med jättesöta ungar på minimala klippor. Sillgrisslor med sin grafiska dräkt, också med fina ungar. Några Stormfåglar låg och ruvade. Toppskarvar fanns överallt. Både ruvande och med ungar i olika åldrar. En av favoriterna blev de vackra Tordmularna som till synes kärvänligt tog hand om varann.

Tordmule - Razorbill

Jag hade kunnat stanna hela dagen bara där. Men vi for vidare till Silvertärnornas land, Inner Farne. Här fick man verkligen hålla i hatten. Silvertärnorna attackerar allt för att försvara sina små. De kraschar hårt mot ens huvud så stadig huvudbonad är att rekommendera. Dock gick de aldrig på ögon och sådant.

Silvertärna - Arctic Tern

När vi kom till ön hade vi tärnorna i motljus. Ett eldorado för en sån som jag. Så jag plåtade ett bra tag innan jag gick vidare. Försiktigt för att inte trampa på några små.

Kentsk Tärna

Ön hade också ett stort bestånd av Kentsk tärna. Och en del av arterna vi sett tidigare. Det var en upplevelse och inte ville man tillbaka till hotellet. Men på vägen tillbaka började det blåsa kraftigt så det var nog dags. Vi fick sedan veta att det varit så dåligt väder tidigare att många turer varit inställda. Det var nog därför det var såå mycket folk med den här dagen.

Lunnefågel - Puffin

Inner Farne

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120626 Skottland-Scotland , day 3 Tuesday Farne Islands

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NF Photo 120626 Farne Islands

120626 Tuesday, day 3

Woke up at 6 at first but was able to sleep another 45 min. Went up at 7.30 and the sun was up and shining nicely.  I took a quick walk down to the marina to check out the locations.  

Breakfast was served in the diningroom and was a buffé. I like that. One can get what you like when you want it and don´t have to wait to order. Many hours are spent in hotels just waiting. Waiting to order, waiting to get what you ordered. Then wait again for the next order. Starters, main meal and desert.

Today we spent all day at Farne Isles.

Can I go with you?

We gathered at 9.10 to get to the boat. But one of us were missing so there was some trouble. Ola had to stay behind to see what had happened. A friend to Ola was acompaning us and took care of us to the islands. A lot of people were going. We were shown some seals before going to the first island, Staple Island. Ola and the lost member of our group arrived with the next boat 30 min later so everything ended up well.

Puffins - Lunnefågel

Going uphill on the first island was exciting. So many birds impossible to count them.  Puffins (lunnefåglar) and  Common Guillemots (sillgrisslor) for starters. Amazing. There was also other birds. Like Black-legged Kittiwake (tretåig mås), so sweet looking, Razorbills (Tordmule) was a few too. A lovely bird. Then Northern Fulmars (stormfågel) and other gulls. Krag (toppskarv) was also in abundance. With chicks in different sizes. The area was rough and a bit hard to walk with  cracks And covered with yellow lichen everywhere. I was talking to one of the guardians and he showed me one of the Fulmars laying on egg. I got some great shots of it.

One thing I noticed. The rock was almost clean from bird droppings. Only the sides of the cliffs were lined with white droppings. It seems like the birds living on rocks like this kept the rock clean. Or they would all be full of shit.

For a short while I sat down to eat somethign from the lunch box we recieved and just enjoyed being there. All to soon the visit was over and we had to go back to the boat.

Now we took a tour around some smaller islands and headed to Inner Farne.



Attacked by an Arctic Tern

Going up the path was a bit hazardous. The Arctic Terns were aggressive. They attacked people when they came to close to the chicks or eggs. And they were everywhere. They came flying and banged into peoples heads. Or sat down on the head screeming their angry sound. Some klappering with the beak did the trick. But everybody was warned and new what was to expect so nobody got hurt. Birds or people. People could also rent a plastic hat to protect themselves. Looked quite funny but worked well. :)

Arctic Tern

Walking uphill I had backlight against a lot of Terns flying around. So it took me a long time just to shoot them. They are so beautiful in backlight. You really had to watch where you put your feet because there was chicks everywhere. Luckily the nests was marked to protect them. But chicks don´t always stay where they are supposed to. :)

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The Puffins made their nests in holes in the ground. In one area the ground was full of holes. If you stayed a while just waiting it did not take long before a Puffin came landing with the beak full of fish. Checking the closest area and then sneak down into one of the holes. Only to appear a moment later without the fish.

Inner Farne

Nice weather the whole day. It was only the last 30 min that the sun dissappeared. And it was getting windy. The boats was supposed to pick us up at four when the tide was right. We were picked up 16.30 and now it started to get windy so the trip back turned out to be rather bumpy. The boats crowded with people. No safety wests or anything so it was a bit scary.  But we got to the harbour safe and sound and we were back at the hotel around 17.00

We were extremly lucky this day as they said they had to cancel 60% of all trips due to bad weather conditions. So the company was quite happy as well I guess.

Farne Islands NF Photo 120626

At 18,30 some of us were getting together at the Pub on the other side of the street. I wanted to test the wisky The Famos Grouse. It was actually quite good. Then it was dinner at 19.00. I took the same childrens menue as yesterday but had some beer to it.

After that I asked if there was some plug adapter I could borrow for the computer. The first one did not work, but then they had one for shavers so I borrowed that one. And it worked so I could charge the computer. Upload my photos and write a bit. Had to be in the restaurant to access internet. Took a shower and packed as we are leaving tomorrow.

Not many species today maybe, bot certainly lots and lots of birds.

Hotel Bamburgh Castle Inn, Seahouses http://www.bamburghcastlehotel.co.uk/

Svensk dagbok

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