Icelandic Birding: Day 1!

Year 13

Back in March I turned 70 years young, and for such a significant birthday Molly and I have a rule that the birthday person selects a “birthday trip”. I chose driving the Icelandic Ring Road. We are taking 8 nights (9 days) to circumnavigate Iceland. While most tours move a person every night and shorter distances, I chose planning my own journey. We have just three overnight locations … AirBnB cabins out in rural Iceland.

Yesterday we arrived in Reykyavik at 6:00 am local, and after passing through customs and picking up our rental car, drove to the small town of Hvammstangi. Our small cottage is perched right out over Midfjordur (long inlet off the sea). We are enjoying the area for two days and nights while we adjust to the time change. Right from our deck the birder in me is in 7th Heaven … sea ducks and shorebirds! I would heartily recommend our AirBnB! My impression is the listing’s photographs “do not” do the rental justice!

Leading off is the Eurasian Oystercatcher … photographed right from my rental’s deck. Blog posts may be infrequent as I need time to enjoy Iceland, its majestic land and the birds. I am already way behind on processing photographs after only one day. Finally, at this time of year the sun sets for only 10 minutes each night!

Mr. Moose Smells Me! Busted! (video)

Year 13

I placed a new trailcam at this location deep in the wilderness 24 hours before this video was taken. Via my first camera I had noticed a Canada Lynx using the log in the photos and video as scent post. Thus, I decided to place a second camera much closer to the downed tree.

When the Bull Moose walked by the following morning it immediately stopped for three minutes. While moose have horrible eyesight, their sense of smell and hearing is fantastic. Mr. Moose could tell a human had been present (i.e. me … 24 hours previously), and he was being very careful. This is one of the reasons I like a “headwind” when I hike. I tend to see more wildlife because animals can not smell or hear me. As a fyi, I had often noticed that moose walk up to within inches of my cameras.

Bull Moose Smells me in Sand Lake / 7 Beavers (Greenwood Creek Boreal Bog)

The second image and video were taken 3 minutes after the first image. My trailcam settings are set to take a photograph immediately upon sensing movement, and then start a 30 second video right after taking the image. The process continues assuming the motion sensor continues to get triggered.

The Movie! (video link for blog email subscribers)

A Day in the Life of a Northland Photographer …

Year 13

Today’s plan … in progress:

  1. Get up at 4:45 am
  2. Have breakfast at 5:00 am
  3. Read news at 5:15 am
  4. Fill birdfeeders at 5:40 am
  5. Worked on solar array power system test station at 6:00 am
    • Creating Birdsong Listening Station for Hawk Ridge
    • Will run off the grid 24x7x52
    • Optimized with parts to run down to -40F
  6. Arrive at Lake Superior cabin at 8:00 am
    • Take images of lupines and historic cabin
    • Paid gig for Lake Superior magazine
  7. Arrive at Greenwood Creek Birdfeeders at 9:30 am
    • Fill birdfeeders
    • Take long hike … swap out SD cards on
      • 3 Birdsong Listening Devices
      • 6 Trailcams
    • Change batteries on selected devices
  8. Arrive home about 1 pm … lunch and rest
  9. Work on images from Greenwood Creek birding hike at 2 pm
  10. Work on low power options for Hawk Ridge birdsong station at 3 pm
  11. Dinner at 6 pm
  12. Configure new test parameters for Hawk Ridge birdsong station at 8 pm
  13. Go to sleep at 9 pm

Time to leave for my cabin / lupine photo session on Lake Superior, after first grabbing a Diet Coke! It is now 6:45 am.