Ice on the move

  

We're approaching the end of the photos from Iceland, but I couldn't resist sharing a few more icebergs.  All photos from the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon on 10 September 2024.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elemental

  

One of the things I enjoyed most about Iceland is how close you feel to the basic elements of the earth.  

Here are some photos that represent different forms of earth, water, and air.  As always, you can click on the images for larger versions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Such inspiring landscapes and seascapes!

Sculpted by the sea

  

Offshore sea stacks near Vík í Mýrdal (Iceland) on 10 September 2024.

Seabird sampler

  

Here's a sampling of seabirds we encountered in Iceland.  Most of these photos were taken on the ferry to/from Heimaey except as noted.

Above, a Sooty Shearwater (Ardenna grisea), and below a Sooty Shearwater on the left and a Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) on the right.  Note the size and color differences (the Manx Shearwater is smaller with black above and white below):

 

 

 

 

 

Adult Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) with a fish...

 

and a juvenile Atlantic Puffin:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Immature Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla)...

 

and an adult kittiwake flying by an iceberg at the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon:

 

 

 

 

 Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) in Reykjavík.

 

 

 

 

Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) soaring on updrafts along the cliffs. 

 

 

Great Skua (Stercorarius skua) high above the harbor on Heimaey.

 

 

Arctic Terns (Sterna paradisaea)

It was fun to see some familiar faces in a new setting — many of these species can also be seen off Bodega Head — as well as some species I haven't seen in a while (e.g., Atlantic Puffin, Black-headed Gull, and Great Skua).

A sky like no other

  

Northern lights near Hvolsvöllur in southern Iceland on 9 September 2024.   

None of us had experience photographing the northern lights, but my niece took some nice photos with her smartphone!

 

 

 

Here's one more of my mom, sister, and me...a memorable night!

 

 

P.S.  Many thanks to Katie for sharing these great photos!

Harbor light

  

Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle) in the harbor on Heimaey (Iceland) with beautiful golden reflections from the cliffs.

Land of fulmars

After spending this past week in Iceland, I started thinking about Iceland as the land of fulmars.  It was amazing to see Northern Fulmars (Fulmaris glacialis) everywhere — over the ocean, soaring around sea stacks, perched on sea cliff ledges, resting next to waterfalls, gliding among the icebergs, and high above inland cliffs.

If you look closely, I’m guessing you’ll be able to see fulmars in all of the photos below.  Sometimes the scale of the photo is such that the fulmars appear quite small, so you might need to click on the image to view larger versions.