The last week of July I had a family trip to Iceland. Although it was primarily a family trip, I had the opportunity to do some birdwatching (as always). It was a successful trip, although Harlequin Duck was not easy (saw five, of which one from a driving car that couldn't stop at that place). Anyhow, I saw what I wanted to see and we did a short whale watching tour at Húsavik.
Most important birds were of course Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus and Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandica. The Harlequin Duck cost me one-and-a-half hour to find at the famous spot where the Láxa rivers meets Myvatn (probably because they had young and spent time in the vegetation). Barrow's Goldeneye was easy with a few males still in breeding plumage.
Otherwise holds Iceland a few endemic taxa, most of which I did see. Black-tailed Godwit islandica, Merlin subaesalon, Wren islandicus and Snow Bunting insulae. Further loads of Atlantic Puffins, beautiful Great Northern Divers, Arctic and Great Skuas and quite a few Red-necked Phalaropes...
Mammals we saw were Humpback Whale, Grey Seal, Harbour Seal, Arctic Fox and Rabbit...
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