ICELAND Winter 18–21 March 2011 Leaders: Andy Jones and Vaughan Ashby

This short winter tour has been specifically designed to look for three Western Palearctic species at the edge of their ranges: Harlequin Duck, Barrow’s Goldeneye and Gyr Falcon. There is also a possibility of either an over-wintering or early Brünnich’s Guillemot. Additionally, subject to weather conditions, we have a chance to witness the spectacular Aurora Borealis and admire the stunning scenery for which Iceland is famous.

Day 1 Flight from London to Keflavik followed by a short drive to our base for the next three nights. If we have time before dusk, we will stop to look at the numerous wintering Iceland Gulls and resident Glaucous Gulls.

Day 2 Our first destination today will be Steingrimsstöd where, at the power station, river and at Lake Ullfjötsvatn, we will look for Barrow’s Goldeneye. We will also visit the River Sog, which is a good location for this species. Harlequin Ducks are also possible here but we are more likely to see them on the coast. As we drive between sites, we will keep an eye out for cryptically camouflaged Rock Ptarmigan as well as Gyr Falcon. Other species we may see during the day include Whooper Swan, Goosander and Common Raven. After dinner we will join an organised outing away from the city lights to look for the spectacular Aurora Borealis, hoping that the weather conditions are kind to us.

Day 3 This morning we will visit Gardskagi Point where we will look for Great Northern and Red-throated Divers, European Shag, Purple Sandpiper and Razorbill amongst other species. We will also visit other areas along the coast (including various harbours) during the rest of the day looking for Harlequin Duck and King Eider amongst the numerous Common Eiders. There will also be smaller numbers of Long-tailed Duck and Red-breasted Merganser. Black Guillemots are also resident along this coastline and we will keep a careful eye out all the time for an over-wintering or early Brünnich’s Guillemot. Away from the coast, we will also watch out for Snow Buntings. In the afternoon we will visit a small area of woodland (rare in Iceland!) close to the city where we will look for Redwing and Common Redpoll. Throughout the day, we will be keeping a lookout for White-tailed Eagle and Gyr Falcon.

Day 4 As our flight home is not until the afternoon, we will use the morning to revisit sites with the aim of catching up with any species we may be missing.

General Information The climate can vary from mild to bitterly cold, with some rain or snow possible, so warm and waterproof clothes are essential. The tour pace is moderate with generally easy walks mostly on level (but possibly icy!) ground. There are no special health requirements.

Group Size Minimum number for tour to go ahead: 4; maximum group size: 10 with 2 leaders.

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