Iceland: Day 15 - Jökulsarlón
July 9, 2004
iceland - day 15 - Fjallsarlón
Just beyond Jökulsarlón we found another glacial lagoon with a few less icebergs and no tourists. It turns out this was a great place for seeing some new birds.
The sand and gravel dunes all around are the main breeding grounds of the Great Skua in the northern hemisphere. We thought the terns were pretty scary, but the skua was much bigger and much more agressive in its attacks! But the baby skua was sooooo cute! We also saw some red-throated loons which make a much different sound from the common loon that we're used to! We also saw one bird that would flap around on the shoreline as if it was hurt to get our attention... there must have been young ones in the area that it was luring us away from.
We did a lot of rock hunting... everywhere we saw rock piles where giant boulders seemed to have instantaneously crumbled to pieces. We later found out these are made of rhyolite which easily breaks apart when the frost gets to it. Rubby went and played on the glacier a bit and we even found some fresh reindeer tracks but these animals seem to be shy and we didn't actually get to see any.
The only tourists around at this glacial lagoon are these three sheep!
Once again we find hardy alpine type flowers growing among the harsh rocks.
On the right is a close-up of Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia palustris).
Rubby walks past the broken up rhyolite boulders to the edge of the lagoon.
Rubby posing "in the middle" of the lagoon.
Rubby checks out a possible souvenir to take home... a bit too big perhaps?
The lagoon has an atmosphere of stillness and solitude.
The icebergs are smaller and lesser in numbers than at Jökulsarlón but they are still beautiful to see.
A pair of breeding skuas in the majestic scenery of Fjallsarlón.
As we got closer the skua kept an eye on us.
Apparently we got a little too close!
The cute baby skua that the parents are protecting.
The skua circles overhead and watches as the baby swims away from us.
Another bird feigns injury and makes lots of noise to attract our attention away from its young.
A pair of red-throated loons.
Rubby playing on the glacier edge.
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