It’s just beyond Reynisfjara black-sanded beach, one of the popular stops along Iceland’s south coast. While on the south coast, Dyrhólaey is a unique peninsula where an arched rock juts out into the water making it a top spot for photographers, as well as bird watchers who come to see the puffins diving out at sea for their meals. In the north of Iceland, just beyond Husavik, you’ll find Tjörnes peninsula where the 60-metre Hringsbjarg cliff rustles with the feathers of thousands of puffins. Breiðafjörður, the bay that separates the Westfjords from the Snæfellsnes Peninsula is also a popular place to spot puffins nesting along the shore. Here, the sheer cliffs drop down to the crashing ocean and the entire cliff-face is alive with birdlife, including puffins, northern gannets, guillemots and razorbills. Perhaps the most dramatic spot to go birdwatching is the Látrabjarg cliffs, right on the tip of the Westfjords. Puffin colonies are dotted all over the Icelandic coast, so there are plenty of places to spot them outside of Reykjavik. This is a great option for photographers, or those that like to feel the wind in their hair on the scenic route back to Reykjavik. The trip takes two hours in total, but the boat is super-fast and designed to get as close as possible to the wildlife without disrupting them. If you fancy whale watching as well as puffin watching, there are tours that combine the two for the ultimate Icelandic wildlife experience.Īlternatively, you could opt for the RIB tour in Reykjavik to spot both puffins and whales.
You might spot Northern Fulmars, Gulls, Arctic Terns, and Black Guillemots as well, and the whole trip only takes an hour, so it’s ideal for those short on time. The charming little Puffin Express boat chugs out to Lundey and Akurey to spot the colourful birdlife. Puffin trips from Reykjavik leave from the picturesque old harbour, which is incredibly easy to get to from the centre of the city – it’s just a ten to fifteen-minute walk. Just a fifteen-minute boat ride from Reykjavik, there are over 30,000 puffins nesting on islands out in Faxaflói Bay. Legend has it that you should never ride an Icelandic horse without knowing its name, so sign up for guided horse riding in Iceland to make sure you get it right. Myths and rumours surround this breed, including claims that it’s not actually a horse at all. With its strange gait, short, sturdy stature and friendly demeanour, the Icelandic horse is unlike any other breed in the world.
Get to know the quirks and traits of the Icelandic horse During the day, they are often out fishing, so it is best to try to see them in the evening when they are most active. Puffins arrive in Iceland in late April or May and stick around until late August. They are known for their ability to dive, but generally don’t stay underwater any longer than 30 seconds at a time, so it’s a real flurry of activity when the puffins are out fetching food for the colony. One of the most fascinating sights is watching puffins dip from the air into the wild Atlantic sea where they catch shining, small silver fish (mainly sand lance, sprat, capelin and herring). The egg hatches after around forty days, revealing a grey fluffy chick inside which will stay in the nest until it’s old enough to fly at about six weeks old. They make burrowed nests on cliff sides, away from predators, where they usually lay a single egg. Puffins often live for around twenty years, finding a single mate and laying eggs from aged three and up. In fact, over 60% of the entire Atlantic puffin population makes its home in Iceland. Although you’ll find them across the likes of Russia, Norway, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, and even as far as Maine in the USA and the north of France, it’s Iceland that is home to the biggest colony of Atlantic puffins. A type of auk, the puffins you see in Iceland are of the Atlantic puffin variety. Sometimes known as “the parrots of the sea” the colourful faces of these seabirds attract visitors from far and wide to Iceland’s craggy cliffs and off-shore islands. To up your chances of spotting a puffin, join a guided activity tour in Iceland that includes a stop at a puffin colony. There are also several spots along the south coast, up in the north near Husavik and out on the Westfjords to catch a glimpse of these striking birds. Puffin-spotting trips leave from Reykjavik to the islands in Faxaflói Bay where you can see these creatures in the flesh (or rather, in the feathers). It’s no wonder that the country’s souvenir shops are named after this cute sea bird. There is no avoiding the puffin in Iceland, its distinctive, colourful face is everywhere – on tea towels, in snow globes and on the front of woolly jumpers.
0 kommentar(er)
