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Icelandic migrant news
last update... 4 November 2009

The spring season remains the most exciting time of year in Iceland. It means the end of hibernation for most Icelandic birders, days get longer with every passing day and the air fills up with birds. Although not the first migrant to reach Iceland in spring, the European Golden Plover is the sign of spring for Icelanders. It arrives in the last week of March and tradition says it comes to push away the snow.
Below you can see all about the arrivals during the latest spring, and compare the arrival dates with those back to 1998. In some cases it is difficult to decide which bird is a migrant and which isn't as some species remain here for the winter. However we try to bring out the best available information. Please note that the dates only show the first observation of the year, which is often not the normal arrival time for many species. The peak arrival is usually a bit later than the first arrivals (some occuring few weeks ahead depending on weather conditions each year).

The mean arrival date for each species is noted at the far right of the table below.

A few species listed below do not breed in Iceland but are migrating towards their breeding grounds in Greenland and Canada, those are White-fronted, Brent and Barnacle Geese, Red Knot, Sanderling and Ruddy Turnstone.

Most of the information is obtained from the Icelandic Bird Net and www.fuglar.is, and should not be used without the author's permission. Letters in ( ) indicate where in Iceland the location is (SW = South-West etc).




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LATEST REPORTS OF FIRST ARRIVALS - 2009
NÝJUSTU FARFUGLAKOMUR VORIĐ 2009


20 May: Red Phalarope / Þórshani Phalaropus fulicarius (NE)
5 May: Red-necked Phalarope / Óđinshani Phalaropus lobatus (NE)
20 April: Arctic Tern / Kría Sterna paradisaea (SE)
18 April: Whimbrel / Spói Numenius phaeopus (S)
16 April: Sanderling / Sanderla Calidris alba (SW)
13 April: Dunlin / Lóuţrćll Calidris alpina (E,S); Northern Wheatear / Steindepill Oenanthe oenanthe (SE)
11 April: Short-eared Owl / Brandugla Asio flammeus (NE); White Wagtail / Maríuerla Motacilla alba (SE)
9 April: Black Scoter / Hrafnsönd Melanitta nigra (NE,SE)
7 April: Manx Shearwater / Skrofa Puffinus puffinus (S)
4 April: Horned Grebe / Flórgođi Podiceps auritus (NE); Barnacle Goose / Helsingi Branta leucopsis (SW); Common Ringed Plover / Sandlóa Charadrius hiaticula (S,SE); Red Knot / Rauđbrystingur Calidris canutus (S); Common Snipe / Hrossagaukur Gallinago gallinago (SE); Black-tailed Godwit / Jađrakan Limosa limosa islandica (SW); Brünnich's Guillemot / Stuttnefja Uria lomvia (NE); Atlantic Puffin / Lundi Fratercula arctica (NE); Meadow Pipit / Ţúfutittlingur Anthus pratensis (SW)
2 April: Greater Scaup / Duggönd Aythya marila (S); Arctic Skua / Kjói Stercorarius parasiticus (SE)
1 April: Pink-footed Goose / Heiđagćs Anser brachyrhynchus (SE); Brent Goose / Margćs Branta bernicla hrota (SW)
28 March: White-fronted Goose / Blesgćs Anser albifrons (SW)
22 March: Northern Pintail / Grafönd Anas acuta (SE)
21 March: Gadwall / Gargönd Anas strepera (SE)
20 March: European Golden Plover / Heiđlóa Pluvialis apricaria (SE)
19 March: Redwing / Skógarţröstur Turdus iliacus (SE,E)
17 March: Common Shelduck / Brandönd Tadorna tadorna (SE); Red-throated Diver / Lómur Gavia stellata (S)
16 March: Greylag Goose / Grágćs Anser anser (N); Tufted Duck / Skúfönd Aythya fuligula (SE); Common Redshank / Stelkur Tringa totanus (SE)
14 March: Eurasian Teal / Urtönd Anas crecca (S)
11 March: Black-headed Gull / Hettumáfur Larus ridibundus (SE)
7 March: Whooper Swan / Álft Cygnus cygnus (SE)
6 March: Great Skua / Skúmur Stercorarius skua (SE)
5 March: Eurasian Oystercatcher / Tjaldur Haematopus ostralegus (S)
11 February: Lesser Black-backed Gull / Sílamáfur Larus fuscus graellsii (SW)

 

MIGRANT ARRIVALS 1998-2009

 

 

 

Species

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Mean arrival date '98-'08

 

 

 

 Red-throated Diver / Lómur Gavia stellata
29 March
4 April
2 April
14 March
24 March
18 March
16 March
24 March
19 March
23 March
23 March
17 March
23 March

 

 Horned Grebe / Flórgođi Podiceps auritus
2 April
11 April
7 April
8 April
6 April
19 March
4 April
24 March
13 April
1 April
8 April
4 April
3 April

 

 Manx Shearwater / Skrofa Puffinus puffinus
?
5 May
4 May
13 April
21 April
5 May
25 April
29 April
14 April
25 March
7 April
7 April
20 April

 

 European Storm-petrel / Stormsvala Hydrobates pelagicus
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?

 

 Leach's Storm-petrel / Sjósvala Oceanodroma leucorhoa
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
13 May
?
?
?
13 May

 

 Whooper Swan / Álft Cygnus cygnus
10 March
6 March
17 March
1 March
13 March
6 March
5 March
25 February
3 March
3 March
14 March
7 March
6 March

 

 Pink-footed Goose / Heiđagćs Anser brachyrhynchus
10 April
4 April
4 April
11 April
5 April
6 April
30 March
25 March
31 March
25 March
29 March
1 April
2 April

 

 White-fronted Goose/ Blesgćs Anser albifrons flavirostris
4 April
29 March
8 April
6 April
30 March
29 March
30 March
26 March
7 April
25 March
31 March
28 March
3 April

 

 Greylag Goose / Grágćs Anser anser
20 March
21 March
19 March
2 April
25 March
7 March
7 March
3 March
5 March
17 March
19 March
16 March
16 March

 

 Barnacle Goose / Helsingi Branta leucopsis
18 April
18 April
19 Mar/16 Apr
16 April
14 April
9 April
2 April
7 Mar/10 Apr
15 April
22 Mar/9 Apr
31 Mar/10 Apr
4 April
12 April

 

 Brent Goose / Margćs Branta bernicla hrota
2 April
2 April
29 March
8 April
5 April
7 April
20 March
6/24 March
2 April
2 April
2 April
1 April
31 March

 

 Common Shelduck / Brandönd Tadorna tadorna
17 April
18 April
18 April
10 March
1 April
4 April
31 March
21 March
15 March
24 March
18 March
17 March
30 March

 

 Eurasian Wigeon / Rauđhöfđaönd Anas penelope
29 March
10 March
14 March
17 March
25 March
16 March
18 March
21 March
20 March
13 March
19 March
18 March

 

 Gadwall / Gargönd Anas strepera
4 April
20 April
1 April
15 April
29 March
10 April
3 April
2 April
12 April
30 March
10 April
21 March
6 April

 

 Eurasian Teal / Urtönd Anas crecca
30 March
28 March
3 April
5 April
25 March
22 March
20 March
22 March
5 April
25 March
20 March
14 March
27 March

 

 Northern Pintail / Grafönd Anas acuta
5 April
2 April
1 April
16 March
29 March
25 March
2 April
22 March
1 April
28 March
1 April
22 March
28 March

 

 Northern Shoveler / Skeiđönd Anas clypeata
11 April
15 April
22 April
30 April
1 May
7 April
8 April
17 April
14 April
7 April
28 April
17 April

 

 Tufted Duck / Skúfönd Aythya fuligula
3 April
3 April
9 April
13 April
28 March
16 March
3 April
23 March
13 March
13 March
8 April
16 March
27 March

 

 Greater Scaup / Duggönd Aythya marila
2 April
10 Mar/19 Apr
18 April
5 April
7 April
22 March
4 April
14 April
9 April
1 April
15 March
2 April
4 April

 

 Black Scoter / Hrafnsönd Melanitta nigra
12 April
21 April
8 April
8 April
23 March
9 April
4 April
27 March
15 April
15 April
7 April
9 April
7 April

 

 Eurasian Oystercatcher / Tjaldur Haematopus ostralegus
23 March
6 March
11 March
10 March
15 March
7 March
11 March
5 March
7 March
28 February
12 March
5 March
9 March

 

 Common Ringed Plover / Sandlóa Charadrius hiaticula
9 April
4 April
13 April
10 April
5 April
7 April
4 April
1 April
11 April
5 April
10 April
4 April
7 April

 

 European Golden Plover / Heiđlóa Pluvialis apricaria
26 March
29 March
24 March
31 March
24 March
24 March
24 March
20 March
24 March
27 March
23 March
20 March
25 March

 

 Red Knot / Rauđbrystingur Calidris canutus
19 April
9 April
25 Mar/18 Apr
16 April
7 April
5 April
31 March
30 March
19 April
10 April
1 April
4 April
6 April

 

 Sanderling / Sanderla Calidris alba
2 May
17 April
1 May
4 May
5 May
15 April
14 April
8 Apr/6 May
16 April
19 April
16 April
16 April
24 April

 

 Dunlin / Lóuţrćll Calidris alpina
9 April
18 April
20 April
13 April
7 April
16 April
14 April
8 April
11 April
13 April
16 April
13 April
13 April

 

 Common Snipe / Hrossagaukur Gallinago gallinago faeroeensis
4 April
2 April
31 March
10 April
2 April
6 April
30 March
28 March
29 March
2 April
1 April
4 April
1 April

 

 Black-tailed Godwit / Jađrakan Limosa limosa islandica
18 April
5 April
2 April
12 April
4 April
7 April
7 April
3 April
15 April
28 March
12 April
4 April
7 April

 

 Whimbrel / Spói Numenius phaeopus
23 April
26 April
20 April
15 April
20 April
15 April
18 April
20 April
16 April
11 April
16 April
18 April
18 April

 

 Common Redshank / Stelkur Tringa totanus
4 April
12 March
24 March
31 March
4 April
7 April
27 March
13 March
8 March
1 April
29 March
16 March
25 March

 

 Ruddy Turnstone / Tildra Arenaria interpres
26 April
17 April
13 April
23 April
5 April
15 April
29 March ?
12 April
31 March
29 March
8 April
9 April

 

 Red-necked Phalarope / Óđinshani Phalaropus lobatus
9 May
7 May
10 May
10 May
10 May
11 May
5 May
21 Apr/4 May
7 May
8 May
10 May
5 May
8 May

 

 Red Phalarope / Ţórshani Phalaropus fulicarius
1 June
29 May
3 June
24 May
26 May
31 May
23 May
14 May
22 May
3 June
24 May
20 May
26 May

 

 Arctic Skua / Kjói Stercorarius parasiticus
13 May
1 April
25 April
12 April
14 April
12 April
20 March
10 April
10 April
12 April
12 April
2 April
11 April

 

 Great Skua / Skúmur Stercorarius skua
13 March
21 March
13 March
9 March
17 March
16 February
28 February
21 February
14 March
10 March
21 March
6 March
9 March

 

 Black-headed Gull / Hettumáfur Larus ridibundus
28 March
29 March
18 March
24 March
23 March
9 March
8 March
19 March
9 March
15 March
12 March
11 March
17 March

 

 Mew Gull / Stormmáfur Larus canus
30 March
15 April
18 March
?
29 March
16 March
21 March
31 March
9 March
27 March
27 March
25 March

 

 Lesser Black-backed Gull / Sílamáfur Larus fuscus graellsii
11 March
8 March
28 February
10 March
11 March
11 February
26 February
17 February
10 March
4 March
15 February
11 February
1 March

 

 Arctic Tern / Kría Sterna paradisaea
23 April
25 April
27 April
20 April
21 April
21 April
15 April
21 April
21 April
22 April
24 April
20 April
22 April

 

 Brünnich's Guillemot / Stuttnefja Uria lomvia
?
?
?
?
?
?
20 March
24 February
14 April
16 April
23 March
4 April
26 March

 

 Atlantic Puffin / Lundi Fratercula arctica
30 March
2 April
4 April
31 March
30 March
1 April
27 March
10 April
9 April
11 April
8 April
4 April
3 April

 

 Short-eared Owl / Brandugla Asio flammeus
26 April
?
?
?
?
18 April
14 April
26 March
13 April
?
?
11 April
12 April

 

 Meadow Pipit / Ţúfutittlingur Anthus pratensis
10 April
7 April
7 April
8 April
4 April
5/27 Mar
4 April
9 April
15 April
12 April
4 April
4 April
6 April

 

 White Wagtail / Maríuerla Motacilla alba alba
19 April
30 March
30 March
6 April
6 April
2 March
6 April
29 March
17 April
13 April
16 April
11 April
4 April

 

 Northern Wheatear / Steindepill Oenanthe oenanthe
16 April
19 April
20 April
25 April
23 April
14 April
18 April
24 Feb/17 April
22 April
16 April
17 April
13 April
19 April

 

 Redwing / Skógarţröstur Turdus iliacus coburni
22 March
25 March
24 March
16 March
23 March
18 March
27 March
19 March
22 March
24 March
13 March
19 March
21 March

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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