© Alexia W - monacoeye, all rights reserved. Iceland, May 2010

Bird name: Lesser Black Backed Gull
Latin: Larus fuscus
Other: Goéland brun (Fr), gaviota sombría (Es), gaivota-de-asa-escura (Pt), Heringsmöwe (De), kleine mantelmeeuw (Nl), Silltrut (Sv)
Family: Laridae • Gulls
Range: Iceland, Northern Europe, Atlantic coasts, incl Gambia
Similar: Great Black Backed Gull

The Lesser Black-Backed Gull above was seen in Iceland in May. Adult LBBGs have yellow legs whereas Great Black-Backed Gulls have pinkish legs. Below, in Gambia, February.

Below, LBBGs (foreground) in Gambia, February 2013
More photos...

© Tom Watson / monacoeye • Scotland, May 2009 • All rights reserved

Bird name: Atlantic Puffin
Latin: Fratercula arctica
Other: Puffin • Fr: Macareux moine • De: Papageitaucher • Es: frailecillo atlántico • It: pulcinella di mare • Sv: Lunnefågel • Ru: Атлантический тупик • Is: Lundi
Family: Alcidae • Auks
Range: Iceland, UK, Norway coastlines etc, some US.
Similar: none

Many thanks to Anne for sending this lovely photo of a Puffin above, taken in Scotland by Tom. Tom was a very close friend of the family and left us far too young. He loved nature and was a talented photographer. He is sorely missed by his family and all of us who knew him.

Below, Puffins flying out at sea, late May, Iceland, 2010
More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2011

Bird name: White Wagtail
Latin: Motacilla alba
Other: Bergeronnette Grise (Fr) • Lavandera blanca (Es) • Ballerina bianca (It) • Sädesärla (Sv) • Alvéola-branca (Pt)
Family: Motacillidae • Wagtails
Range: Iceland, Widespread Eurasia, also Alaska, Morocco
Similar:

This White Wagtail is quite a common bird all along the coast, especially near water. Not uncommon even in Monaco in one or two locations. The wagtails pictured are the Motacilla alba alba subspecies, found in continental Europe and Iceland.More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • France • Mar-Jun 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Tufted Duck
Latin: Aythya fuligula
Other: Fuligule morillon (Fr) • Porrón moñudo(Es) • Reiherente (De) • Moretta (It)
Family: Anatidae • Ducks
Range: Widespread Eurasia - Africa, N Asia
Similar: Greater Scaup

Wild Tufted Ducks winter in the Camargue, but I’ve also seen them in a park in Nice in the summer, perhaps feral.

The male Tufted Duck (above) has a round purple head and bright yellow iris, with long tuft at back of head, bluish bill and white flanks.

The female Tufted Duck (directly below) and juveniles have dark plumage. Males in eclipse plumage also have dark flanks (see “more photos”).

Directly below, female Tufted Duck, Iceland, May, 2011


Directly below, male and female, Iceland, May.
More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland, May 2011

Bird name: European Golden Plover
Latin: Pluvialis apricaria
Other: Pluvier doré (Fr) • Goldregenpfeifer (De) • Chorlito dorado común (Es) • Piviere dorato (It) • Goudplevier (Nl) • Ljungpipare (Sv) • Tarambola-dourada (Pt)
Family: Charadriidae • Plovers & Lapwing, Waders
Range: Breeds Iceland, UK, Scandinavia, Russia etc, winters further south.
Similar: Pacific Golden Plover, American Golden Plover

A lovely shot above of a European Golden Plover in breeding plumage in Iceland, early May.More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2011

Bird name: Eurasian Oystercatcher
Latin: Haematopus ostralegus
Other: Oystercatcher (UK) • Huitrier Pie (Fr) • Austernfischer (De) • Ostrero común euroasiático (Es) • Beccaccia di mare (It) • Scholekster (Nl) • Strandskata (Sv) • Ostraceiro-europeu (Pt)
Family: Haematopodidae • Oystercatchers
Range: Eurasian and African coasts, central Asia
Similar:

A nice shot of a Eurasian Oystercatcher on the Reykjanes Peninsular in Iceland from Alexia. In more photos one flying by the Black Sea, on the Romania and Ukraine border.More photos...

Photos copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2011

Bird name: Common Eider
Latin: Somateria mollissima
Other: Eiderente (De) • Eidereend (Nl) • Ejder (Sv)
Family: Anatidae • Ducks, Eiders
Range: Iceland, Northern Europe, north Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
Similar: King Eider

The Common Eider is an attractive duck, apparently common around Reykjavik in May. Characterised by a thick bill, with “nail” at end.

The female is mottled brown, so quite different from the male in colour.





Below, a female Common Eider.
More photos...

Photos copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2011

Bird name: Northern Fulmar
Latin: Fulmarus glacialis
Other: Fulmar • Fulmar boréal (Fr) • Eissturmvogel (De) • Noordse stormvogel (Nl) • Stormfågel (Sv)
Family: Procellariidae • Petrels, Fulmars
Range: Iceland, Northern Europe, north Pacific, Arctic Circle.
Similar:

Thanks again to Alexia for this beautiful shot of a Fulmar near the Reykjanes Peninsular in Iceland.

Despite appearances, Fulmars are unrelated to gulls, but are in the tubenose or petrel group, which is largely pelagic, and characterised by a naricorn, or nasal passage attached above the bill.More photos...

Photos copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2010

Bird name: Great Black Backed Gull
Latin: Larus marinus
Other: GBBG • Goéland marin (Fr) • Mantelmöwe (De) • Gavión atlántico (Es) • Grote mantelmeeuw (Nl) • Havstrut (Sv) • Alcatraz-comum (Pt)
Family: Laridae • Gulls
Range: Iceland, Northern Europe, Canada, north Atlantic coasts.
Similar: Lesser Black-backed Gull

This Great Black-Backed Gull was also seen in Reykjavik in May. Pale pinkish legs, darker wings, heavier bill, larger size than Lesser Black-backed Gull. The GBBG is the largest of all gulls, with a 1.6 m wingspan.

See “more photos” for comparisons with other gulls.More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy without permission • Iceland • May 2011

Bird name: Whooper Swan
Latin: Cygnus cygnus
Other: Cygne chanteur (Fr) • Singschwan (De) • Cigno selvatico (It) • Wilde zwaan (Nl) • Sångsvan (Sv)
Family: Anatidae • Swans
Range: Iceland, Northern Europe, Russia, Scandinavia, east Asia.
Similar:

Whooper Swans in Reykjavik.



More photos...

© monacoeye • All rights reserved • Monaco • February

Bird name: Common Starling
Latin: Sturnus vulgaris
Other: European Starling, Starling (UK) • L'Étourneau sansonnet (Fr) • Star (De) • Estornino pinto (Es) • Storno (It) • Estorninho-comum (Pt)
Family: Sturnidae • Starlings
Range: Temperate Europe, W Asia, migrates south in the winter.
Similar: Blackbird, Spotless Starling (Spain, Portugal, Corsica)

Migrating Starlings are a common sight in cities in the winter, gathering in very large flocks and filling the trees of city squares. Large numbers arrive in Monaco in the winter, but authorities set up an anti-starling campaign over the last few years, with vans blasting hawk sounds, which seems to have had an effect.

Starlings are not just city birds, but also found in very large groups in the countryside and are a common garden bird. Like many other winter residents, near Monaco they favour olive trees and clear trees of all remaining olives in the winter months.

In the winter, birds are spotted: glossy dark with light tips to feathers. In the summer they lose this spotting. They have yellow bills, which darken in the winter, and so can be confused with blackbirds if only seen quickly.

A Common Starling in Reykjavik, May.
More photos...

Photos copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2010

Bird name: Greater Scaup
Latin: Aythya marila
Other: Scaup
Family: Anatidae • Ducks
Range: Iceland, Northern Europe, some US.

Thanks to Alexia for sending this Scaup photo from Iceland. The Scaup is similar looking to its cousin the Tufted Duck, but is lightly patterned on the top of its back and has no crest. The female is duller and browner, with a white patch at base of bill (see “more photos”)

Scaup breed in Iceland and northern Scandinavia and Russia in the summer, descending mostly to the north Atlantic coastline in the winter.More photos...

Photos copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2010

Bird name: Black Guillemot
Latin: Cepphus grylle
Other: Tystie
Family: Alcidae • Auks, Guillemots
Range: Iceland to Maine, UK, Ireland

The Black Guillemot, is in the Auk family, with Puffins. Recognised here, in summer plumage, by its characteristic white oval wing patches, and red legs. Whitish underwing (see “more photos”).

The Black Guillemot’s range is mostly in the north Atlantic: Iceland, Scandinavia, Scotland etc.More photos...