“The lure of Iceland for birders lies not in the number of species to be seen,” observes Sandra Paci, “but in the quality of those species and the opportunity to encounter them in spectacularly beautiful and unspoiled landscapes, sometimes in overwhelming numbers.” Seabirds, shorebirds, waterfowl, and gulls are well represented. Some are special Icelandic races and subspecies found nowhere else. Many birds in this sparsely populated land show a remarkable lack of fear of humans, allowing for close viewing and photography. Paci’s 2013 journey started in Reykjavik, then continued up the west coast to Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Flatey Island, and the fabled Latrabjarg bird cliffs, before heading across the north coast to Husavik, Lake Myvatn, and the edge of the Arctic Circle.
