Lögberg-Heimskringla - 07.04.1995, Page 6

6 • Lögberg;|Heimskringla • Föstudagur 7. apríl 1995
by Gunnur Isfeld
Swimming
hildren’s Corner
“Krakkar, eigum viö ekki að fara
í sund-höllina í dag?”
spuröi pabbi.
“Jú, gerum þaö,”
sagöi Erna.
"Viö skulum hjálpa mömmu
meö upp-þvottinn og fara, svo.”
“Það er rétt Erna mín,
þannig skulum viö hafa þaö,"
sagöi pabbi.
“En eitt verðið þiö að muna.”
“Hvaö er þaö?”
spuröi Erna.
“Aö þiö megiö ekki fara
út í djúpu laugina.
Þangaö megið þiö ekki fara,
fyrr en þiö kunnið aö synda."
„Viö lofum því,“
sagöi Árni.
“Kids, shouldn’t we go
to the swim-castle (swimming-pool) today?”
asked dad.
"Yes, let us do that,”
said Erna.
"Let us help mother
wash the dishes and then go."
“That is right Erna dear,
that is how we shall do it,”
said dad.
“But one thing you must remember."
“What is that?”
asked Erna.
"That you must not go
out into the deep pool.
There you must not go,
until you know how to swim.”
“We promise that,”
said Arni.
Can you match these words?
See how manyyou can put together ofthese lcelandic and English words:
KRAKKAR'
HJALPA
UPP-PVOTTUR
RETT
MUNA
MEGA
DJUP
LAUG
KUNNA
LOFA
10.
DEEP
KNOW
PROMISE
BE ALLOWED
HELP
KIDS
RIGHT
DISHWASHING
REMEMBER
POOL
£ + ‘01 ‘Z + '6 ‘01 + '8 “I + ' L
‘f+’9 ‘-6 + e ‘L + 'f ‘'8 + £ ‘£+‘2 ‘-9 + I ISHHMSNV
lceland study shows southbound express for swans
Those interested in nature and
science have long been fasci-
nated by migrating birds. It is
difficult to believe that small
birds like finches fly from
Iceland to the Sahara desert in winter,
and the arctic tem makes it all the way to
the Antartic.
How do the birds fare? What deter-
mines the date of departure? How do
they navigate? How high and fast do they
fly and how many stay together.
Last summer two swans from Skaga-
fjörður were fitted with electronic equip-
ment which made it possible for scientists
to observe their migration. A computer in
Toulouse, France, picked up signals from
the birds via satelite. Scientists were in
contact with the Toulouse computer dur-
ing the migration. This was a joint project
conducted by Icelandic and English sci-
entists, led by professor Pennyquick at
the Animal Science Department of the
University of Bristol, England.
It is known that Icelandic swans win-
ter in the British Isles and Ireland.
However the study revealed some curious
behaviour by the birds.
The swan is Iceland’s laigest bird with
a wing span of 2,2-2,4 meters, comparable
to that of the eagle, but the eagle is a
shorter and lighter bird. The swan popu-
lation in Iceland is not laige, only 19,000
birds in the fall. The majority of those
birds winter at the aforementioned loca-
tions, but several hundred birds endure
“Þorri” with the human population, stay-
ing mainly in south and south-west
Iceland. About 100-200 birds stay at
Mývatn. Ólafur Einarsson, a bird special-
ist, said there was much excitement when
news broke about the two swans touch-
ing down at their winter habitation at
Donations to
Lögberg-Heimskringla Inc.
rMr. Gerald G. Arason,
International Falls, MN, USA....$10.00
Thor Sigurdson, Winnipeg...........$15.00
Nanna Olafson, Wynyard, SK........$20.00
J.S. &Johanna M. Skaptason,
Leawood, KS, USA.................$60.00
Gloria & Thomas Meadows, Wpg......$10.10
/n memory of Dr. Björn Jónsson from
Margaret & Bjorn Thorbjarnarson, Cape
Canaveral, Florida..............$200.00
/n memory of Leífí Thordarson from
Icelandic National League, Gimli Chapter,
Gimli, MB......................... $25.00
/n memory of jonina R. Oddleifson from
Adelaide Thoroski, Winnipeg......$40.00
Caerlaverock at Solway Fjord close to the
Scotland-England border — about nine
hours after takeoff from the coast of
Iceland.
Ólafur said that they had chosen family
birds with known winter habitation at the
Wildfould and Westlands Trust Sanctuaiy,
so that the electronic equipment could be
reclaimed. “There were many questions
which we wanted answered. Such as alti-
tude of flight, route, rests, speed, etc. The
only confirmed incidence of a high altitude
flight was on December 9, 1967 when
Icelandic pilots spotted swans by radar on
the way from Iceland to Scotland where
they were flying at an unbelievable altitude
of 8,200 m. (over 25,000 feet). We received
many answers. The project is not finished
however. The equipment will be fitted on
other birds and they will be traced back to
Iceland this spring. Those are birds which
we know nothing about,” said Ólafur.
“The two swans, code named CDD and
JSC, flew to Scotland at only 30 to 50
meters altitude which is far from 8,200 m.
That was a bit of a disappointment, as they
hoped to hit upon a high altitude flight.
Swans are not considered to have the ener-
gy to fly at that altitude. It would be inter-
esting to find out what flight conditions are
necessary for the high altitude flight. The
birds attained 130 km. hr. speed part of the
way. It only took them nine hours to cross
the ocean and touch down on Scottish
soil,” said Ólafur.
“It was interesting to note the behaviour
of the birds before taking off. CDD nested
at Glaumbæjar Island and the eggs were
destroyed in floods. JSC nested at
Garðsvatn and brought up five young ones
with his mate. The birds approached the
flight differently.”
“The JSC couple lived at the nesting
area until fall. On October 16, they flew
south along Skagafjörður, crossing Spreng-
isandur and stayed ovemight at Langisjór.
Next day they flew to Skaftá and stayed
there overnight. From October 19 the
birds stayed in fields at Landbrot. On
October 26, at 5 a.m., they began the
strenuous flight across the ocean and
rested on the sea just south of the Isle of
Skye in the Sound of Sleet. They touched
down in Scotland about nine hours from
takeoff.
“CDD did this a bit differently, he
lived with his mate at the nesting area in
Skagaíjörður until October 26. At 6 a.m.
the birds took off across the highland;
they did not rest, but flew directly out to
sea and reached Meðallands Bay at 1
p.m. About 6 p.m. they were located 50
nautical miles west of Suðureyjar. There
they rested and spent the night on the
ocean. The next morning they took off
again and completed the flight at
Caerlaverock, at the WWT Sanctuaiy at
Solway Fjord.”
“The birds took off on the same day
even though located in different parts of
the country. Why? “The weather — they
wait for north winds and high pressure
conditions. Last October had low pres-
sure conditions throughout, or unfav-
ourable winds. But on October 26, the
weather cleared and the wind changed.
This is a signal for birds to take off. Tim-
ing is interesting too. They seem to
choose daylight. They take off early and
spend the night resting on the ocean.”
“The next day, for example, a group of
swans took off near Vík in Mýrdalur. It
was late in the day and the group
returned. The weather was changing.
They had lost the bus and had to wait for
the next one. Takeoff depends on weath-
er and there can be a long wait for the
right conditions. The example from 1967
was in December. Those were most likely
swans from the south-east corner of
Iceland. They are known for delaying the
trip until they are in dire straits and their
water freezing.”
See page 7 for more photos ofthese swarts
with an Icelandic translation! — G/