Náttúrufræðingurinn - 1976, Page 109

1960 nesting was unsuccessful, but in
1967 nesting was apparently successful as
5 eggs were laid and 7 Swallows were seen
in late summer.
The Raven is a widely distributed
breeding bird, 15—20 pairs nesting annu-
ally in the study area. Ravens have in-
creased markedly in recent years. In aut-
umn and early winler they use to con-
gregate at the slaugther-house of the area.
The Öraefi area constitutes one of the
rnain strongholds of the W r e n in Ice-
land. Its rnain concentrations there are
at Svínafell and Skaftafell or where brush-
woocls of birch are most extensive and
reach the most luxuriant growth. As little
information is available on the breeding
of the Wren in Iceland. a detailed account
of 25 nests is of interest. On basis of 23
nests containing eggs or young the follow-
ing conclusions can be drawn: (1) Laying
starts in the first half of May or even as
early as the end of April or in the be-
ginning of May, and hardly much later
than mid-May. (2) The clutch size is 7—8
eggs (7 eggs in 5 and 8 eggs in 2 nests,
considering only complete clutches). (3)
Probably some females at least are double-
brooded. (4) Sonie males seem to be po-
lygamous.
The Redwing is a common breed-
ing bird in birch woods and birch shrubs
and occasionally it also nests on or in
farm-buildings. It is migratory but is oc-
casionally seen in winter (December—Fe-
bruary). Redwings start arriving in spring
after Marclt 25 but peak arrival of mi-
grants takes place from April 10—15 or
even as late as April 20. In autumn they
begin to flock in mid-September, the
flocks reaching maximum size in mid-
October. Ry October 20 most have usu-
ally left, but departure may be delayed
in warm weather.
Blackbirds w'ere occasionally seen
during the years 1934—1940 but since
tlien they liave beconte almost annual
visitors and sometimes occur in fair
numbers. Tliey mostly turn up in Octo-
ber ancl November and may stay until
spring. They are rarely met with in
summer, but a pair stayed at Svínafell
throughout the summer of 1960 and most
likely nested there, but probably unsuc-
cessfully. During the summer one or both
birds made frequent visits to the farm to
collect earthworms and other foods which
they carried up to a wooded mountain
slope above the farm. About the middle
of June 1975 the same thing happened
again at the same farm and tliis time a
Blackbird was even observed carrying en-
capsuled faeces in the bill. Several ob-
servations strongly indicate that Black-
birds may also have nested at Skaftafell
in the same year.
The Wheatear is a common breeding
bird on rocky mountain slopes, especial-
ly in the lower parts of the foothills, but
it fretpiently also nests in holes between
stones in walls of farm-buildings etc. It
begins to arrive April 24—28 lnit the
main arrival is about the middle of May.
Late arrivers may, however, well be pass-
age migrants. The Meadow Pipit
is widespread and common. The first
ones arrive about April 20 but most ar-
rive frorn May 1—10. They have mostly
disappeared in late August, althougli
some stay until September and a few
even until October. The White Wag-
tail is also a common breeding bird. It
nests in oulhouses on farms, under bridg-
es and occasionally on cliffs close to
farms. It begins to arrive about April 20,
exceptionally in ntid-April, but rnostly
from May 1 — 10. Wagtails start to leave
about the middle of August. Sonte stay
until September and a few even until
October. The S t a r 1 i n g has long been
known as a fairly common visitor, mostly
arriving in autumn and in some years
staying throughout the winter. It is rare-
ly seen in summer and it has only twice
bred successfully (1950 and 1951), in botli
cases in cliffs at Fagurhólsmýri. The
Redpoll nests sporadically in the wood
lot Baejarstadaskógur and small flocks,
consisting of 5—20 birds, are frequently
met with in autumn and winter.
The Brambling was first seen at
Kvísker in January 1937. For the next
10 years it was repeatcdly seen and after
that annually, often 5—10 each year and
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