The Icelandic Canadian - 01.04.2007, Blaðsíða 33

Vol. 61 #1
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
31
family has protected the birds and in return
have been provided with a very interesting
occupation—harvesting one of the lightest,
strongest, warmest and most resilient nat-
ural materials known—eider down! The
ducks return to the same nesting place year
after year and feeling safe here, hardly
mind being moved so farmers can gather
some of their down. The farmer only col-
lects a small amount of the fluffy mass
while the duck is still sitting on her eggs.
After the eggs hatch the farmers hope to
find the empty nests before the wind blows
the light tufts of down away. It takes the
collected and cleaned contents of 60 nests
to produce one genuine eider down duvet.
Now you know why they are so expensive.
In early June the next generation is
ready to come out of their shells. Within
about 24 hours after hatching, the eider
ducklings are dry and ready to follow their
mothers out to sea.
The Lake Myvatn District is not only
one of the most volcanically active regions
of the earth but the lake itself supports the
largest population of breeding ducks in the
world! Myvatn is a meeting place, it is
located at a geographical crossroads where
birds normally found on one side of the
Atlantic or the other, meet species who
generally breed up in the arctic or down in
more southerly climes. It is not just the
sheer number of birds but the tremendous
variety of species that raises the blood pres-
sure of enthusiastic birders. Over 40 dif-
ferent kinds of birds nest here and there
isn’t another place on earth where the same
mixture of species can be found. Red-
throated loons are a striking example of the
northern nesters.
Spring is a great time to be there.
Every type of Icelandic species of duck
breeds in and around Myvatn and many are
more numerous here than anywhere else in
the country or even in all of Europe.
The Laxa River adds to the significance
and diversity of the Myvatn wetland area.
The fast flowing water drains the lake and
provides the perfect breeding site for the
Harlequin duck. The male Harlequin is
one of the most beautiful ducks in the
world. The birds come here because it is
the ideal habitat for what they eat - black
fly larva. It is because these and the billions
of midges the area is known for, that the
ducks are here in such numbers.
Residents and tourists come to Tjorn,
the lake in the centre of Reykjavik which
hosts over 40 species of birds. Just a bread-
crumb’s throw away from the first settler’s
farm, wild birds can be lured in for a hand-
out and it is a great chance to see them up
close. Eider ducks, tufted ducks, even
majestic whooper swans are among the
species willing to accept a bribe. An
island in the middle of the lake hosts the
world's only arctic tern colony within a
capital city!
Iceland is home to an incredible
wealth of birdlife. For lifelisters, keen
birders or just admirers of nature's beauty,
this small Nordic island is a beautiful des-
tination.
Iceland hangs like a jewel from the
necklace of the arctic circle. It is Europe’s
wild gem.
To order a copy of John and Denice's
full 80 minute travel and adventure docu-
mentary, Iceland - Europe's Wild Gem for
$19.99 plus shipping please contact them
at: 613/478-5070, or via email: jwdw-
farandwild@aol.com or RR 4, 68 K ini in
Rd. Tweed, Ontario KOK 3J0.