Day 3, July 27th – Mývatn’s waterbirds
The lake is fed by nutrient-rich springwater and has a high abundance of aquatic insects (Chironomidae) and Cladocera that form an attractive food supply for ducks, thirteen species of which nest here. The duck species composition is unique in the mixture of Eurasian and North American elements and of boreal and arctic species. Most of the ducks are migratory, arriving in late April - early May from north-western Europe. There is a long tradition of harvesting duck eggs for home use on the local farms. To ensure sustainability, the harvesting follows strict age-old rules of leaving four eggs in a nest for the duck to incubate.
We enjoyed the scenic area, not to mention the local food including lamb and trout from lake Mývatn which we bouthty from a local farmer.
Sigurgeirs Bird Museum - An interesting and informative bird museum in one of the world's biggest birding paradise. The bird museum is situated at the farm Ytri-Neslönd by Lake Myvatn. The bird museum is the largest private bird collection in Iceland. The museum was opened August 17th. 2008.
