Truly bizarre migration record (1 Viewer)

[Edward]

On 24 February two male Northern Wheatears were observed in the village of Bolungarvík in extreme NW Iceland. The village is located at c. 66°N and 23°W, (the closest bit to Greenland) and the area receives a lot of snow in the winter. It seems virtually impossible that these birds could have survived the winter in Iceland and Wheatears are generally the last migrant passerine to arrive in the country, not showing up until the third or fourth week of April. As an active birder I still sometimes don't see them until May. Photos can be seen here under the heading "4. mars 2005"
http://www.nave.is/fuglar.htm

E

 

[RockyRacoon]

Now I am jealous! They haven't been seen at all here yet, and this is the time of year when the first ones arrive. I suppose we are having a lot of North-Westerlys though! Nice Birds by the way!

 

[Cuckoo-shrike]

Hi Edward
Where were the winds coming from prior to their discovery?

 

[Nutcracker]

There's been a lot of strong southerly winds out in the Atlantic west of Ireland

 

[Edward]

Hi Edward
Where were the winds coming from prior to their discovery?

Hi Andy

To be honest I can't remember as I only found out about this a week later. I have a hard enough time remembering what the weather was like earlier the same day. But the weather has been very mild in Iceland of late, well above freezing so this means that there must have been a strong southerly element although I can't rember much wind at all later, in fact it's been pretty still. Strangely, although one Lesser Black-backed Gull was reported on 17 Feb, there have been none since. This is an early migrant which should be appearing around about now.

E

 

[Cuckoo-shrike]

Thanks Edward.
Another unseasonal record is the Wryneck that turned up in Sennen, west Cornwall in cold north-east/north-west winds five days ago and is still there today.