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Skútustaðagígar Craters

Northeastern Region  >  Iceland

A row of pseudo-craters located on the southern side of Lake Mývatn. The area provides a great view over the lake.

Added* by Bas Engels
Most recent update 12 February 2020

Description

The Skútustaðagígar Craters are located on the southern side of Lake Mývatn and the area consists of a row of pseudo-craters which are covered in low vegetation. The area is provides several great views over the lake and is a good spot for observing waterfowl and other species of waterbird.

The area surrounding the craters are good for Northern Wheatear, Meadow Pipit and White Wagtail. Often, you can find Merlin here, hunting for small songbirds. Also Short-eared Owl can be seen here.

The area provides several great overviews over Lake Mývatn. Great numbers of waterbird can be seen here and common species in large numbers are Tufted Duck, Eurasian Wigeon and Whooper Swan. Scarcer species, like Barrow's Goldeneye, Harlequin Duck and Goosander, can also be found here. Sometimes, the area provides large numbers of Red-necked Phalarope, which can be observed foraging close to the shoreline. Numbers can reach about 150 individuals in this specific part of the lake.

Details

Access

The area is easy accessable due to the ringroad, located just south of the area. There is a large parking lot located next to the road (see map) and several pathways lead you around the area.

Terrain and Habitat

Grassland , Lake

Conditions

Hilly

Circular trail

Yes

Is a telescope useful?

Yes

Good birding season

All year round

Best time to visit

Spring , Winter

Route

Unpaved road

Difficulty walking trail

Average walk

Accessible by

Foot

Birdwatching hide / platform

No

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