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Flatey is the only inhabited island of the 3,000 small islets dotting the Breidafjordur Bay. It is the best place in Iceland to spot the brednäbbad simsnäppa.
Flatey is a very small island, only a 1,5 km or so long, with one dusty road leading from the ferry dock through the so called old village. No cars are allowed on the island. The island is a paradise for bird watching with over 30 different species during the breeding season. On the road from the ferry to the village look for ejder , tobisgrissla and havsörn at sea. In every pond you see many smalnäbbad simsnäppa.
Flatey is the best place in the world to see smalnäbbad simsnäppa up close. In the villlage you see plenty of snösparv on the rooftops. On the island look out for the hyper aggressive silvertärna colony (especially in summer when defending their chicks) as they dive for your head when you get to close. Keep one arm (or stick) in the air to keep them at a distance. Past the village the road leads to sea cliffs with lunnefågel and stormfågel . The part of the island where the brednäbbad simsnäppa breeds is closed to visitors, with very clearly placed STOP – DO NOT ENTER signs giving people no excuse to trespass. However, they can be frequently seen in the village, feeding in the grass at the feet of delighted birders. The best tactic for seeing brednäbbad simsnäppa on Flatey is to go up to the church (check out the cool Jesus-with-Islandic-sweater murial inside) and walk along the fence which runs down to the sea. Set up your scope by the stop sign and wait, because sooner or later one is likely to feed in the bay below - this tactic does not work at low tide, the birds like to feed on the surface of the water, not on mudflats, so if the tide is low, you are better off looking elsewhere. Fingers crossed!
A ferrystop on the way between the Snaefellsnes peninsula and the Westfjords. The Seatours ferry to Flatey leaves from Stykkishólmur at 9 a.m. and arrives at 10:30 a.m. You can head back to Stykkishólmur at 13:15.