July 22, 2013
European Golden Plover and Harlequin Duck near Lake Mývatn, Iceland

We spent the last two nights near Lake Mývatn. It's located right on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and has an active volcanic past, most recently in 1984. The main lake is surrounded by lots of smaller ponds and it's a hot spot for birds, probably because of the abundance of midges. Sometimes the swarms are so thick it looks like blowing sand! The European golden plover is common in the Icelandic moorland, and I photographed this one near our boondocking spot. Harlequin ducks like the rapids on the exit stream of Lake Mývatn, and here a duckling is riding its mother's back. She had five ducklings, and I don't think this little guy really liked the water because it frequently climbed up on her back.