After a rather quiet period in Iceland, two American Buff-bellied Pipits Anthus rubescens rubescens were found on the Reykjanes peninsula (SW-Iceland) in only three days ! The first was discovered in the town of Garšur on 7th October, by Yann Kolbeinsson. This very tame individual could be well observed (and photographed) for the rest of day by both French and local birders. It remained in the same area the following day, but moved 1,5 km to the west on 9th October when it was refound at Garšskagi lighthouse (where Swedish birders could twitch it easily).

On 9th October, a second individual was discovered by Edward Barry Rickson, Jakob Siguršsson, Kjartan Magnśsson and Sigmundur Įsgeirsson (the same who refound the other bird at Garšskagi) at the town Hafnir which is 16 km south from Garšskagi ! This bird was also very tame and could be well observed and photographed.

These are the 7th & 8th records for Iceland, which holds most records of this otherwise very rare vagrant (Nearctic subspecies) in the Western Palaearctic. At present, I'm aware of four records in the UK, 3 old in Germany (1851-1899), two in Ireland, two in Italy and one in Sweden. Interestingly, one was reported from Norway on 7th October 2004.

Click here to see the previous records of this pipit in Iceland.

- YK 09/10/2004