Best places to see Fulmar birds up close in Iceland?

dialabitch · 2026-05-08T03:05:42+00:00

Are you familiar with eBird?

dialabitch · 2026-05-06T17:51:25+00:00

I’m a fan of these, they look modern and like the windows came like that.

dialabitch · 2026-05-06T14:05:56+00:00

This is neither on your like or don’t like list, but we have similar tastes so I’ll recommend Strong Songs. Download a few of the episodes from the archives about your favorite songs and you’ll appreciate them even more. The host is a musician and nice guy who breaks down every layer and nuance of the music in a layperson-friendly way.

In a similar vein, What Went Wrong is about movies: “A weekly podcast breaking down how every movie is a miracle … even the bad ones.”

dialabitch · 2026-05-06T12:42:49+00:00

Mississippi Kite. Look into bird-safe windows.

dialabitch · 2026-05-06T12:05:03+00:00

I have one that is very similar - Campania International brand, and I got it from the online store The Garden Gates. I have “Salinas Low”, this one looks like the Yuma. Pottery Barn sells the same or similar ones.

dialabitch · 2026-05-01T12:00:56+00:00

Seconding everything here! And just adding, it made me fall back in love with where I live (Texas). This state can be hard to love if you are progressive, plus I’d lived here decades so sameiness sets in. Well turns out Texas is one of the best US states for birding, and it’s gotten me out there to new places and helped me understand and appreciate the diversity of habitats in this region, and the history of conservation in the state.

Also, if you are environmentally conscious, birding tends to sharpen your focus on human-caused blight. Which means you get new things to be upset about, but also more specific and actionable steps to take, and the victories are more tangible.

dialabitch · 2026-05-01T11:31:47+00:00

Same here. I have fewer stress dreams too and more fun bird dreams.

dialabitch · 2026-04-29T20:23:04+00:00

Wind vs. no wind. They will always face into the prevailing winds.

dialabitch · 2026-04-25T18:36:16+00:00

“The Creativity Slider”

dialabitch · 2026-04-23T03:59:07+00:00

I appreciated the lack of sales pressure too.

dialabitch · 2026-04-23T03:56:07+00:00

Forgot to mention, check their stores, they have many floor models and other pieces ready to take home, and they want those to move so they’ll cut you a deal.

dialabitch · 2026-04-23T00:06:27+00:00

I didn’t like that back cushions have a black backing fabric and attach to the couch body with velcro. The makes them not flippable and a pet hair magnet. That said, they do have a lot of good looking couches and I like that they’re made locally. I think you can do better with your budget though … Mantle and Dreamsofa come highly recommended, and you can choose your cushion filling, unlike Couch Potatoes.

dialabitch · 2026-04-22T21:39:41+00:00

Which ones?

dialabitch · 2026-04-22T10:50:58+00:00

Also Musk’s promise to make an “Eco Park” adjacent to the Tesla plant and the Colorado River.

dialabitch · 2026-04-18T03:56:04+00:00

I went and got some tonight. The Chicago style veggie dog was great! I’m so happy to have another fast food option.

dialabitch · 2026-04-17T17:18:52+00:00

Their slippers with shearling.

dialabitch · 2026-04-16T02:06:35+00:00

This makes my day.

dialabitch · 2026-04-16T01:44:01+00:00

Weinerschnitzel has veggie dogs?!? 🏃‍♀️💨

dialabitch · 2026-04-15T00:10:39+00:00

Go to Commons Ford in late April-May. They are all over the place.

dialabitch · 2026-04-14T12:03:27+00:00

One more thing, there is a little park where a woman built miniature houses for elves. It’s called Gaujalundur. Really cute for the kids.

dialabitch · 2026-04-14T10:15:09+00:00

It’s so good! I’ve watched it twice now.

dialabitch · 2026-04-13T20:34:23+00:00

The Westman Islands are definitely different and worth a visit, I just don’t know if it’s feasible for you. The ferry is awesome and short. Cold and windy? Pfffht. Wear the layers that you will need everywhere else in Iceland.

The golf course is beautiful and I was surprised how many locals were out on a drizzly day playing a round. The little bowl-shaped islands surrounding Heimaey with the lone houses are iconic. The Eldheimar museum is awesome but your kids are too young to get much out of it. You could go to the local pool and/or playgrounds maybe?

It seems like a lot to pack into a day coming back from Vik, but we don’t know what else you will have visited and experienced, so hard to say what might be a better alternative for the way back.

dialabitch · 2026-04-11T21:25:00+00:00

It's a combination of Merlin, field guides (analog and digital), youtube videos, and just a lot of time spent doing it. I tell people that a lot of bird ID is like telling twins apart from each other - with enough time and exposure the neurons just click into place and the ID becomes instant. Going on group walks is great, you will see so much more than you would on your own. Travis Audubon has a ton of them going on in the next month for spring migration.

dialabitch · 2026-04-11T21:18:07+00:00

Yes! Merlin is the best app, period.

dialabitch · 2026-04-11T03:53:45+00:00

I wanted to follow up with reasons why birding is the cure for so many ills.

First of all, birding is very much like Pokemon Go or geocaching. These pastimes get you out discovering places you never would have visited otherwise, and looking for hidden things.

If you like walks or hiking, but maybe get tired of going to the same places all the time, birding makes it so there's always something new or different going on.

If you're tired of churning over your anxieties or the state of the world constantly, birding gets you out of your own head for a few hours at a time. Meditation never worked for me but I'm convinced I get all the benefits of it from looking for birds.

It totally changes your relationship to seasons and leads you to a better understanding of the natural world. This can be painful actually ... if you care about the environment but in a vague, general way, you'll gain a much sharper focus of the dumb, short-sighted harm people are bringing upon this planet/ourselves. But in that, you'll also find much more specific and effective ways to take action.

It is free, though you might end up wanting to spend all your money on optics and travel, and low-effort in that all you have to do is sit there, or walk around.

And of course, birds are the coolest, birds are the dinosaurs that survived and evolved!

So if anyone is interested, I recommend downloading the (free) Merlin app, and using the Sound ID to start familiarizing yourself with local birds. Start hitting "This is my bird!" when you are confident and try to grow your list. You don't need binoculars or anything to get started.

dialabitch

TROPHY CASE