1/8/2024 0 Comments Gyrfalcon symbol![]() ![]() ![]() As recently as 1885 the Iceland parliament declared the Gyrfalcon could be destroyed as it may have been thought to be in competition with hunters for game birds. They will not hesitate to call the authorities should a tourist or anyone approach to close to nesting sites or eyries. It is no wonder the Vikings held it with such regard and why even today native Icelanders are extremely protective of it. ![]() Its size makes it the largest of the falcons and its endurance is almost unbelievable at times. The Peregrine Falcon may have more notoriety worldwide and hold the title for the fastest animal, but the Gyrfalcon seems to have been blessed with all the greatest advancements evolution could throw at it to become a true master of the skies. It is no wonder that this stunning bird of prey had caught my attention as it has done so for centuries as kings and sheiks have sought it out for a symbol of status and falconry. For me personally though it was the Symbol of Iceland which I hoped to get a glimpse of, the regal Gyrfalcon. Highlights we were hoping to experience were of course the glaciers, puffins, waterfalls, and untouched landscapes. Our itinerary would take our rented Suburu Outback around the entire country as we followed the coastline to take in as much as two weeks would allow us. In the morning we would take off on our own “Golden Circle” tour of Iceland, opting not to follow in the footsteps of the many other tourists that are increasingly flocking to this beautiful land. It was pushing midnight but the eternal summer sunshine meant one could still see the beautiful Icelandic countryside as we made our way to Reykjavík. We had managed to catch a bit of sleep literally in a pod the size of a closet during our stopover in Amsterdam Airport. We were going from one extreme to another as we now found ourselves far from the equator and on the other side of the Atlantic. We had arrived a few hours earlier in Iceland by way of Ecuador where we had just followed in Darwin’s footsteps exploring the Galapagos Islands. It is the middle of summer yet still my face and hands quickly numb in the biting wind as I attempt to fill our rental car with petrol. ![]()
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