Skjálfandi Bay is a feeding area for several marine species, like humpback whales, Atlantic puffins and artic terns. Hundreds of birds are commonly observed closer to humpback whales and dolphins, while they are feeding.
Humpback whales migrate large distances between their high latitude feeding grounds and their mating or calving areas in tropical waters. Some humpback whales might travel up to 5000 miles between these two regions! At the moment, plenty of humpback whales appear in our beautiful Skjálfandi Bay for their feeding season.
Whales can't sleep the way we do, which is mostly for the fact that they are not having a reflex or urge to breathe, but instead they control every breath they take and decide whether or when it's time to do so.
In Skjálfandi Bay, it is also commonly observe numerous groups of dolphins. The white beaked dolphins might visit us throughout the year, in groups of around 10 individuals, but when feeding, they might gather into bigger groups! The name of the species is derived from the light-coloured or white beak that these dolphins have it.
As the nesting season of the puffins proceeds, a busy time has started for the parents. The chicks, or so-called pufflings, should have hatched by now, which means the adults have to continously venture out in search for food.
As the last day of June is over, we are happily looking back at an outstanding month: uncountable humpback whales have been spotted throughout the last weeks - in all areas of the bay. The bay seems to be rich in food as we saw these giants of the ocean feeding day after day.
Baleen whales are a group of whales which have rows of baleen plates in their mouth instead of teeth. These plates are hanged downward on either side of the upper jaw and permit to filter the food, while whales feed.
Whales are conscious breathers, which means they don't have a reflex or urge to breathe like us humans or other land-based mammals. The function of breathing in these animals is under the voluntary control of the central nervous system (CNS).
Mostly every year, we have a special visitor in Skjálfandi Bay, a hybrid whale! This whale is special because it is a combination of two whale species. In this case, it is between a blue whale and a fin whale, the two largest animals in the world.
Today we celebrate summer solstice and therewith, the longest day of the year. The summer solstice, or also called midsummer, occurs when either of Earth's poles - in this case the north pole - has its maximum tilt toward the Sun.
