Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) are rarely spotted in Icelandic waters. Being anyway small and swift, they have generally stayed away from the boats and have rarely been seen during the whale watching trips. Consequently, the sight of breaching harbour porpoises is even more unusual. In the past weeks, the porpoises of Skjálfandi Bay were spotted atypically often, affiliated in groups and occasionally breaching. Staff members of the whale museum were able to capture the unusual sight of the smallest living cetacean, which suddenly appears to be more "co-operative" in presenting itself. Further whale species that have been spotted in the bay during the first trips of the year were several humpback and minke whales.  

Apart from cetacean species, an abundance of rather uncommon seabird species has been observed during the trips. Sightings of black guillemots (Cepphus grylle), long-tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis) and storm petrels (Hydrobatidae) are rare in this area and the abundance of gannets (Morus bassanus) seems to exceed the usual amount. Gannets are the biggest seabirds in the North Atlantic with a wing span of up to 2m. Here in Iceland this graceful and attractive bird is often called the "Queen of the Atlantic".

Other species seen are the annual visitors such as puffins (Fratercula artica), common guillemots (Uria aalge), kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis), eider ducks (Somateria mollissima) and artic terns (Sterna paradisaea), accompanied by artic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus) and great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo).

With all those species mingling in the bay we certainly look forward to a great season 2008!