A very friendly dunlin

High on the windswept cliffs of northeast Iceland, bathed in soft evening light, we encountered an unusually friendly dunlin. Unbothered by our presence, this small wader continued probing the turf with its slender, downcurved bill, methodically sucking up tiny invertebrates from the damp ground. The golden light caught the subtle rust of its summer plumage—a reddish back and black belly patch that sets it apart from its drabber winter look.

Dunlins (Calidris alpina) are among the most widespread shorebirds in the world, breeding across the Arctic and sub-Arctic tundra, including Iceland. Here, they nest in grassy moorlands and coastal plains, their reedy trills echoing over the landscape. Though they often migrate in dense, swirling flocks along coasts in winter, during summer they spread out to raise their young, becoming fiercely territorial.

This individual seemed at ease, allowing a rare close look at its delicate foraging behavior. Its presence on the high cliffs was a quiet reminder of how these small birds thrive in the rugged extremes of the North. Watching it feed in the late light felt like a gift—an intimate moment with a traveler who crosses continents but returns each year to these wild edges of the world.