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Birds > Charadriiformes > Thick-billed Murre Uria lomvia

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I photographed the Brünnich’s Guillemot (American name - thick-billed murre) in a bird colony on a rocky cliff together with the common guillemot and the razorbill. There are just a few features distinguishing it from the common guillemot, namely a little more massive beak with a distinct white stripe on it and a bit darker plumage on its head and spine (practically black). In terms of their size the common guillemot and the brünnich’s guillemot are similar, as their weight is about one kilogram with a wingspan of about 70 cm. Their population in Iceland is estimated at around 330 thousand specimen. The recording presents the sounds of the colony consisting of the sounds of common guillemot, brünnich’s guillemot and razorbills.
Last minute news -06/2018 Iceland
In fact, this was the bird I returned for, after four years, to the steep cliff where could be found nests of thick-billed murres, common murres, razorbills, puffins, black-legged kittiwakes and fulmars. Previously the gallery of this species on my site consisted of few documentary photos. This time it turned out that there were not many nest sites of this species, but the light was better. New and better photos have been taken. I could now spend more time on taking dynamic pictures of razorbills, common murres, black-legged kittiwakes. This time almost everything went well: the light conditions, the number and diversity of birds, if only my reflexes were quicker to capture the birds when returning to the colony...
Last minute news 07/2018 – Norway-Spitsbergen
Despite the efforts, it was not possible to reach the colony of thick-billed murres, unlike the colonies of little auks. But fortunately there were several encounters with thick-billed murres in Spitsbergen and the gallery was rebuilt. A few really close observations on the seashore, a few shots in flight and a few showing their surroundings present this bird and its environment. The gallery of the thick-billed murre finally upgraded its status.

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