Every year we begin in early May, protecting the colony as the eider start to arrive. The birds have natural enemies here – foxes, mink and the Lesser Black-backed Gull – so we keep a constant, quiet presence in the colony throughout the nesting season.
It is crucial that the birds remain undisturbed during this period, and our watch is about exactly that: letting them nest in peace. In other parts of Iceland where colonies are not looked after in this way, eider numbers have declined dramatically.
A documentary was made about the protection work at eider colonies near us in the Westfjords – you can watch it on Vimeo: vimeo.com/52602376.
Follow us on Instagram – @zoffi_eiderdown – for the small moments from Lækur between diary entries: the first eiders in spring, the fjord in every weather, and the work in between.