Birding trip to Mykines
August 3rd-4th, 2009

Mykines (written also Mikines) is the westernmost island of the Faroer archipelago and is very interesting not only for the dramatic scenery, but also for the presence of many different species of birds, especially for puffins, present in thousands of individuals.

Vagur island (Faroer) Vagur island (Faroer)
Mykines (Faroer) Mykines (Faroer)
How to get to Mykines? In the pictures abouve, flying to Mykines by Atlantic Airways Bell 412 helicopter. The flight to Mykines takes less than half an hour from Torshavn heliport with three stops, or just a few minutes non-stop from Vagar international airport. The flight offers beautiful views: in the pictures, the western coast of Vagur island (top) and Mikines (bottom). Optionally, Mykines can be reached also by ferry. Both the ways are very weather related.

 

Bell 412 Bell 412 helicopter
Atlantic Airways Bell 412 helicopter, landed at Mykines.

 

Kristianshus B&B in Mykines
Kristianshus B&B is one of the few accommodations on Mykines, where to eat and to sleep.

 

Mykines - Faroe islands Mykines
Mikines Mikines (Faroer)
Mykines island
Mykines is a small town, car-free, with many small colorful houses and typical grass roof.

 

Home with grass roof

 

Mykines Mikines
I start hiking on a trail across Mykines and to another small island connected by a bridge. The total round-trip distance is about 5km. The trail offers spectacular views onto dramatic coastline and bird colonies, including thousands of puffins.

 

Puffins
Along the trail, often running on the edge of impressive cliffs, I start to see the first puffins.

 

Puffin
Mykines - Faroe islands Puffin in the Faroe islands
Mikines - Faroer Puffin
It's very funny to wait for the puffins coming from the sea, with their beack full of small fishes.

 

Puffins

 

Bird cliffs Bird cliff - Faroe islands
The impressive bird cliffs visible from the trail.

 

Mykines panorama
Beautiful views on Mykines from the trail.

 

Bird cliffs
Mykines main island is connected to a smaller islet by a walking bridge looking onto bird cliffs full of Kittiwake.

 

Mykines, Faroer

 

Rissa tridactyla Kittiwake
Kittiwake Kittiwake pictures (Rissa tridactyla), including adult (bottom-left) and young (top). There are thousands of them nesting on the bird cliffs around Mykines.

 

Faroe islands sheeps Faroe islands sheeps
Faroe islands sheeps Sheeps on Mykines.

 

Lighthouse
The trail ends onto a lighthouse, to the west there is only water for thousands of miles.

 

Bird cliffs Bird colony
Bird colony Bird colony
Sea birds The cliffs below the lighthouse offer the spectacle of thousands of birds, covering completely the flat surfaces. Other birds, probably puffins, are resting or fishing on the surface of the sea.

 

More puffin pictures, nesting on the top of a cliff.

 

I start to walk back to Mykines town.

 

Faroes
More Mykines pictures.

 

Puffin nests Puffin colony
An hill completely covered by puffin nests. The puffin build its nest in holes below ground.

 

Puffin nest
A puffin coming out from the nest.

 

Puffin
Puffins
More pictures of puffins.

 

Puffin Fratercula arctica
Still more puffins coming back to their nests with the beack full of small fishes.

 

Mikines
After hiking the final part of the trail, I'm back in Mykines to spend the night.

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