Hapless Chick
Fledgling in distress.
The Fulmars are a common species of seabirds found all over Iceland. They live and nest on the cliffs by the sea.
In the Fall, hundreds of fledglings find themselves in trouble during migration to the open ocean. To take flight the Fulmars need to throw themselves off a cliff edge. They have a great difficulty launching from level ground. Many chicks mistake the road for the water, others miscalculate and fall short. Disoriented, they become, er, sitting ducks for the Arctic Fox, or roadkill. Although not as common today, a local farmer feeling peckish may also fancy a free meal.
In the video below shot with a drone on the beach at Vík í Mýrdal, Börkur tries to goad a chick to the water. He has to take care not to get within range of their defense mechanism: projectile vomit of foul, sticky gunk. Birds of prey are extremely wary of Fulmars as a splotch on their feathers can mean a death sentence.