Arctic Terns Feeding on Krill and Capelin Breidamerkurjokull Glacier, Iceland

Breidamerkurjokull a typical piedmont glacier forms a broad lobe in front of two mountain massifs, surrounded by glacial ice. It has retreated since the early 20th century, revealing a large lake with hundreds of icebergs. This is the Jokulsarlon lagoon that underlies the glacier. The water is saline as ocean water enters the lagoon. The glacier margin is streaked with sand, volcanic ash and pumice. The frozen lagoon contains a maze of small icebergs around a circular pond where upwelling fresh water keeps the lake ice-free and attracts birds. Higher resolution images available from rth@arctic-images.com (there is a licensing fee depending on the use).