Tjörnin - Reykjavik, Iceland
Posted by: 
denben
N 64° 08.730 W 021° 56.438
27W E 454232 N 7113565
Tjörnin (The Pond) is one of the most popular recreational facilities in Reykjavík, almost impossible to miss given its central location to downtown.
Waymark Code: WMWQTJ
Location: Iceland
Date Posted: 10/03/2017
Views: 5
"Though categorically a lake, the water body is referred to colloquially as a pond due to its extremely shallow depth. As for its title? The name Tjörnin is derived from the Old Norse 'tjörn', an ancestor of the Northern English 'tarn', meaning “mountain lake”.
Avid bird watchers, wildlife enthusiasts and ornithologists will find Tjörnin teeming with over forty different bird species including Arctic Tern, Eider Ducks, Gadwalls. Greylag Geese, Seagulls, Scaup and Mallard Ducks. Quite often, one will also see Whooper Swans crowding together on the pond surface.
The Gadwall, the Eider and Scaups are all migratory birds; the Eider spends the winter months at sea whilst Gadwalls and Scaups seek a more temperate climate in mainland Europe. The lake is an important moulting site for Mallards in particular; at the height of summer, up to 500 male Mallards will culminate on the lake to shed their flight feathers.
During the winter months, Tjörnin freezes over to create a gorgeous, glittering ice sheet in the centre of town. Quick to maximise the opportunity, Icelanders have been ice skating on Tjörnin ever since they could, creating a winter tradition that grows in popularity each year. The Reykjavík Ice Skating Association was formed on Tjörnin in 1892.
Tjörnin has inspired an eclectic wealth of artistic endeavour, ranging from prized and historic sculptures to modern electro-pop music. This shouldn’t come as a surprising discovery given the pond’s central location to downtown; in close proximity, one can stumble across museums, theatres, inner-city parks, traditional residential neighbourhoods and iconic cultural landmarks."
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