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Birdwatcher explores remote Icelandic Island to study endangered seabirds

Emin Yoğurtcuoğlu, a dedicated birdwatcher known for tracking endangered bird species globally, embarked on a research expedition to Iceland. For about a month, he observed and documented seabirds like puffins and fork-tailed storm petrels on Ellidaey Island, hailed as the world's most isolated house.

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Birdwatcher explores remote Icelandic Island to study endangered seabirds

The island has only one house, which was historically constructed by the locals to catch puffins. Yoğurtcuoğlu explained that the locals used to eat puffins due to the inability to engage in agriculture on the island.

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Birdwatcher explores remote Icelandic Island to study endangered seabirds

While this practice might have been understood several centuries ago, it was disturbing to hear that it continues secretly despite being banned in the present day. He also mentioned that the locals allow scientists to use the house for observation during their spare time.

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Birdwatcher explores remote Icelandic Island to study endangered seabirds

During his approximately month-long stay on the island, he mentioned that they had to manage with transported water due to the lack of a clean water source. When he wasn't conducting observations, he spent time online.

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Birdwatcher explores remote Icelandic Island to study endangered seabirds

He stated that he was particularly interested in the fork-tailed storm petrel and actively looked for it on the island.

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Birdwatcher explores remote Icelandic Island to study endangered seabirds

These birds are significant to him because, similar to albatrosses, they spend most of their lives at sea and only come to land for a short period to breed, mainly during the time when the sun doesn't set in the Northern Hemisphere.

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Birdwatcher explores remote Icelandic Island to study endangered seabirds

Scientists who study them carefully capture and tag them with microchips to track their movements and understand their preferences.

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Birdwatcher explores remote Icelandic Island to study endangered seabirds

Yoğurtcuoğlu emphasized that Ellidaey Island serves as a habitat for puffins, fork-tailed storm petrels, and numerous other sea birds.

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Birdwatcher explores remote Icelandic Island to study endangered seabirds

Being the first Turkish person to visit the island brought him excitement and pride. He also expressed his plans to continue his bird observation journeys, with North America and New Zealand as his next destinations.