Z Rozanoff - Photographer

While hiking on the border area between and I ran into this funnier looking a little beast of a plant, growing in a 5mm crack.!

Melablóm is the common name for Arabis alpina (also known as Alpine rock-cress).
Northern rock-cress usually refers to Arabis petraea (sometimes called Arabis nordmanniana in older texts).

Northern rock-cress (A. petraea) is rarer, less conspicuous, and more specialized to rocky, exposed habitats... Gravel slopes, scree, , rocky alpine ground , dry, rocky soils, cliffs, highland ridges. And in this case a crack in a boulder sitting in .
Distribution in Iceland is common in highlands and mountains. Much rarer, scattered locations in the north and east.

Icelandic name: Melablóm Norðurbergja
English name: Alpine rock-cress Northern rock-cress
Scientific name: Arabis alpina Arabis petraea.

The Church vs Trolls.
Contrast is iconic in Vík. Rising from the roaring Atlantic, the mighty sea stacks stand like ancient guardians of , . 🇮🇸 Legend whispers they were once , caught by the first rays of dawn and turned to stone.

On the other side the little red-roofed church ⛪ overlooks the town of Vik and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks. Faith and folklore, side by side, watching over Iceland’s wild South Coast which never seizes to amaze. 🌊

🦅 The Common Buzzard in Stockholm
Keep your eyes on the sky — the majestic Buteo buteo is soaring above the forests, fields, and even city edges of Stockholm!

Here are 5 fascinating facts about this local raptor:

1. Resident & Migrant
Some buzzards stay year-round, while others migrate — so you might spot them in all seasons!

2. Master of the Soar
They often circle high on thermals, letting out their iconic mewing call — a wild sound of Swedish skies!

3. Highly Adaptable
Buzzards thrive in woodlands, open fields, and even near suburban areas around Stockholm.

4. Impressive Diet
Small mammals, birds, carrion — they’re not picky. Their varied diet makes them top-tier survivors.

5. Lookalike Challenges
Their plumage varies from nearly white to dark brown — no two look exactly the same!

📍 Seen one around or lately?

From that Epic Night On the 21-03-25
Where I got to see the pink Northern Lights (see previous post)
Abisko National Park never disappoints with its great open views and mountain tops. And it's time very soon for me to start heading back. It makes me a little bit sad!

The coolest bird around for miles!

The Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) is a medium-sized game bird in the family. It is known simply as the Ptarmigan in Europe. It is the official bird for the Canadian territory of Nunavut, where it is known as the aqiggiq and the official game bird for the province of and Labrador. In Japan, it is known as the raichō ( #雷鳥), which means "thunder bird". It is the official bird of Gifu, Nagano, and Toyama Prefectures and is a protected species nationwide. Unlike many species, do not gain substantial mass to hibernate over winter.

This is Abisko!

The moment the sun returns after it's 3 months absence in Björkliden!

So far, the far north of has yet to deliver. 1-0 to vs .

07-10-24 Stockholm

Turn off night mode, make sure your phone brightness is set somewhere in the middle and it has that blue tint to it to best enjoy this photo!

Sometimes when the weather is a little bit cloudy it's still worth going outside for a chase of the . This one is actually shot more or less on freehand without the tripod! I forgot this was plates on a different camera body. This image is taken on the 07-10-24 you can see how the red is so strong and shining through a fairly thick cloud layer! I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought there was something wrong with my new camera body.