Help the Bumblebee!

People in usual have a soft spot for the bumblebee - that little plump creature is forever fighting with its helter-skelter way of flying while it is humming so lovely - a symbol of a sunny day in the garden or a summer day out in the country.

When the bumblebee-queen wakes from her winter sleep, it is early spring. The bumblebee endures low temperatures better than the honeybee, but in many places the cultural landscape is a problem for the bumblebee. It has lost terrain because of corn crops, lesser and lesser windbreaks and almost no earth banks or stone fences , which means that the bumblebee has been declining during the last decades.

A garden owner is able to help the bumblebee to get started in the early spring by i.e. planting Goat willow, crocus, Christmas rose and early flowering heather, which is good food for the bumblebee in the early spring. Nest-places can be established by leaving part of a woodpile or a bundle of twigs - or maybe build a small stone fence in the garden. A nesting box for the tit with a hole of two centimeters diameter could be a fine home for the bumble bee.

Source: Natur og Miljø, Nr. 1 March 2010, article by Jan Skriver.


Bumblebee with flower dust on its back.

photo : grethe bachmann

Flowering Rush / Brudelys

Butomus umbellatus 





Flowering Rush (Brudelys) is native to most of Europe and grows spread in Asia. It is also native to Denmark, especially in nutritious areas of Jutland and upon the Isles. It is introduced to the eastern North America as an ornamental plant and has now become a serious invasive weed in the Great Lakes area. In  Israel, one of its native countries, it is an endangered species due to the dwindling of its habitat. It can also be found in Great Britain locally.

The plant is a rhizomatous, hairless, perennial aquatic plant. It grows in the reed-marsh by lakes, ditches and water streams and prefers a mineral-rich ground, where it lives together with Common Reed, Broadleaf Cattail, the Simplestem Bur-reed or Branched Bur-reed (= Sparganium erectum), Yellow Iris, Reed Sweetgrass and Great Spearwort.

Its name is derived from Greek bous, meaning "cow", "ox" etc and tome, a cut (the verb 'temnein' meaning "to cut"), which refers to the plant's swordlike leaves. Other than suggested by its English common name, it is not a true rush. The Danish name Brudelys is a romantic name, meaning the Bride's Light or the Bride's Candle. Maybe because it looks like a candelabre. Brudelys is mentioned both in old folk songs and fairy tales, but not with the exact meaning of the word.

Skals Aa-river

Flowering Rush is declining, caused by a rough waterstream-maintenance, since it tolerates no cutting.  The plant reminds about the leaves of other plants along water-streams, but they can be recognized by their linear, pointed leaves up to 1 metre long, or more. The leaves are triangular in cross-section and arise in two rows along the rhizome base. They are untoothed, parallel veined and twisted. The leaves and stalks have air channels. The inflorescence has pink flowers, which ligthen up in all the green. The fruit is a follicle, and the seeds are spread with the water and maybe also with animals. It flowers from July until September.


Flowering rush is often seen in full or almost full vegetative growth. This happens especially for the first years after the species has established itself in a new locality. By water-streams in deeper water is it often fully vegetative.

When blooming the Flowering Rush cannot be mistaken for other plants. The flowers of  Arrowhead might resemble it superficially, but it has long-stalked , arrow-shaped basic leaves. Flowering Rush might be mistaken for species of Branched Bur-reed, where some have triangular leaves at the bottom, but Flowering Rush is usually easy to recognize by the long narrow, triangular-winged leaves.

Pure under-water forms of the plant can be difficult or impossible to identify.

Frequently cultivated as an attractive ornamental plant. In parts of Russia the rhizomes are used as food.

Source: DMU, Teknik & Miljø, Fugle og Natur, Danmark.


photo July 2010: grethe bachmann

Leopard's Bane/ Guldblomme

Arnica montana










The Leopard's Bane has got many names, like Cure all , Fallherb, Golden-fleece, Lambskin , Mountain daisy, Mountain Tobacco, Sneezewort, Tumblers  and Wolf's Bane. It is also called by the Latin name Arnica. In Denmark is it known as Guldblomme, Volverlej and Arnica. 

The Arnica is an about 50 cm tall herbaceous plant with flowers of a warm golden yellow colour in May and June. The plant has a strong aromatic scent. The genuine Arnica is often found growing wild in moors and upon dry hills. It contains several more etheric oils than the garden species and its scent is more aromatic.

Arnica montana is endemic to Europe, from southern Iberia to southern Scandinavia and the Carpathians. It is absent from the British Isles and the Italian and Balkan Peninsulas. Arnica montana grows in nutrient-poor silicaceous meadows up to nearly 3,000 metres (9,800 ft). It is rare overall, but may be locally abundant. It is becoming rarer, particularly in the north of its distribution, largely due to increasingly intensive agriculture. In more upland regions, it may also be found on nutrient-poor moors and heaths.The plant origins from Asia, North America and the Alps. It is listed in the Alps, in Germany and Denmark.  The plant is in decline in Denmark, it is relatively common in Jutland, but rare on the islands.


Folk Medicine:
In the 1600s was the plant entered into the pharmacopoeia and recommended by physicians in fevers, epilepsy, paralysis and rheumatism. If someone suffered from rheumatism, broncitis or heart-sclerosis they could drink a tea from flowers, leaves and roots. A thinned essence from the plant was dabbed upon blue bruises and sprains, and a thinned essence was used  as a gargling-water in inflammation of the mouth and in parodontal disease. The plant has an old reputation as a means of fetal expulsion but is fatal if consumed in large amounts.

Torup, Mid Jutland . Here was the Arnica.

Medicine Today:
Today is the plant used in ointments upon pulled muscles and sore blue bruises. See: Arnica montana  

Arnica-tinctur has been sold from the pharmacy to treat spavin in heifers.

Clinical Tests:
The juice from the plant irritates the skin. Big doses of the plant-content has proved a poisonous effect on heart and circulation in clinical tests with rabbits.
  
Superstition:
If the plant is drunk in wine it strengthens love and promotes love-making. People had an ancient belief that the plant worked as a means to fertility. In Jutland they fed the cow with the flowers shortly before it was covered by the bull. In Himmerland gave the young guy an Arnica to his chosen girl. If she accepted it, she was bound.











Others:
Arnica was once used in beer-brewing. The spicy-scented flowers were an ingredience in Benedictine-liqueur. In Jutland was the dried plant used as a snuff -  and French shepherds used the leaves for tobacco.

Goethe used Arnica to easen pain in heart attacks.


The Arnica is especially known in Denmark as a kloster-herb by the ancient name Volverlej. 

photo Torup, Mid Jutland 25 June 2011: grethe bachmann

The Honey Bee is in Danger.

Life has gradually become an obstacle race for insects like honey bees - they live by flying from flower to flower and return to their large family with pollen and nectar which they change into honey.

Poison, slurry and gigantic corn fields do not harmonize with the bees' need for a clean environment with lots of flowers, bushes, trees and various crops. The development of the industrial agriculture has created a visible distance between the flowers in the landscape, and the population of Danish bee-families have gone from ab. 200.000 in the years around 1950 till ab. 80.000 in these years. The work of honey bees from early spring till late autumn is of crucial importance for the diversity in the nature.

The honey bees are among the most important assistants for the fertility of the flora. Also for the hundreds of plant species which are used in farming, foresting and in the gardens are the bee- pollination of crucial importance. Crops like winter rape and clover are completely dependent on the bee-pollination. Also all plants which seed, like fruit trees, berry-bushes and other similar plants. Danmarks Jordbrugsforskning (research) has estimated that the Danish honey bee- pollination only in the agriculture and in fruit and berry-cultivation represents a value of at least 1 billion kroner. The EU-commission is more concrete in its evaluation of the good deeds of the bees when it's about money. According to EU the bees' work represents ab. three billion kroner a year. (in DK) At the same time is concluded that the value of the pollination of the bees and the following fertility is 30-50 times higher than the value of the honey-production which in Denmark is ab. 60 million kroner a year.

The industrial agriculture has meant that the fields grew larger and larger. Stone-fences, earth banks and lots of hedgerows disappeared, and the distance between the small uncultivated oases for the flowers and bees grew longer and longer.



The verges and ditch-edges were once a study in a diversity of flowers which were good for the honey bees and other pollinating insects. Today are only few plant-species in those places. The heaths are attractive for the bees, but they are now in a crisis, caused by nutrient-rich precipitation. The nitrogen gives several grass species good living conditions at the expense of the heather.

The honeybee and all other pollinating insects lost terrain when 117.000 hectare fallow fields were ploughed and cultivated in 2008 - an area the size of the island Lolland simply disappeared as a habitat for bees.

All in all - the honey bee, the bumblebee, the butterflies and other pollinating insects are in danger. Some species have already disappeared never to return. Fewer pollinating insects will effect us more than we imagine right now - also in our daily economy. Fewer vegetables, berries, fruit will empty our pockets! So it's best for all of us, if there are more uncultivated places for bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects.

Source: Natur og Miljø, Danmarks Naturfredningsforening, Nr. 1, Jan Skriver, Honningbien.

photo March 2010: stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan Foto

The Honey Bee is in Danger

Life has gradually become an obstacle race for insects like honey bees - they live by flying from flower to flower and return to their large family with pollen and nectar which they change into honey.

Poison, slurry and gigantic corn fields do not harmonize with the bees' need for a clean environment with lots of flowers, bushes, trees and various crops. The development of the industrial agriculture has created a visible distance between the flowers in the landscape, and the population of Danish bee-families have gone from ab. 200.000 in the years around 1950 till ab. 80.000 in these years. The work of honey bees from early spring till late autumn is of crucial importance for the diversity in the nature.

The honey bees are among the most important assistants for the fertility of the flora. Also for the hundreds of plant species which are used in farming, foresting and in the gardens are the bee- pollination of crucial importance. Crops like winter rape and clover are completely dependent on the bee-pollination. Also all plants which seed, like fruit trees, berry-bushes and other similar plants. Danmarks Jordbrugsforskning (research) has estimated that the Danish honey bee- pollination only in the agriculture and in fruit and berry-cultivation represents a value of at least 1 billion kroner. The EU-commission is more concrete in its evaluation of the good deeds of the bees when it's about money. According to EU the bees' work represents ab. three billion kroner a year. (in DK) At the same time is concluded that the value of the pollination of the bees and the following fertility is 30-50 times higher than the value of the honey-production which in Denmark is ab. 60 million kroner a year.

The industrial agriculture has meant that the fields grew larger and larger. Stone-fences, earth banks and lots of hedgerows disappeared, and the distance between the small uncultivated oases for the flowers and bees grew longer and longer.



The verges and ditch-edges were once a study in a diversity of flowers which were good for the honey bees and other pollinating insects. Today are only few plant-species in those places. The heaths are attractive for the bees, but they are now in a crisis, caused by nutrient-rich precipitation. The nitrogen gives several grass species good living conditions at the expense of the heather.

The honeybee and all other pollinating insects lost terrain when 117.000 hectare fallow fields were ploughed and cultivated in 2008 - an area the size of the island Lolland simply disappeared as a habitat for bees.

All in all - the honey bee, the bumblebee, the butterflies and other pollinating insects are in danger. Some species have already disappeared never to return. Fewer pollinating insects will effect us more than we imagine right now - also in our daily economy. Fewer vegetables, berries, fruit will empty our pockets! So it's best for all of us, if there are more uncultivated places for bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects.

Source: Natur og Miljø, Danmarks Naturfredningsforening, Nr. 1, Jan Skriver, Honningbien.

photo March 2010: stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan Foto

Nature in Trouble

Lapwing, Vilsted Sø


Skylark, Ertebølle

Many years ago, in 1986, a plan for pesticides was introduced in DK. The purpose was to lower the use of pesticides in order to keep the diversity of nature. Unfortunately it has developed in the wrong direction. I.e. has the population of lapwing, skylark, partridge and hare minimized severely, caused by the barren landscape. The waterworks state that more and more drillings contain rests of pesticides. The agriculture says that the use of pesticides is necessary caused by "hunger in the world", while *DN 's representative says "rubbish", cause 85% of the Danish corn-production is used for animal-fodder.

* Dansk Naturfredning


Partridge, Rugård

Hare, Oudrup Hede

Source: Natur og Miljø, Danmarks Naturfredningsforening, nr. 4, Nov. 2009.

photos ⓒ 2007-2009: grethe bachmann

Eurasian Hobby/Lærkefalk
Falco subbuteo



photo Portlandmose, Lille Vildmose 20. June 2009:
stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan foto

The Eurasian hobby can without slowing down its speed catch a dragonfly in the air, bring the insect to its beak with the claw and eat it. Just look at a gallery with fantastic photos of the hobby. See especially nr. 7 on the first page by Mogens Hansen, where the falcon eats its "lunch" in the air. The hobby is able to catch both swallows and swifts on the wing, and barn swallows or house Martins have a characteristic "hobby" alarm call.

The hobby prefers open landscapes with small forests and wetlands. Its food are birds, insects and exceptionally bats. This pretty little flyer is the size of a kestrel, but has another plumage and flight. It is a well-proportioned falcon with long, pointed wings and a rather short tail. It has an elegant flight with fast strong strokes of the wings interrupted by a glide. The hobby does not hover like the kestrel. Adults are slate-grey above, and streaked lengthwise below, with a white throat. Close views enable the red "trousers" and vent to be seen. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are generally much browner.

The hobby is a true falcon. In falconry one of the characteristics of a true falcon is to prey on birds in the open air. They circle hundreds of feet into the air, waiting for the prey to be flushed out by beaters or dogs. In falconry in the Middle Ages only the larger female bird was properly called the falcon. The male, which is up to one third smaller than the female, was the tiercel. The long winged falcons were restricted to nobility.The hobby was considered the easiest falcon to train, it was mostly used for hunting larks.

The Eurasian Hobby is native to most of Europe and Asia and some localitites in Northwest Africa. In Europe it breeds mostly in lowlands, in general avoiding large areas without trees. In Denmark the species is especially connected to older, open forests with grazed meadows or wetlands or other open nearby biotops which are rich in insect-life.

In the 1800s the hobby was probably a common breeding bird in Denmark, but with the intensive agriculture the species declined. Environmental poisons contributed furthermore to this development. Around 1950 the breeding population were reduced to max. 20 pair. It seemed that the decline continued up to the Millenium with only 5 pair. 2005 was the best hobby-year since the start of *DOF's project Truede og Sjældne Ynglefugle (DATSY) in 1998 with at least 15 pair. In 2006 were at least 10 breeding pair in Denmark. Hobbies nest in old nests of crows and other birds, laying 2-4 eggs. Three hobby-pair have breeded in old crow-nests put up in pylons, all in Sønderjylland. The hobby overwinters in Africa.

Eurasian Hobby see : Observationer

A wonderful story about a young Eurasian hobby with a broken wing.
A hobby with a broken wing was saved. After 29 days on Aabenraa Veterinary Hospital the young hobby could be discharged. The rare falcon was found with a broken wing by a local ornitologist Jesper Tofft from Sønderjylland. The hobby was a young bird from one of the crow-nests in the pylons in Sønderjylland. Jesper Tofft keeps an open eye with the Eurasian Hobby in the above mentioned project *DATSY, and he brought the hobby to the veterinary hospital. Dyrenes Beskyttelse (Animal Protection) has a nursing station in connection to the hospital. Usually birds of prey and owls with a broken wing do not achieve a nursing place, since experience shows that hunting birds with broken wings seldom can be cured and become effective hunters in the wild again. But the veterinarian Torben Knage-Rasmussen made an exception. "The ornitologists argued for that we had to do everything in order to heal this young hobby, because the species are so rare in Denmark that each specimen is of importance to the population" And then the veterinarian said yes. There are probably only 15 hobby pair in Denmark at present.

Except the broken wing the hobby was in good condition and vigorous. It also had a good appetite. It had to be fed on the first day, but already on the next day it eat the food itself. (chickens). On the first days the falcon was in a box with straw, but it soon came to
a small volière, and three weeks later in a large volière where it trained the first flights. The falcon was calm and composed during the whole course, and the veterinarian describes it as an easy patient. He said that he had taken care of various birds of prey, but the hobby was very balanced with a calm temper. It wasn't confused although it was experiencing an unusual situation.

Fortunately it showed that the nursing was worth the try. After 29 days of nursing the young patient was ringed, before Jesper Tofft put the it out near the nest where it was born. The falcon was so fast and brisk that the ready photographer missed to sharpen the picture. It rushed out at high speed to live the life of a free bird again, and it was received by two hobbies from its own family only a few minutes later.

Source:
DOF (Dansk Ornitoligisk Forening)
Danmarks Fugle og Natur

* DATSY is a project for endangered and rare breeding birds in Denmark.

The Elegant Red Kite


photo Bælum, North Jutland, 20. June 2009
stig bachmann nielsen, Naturplan foto


photo Skagen May 2008: grethe bachmann

The red kite is a beautiful bird of prey with its long forked tail, the long wings and the chestnut-red colour. It is about 25% larger than the buzzard. The red kite is a fantastic flyer, it often stops in mid air , then turns around and goes down to the ground to examine a possible prey. When it is marking its nest-territory it hovers like a dragon above the forest for hours, therefore its English name "kite".

The red kite has, contrary to its close relative the black kite, a limited geographical distribution. Almost the whole breeding area of the species is inside Europe. 80 % of the European population is concentrated in 3 countries, Germany, France and Spain. In all three countries the kite is declining. In Denmark the red kite breeds few in number, but it has prospered during the latest years and is now found in all parts of the country. Most pairs of the red kite breed in the eastern part of Jutland.
The red kite breeds in open landscapes with spread forests, mostly close to water streams, lakes and moors. It often takes over other large birds' nests i high trees like the nests of raven or buzzard. The nest is often decorated with paper pieces, coloured plastic, rope etc. The red kite is also few in numbers as a migrating bird in Denmark, although the number of migrating kites in East Denmark is growing in line with the growing population in southern Sweden. The Danish and south Swedish kites overwinter primarily in Spain and France. Winter-feeding in Sweden has caused that more south Swedish kites overwinter close to their breeding area, and the kite is also observed in Denmark in winter in growing numbers.

The red kite is especially known as an expert in finding and eating carrion. It has an important role as "Nature's garbage man". But it is also able to hunt and kill its prey. The young birds are fed with fresh-caught amphibians, reptiles, mice, rats, young hares, little birds, crows and seagulls. The kite takes the prey represented in large numbers at the breeding place.
About two hundred years ago the red kite was a common bird of prey in Denmark, but shooting and poisoning wiped out the population in the beginning of the 1900s. After a Danish helårsfredning (protection all year) in 1922 the species re-immigrated in the beginning of the 1970s from the growing Swedish and German populations and has since spread slowly. The south Swedish kite-population has grown from 20 pair in 1960 to more than 1.200 breeding pair at present. The red kite is still endangered in Europe caused by a direct persecution in the wintering places in Spain, but an international pressure has reduced the problem lately.


Red Kite: Observation and Photo-Gallery


Source:
DOF (Dansk Ornitologisk Forening)
Danmarks Fugle og Natur