May - June

May - Delightful colors
In may the number of birds in their colourful plumage increases rapidly. The male bar-tailed godwit is a beautiful copper-red colour in May, and large flocks of these birds can easily be spotted in the verdant grass, busily eating to gain weight. This is one of the last species of wading birds to leave the meadows as it waits for the snow to start to thaw in the Arctic reaches of Siberia. Many of these birds have spent the winter in Africa and have flown 5,000 km non-stop to West Jutland, where they rest for several weeks before starting out on the last 4,000 km of their journey. Good places to observe the bar-tailed godwit are Bøvling Klit north of Thorsminde and at Værnengene/Tipperne. In both locations, you can also see black-tailed godwits – local breeding birds and a closely related species. These are distinctive birds of the meadows, and often complain loudly if you approach their breeding grounds.

Another attractive wading bird you can see for short periods in the first half of May is the dotterel. One of the largest resting grounds in Europe for this species is in West Jutland. Flocks of these birds sometimes numbering up to 150 can be observed in the young cornfields north of the westerly part of Skjern Enge (around Falbækvej, the gravel road) and in the cornfields north of Vest Stadil Fjord. They are easiest to spot in the morning and evening, as they often lie down in the sandy fields in the middle of the day. Unlike most other species of the birds, the female dotterels are the most colourful. The reason for this is that the males must be better camouflaged, as they alone incubate the eggs and raise the chicks. They are often very trusting, as they seldom encounter people.

The spring months are also the best time to see the glorious plumage of ducks. In the reeds around the fjords, they lie shoulder to shoulder – often in pairs – getting ready for the trials of hatching and looking after their chicks. All sorts of species are represented, but some are easier to spot than others: there are many mallards, wigeons and greenwinged teals, but fewer pintails, shovelers, garganeys and gadwalls. Some of them are local breeding birds and can also be observed later in the summer, but most continue heading north.

June
In June, most of the migratory birds have left, so the focus is very much on the local breeding birds. One of the most debated species of all is the cormorant. This species has been in Denmark since the Stone Age and makes its nests on the ground or in trees close to lakes and fjords. In a European context, it is a species that needs protection and Denmark has a special responsibility as the country is home to a large part of the population. In recent years, the Danish population as remained relatively stable at around 40,000 pairs. When the cormorant dives for fish, its feathers become soaked as, in contrast to other birds, it has no fat glands to grease its plumage. Therefore, it has to dry its feathers off by sitting on net markers and
spreading its wings for the wind and sun to dry.