Grasses

By far the greatest part of the island vegetation consists of grasses. Right down by the water’s edge there are tussocks of saltmarsh grass, which can tolerate salt water and moderate wave action.

Young avocet hiding in saltmarsh grass.

Above the strandline is the saltmarsh rush zone, consisting of saltmarsh rush and red fescue. This vegetation accounts for a large part of the grazed meadow areas. Further up, where the soil is drier, there is heath-like vegetation. On grazed islands this consists of couch grass, rough meadowgrass and red fescue.

Grazed grasslands on Øksneholm.

The grazed areas are often inhabited by waders, gulls and tern, while typical inhabitants of the ungrazed areas are gulls, eider and red-breasted merganser.

Grass on the northern end of Kølholm.

The grazed heath-lands, or those disturbed by water voles, are often home to a wide variety of flowering plants, whilst competitive species like nettles and assorted thistles grow in the less varied ungrazed areas.

Grazed grassland on Lilleø. In the foreground, welted thistle..