Ægholm

Ægholm is in the western part of Roskilde Bredning (the broad southern end of the fjord).

Sunset on Ægholm, from the south east.

The reef north of Ægholm is only exposed at low water.

From the island Ægholm reef, visible only at low water, stretches north almost all the way to the Okseholme islands, which are actually large salt meadows. Between the northen end of the reef and Okseholme there is a little passage through the reef. Normally only people who know the area well are able to use this. To the west of the island and the reef are the Ægholm Shallows (about one square kilometre), with a depth of less than 1 metre, while there is deep water to the east.

Although Ægholm is smaller than a small suburban block, most years 3-4,000 pairs of birds of many species breed there. Black-headed gulls are the most numerous, but there are also swans, eider ducks, the odd pair of great black-backed gull, common- and Arctic tern, avocet and oystercatcher.

Swans moulting in July on Ægholm flats, west of Ægholm.

At the end of summer a large flock of swans gathers on Ægholm Shallows to shed their flight feathers. There are often more than a thousand birds in a dense flock on the shallows, where they live off the abundant common eelgrass.

Plant life on Ægholm is affected by the huge quantities of fertilizer provided by the birds. After the birds have left the island there can be absolutely fantastic displays of common mallow.

Mallow uses the nitrogen from gull droppings.