Uncle Henry´s Universe.

Just got news
that wolf hunting is to start again … Hmm… Not quite as inspiring to work
then.

Otherwise, winter
is back in full force, it’s nice, if only the wolves wanted to collaborate
better everything would be really nice.

The criteria for
a passing rejuvenation of the wolf pack is tough, we need to track at least
three to four (depending on conditions) wolves together for a distance of 15 km. (or 3 km at three different
occasions) Ideally, we also find urine or faeces for DNA test.

Last week has been a struggle. I
know they’re five, but how hard I try, the result is the same. It’s almost like
a conspiracy; if that tracker arrives so we all go in different directions, and
guys remember, no peeing and no poo!

This week’s last
working day gave us beautiful weather with both wolf and lynx tracking, but
above all a big surprise.

Only a few hours
before the hunt for 24 wolves in our county would start, the Administrative
Court stop it all. At least for now. They should consider whether the new
restriction of the right to appeal, is compatible with EU law. It ought
politicians thought about a little earlier. I certainly understand the
frustration of hunters, there is a lot of work expended on planning and
logistic. We can only hope that decision makers succeed in producing an in
every way sustainable management of the wolf population for the future.

But I’m not
particularly sad, I like wolves, I do not mind if they get even more. (I know
that not everyone shares my opinion, I respect that, but I am going to enjoy
wolves’ presence as long as they are)

New Year’s night
was cold but when the day dawned, it was above zero. Then it got warm and
almost all the snow disappeared. Yesterday was bare ground at our farm. At
night the snow came back, so now it’s winter again, but the weather forecast
promises rain for tomorrow … Where has the old-fashioned winters gone?

First working day
of the new year. Nice, but hard to come up in the mountains despite four wheel
drive and high ground clearance. 20-30 cm of wet snow over icy roads … Yummy!

Found night old
traces of a wolf pack but it became less than a kilometer tracking.
Backtracking led to a sump area where I did not want to go over. (Comfortable
after the holidays 🙂 The tracks ahead indicated hunting for moose, so there I
did not want to disturb. At least I know where I’ll continue tomorrow.

Last week
has been warm, between 30 and 35 degrees Celsius, perfect weather for this
year’s inventory of Methuselah´s Beard Lichen. Not as heavy as work with a
chainsaw, but tiring anyway because several of the premises situated at the top
of steep mountains. 200-300 meters altitude climbing brings out one or two drop
of sweat.

Methusalah,
Old Man´s Beard, is lichen with
very long stems and short, even side branches. It is considered the longest
lichen in the world, (up to 10 meters long!) It is found in boreal forests and
coastal woodland in Europe, Asia, and North America. Methuselah is very rare in
Scandinavian forests nowadays. It requires old-growth forest, which is a rare
commodity in today’s production landscape. Our only protected lichen.

Many
lichens I have followed for 10 years now, they have become personal friends. They
are cozy patting on and are growing upwards 10 cm in length during a good year.

The border
between Sweden and Norway is marked by a wide street. At regular intervals, are boundary cairns of stone, painted yellow on the top. This is the cairn #
94, Älgklinten, erected in 1755. Älgklinten is one of our smallest lichen
premises.

Border
south!

Sometimes
provides the working day something extra, like yesterday, when I came across
some fox pups. Siblings who was exploring a bit from the lair! It´s Always entertaining,
always wonderful to enjoy. Life is good!

Two new
golden eagle chicks were ringed today, will be interesting to follow them over
the next few years. The kid in the picture is about 35 days old. Think it looks
adorable on the baby blue blanket.

It’s hard
to keep blogging when spring and early summer rush by! Here is a summary of the
month May.

May 7, It´s
snowing profusely over our cottage, for the final time this spring.

For many
years we have passed the signs to nature reserves we would like to visit. This
year, it was finally off.

Surö
bokskog is a small sanctuary at the east shore of Lake Vänern, just south of
Sjövik. A fantastic beech forest where forest doves and songbirds competed for
the sound space.

Yttre
Bodane is another sanctuary, located on the western shore of Lake Vänern. An
entirely different habitat than Surö. Vänern is our country’s largest lake, an
inland sea, and here you will truly experience the sea feeling.

When we 14
May built fireplaces in the nature reserve Knappnäs, at river Klarälven, had
almost all the snow melted from the ski pistes in Branäs.

Winter was
hard for the reserve located in height, it has meant a lot of extra work this
spring when the trails will be cleared. The chainsaw has been hot!

Sure, it
was better like this!

A small
inspector followed with interest my wife’s work with painting orange Trail
Markings. (Mom hawk owl was not as thrilled, but she attacked luckily not)

Now we have
the winter season behind us and the management of nature reserves take over. Busy days are coming.

I have
helped a colleague with driving up timber for footbridges in Gillertjärn nature
reserve. It is one of
the northernmost occurrences of yew in our country.

I have also fired grass
on Erola (with two other colleagues). Erola is a aspiring nature reserve, where haymaking ground requires help to be
improved.

And today I
have cleared the trails in the Ginbergsängens nature reserve. Birdsong is euphoric;
it’s a great time right now.

Working
with the Golden Eagle is usually associated with observations at very long
distances, only rarely am I close enough to photograph, but this year came one
of the Eagles to me to check the situation. It hung over me for a good while,
willing to be photographed. I finally got paid for all these days of cold and
long wait that otherwise characterizes the fieldwork.

Some days
this year has been quite unique! As on March 24, when I spent more than 15
minutes following a young wolf who
hunted Canada geese on a lake ice in Norway. (I take the road on the Norwegian
side of the border sometimes, when our gravel roads are too bad because of the
spring thaw)

Then, to
track a wolverine, where I really would watch for Golden Eagle …

… But
after a while, also found bear tracks, which I traced back to the bear’s den
where it remained during the winter.

Such days
are inspiring!

Tracked
three wolves yesterday and was reminded of an old story.

Hot damn,
what a shit scary bridge, I refuse going over, ‘said the smallest wolf Bruse
and swerved off north along the river.

Shit, man,
I agree, ‘said the middle wolf Bruse and turned back and instead wades across
the river.

Oh,
cowards, this bridge is insane safe said the biggest wolf Bruse cocky when he
barged over.

Hmm, wonder
what the safety regulations are saying about this thought the big ugly tracker
troll when he with trembling knees slowly crawled across the bridge.

End of
story…