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travels with janne

3 – The sounds, shapes and colours of biodiversity

Sri Lanka Posted by Janne HansenPosted on 14 Dec, 2023 09:24

From delicate flowers to majestic trees and from modestly brown lizards and butterflies to flashy birds, the Sinhajara Forest Reserve has a lot to offer if you are even mildly interested in biology.

I love rainforests with their fantastic jumble of species. In the Sinjahara Forest Reserve, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we see plants living on other plants, plants that devour insects, colourful blooms, and majestic trees towering above it all in their search for light.

Pitcher plants (the endemic Nepenthes distillatoria) lurk in the undercover, waiting for a hapless insect to fall into their container of water.

We see hundreds of nelu flowers in bloom – a rare thing indeed, as they only bloom once every seven years. There are apparently about 33 species of nelu and we see two, both of which are in bloom. They are pollinated by honeybees. 

Startlingly bright yellow wild hibiscus and the endemic, delicately pink bovitiya add a touch of colour to the dark green jungle. Dainty flowers and tiny fungi also find a place to live here.

Crawling, hopping, flitting and flying through all this biodiversity are snakes, lizards, butterflies, birds, and monkeys, most of which are impossible to see, let alone take pictures of. From a distance I see a Ceylon tree nymph (a black and white butterfly), a purple-faced leaf monkey (aka langur), which is endemic to Sri Lanka, Ceylon paradise flycatcher, and a sweet little pair of Sri Lankan frogmouths (birds). I also hear the secretive Sri Lankan spurfowl.

I suggest you google these “invisible” animals to see for yourself what they look like.

In Sri Lanka there are 33 endemic bird species, 28 of which are found in Sinjahara Forest Reserve. One of these, which is quite common, is the Sri Lanka jungle fowl. We spot some hens scratching for food in the rain forest. The Sri Lanka jungle fowl is the national bird of Sri Lanka and forefather of our domesticated poultry. The hens are attractive but the rooster, which I have no photo of, exhibits fantastic colouring.

An astounding splash of colour comes from the endemic blue magpie. We also spot yellow-browed bulbul.

Even the creepy crawlies are charming, like this approximately 15 cm long millepede. I would not want to have to knit socks for all those feet.

The cute little kangaroo lizard is also pretty common here in the rain forest, as are various butterflies. I manage to take one shot of a butterfly and to identify it as a glad-eye bushbrown.

The stripy Indian palm squirrel looks very much like a North American chipmunk of Chip ‘n’ Dale fame. They seem to be all over the place, in both natural areas and towns. Typical squirrel!

From top to bottom, there are lovely patterns to be found everywhere in the rain forest.

All this wonderful biodiversity includes a multitude of leeches, so once again we have donned our leprechaun-coloured leech socks. Despite the protective green socks, I discover later that I have been host to a blood-sucker just above my belly button. How it managed to crawl all the way up there and find its way to my tender stomach skin I do not know, but the waist of my hiking pants is disgustingly bloody. Yuck!



2 – A walk to the end of the world – or something like that

Sri Lanka Posted by Janne HansenPosted on 13 Dec, 2023 10:34

An abrupt drop of about 1000 metres at World’s End affords beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.

Clambering over rocks, gullies and muddy, slippery paths, it takes all my attention to concentrate on where to place my feet, to keep my balance, to avoid slipping and falling, and to strategize about where to place the next few steps. Whew! This is more of a trek than a walk. Our goal is to reach the mountain viewpoints called World’s End and Mini World’s End in Horton Plains National Park. I lag behind partly because the going is a bit rough and partly because I do like to stop and look at the surroundings and take pictures, such as these Sri Lankan sambar deer and a mongoose:

It begins innocuously enough, with a flat plain and a muddy, but gently upward sloping path.

It soon transforms into an impossibly uneven and slippery route that has suffered from the latest heavy rainfall. I thank goodness my boots are waterproof as I step into a hole filled with water, almost losing my balance, and curse myself for having forgotten my walking sticks back at the hotel.

Despite the challenges, I find time to take a few shots of the wildlife, including delicate flowers, a green lizard with a very long tail and a browsing Sri Lankan sambar deer:

At Mini-World’s End we take a well-earned rest and enjoy the spectacular views. By the time we reach World’s End a few hundred metres further onwards and upwards, it has clouded over, as is so often the case here, apparently.

Walking back down is almost as challenging and by the time we reach the hotel I am totally knackered. 



1 – A jewel in the Indian Ocean

Sri Lanka Posted by Janne HansenPosted on 12 Dec, 2023 14:38

Like a teardrop falling from the southeastern tip of India, Sri Lanka is a green jewel of biodiversity in the vast Indian Ocean.

Imagine a country where a rich array of wild plants weaves a green blanket over mountains and fields, in forests and mangroves, through villages and towns. A country where monkeys, leopards, wild boar and elephants roam freely inside and outside national parks. A country where 30 percent of its area is protected nature. Such a country is Sri Lanka.

I have recently returned from a visit to this wonderfully lush island southeast of India, exchanging the grey Danish November weather with tropical heat and, sometimes, warm, crazy downpours. We visit several national parks on our journey and experience a variety of ecosystems.

We begin outside the second largest city, Kandy, close to the Hanthana Mountains. The morning air is refreshingly cool, and the morning mist enchanting. I wake at six to the sound of birdsong and the chanting of Buddhist monks in the distance. Here is what greets me from my hotel window:

We go for a pleasant walk in the hills, uphill and hot but nevertheless not overly strenuous. We wear leech socks to protect us from the ubiquitous, squooshy black creatures with a high yuck factor. The green socks make me look like I am part leprechaun.

Along the way, we pass by a variety of habitats, including tea plantations, former tea plantations that have now been overtaken by wild lemongrass, and montane and submontane forest (cloud forest). We see lots of colourful flowers, birds, butterflies and a lizard who thinks he is invisible in the greenery despite his red face.

To enjoy Sri Lanka nature, you do not always need to leave the hotel area. Here are some scenes from the various hotels I stayed at:

Sri Lanka is only one and a half times larger than Denmark but has a population of about 22 million (Denmark’s is about 6 million). That means the population density of this small island is about 332 people per km2, where Denmark’s is only about 132 people per km2. Despite this, Sri Lanka dedicates about 30 percent of its land area to protected nature. Denmark has less than 2 percent true, protected nature. I wish our politicians and other decision-makers would learn from Sri Lanka’s example. 




9 – Bogs, bugs and beaches in Kouchibouguac National Park

Canada Posted by Janne HansenPosted on 22 Sep, 2022 09:10

The final stop on our New Brunswick adventure is yet another national park. We have wondered how to pronounce the name of the park – Kouchibouguac. To our great relief, a woman in the visitor centre leads us over to a poster that explains it and she pronounces it for us until we have learned it. The word means “long tideway river” in the language of the native Mi’kmaq people.

Our cosy oTENTik is nestled among the trees at the campsite. We discover there is a propane barbeque, so we drop the boring freeze-dried bags of food for a day and gorge ourselves on red meat, pork sausages and corn on the cob. Yum!

The park has numerous lush hardwood forests, bogs and marshes, and long stretches of sandy dunes and beaches. The forests look tempting for some good walks, but we quickly discover the mosquitoes, these ravenous, intensely annoying little creatures that descend on us the minute we open the car doors. We have three choices: cover ourselves with bug spray, wear protective clothing or go somewhere else. We try all three, but end up spending most of our time away from the wooded areas.

One enchanting walk leads us through a bog.

The plants here are fascinating. There are flowering, carnivorous pitcher plants, carnivorous sundew, and spongy sphagnum.

We also enjoy time at the beach. It is accessed by a boardwalk that goes through a marsh, where we spot heron and other birds.

We go for a long walk along the shore and see numerous harbour seals in the water, peering at us curiously. Good thing to have long legs for long walks!

A maple tree has started to show its startlingly red autumn foliage, a reminder that fall is on its way and the summer will soon be over.



8 – Tides, trails and tent in Fundy National Park

Canada Posted by Janne HansenPosted on 21 Sep, 2022 09:55

Prior to visiting Hopewell Rocks, we have hiked wild nature trails in the area around the small town of Alma just outside the Fundy Bay National Park.

We take breaks once in a while, this time to enjoy the view of the bay.

The tides continue to fascinate us while in Alma. Here are some low tide pictures.

We take pictures of the same spot at both high (left) and low (right) tide, illustrating the marked difference between the two.

In the national park we camp in a so-called oTENTik, a very practical camping solution. It sure beats dragging a huge tent or several small ones plus air mattresses over on the plane from Europe.

Fundy National Park was established in 1948. Prior to that, there was extensive logging and sawmill activity. The number of easily available trees declined, and refuse from the sawmills polluted the water, ruining the salmon fishing. The native people had lived sustainably on this land for centuries but then the Europeans came along. Same story, again, again. Anyway, now it is a lovely national park that everyone can enjoy. Its 207 m2 include 25 waterfalls, forests and rugged, hilly scenery.

We hike several trails, enjoying nature while exercising our muscles. The paths go up and down. Some of the trails go over an internet of tree roots where you have to watch where you put your feet every step of the way. Even though it makes walking more challenging, we like the fact that the trails follow nature’s shapes and forms in this way instead of being levelled, straightened and covered with gravel.

We walk; we rest; we take our time to appreciate the surroundings.

Along the way we spot interesting flora.

We see an unidentified larva and a busy squirrel that fetches food in a hurry and eats in a hurry. Always in such a rush!

New Brunswick is known for its covered bridges. The wooden bridges were covered to protect them from the weather. Apparently, a covered bridge lasts for 100 years while an uncovered wooden bridge lasts for just 20 years.

One day I decide to spend time on my own so the other four girls hike out to some waterfalls. I take another route and end up down by the river at low tide.

The tide is on the way in and it comes quickly!

I also find a short and pretty but rather hilly route with a small waterfall.



7 – Spectacular tides in the Bay of Fundy

Canada Posted by Janne HansenPosted on 19 Sep, 2022 09:18

In the final week of my seven-week holiday my friends and I close Nature’s Nest for the season and leave for new adventures in the neighbouring province of New Brunswick. I always feel sad to leave my beloved spot but happy with the thought that I can return again next year.

Our plan is to visit two national parks in New Brunswick, namely Fundy National Park (left) and Kouchibouguac National Park.

A fascinating feature of the area surrounding the Bay of Fundy in both Nova Scotia to the south and New Brunswick in the north are the tides. The Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world with a record-breaking 16 m difference having been observed. A billion tons of water slosh in and out of the bay twice daily, i.e. two high tides and two low tides with approximately six hour-intervals. Nature is amazing.

We see evidence of this fascinating phenomenon several places. One of the most spectacular is at Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park. Here so-called flower pots (or sea stacks), which consist of rock that has been eroded by the tides for aeons, are the main attraction.  

At high tide they are tree-covered small islands scattered here and there in the water. At low tide, you can walk the ocean floor and look way up at these islands, whose flowerpot shape is now revealed. The difference in the water level between high tide and low tide is an astounding 14-16 m.

Another interesting tide phenomenon is tidal bores. These are created when incoming tide is squeezed into a narrow passage, such as a river, where it meets the river current on its way out to sea. The resultant wave is a tidal bore. We place ourselves by the Peticodiac River in Moncton, New Brunswick, at exactly 12:36 pm, which is when the tidal bore roars by. The incoming tide can raise the height of the river by 7.5 m, which in itself is pretty impressive, but the wave itself is most fun to watch. It only takes a few minutes, so you have to be on the spot at the right time. Have a look in the video:



6 – Having a whale of a time

Canada Posted by Janne HansenPosted on 18 Sep, 2022 11:44

Our cousin reunion is over and I have three weeks on my own at Nature’s Nest before the next round of guests: four girlfriends from western Denmark. I am so pleased that they are interested in coming all this way to see my beautiful native country.

They are here for two weeks. The first week we spend in my cottage, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, spotting beaver, observing hummingbirds, listening to loons, feeding the chipmunk, hiking in the area and enjoying each other’s company.

We drive up to Digby on the Bay of Fundy and stay the night to be ready for a whale watching adventure the next day. Digby is a fishing town that boasts of being the scallop capital of the world, so of course we eat seafood, including fresh scallops. Yum!

We discover a good hiking spot with interesting rock formations just out of town.

Next morning, we begin the day with a hike out to Balancing Rock, a basalt rock formed by volcanic action and erosion. The walk goes through a lush forest with lots of lichen called old man’s beard/usnea (“skæglav” in Danish) hanging from the trees.

253 wooden steps lead up to a platform with views of St. Mary’s Bay.

We cannot stay too long because we have an appointment with some whales, so we proceed to Brier’s Island via two short ferry rides and some driving. The whale watching is perfect. The weather is clear, the ocean calm and the whales stay close to our boat. We spot several groups of about 6-8 humpback whales. They spout, breach, dive and show their tales (called flukes) before disappearing in the briny depths. I am not quite sure where we are, but it is somewhere in the Gulf of Maine, which leads out into the Atlantic Ocean. We might even be in American waters, who knows? The whales don’t care and we sure don’t!

    Back in the harbour, we note that the tide has switched from high to low while we were away. The difference is dramatic. When we left the boat was as high as the dock, but when we return it is so much lower. The water has completely disappeared from the beach.

    The Bay of Fundy has the highest tides in the world, but lots more about that later. Stay tuned!



    5 – A walk and an icy dip in the national park by the seaside

    Canada Posted by Janne HansenPosted on 16 Sep, 2022 12:46

    Continuing on the subject of the national park from the previous blog, Kejimkujik National Park includes a seaside adjunct. Nova Scotia has approximately 7500 km of coastline, so you are never far away from Maritime experiences even if you live inland, like I do on Tupper Lake. It is refreshing to visit the seaside.

    It costs nothing to enter the Kejimkujik Seaside Adjunct. There is a sign advising you that there are bears and coyotes in the area, so if you are walking alone, it is a good idea to make a sound once in a while to alert the animals that you are there. The climate here can be harsh with salty winds blowing in from the Atlantic.

    Nevertheless, there are nifty bog plants, including carnivorous pitcher plants.

    There is also snakemouth orchid and a white flower I have not identified.

    After a hot hike under the baking sun, the water looks tempting.

    We go for a dip only to discover that the water is positively frigid. It is like sopping in a basin of ice cubes. No matter how long we stay in the water, it does not get better. Looking around, we note that no one else is bathing. We find out later that between Nova Scotia and the balmy Gulf Stream, there is the Labrador Current, that transports water down from the cold north, i.e. melted icebergs. No wonder it was a cold experience!



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