Like so many other "Swedish storks"
The two of them having no idea what Egypt’s all about or which direction to go for Africa. Why should they care. On the farm in Hvedstrup the owner provides them with all the food they need.
Ciconias are no big deal down south, in Spain or even in Germany and Poland, but to Denmark they are a problem. We are too civilised around here. Too civilised or at least thats what our countryside is. There are no food for White Storks, and accordingly there numbers have decreased and decreased over the years, until last years fatal, no birds breeding at all.

HS is here to ring the four strong and healthy youngsters, who reacts in this situation, with fine wild-life instincts indeed. Showing that some wild life behavior is intact. They pretend to be dead. When HS, and the photographer, get near their nest they lie dead still, in the hope that "the approaching predators" will loose interest.

So here we have future 1A83 – 1A84 – 1A85 and 1A86 completely anaesthetised during the operation of mounting their four rings.

On this right hand picture HS shows a handfull of Stork pellet. And this is interesting. The sample evidently shows bits of insects, numerous black fragments of Beetle-shields telling that these Storks are not entirely depending on human help, but actually find some of their food themselves. This is a good sign.
On a larger scale HS is currently involved in a project outmapping the food selection of the Danish White Storks. . This means going though, and analyzing 500 samples of pellet collected from 16 Danish nests over a period of time from 1976 up to 2003. A job expected to answer questions, and hopefuly throw some light on the decline of the Danish storks.

Afterwards. As soon as we left the nest they are up again and happily, tapping their bills on the newly arrived male bird, begging for food which the parent disgorges.