Bird watching trip report


Introduction

The company will send me for a firefighting course. I chose to take the course end of May Yet another Smiley on www.aladdin.st hoping to get some nice spring/ summer weather.

They wanted to send me to another course as well, and I could choose a course in Gothenburg in the beginning of May as I wanted to see the Crane Dance and end of April is too late for the Crane action.

Naturum Hornborgasjön
Statistics I received from Naturum Hornborgasjön

I sent an e-mail to Naturum Hornborgasjön and I got a statistic over the Cranes at the Lake Hornborga/ Hornborgasjön. And in middle April there are still chances to see the Crane Dance. And as I will be there in the middle of the April I was thinking about the Black Grouse Lek.

I searched the internet for information about the Black Grouse Lek and I found two companies. Nordic Safari and Wild Nordic. I found out that the Black Grouse Lek are starting in March and I can see it until end of April.

Actually it goes on in to the month of May but as the soil has thawed after the winter and the swamp turns in to a, well, yes, a swamp and we cannot stay in the swamp. I also found out about Capercaillie Lek, something I really wanted to experience as well. I had now booked both Capercaillie Lek and Black Grouse Lek and it would be 5 nights in a tent on a frozen swamp.

I was soon running in to a set-back, Wild Nordic could not to the Black Grouse Lek trip as the road was closed to the swamp. I had to find another tour company in Tiveden, Natur Guide Tiveden. I found that they were doing both the Capercaillie Lek and the Black Grouse Lek. So now I was set up for 3 nights with the Capercaillie and 2 nights with the Black Grouse and I will go to look for beavers, owls and moose as well.

I will spend a few days at Brandområdet before driving south again. I will stop at Tiveden National Park on the way to Gothenburg where I will do my first course.

When I finish my course in Gothenburg I will drive to Öland for a few days of bird watching before driving to Skåne for more bird watching. End of May and I will drive back to Gothenburg and the firefighting course on Öckerö in the archipelago and I hope to be able to see some exciting bird life there.


My Guide

The Crane Dance and the Lake Hornborga/ Hornborgasjön will be without any Guide.


Flights

Thai Airways flight TG 950
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Intl   -   Copenhagen Kastrup
                                                   Terminal: 3
15Apr2019 01:20                       15Apr2019 07:40
  Thai Airways flight TG 951
Copenhagen Kastrup   -   Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Intl
Terminal: 3
02Jun2019 14:25              03Jun2019 06:00



Land transportation

• AOT Limousine between my home and Bangkok International Airport

AOT Limousine

I recommend the AOT or any other taxi service if you are leaving early morning. The price per trip is 1200 Baht comparing to around 220 Baht + about 80 Baht road toll. But the taxi can easily be 1000 baht if you´re getting desperate when not finding a taxi.

Early morning flight and it can be a hassle to find a taxi that want to take you to the airport so I book AOT and the car wait for me outside my apartment.

Leaving Suvarnabhumi and AOT have desks in the luggage claim area, where I use to book my car while waiting for my luggage. There are also desks just outside the custom and you cannot miss them.




• Taxi meter (Public Taxi) from Bangkok International Airport

Arriving to Suvarnabhumi International and they have TAXI Meters leaving from the ground floor. It is quite organised and I was surprised the first time I used a TAXI meter from Suvarnabhumi back home.

Bangkok Airport Public Taxi Service

• Public taxi stand is located on Level 1 (Ground Level).

• Contact Taxi counter, Level 1 – Ground Level, near entrances 3, 4, 7 and 8.

• Receive a ticket from a taxi queue machine, proceed to the lane number printed on your ticket.

• Taxi fare: metered taxi fare plus 50 Baht airport surcharge, and expressway fees.

• Public taxis serving Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport must be less than 5 years old.

• Public taxi drivers must be certified by Airports of Thailand.

• Passenger drop off at Departures (level 4 – outer curb).

From www.bangkokairportonline.com

Bangkok Taxi meter

• Train from Copenhagen International to Helsingborg
Öresundståg are leaving Kastrup at least once per hour. Time tables can be down loaded HERE

Öresundståg

The train is quick but it can be a bit of a hassle to ride the train as they are often full and people are having a lot of luggage. So if I can I take the buss.


Nettbus Bus4You and Nettbuss express is operating traffic to a number of destinations in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. If there is a buss I choose the buss. It is as quick as the train. Not many passengers and you keep the luggage in the cargo hold. But they only departs 3 times per day so you need to be lucky. Even the train is better than to wait for the the buss for a few hours.

Time tables and information, click HERE

• Public Transportation

Västtrafik

There is a bus stop for bus line #203 at Trandansen. And if you visit Västtrafik´s web page by clicking HERE Here you can find a trip planner and I did an example for you. From Gothenburg train station to Trandansen. And again, itis available in English, nothing you are soiled with searching information about the attractions as a tourist in Sweden.

Västtrafik
Trip planner: From Gothenburg train station to Trandansen

Västtrafik
Trip planner: From Gothenburg train station to Trandansen


Västtrafik
Trip planner: From Gothenburg train station to Trandansen


• Rented car
I have rented a Volvo from HERZ, the comfortable way of getting to Trandansen


Accommodations

Best Western Plus Jula Hotell & Konferens in Skara: 15 April to 21 April 2019

Best Western Plus Jula Hotell & Konferens


It cost about 5 US Dollars per night to park your mobile home on the parking at Trandansen


Weather / climate

Sweden in April and May, could be summer and it can be winter, or anything in between. In the South I hope to have sunshine and the summer in good progress. I will be in the middle of Sweden to watch the Crane Dance and the Capercaillie Lek and the Black Grouse Lek.

The lek is going on until May but they usually give up watching when the soil has thawed after the winter and the swamp turns from hard to water and it is not possible to be there anymore. So yes, I have ordered thermo underwear for my nights in the tent.

And coming to Skåne and Öland I might be lucky and I can walk around in shorts and shirt. But it can as well be winter and I need to pack a lot of clothes this time.

Weather in the spring

Visiting in the spring time and you really need to pack a huge bag. In the morning it is below zero so I have packed full winter equipment, parka jacket, warm hat and gloves. And of course warm socks. In the late morning you will have to change the winter clothing to “spring” clothing, a wind breaker.

If it is sunshine the temperature is easily reaching 20°C at lunch time and that can easily be almost 30°C. If you have a car it is no problem, just keep everything in the car and change as the day proceeds and you ae ready for any weather changes you will run in to.


Middle of Sweden - Climate & Temperature
Pictures from www.climatemps.com

Middle of Sweden - Climate & Temperature - Click picture for full size picture
Pictures from www.climatemps.com


Equipment

Canon 5D Mk. III and Canon 5D Mk. IV
Canon EF 28-300/3,5-5,6 L IS USM
Canon EF 70-200/2,8L IS II USM
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens
Canon Speedlite 600EXII-RT flash
Canon PowerShot G7X Mark II
Panasonic HC-W585 video camera

Sound recorder
ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder


References/Resources

www.natursidan.se Excellent page, but in Swedish only

Visit the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and choose between Swedish and English

Naturum - visitor centres in nature - A naturum is a visitor centre with activities and exhibitions, located at several of NaturumSweden’s national parks and nature reserves. Here, you will be welcomed by friendly, knowledgeable staff who will answer your questions and guide you through the area’s sights of interest.

List of Swedish National Parks (With information about every park in English) from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, click HERE.

Naturum Hornborgasjön

Naturum Hornborgarsjön Excellent information about Lake Hornborga/ Hornborgasjön - IN SWEDISH ONLY - Very disappointing - But you will find some of the information that I will translate if you continue follow my bird watching trip in Sweden.

West Sweden

West Sweden have a good information page about Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön. AND SURPRISINGLY ENOUGH, in English!. Nothing we´re spoiled with in Sweden.

Västtrafik

Trip planner and information about public transportation in west of Sweden, Västtrafik´s web page by clicking HERE

ebird - Find birding hotspots with bird checklists from all over the world

Avibase - is an extensive database information system about all birds of the world, containing over 25 million records about 10,000 species and 22,000 subspecies of birds, including distribution information for 12,000 regions, taxonomy, synonyms in several languages

Cloudbirders - Read birding trip reports from all over the world

Fatbirder - Linking birders worldwide... Wildlife Travellers see their sister site: WAND


Fatbirder is a fantastic web page with information from, I think every country in the world. My first stop when I plan for my bird watching trips. There is information about locations and guides, well, pretty much everything you need to know. Sometimes this is the only place I need to visit to plan my trip.

BirdingPal - find a birding Guide around the world

BirdingPal


And the web page you cannot live without. I have been around the world looking for birds. I usually have a Guide, but sometimes it is not possible to find a Guide. So, well, I have lost count on how many times I have had help to ID birds at BirdForum. Joining this forum have been very very good for my bird watching experience.

www.birdforum.net

ClimaTemps.com is the place to learn about the worlds climates with more than 4000 locations documented. Each aspect of the climate is represented using colour enhanced tables and professional graphs so that data can easily be compared by switching between locations in different tabs in your browser.

Collins Bird Guide

The Collins Bird Guide is a field guide to the birds of the Western Palearctic.

Its authors are Lars Svensson, Killian Mullarney, Dan Zetterström and Peter J. Grant, and it is illustrated by Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterström (with two plates of North American passerines contributed by Larry McQueen). It has been described as "undoubtedly the finest field guide that has ever been produced", and "the last great bird book of the 20th century".

It was originally published in Swedish and Danish in 1999, and in English in hardback in the same year, and later in paperback. A large-format English edition has also been produced, as has a German and Dutch edition. The first edition was translated to 14 European languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch and German.

A second edition, revised and enlarged, was published in January 2010. A series of updates and corrections were made in 2015, with no change to the edition number.

The cover of the first edition, in all formats, depicts a barn owl. On the second edition, this was replaced by an arctic tern.

Collins Bird Guide
Cover of the first edition
Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15538546


Eleven pages of introductory material are followed by the book's main content: 366 pages of text and colour paintings. The text for each species gives brief status notes, followed by a section detailing identification, and concludes with a section on voice. Accompanying most species accounts is a small colour map showing breeding, wintering and migrant range.

The guide is also available as a paid-for app, for iPhone and Android devices. The app includes all of the text and images from the print edition, as well as audio recordings. Additional data can be bought separately; the first such package being a set of distribution maps for 271 species, from the British Trust for Ornithology's Bird Atlas 2007–11.

All versions cover Europe, North Atlantic islands, much of North Africa and the Middle East.

Most of the species covered in the main part of the guide are regular breeding, wintering or migrant species in its area of coverage, although some vagrants are also included. There are additional sections giving brief accounts of (a) vagrants and (b) introduced breeding species and species recorded only as escapes.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Many bird watchers around the world know this book simply as “The Svensson”




Naturum - visitor centres in nature

Naturum

Naturum
Map over Sweden with all the naturum marked. Illustrator: Hans Sjögren.
Click HERE for bigger map

A naturum is a visitor centre with activities and exhibitions, located at several of Sweden’s national parks and nature reserves. Here, you will be welcomed by friendly, knowledgeable staff who will answer your questions and guide you through the area’s sights of interest.

All naturum visitor centres offer guided walks and demonstrations, slide-shows and theme nights. You will also find literature and multimedia here to immerse yourself in. In addition, there are brochures and information boards offering tips on beautiful nature trails and footpaths.

The nature experience starts at naturum
At naturum, you can learn almost everything there is to know about the region’s plants, birds, insects and animals. You can also learn about the cultural history and geology of the area as well as people’s relationship with nature and their impact on it. Information about the area’s national parks and nature reserves and why we need to protect and take care of our nature can also be found here. Join us on an activity in nature!

Opening hours and programmes
All naturum are open during the summer and many are open most of the year. Special demonstrations for school classes and other groups can be booked throughout the year.

Discover Sweden’s national parks


Naturum
The map shows the locations of Sweden´s 30 national parks
Click HERE for bigger map

There are 29 national parks in Sweden. Find more information about each national park in the alphabetical list on Swedish Environmental Protection Agency´s web page, click HERE.


Places to visit

Hornborgarsjön / Lake Hornborga

Lake Hornborga /Hornborgasjön

Lake Hornborga (Swedish: Hornborgasjön) is a lake in Västergötland in Sweden, famous for its many birds, in particular the many cranes that stay here temporarily during their annual migrations.

History
Lake Hornborga was created after the last ice age, approximately 10,000 years ago. The area has been settled since the Stone Age.

In order to relieve starvation, it was decided in 1802 to lower the water level in order to create pastures for cattle to graze. The water level was lowered a further four times after this. The surface area was reduced from 28 km² to less than 4 km², but rather than make way for pastures, reeds took over and turned the lake into a swamp.

Throughout these reductions, the lake remained a popular habitat for birds, but the last reductions in 1933 also reduced its attraction for birdlife. In 1965, a Government investigation suggested that the lake be restored, and between 1992 and 1995, the water level increased by an average of 0.9 metres.

During the restoration, 1,200 hectares of reed and 800 hectares of trees were removed, and animals were reintroduced to graze the shores of the lake.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

pdf file There are several places I have plans to visit during my stay. Click HERE for a pdf map. Here is a map over the walking trails in the area, click HERE

I will try to visit at least all the red marked places during my stay at Lake Hornborga /Hornborgasjön. More information about places visited further below.

Utloppet 1.3 km (Drainage) - #1 on the map
The stream Flian is draining Lake Hornborga. They built a embankment during the restauration of Lake Hornborga between 1992 and 1995 in order to rise the water level in the lake. There is a road on top of the embankment, 1,3 km of trekking to see the birds.

During those winters when Lake Hornborga freezes over the drainage is usually ice free and there is a lot of birds in the water.

During the spring you have a chance to see the Black-necked Grebe here.

Ore backar 3,5 km - #2 on the map
3,5 km trekking trail over a boulder-ridge through a deciduous forest.

Trandansen - #3 on the map
The place to see the Cranes

Hångers Udde 3,1 km - #4 on the map
Walk to Cape Hångers, a 3,1 km long trek from the parking area and back

Almeö 4 km - #5 on the map
Trekking trail to a bird watching tower at Almeö

Ytterberg 1,6 km - #5 on the map
Trekking trail to a bird watching tower at Ytterberg

Naturum Hornborgarsjön - Fågeludden (Cape of birds)- #6 on the map
Hornborgarsjön birding centre. Visitor Centre with hides and look out tower. There is a lot of seabirds nesting close to the footbridge. 3 hides at Fågeludden

Bolums lider 6,3 km - #8 on the map
A 6,3 km trekking trail

Fäholmen 0,5 km - #9 on the map
Walk through the marshland forest with a lot of dead trees

Trandansen - #3 on the map

Collins Bird Guide
Trandansen at Lake Hornborga

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
Trandansen - Visitor Centre and Cafe

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
Today´s Crane count

The northern parking place is just below the Visitor Centre and the Cafe, there is one Cafe at the church as well. You are not allowed to drive between the northern parking and the road south of the Visitor Centre. But the entrance south of the Visitor Centre is connected by road to the two entrances/ exits south of the Visitor centre.

It is one huge parking lot south of the entrance and the church in the south and between the road and the highway outside the Nature Reserve.

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
Driving south towards the church

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
Driving south towards the church

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
Driving south towards the church

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
Looking north from the church

Park the car either north or south of the Visitor Centre and walk along the road. At the visitor Centre there are volunteer bird watchers helping the visitors identifying the birds during the Crane season. And there is also the daily Crane count during the crane season.

There is a coffee shop and souvenir shop. It is a nice area to walk around looking for birds.

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
Walk path along the road

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
View from the road / walk path

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
At the Visitor Centre


It is noisy and you can hear the Cranes from far way. Ample parking space for cars and mobile homes. The Cranes comes all the way up to the red marked road. Well, they come in the evening and that’s when they count the birds for the next day Crane count. The Cranes are sleeping in the water in the north part of the lake and in the day time you see them everywhere. I saw about 10 Cranes when driving here yesterday.

Two flying along the highway already before I reached Jönköping coming from the south.

Park the car and you can walk from Cafe to Cafe along the fence, protected area and you are not allowed to climb inside between 23 of March and sometimes in July. The Cranes are all the way up to the road and sometimes they are not scared if you are careful. Otherwise the walk/ fly away, but just a few meters.

Naturum Hornborgarsjön - Fågeludden

Common Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus, Fasan
Route from Trandansen to Naturum Hornborgasjön

Common Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus, Fasan
Naturum Hornborgarsjön

Naturum Hornborgasjön - #6 on the map

The information centre known as Naturum Hornborgasjön stands on pillars in the lake ta Fågeludden, situated at the north east side. It was opened in 1986, but got a whole new shape in 2015 when the inside was fully rebuilt.

It is situated on the eastern side of the lake, where the Billingen table mountain rises out of the water and forms the backdrop. The surrounding countryside with its many old stone walls bears witness to its ancient traditions and, in mid-May, the cherry trees fill the hills with white blossom.

Naturum Hornborgasjön contains a visual exhibition about the history of the lake and its bird life, a viewing tower with a lift and a souvenir shop. There are knowledgeable guides more than happy to help you find new places or tell you everything you´ll wanna know about the lake.

If you follow the foot-bridge out to Fågeludden, you pass two hide-outs. If you are quiet and have a little patience, you can watch birds at very close quarters.

Fågeludden is one of the very best places at the lake to watch birds. You can see grebe, ducks, coots, wading birds and Sweden's largest colony of Black-headed Gulls.

In 2017 a new building, Doppingen (the Grebe), with café and auditorium was built.

From lansstyrelsen.se/hornborga

Naturum Hornborga

Naturum Hornborgarsjön, it is really no problem to find the place. There are signs so it is impossible to miss where to go. Including leaving road #184 after Trandansen you need to turn left 3 times, and as I mentioned, there are good signs.

Naturum Hornborgasjön
Left turn to reach Naturum Hornborgasjön

Naturum Hornborgasjön
Left turn to reach Naturum Hornborgasjön

Naturum Hornborgasjön
Last left turn to reach Naturum Hornborgasjön

Naturum Hornborgasjön
Walking towards the Visitor Centre - Naturum Hornborgasjön from the parking lot

Naturum Hornborgasjön
Board walk to the look out - Vadargömslet (Wader Hide) on the left hand side

Naturum Hornborgasjön
Board walk to first hide “Måsgömslet” (Gull Hide)

Park the car and you walk pass the cafe on the way down to the board walk and the Visitor Centre “Naturum”. Walk pass “Naturum” and there is a board walkout to the look out and you pass two hides. There is a third hide and to get there you have to leave the board walk 25 meters before reaching “Naturum”. It is about 500 meters to the hide

Naturum Hornborgasjön
Leave the board walk to get on the path to the third hide

Naturum Hornborgasjön
Visitor Centre at Naturum Hornborgasjön

Naturum Hornborgasjön
Gull Hide, look out and Visitor Centre at Naturum Hornborgasjön

Naturum Hornborgasjön
Wader Hide, Gull Hide, look out and Visitor Centre at Naturum Hornborgasjön

Naturum Hornborgasjön
Walking towards the third hide

Naturum Hornborgasjön
Board walk over some swamp area

Naturum Hornborgasjön
Looking back at the Visitor Centre

Naturum Hornborgasjön
Board walk to the hide

Naturum Hornborgasjön
We can see the hide


Fäholmen - #9 on the map

Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
Way to Fäholmen

Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
About 500m from the parking to the bird tower

It is just a few minutes’ drive from Naturum to Fäholmen, and well, a waste of time. Not much to see and you are only allowed on the walk path as the rest of the area is a bird protection area.

Anyway, after a few minutes there is a sign “Fäholmen” and you turn left in to a dust road.

Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
You will see the sign wen to turn left

Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
Dust road to the parking

Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
Reaching the parking

Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
Parking area

Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
Fire place

Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
We can see the bird tower beyond the fire place

Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
On the walk path - Follow the orange sticks

Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
We can see the bird tower

Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
Almost at the bird tower

Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
This is how exciting the “dead” forest gets

It was a nice walk, but for birds, not much and I will not bother to come back again.

Ytterberg - #5 on the map

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Ytterberg
Way to Ytterberg

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Ytterberg
It is quite easy to find the place

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Ytterberg
It is quite easy to find the place

Driving between Trandansen and Naturum and there is actually two places where you can leave the road to reach Ytterberg. You turn in to the gravel road and there is signs for Ytterberg. At the last place to turn you are soon seeing a farm at the end of the gravel road and it looks to be a dead end.

But when reaching the farm you keep right and you drive very slowly as there are playing children. And you can see the parking after having passed the farm.

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Ytterberg
Looks to be a dead end

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Ytterberg
Directions to the parking

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Ytterberg
Pass the farm

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Ytterberg
The road continue after the farm

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Ytterberg
We can see the parking


From the parking you walk along the farm land and you reach a bird hide and look out tower. Pretty pointless if you ask me. The birds are very far away, and this seems to be the situation all over Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön.

I never spent any time at the hide and I continued the circle around the farm land. The last hundred meters or so was a board walk over some marsh. There was birds in the reeds and this was the thing saving Ytterberg from being a total waste of time.

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Ytterberg
Leaving the parking following the orange coloured sticks to the hide

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Ytterberg
We can see the bird hide

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Ytterberg
Reaching the main attraction

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Ytterberg
We can see the board walk over the marsh coming down from the hill


Utloppet - #1 on the map

The river that drains Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön and as this area very seldom freezes over there is a lot of birds in the winter. It is very close to Trandansen and my Hotel in Skara.

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Utloppet
How to find Utloppet

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Utloppet
Utloppet

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Utloppet
Drive slowly through the forest

Driving along road #184 between Trandansen and Skara and there is a sign “Hornborgasjöns Utlopp” 6 km. Leave the highway and get on the gravel road. Drive slowly, there is a lot of birds and mammals like deer and foxes along the road and you don´t want to miss anything. Stay on the gravel road until you see the next sign saying “Hornborgasjöns Utlopp” and you turn right. This is the only sign you need to look for after having left highway #184.

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Utloppet
Turn right

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Utloppet
You have reached the parking

Park the car and it is a few hundred meters to walk to the bird watching tower. And again, it was a nice walk, but between March and June you are not allowed to get out in the bird protection area so it was a pretty pointless exercise for bird photography.

You could see birds in the distance but I never even tried to take any pictures, well, except for two swans landing on the river.

Walking between the parking and the bird watching tower and you walk between trees and reeds, so there was a lot of Common Reed Buntings, Common Chiffchaffs and wagtails.

The parking area was the best place for bird watching. I was having my picnic lunch at the table on the parking and I saw a lot of birds in the bushes.

Something I never see before. A lot of Greylag goose pairs came in for landing behind the reeds. A saw yet another pair approaching while munching on my picnic lunch. It looked strange, you know what I mean, looks like a normal pair but something was off and I discovered that it was one Canada Goose and one Greylag Goose flying together. And I never had time to get a picture.

I really don´t know if they can get babies together but I was quite sure they were a couple.

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Utloppet
Getting up on the walk path

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Utloppet
Walking towards the bird tower

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Utloppet
Reaching the bird tower

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Utloppet
No access - Bird protection area

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Utloppet
The river

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Utloppet
Bridge over the river


Hångers Udde - #4 on the map

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Hångers Udde
Find your way to Hångers Udde

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Hångers Udde
Hångers Udde

A few hundred meters before Trandansen coming from Naturum and you have to turn right at a sign saying “Hångers Udde” 2 km. Then you have to drive through a forest where you keep an eye out for birds.

Coming out from the forest and you can see a farm at the end of the dust road, slow down to 20km/h and drive to the parking lot on the other side of the farm. Park your car and walk down towards “Hångers Udde”.

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Hångers Udde
Coming from Naturum and you have to turn right to get to Hångers Udde

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Hångers Udde
Drive through the forest to reach Hångers Udde parking

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Hångers Udde
Leaving the car walking towards Hångers Udde parking

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Hångers Udde
Follow the orange coloured pins

There is a sign saying “Hångers Udde” at the parking and you turn left walking along the trees following the orange coloured sticks. There was a lot of birds among the trees you walk along on the way to the open field between the water front and the trees.

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Hångers Udde
Walking along dead trees in the lake

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Hångers Udde
Walking along dead trees in the lake

You are basically walking along the water front, just keep an eye out for the orange coloured sticks. There is a lot of seabirds and as one Norwegian guy said to me.
“It is pretty much the same birds at all the places along Lake Hornborga”

Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Black-headed Gull and mallards etc. So you get bored with the same birds all the time, but it is spring time and it is an interesting time of the year. Watching birds building nests and breeding, so it is fun to walk along the birds

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Hångers Udde
First small board walk

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Hångers Udde
Board walk to the bird tower

You reach the board walk and you see the bird watching tower among some trees and you have reached the goal. Then it is just to walk back.

Bird checklist

I never use any bird lists, but since I try to make it in to Cloudbirders. A very helpful site when planning your birding trips. But they ask for a bird checklist, and if I use their service, of course I want to contribute as well. My two first bird watching trip reports was rejected by Cloudbirders.

So I started to take ideas from the reports I found on Cloudbirders. So I have started to use bird lists, eBird generate one for me and I can post it on Cloudbirders. I will post my birds on eBird and on my different “BIRDS THAT I HAVE OBSERVED” pages.

Check lists can come in handy to find out the local name of the bird etc. And Avibase have a list with pictures and sounds, excellent!

So I will post bird checklists here and if my Guides provide me with checklists I will also post them here.

Cloudbirders


Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World

Västergötland bird checklist from Avibase, click HERE This covers Hornborgarsjön / Lake Hornborga.

Avibase is providing you with bird checklists from all over the world. And I´m impressed by their web page. Select country and area and you get the bird checklist. Like the PDF files I got from Avibase on the links above. You also get the checklist with pictures and sounds.

The best part is that you get the local names of the birds and the online checklist gives the names in English plus the language you have selected. But it seems like the PDF cannot handle some alphabet.

For example the Japanese language so it is blank in the PDF checklist. But it worked excellent with Swedish. But you get them in the local language on the online version.


Bird list

See My eBird checklists and the DAY TO DAY report in the itinerary below.

And you can visit my list of “Birds I have seen in Sweden

My eBird checklists can be found HERE

My eBird checklist for Trandansen DAY 1, click HERE

My eBird checklist for Trandansen DAY 2, click HERE

My eBird checklist for Naturum DAY 2, click HERE

My eBird checklist for Fäholmen DAY 2, click HERE

My eBird checklist for Ytterberg DAY 2, click HERE

My eBird checklist for Utloppet DAY 3, click HERE

My eBird checklist for Naturum DAY 4, click HERE

eBird checklist from my field on the way to Naturum Hångers Udde DAY 4, click HERE

eBird checklist from my field DAY 5 on the way to Naturum HERE

My eBird checklist for Naturum DAY 5, click HERE

My eBird checklist for Ytterberg DAY 5, click HERE

My eBird checklist for Naturum DAY 6, click HERE


Itinerary

Click on the links below for daily bird watching results:

15 April 2019: Flying to Copenhagen and train to Helsingborg to pick up car. Drive to Skara
16 April 2019: Crane Dance/ bird watching at Hornborgarsjön / Lake Hornborga
17 April 2019: Crane Dance / bird watching at Hornborgarsjön / Lake Hornborga
18 April 2019: Crane Dance / bird watching at Hornborgarsjön / Lake Hornborga
19 April 2019: Crane Dance / bird watching at Hornborgarsjön / Lake Hornborga
20 April 2019: Crane Dance / bird watching at Hornborgarsjön / Lake Hornborga
Next adventure: Bird Watching Trip Report - Black Grouse and Capercaillie Lek


Bird watching trip report



       
                  


                                       

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