Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön



Wednesday 17th of April 2019 and my alarm went off at 03:55 and they called from the reception at 04:00. I turned on the kettle and I prepared my “Oatmeal Surprise” ™ while waiting for my water to boil.

A shower and I was in the car at 05:30 and it was cold, very cold, 2°C BELOW zero. I turned on the seat heater but I didn´t want to warm up the car. I gave it a quick blast on full heating and full fan for a few seconds before I stopped the heating. If I get too cosy in the car it will be like walking in to a wall getting out of the car at Trandansen.

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.

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
2°C BELOW zero when I get in to the car

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
Leaving the Best Western Plus Jula Hotell & Konferens behind

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



Trandansen

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
2950 - Today´s Crane count

Reaching Trandansen and I park the car and walk to Trandansen Visitor Centre. Today´s Crane count: 2950. That is the amount of Common Cranes that was sleeping in the lake and it will be less tonight as Cranes leaves during the day.

The two first times I came here it was full of Cranes and it was not easy to get any good pictures. Today there was not so many of the cranes and I could get some pictures of lonely birds.


Common Crane, Grus Grus, Trana

Common Crane, Grus Grus, Trana
Common Crane / Trana

Common Crane, Grus Grus, Trana
Common Crane / Trana

Common Crane, Grus Grus, Trana
Common Crane / Trana

Common Crane, Grus Grus, Trana
Common Crane / Trana

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
Stand off?

Canada Goose, Branta canadensis,  Kanadagås

Canada Goose, Branta canadensis,  Kanadagås
Canada Goose / Kanadagås

Black-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus, Skrattmås
In beautiful breeding plumage

Black-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus, Skrattmås
Black-headed Gull / Skrattmås
In beautiful breeding plumage

Black-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus, Skrattmås
Black-headed Gull / Skrattmås
In beautiful breeding plumage


Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
White Wagtail

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
Nötväcka / Eurasian nuthatch

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
Cranes seen from the Visitors Centre

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön
Cranes from the road when I leave Trandansen

I left Trandansen and I drove towards Fågeludden to start work my way through the list of sites on the MAP So I left Trandansen and I turned in to the highway and then the second exit to the left with a sign saying “Hornborgasjön” 12 km

My eBird checklist for Trandansen, click HERE

I leave road #184 and I have not been driving long when I stop as I spotted a male Pheasant with four females. The birds were scared and all the pictures went to the garbage bin. I drive a few hundred meters when I spot another pheasant, a male in the forest.

I try to get a few pictures but the bird disappears. I continue towards Naturum and suddenly the pheasant come out in front of the car and I stop to try to get a few pictures.

Common Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus, Fasan

Common Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus, Fasan


Naturum Hornborgarsjön - Fågeludden

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

Common Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus, Fasan
Naturum Hornborgarsjön

Naturum Hornborgasjön

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 want to 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

Walking on the board walk and there is a Greylag Goose sitting on eggs at the Visitor Centre. The bird don´t mind the people and the bird just laid in the nest. Obviously, Naturum Hornborgasjön is a place for sea birds. Well, the whole Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön is mostly for sea birds.

And there is quite a lot of them, but for bird watchers only as most of the birds are too far away to take any pictures. But to come here with a binocular and thick of birds from a list, then it is excellent.

But even if the birds are far away it is a very nice place to be, especially during the spring. Bay making times, all the birds are busy building nests and the Gooses and Swans are very aggressive.

Greylag Goose, Anser anser, Grågås, Grågås
Greylag Goose sitting on eggs

White Wagtail
A white Wagtail keeps the goose company at the nest

Mute Swan, Cygnus olor, Knölsvan
Mute Swan comes charging over the lake

Mute Swan, Cygnus olor, Knölsvan
Mute Swan comes charging over the lake

Mute Swan, Cygnus olor, Knölsvan
Mute Swan comes charging over the lake

Mute Swan, Cygnus olor, Knölsvan
Mute Swans fighting

Mute Swan, Cygnus olor, Knölsvan
Mute Swans fighting

Black-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus, Skrattmås
Adult with building material

Black-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus, Skrattmås
Adult with building material

Greylag Goose, Anser anser, Grågås, Grågås
Greylag Goose / Grågås

Greylag Goose, Anser anser, Grågås, Grågås
Greylag Goose / Grågås

Red-necked Grebe, Podiceps grisegena, Gråhakedopping
Red-necked Grebe / Gråhakedopping

Red-necked Grebe, Podiceps grisegena, Gråhakedopping
Bringing nest material

Red-necked Grebe, Podiceps grisegena, Gråhakedopping
Bringing nest material

Leaving Naturum and it had been very interesting to watch the birds preparing their nests. Next stop will be Fäholmen, a few hundred meters further down the road. I had my picnic lunch in the car before I left Naturum behind.

My eBird checklist for Naturum, click HERE

Fäholmen

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.

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

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
Dust road to the parking

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
Reaching the parking

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
Parking area

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
Fire place

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

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

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

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
Almost at the bird tower

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

Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Fäholmen
White Wagtail

It was a nice walk, but for birds, not much and I will not bother to come back again. The only picture I got out of it was of a White Wagtail. My eBird checklist for Fäholmen, click HERE

I left Fäholmen with no backward glances and next stop will be at Ytterberg on the way back to Trandansen. And I hope for more luck at Ytterberg than I had have at Fäholmen

Ytterberg


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

White Wagtail, Motacilla alba, Sädesärla
White Wagtail/ Sädesärla

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

Bird watching at Lake Hornborga / Hornborgasjön - Ytterberg
Leaving Ytterberg behind

White Wagtail, Motacilla alba, Sädesärla
White Wagtail/ Sädesärla

White Wagtail, Motacilla alba, Sädesärla
White Wagtail/ Sädesärla

Common Reed Bunting, Emberiza schoeniclus, Sävsparv
Common Reed Bunting / Sävsparv


My eBird checklist for Ytterberg, click HERE

I drive back to Best Western Plus Jula Hotell & Konferens and I stop at Trandansen to have a look. But the Cranes are too far away. I also go to see if I can find Utloppet so I know the way to get there tomorrow. I see three Jay birds looking for Utloppet and this is a bird I really want to have on pictures. And click HERE to find out if I see any Jay birds tomorrow.




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