Monday, March 23, 2009

Trandansen at Hornborgasjön

I'm looking forward to returning to Hornborgasjön in Sweden later this week. Lake Hornborga is the staging site in Sweden for almost the entire population of Eurasian Cranes in Scandinavia. In 2008 the peak day count during the spring passage was 15300! I've hired a photography hide for two days/nights so I'm hoping the light is good and nocturnal temperatures get above freezing! Last year I was a bit late for the dancing displays so hopefully I've time it right.

This year web cameras have been installed at the main visitor centre and give a good impression of the area. In web cam 4 you can just make out one of the photography hides in the distance to the left. The hides are accessed after dark after the cranes have flown to a roost site on the main lake. You have to sleep overnight in the hide as the birds start returning in the hour before dawn. There are currently at least 3400 present - spring passage has started early again this year - and more cranes can be viewed arriving (live) from the south.
See:http://www.webbkameror.se/djurkameror/hornborgasjon/hornborgasjon_4_640.php

2 comments:

Anders said...

Wow, great!
I hope you get good shots. They said last week on TV that there are about 10000 cranes waiting in north Germany (in Rügen). I guess they are flying in now.

Bring warm clothes though. It's still cold around here although the season is turning around. Today it was just above zero, strong winds and snow (in Stockholm).

Fraser Simpson said...

Thanks Anders. Really looking forward to being in Sweden again!