Crane in Hornborgasjön, at the end of April 2023. Image: Eric Hanson
In a few plus degrees on February 20, the first crane of the year has arrived at the famous bird lake Hornborgasjön. By early April it will probably be joined by 10,000 or 20,000 other cranes. Maybe it will get company already towards the weekend when it is expected to be slightly warmer weather in the area.
Naturum Hornborgasjön writes that the crane was discovered by Lasse Karlsson when it went looking for food near Trandansen at the southern part of the lake.
― Spring’s first crane is always long-awaited! There are many of us who longed for spring and now, in addition to all the migratory birds, there are also many visitors who contact us and want to come here. It’s at least as fun a sign of spring as the crane itself, says Sofie Stålhand, site manager at Hornborgasjön.
Most of the sometimes up to 20,000 cranes that rest at Hornborgasjön arriving in mid or late March, staying for a week or so and then fly on to their breeding grounds in northern Scandinavia. The best time to experience the grand spectacle at the Trandansen is at the end of March or the beginning of April, depending on the weather and wind. The current record number was broken in 2019 when 27,300 cranes roosted at the lake on April 3.
Source: Naturum Hornborgasjön
