Sweden
My trip from Trelleborg to Hällefors,
from Red-throated divers to Pine crossbills and much more.
May 31st by ferry from Rostock to Trelleborg. After arriving at about 1 p.m. I set off straight away for the first national park, "Silvakratornet". Except for a few great crested grebes and seagulls, not much was going on. A very nice area for dragonfly photography. Nevertheless, I photographed a curious red fox here. I continued directly over the federal road 13 to the Jägersbo campsite. Arrived around 4pm with a bit of rain and wind, with temperatures around 14C. Here I allowed myself the luxury of renting a hut for three days, since the 4 days before had been freezing and wet.
On June 1st I went to the nature reserve of "Fülltofta-Häggenäs". There is a lookout tower with a beautiful view over the lake Ringsjön, and a lookout platform to the east Gäddängen lake, with many waterfowl such as terns, black-headed gulls, great crested grebes, mute swans, and various species of ducks. Before you get there, there is a short walk through a bit of forest. There are many nightingales, pied flycatchers and various species of dragonflies.
2. of June, from Jagersbö to "Hercules" National Park "Besökplats i Vattenriket" and at "Norra Lingenäset". In the first NP, when the weather was nice, I saw the following: the nightingale, the white stork, the male tree hawk, the sedge warbler, the great crested grebe and a family of moor ducks. At "Norra Lingenäset" I caught the osprey diving. On the other side of the lake, the osprey was nesting. The female is still sitting on the eggs. To the left of the lake in the tree was the sea eagle's nest. However, they did not come flying over Lake Araslövssjön. In the afternoon it was very stormy and heavy rain fell again and again. After 5 hours in a rain suit and the camera with thick neoprene protection, I gave up that the white-tailed eagle might come after all.
The successful hunt of the osprey
3. of June to Vätterviksbadet Camping Vadstena on Lake Vättern, via Bodarpa Lake. Continue to Älgsafari (Smälandet) which unfortunately was still closed. I happened to meet the owner, and he said that due to the cold and rainy weather, they only open at 12 noon. Too bad I won't wait that long. Past Lake Hokasjön and on to the campsite. Take a few more shots of cranes, wagtails and ospreys along the way.
At the campsite, I parked right next to the lake. From here I could always see exactly what was going on. Here are a few examples from under my makeshift tent that I made in blustery and rainy weather. But then suddenly sunshine again. Iso 5000 was still not uncommon.
June the 4th at the Täkernsee to the bird watching tower and to the "Naturum Täkern". The latter, you can walk around for hours. Beautifully laid out with kilometres of wooden walkways and a wide variety of viewpoints and photo huts. Very nice administration and information building. I have seen, among other things. Pied flycatchers, nightingales, various sedge warblers, marsh harriers, terns and gulls, cranes, greylag geese and among this troop a barnacle goose and many species of dragonflies. Unfortunately, it was far too cold the last few weeks, so that nature was still 4 weeks behind, normally the orchids are already blooming here in full bloom at this time.
On June 5th, I went to Hällefors in the nature reserve "Knuthöjdsmossen". There are red-throated loons here. The goal of my trip! Knuthöjdsmossen is a beautiful nature reserve. With many kilometres of wooden walkways (partly suitable for wheelchairs) or simply two wooden boards placed next to each other, additional lookout points and a wooden viewing wall with peepholes so that, with a bit of luck, you can watch the red-throated divers in peace and quiet.
Knuthöjdsmossen nature reserve, established in 1973, is approximately 100 ha in size, with the neighboring Hammarmossen bog covering 154 ha. Both reserves are raised bogs with numerous ponds and rich bird life. The bog developed on a flat, poorly drained sandy plain that formed when the inland ice retreated formed. As the climate became wetter, the plain swamped and a bog developed. The peat bog built up thick deposits over time. The vegetation lost contact with the oxygen that passed through the nutrient-rich mineral soil and became completely independent of precipitation. Swamp thus turned into bog, which gradually got a curved shape and became a raised bog.
Pine-covered areas stretch between the pools of the moor.
In the southern part of Knuthöjdsmossen lies a mighty shifting sand dune, the big Hälleforsdüne. The dune was formed even before the beginning vegetation could bind the sand after the retreat of the ice, and strong winds brought the dune together. The dune is a habitat for various insects. Here you can find the very rare grey-headed digger ant, a remnant of the dune's vegetative period. Knuthöjdsmossen is the most biodiverse bog in Örebro County. Here you can see, among other things. Whimbrel, Common Gulls and Golden Plovers. The Common crane can also be seen here. Rarely will you see one of the many owls in the reserve. I was attracted to the otherwise so rarely observed and strictly protected, beautiful red-throated diver, which came up to less than about 30 m from me. Knuthöjdsmossen is also rich in wild ducks. Mallards, teals and goldeneyes feel at home here, as do lapwings, green sandpipers and snipes, pine crossbills, willow warblers, pied flycatchers and barnacle goose. A stunning moorland, with many species of dragonflies and other insects. I spent the night directly in the car park of the nature reserve.
Sterntaucher, red-throated loon (Gavia stellata)
June the 6th from Knuthöjdsmossen via Almby stopped at Mc Donalds for a luxury meal and on to Norrköping. Nothing was going on here. It was also very difficult to get directly to the fjord. Had discovered eider ducks far away but not to photograph. I have photographed cormorants in flight here. I was here shortly after the advice of a primary school teacher with whom I spoke briefly, at "Getä" Nature Reserve. Here in this fairytale-like beautiful reserve it was very dark and with 10000 ISO I had to photograph the tree creeper with young feeding a nuthatch (the Nordic species) and the pied flycatcher bathing. Stopped for a moment on the way back to Lake Vättern in the "Tysslingen" and "Äkerbymaden" nature reserve. Not much going on here at this time. These two nature reserves are heavily frequented by trains. Landed back at Vätterviksbadet campsite.
Back at Lake Täkern. At the bird watching tower, after the sun dared to break through the clouds, I counted 5 ospreys in the air at the same time.
I have one that was teased by a male marsh harrier.
8th. of June to Lovsjöbadens campsite. On the way, stopped again at the Täkernmeer. This time at the other vantage point, "Väversunda besöksumrade". Here I was lucky enough to photograph a common snipe. Further around the Vättern at a small evasion point, a red-necked grebe on a nest, with 5 eggs. Later, an adult white-tailed eagle chased away by gulls.
On June 9th, I went canoeing on the Lovsjön lake. It started at 5 a.m.! Tearing fog, sunshine and calm. Wonderful temperatures and the 14 C. and from 6 a.m. perfect light. 5 black-throated divers photographed! The second goal of my trip. A last day perfectly photographed. What more do you want.
