Early spring in Sweden?

A first sighted: Every spring, thousands of cranes pass through Lake Hornborga for a final stop along their migratory route, making it the home of one of the largest bird gatherings in the world.  

  • The messenger of spring and always just as eagerly awaited. The cranes' dance and trumpeting call are a sure sign of spring and they attract at least 150,000 visitors to Lake Hornborga during a four-week period.
  • A safe sign of spring - the first crane reportedly arrived at Lake Hornborga (Hornborgasjön) last weekend.

  • On their way from their winter quarters in Spain to their breeding grounds, some 10,000 cranes rest at Lake Hornborga. They usually stay for a week or two to eat, dance and rest.
  • Every year the Cranes (Grus grus) return from their winter migration, stopping at the same stop at the Hornborga Lake in southern Sweden. Some 10,000 of the four foot tall, 15 pound birds will land at Lake Hornborga and begin trumpeting, dancing and mating while as many as 150,000 bird watchers watch.
    For more info on Hornborgasjön, see: Visit Hornborgasjön

  • Sure enough, although spring won't officially arrive until March 20 in the northern hemisphere, according to the meteorological definition(seven days in a row with average temperatures above freezing), spring is arriving in all of Sweden's south.