The animals you can see around Lake Vänern change with the seasons. I used to visit mostly in August, but now I’m often there in May and June—when birdlife is at its busiest. By late summer, many species have already finished raising their young and started their long journeys south again, like the terns on their way back to South Africa. Common mergansers, or goosanders, are also harder to spot in August than in the earlier summer months.

Several years ago, a female merganser chose to nest beneath our veranda. We watched her hatch her eggs, and ever since, these water birds have held a special place in my heart.

I’m especially fond of the females. They are the ones who lead their ducklings, helping them grow up and find independence. It’s not an easy task on Vänern. Sea eagles, ospreys, and marsh harriers patrol the skies and shorelines, while pike lurk beneath the surface. The weather doesn’t make things easier—cold spells, storms, and days of rain are not uncommon. When temperatures drop below ten degrees, the mother’s warmth becomes a lifeline for her chicks. I once saw an entire brood burrow under their mother’s feathers to escape a cold, stormy downpour.

Sadly, not all ducklings survive. The flock often shrinks as the weeks go by.

Like the mother in the photo below—early in the summer, she had about ten chicks. Now, in August, only three remain.