Hardly a week goes by without a visit to Mariebergskogen, Karlstad's maybe most famous city nature park. 

I usually wander through the forest, past the open-air museum with its small farmstead once home to Finnish settlers who came to Värmland in the 19th century to build a new life. Along the way, I listen for and observe robin, chaffinch, woodpigeon, woodcreeper, nuthatch, blackbird, blue tit, great tit, fieldfare—as well as spotted woodpecker, magpie and raven. It’s my way of finding peace and quiet after a hectic day.

Or—if I feel the need for more sky above—I follow the wooden footbridges that lead through the riparian forest and across the marsh meadow. By May and June, I’m often accompanied by the distinctive, rhythmic song of the sedge warbler or the rather simple tune of the reed bunting, which ends in a brief trill. And much to the joy of my nieces and nephews, common lizards bask along the sun-warmed planks.

But each year, it’s a particular soundscape I await most eagerly: in April, the males of the common snipe begin their courtship flights high above the marshes. Circling and diving, they vibrate their tail feathers to create a haunting “drumming” sound. I can stand there listening, marveling—for hours.

A pair of cranes often nests in the meadow too. And of course, there are geese, ducks, great crested grebes, coots, wagtails, mergansers, oystercatchers, terns, and lapwings. Come summer, the marsh transforms into a playground for dragonflies like the four-spotted chaser, blue emperor or ruddy darter. Most years, I also spot a pair of marsh harriers gliding low, searching for prey.

When the birds have finished breeding in July, a small herd of cattle is usually brought to graze in the meadow. I enjoy watching the cows and their calves interact—though often with a tinge of sadness, knowing that such natural family life is rare for most cattle today.