4 days Capercaillie & Black Grouse Lekk Multi-day tour

Description

You start of with two following over night stays at the capercaillie hide out in the forest. Before entering the hide you get useful facts about the bird, habitats and the code of conducts needed during the activity. Highly exited and expectant you wander into the forest with our guide to enter the hides, where you spend the evening and night in complete silence.

It takes time, absolute silence and patience to witness this courting. The capercaillie is extremely watchful and as participant you have to show consideration and responsibility not to disturb. The courtship takes place during early morning and goes on during forenoon. As the males comes in to the courtship area early in the evening before you will be waiting in complete silence during the evening and night while staying overnight in the hide. During the evening you will hear the males advancing the courtship area in the surrounding trees while making some of their typical sounds.

All the precautions are well worth and something to enjoy when you in the morning are able to see and hear the males magnificient display. If the hens arrive fighting will intensify. Around noon day 2 you leave the arena and go for lunch and mid day rest. In the afternoon you return to the hides for yet another overnight stay followed by early morning courtship. One stay at the arena is never the same as the one before.

Around noon day 3 you leave the arena and go for lunch and head of to our companions. Here you will stay in a cabin and sleep in a bed. In the evening you will enjoy a dinner and will get information from our guide for the black grouse courtship. In the middle of the night you rise up for a quick breakfast and hot drinks as we in good time before the sunrise head for the black grouse courtship arena.

In the darkness just before dawn the calls of the black grouse starts. As the sun light stands emerges the black grouse like ghosts out in the marsh. Calling intensifies and so does the dance. Will there come any hens or will the courtship be attacked by a goshawk maybe? During the early morning hours a lot can happen. Around noon day 4 the activity finishes.

The tour can also start the opposite, starting with black grouse instead.

This includes

Food and drinks included. Warm sleeping bag and blankets included. 3 overnight stays in the hides and day stay/rest at our partners cabins included. Additional nights/mornings in at the hides is possible to book. As well as overnight stays at our partners cabins (500 kr/person/night). The guide accompanies you during the whole experience.

Bring

Warm clothing necessary.

Time: 4 days
Start: 15:00 hrs. Ends 12:00 hrs
Place: The guided tours takes place in Tiveden
Price: 6 000 SEK
Participants: Max 4 persons

Meeting place

The guided tours takes place in Tiveden situated between Stockholm and Gothenburg. Meeting place is at gas station OK/Q8 in Laxå, next to highway E20. From Karlsborg: 55 km. From Askersund: 30 km. From Örebro: 55 km. There is a train station in Laxå. Transfer from train and airports are possible. All transfer during the stay is included.

What´s Included

Customized hides - for capercaillie individual (there is 1 2-person hide), for black grouse 1 big tent

Comfy and thick mattress to sleep on

Warm sleeping bag (Winter type w down)

Thick woolen blanket

Pillow

Brunch x 2

Sandwiches for the overnight stay

Drinks and coffee/tea

What to bring

You need to bring:

Thermos (for coffee or tea)

Cup

A food container to put sandwiches in

Headlamp (with green light)

Base layer clothing - preferably merino wool

Woolen socks - 3 pairs

Woolen hat

Woolen sweater or warm sweater (mid layer)

Warm pants

Wool sweater or fleece sweater

Finger gloves, woolen

Balaclava (VERY IMPORTANT AS THIS KEEPS YOUR FACE COVERED WHICH HELPS HIDING YOU FROM THE BIRDS CAREFUL EYES)

Duvet cover

Pillow cover

Ear plugs (if someone snors)

Back pack (appr. 35 liters, for the hike, to bring clothing and food)

Rubber boots or high waterproof boots

Camera

Film camera

Tripod

Small tripod

Lenses

Batteries

Memory card

Additional camera gear

Binoculars

Spotting scope or hand binoculars

A pee bootle, preferably with big and wide opening

Additional information

It is very important to have clothing and gear that makes no or very little sound/noise

To describe: A modern Shell jacket or a rip stop sweater makes noises when it touches itself or other things. Use a thick and big woolen sweater or a jacket in soft and silent material over your clothing to be as silent as possible.

You will have to be very silent and still during long times