Spring in Skåbu is when the black grouse and capercaillie play

Spring in Skåbu is a magical time. Up here, spring is not urgent – it takes its time, and maybe that's exactly why it feels more vivid. One of the things I really enjoy about spring in Skåbu is the active bird life.

The bird life in Skåbu is rich and varied, largely thanks to the combination of mountain forests, marshes, mountain pastures and proximity to the high mountains in Langsua National Park.

Things are particularly lively in spring when the area is filled with migratory birds that return home, at the same time as the forest birds start breeding.

Have you ever seen them play? It's a fantastic and fascinating experience!

The black grouse males gather in fixed 'playgrounds' in marshes and open areas. Before sunrise, they are already in place. They play, hiss, bow and jump against each other – all to show strength and win the females' attention. The black grouse hens watch closely from the sidelines before choosing who gets to pass on their genes.

The capercaillie tends to stay more hidden, inside the old-growth forest. His playing is more low-key, but just as intense. With characteristic clicking sounds, snaps and a final 'grinding sound', he marks his territory and tries to lure the female. In the most intense moments, he becomes so focused that he almost stops paying attention to his surroundings.

This is not only beautiful – it is nature's own way of securing the next generation. A finely tuned interplay between instinct, competition and selection, repeated year after year in the same places.

Being able to sit still and experience this up close gives one a deep sense of calm. You don't just see spring coming – you understand a little better how life in the forest actually works.

Spring in the mountains is not a season, it's a transition – quiet, slow and real.