Mute swan - Cygnus olor
I was in Stockholm for work, and had a chance to spend a few days in this beautiful city. We absorb images of Scandinavia from stories and books in childhood; Stockholm reinforces all of them. A bunch of fleshy, gross cygnets swim by? It's impossible not to immediately think of "The Ugly Duckling". Even in the city, one can see a range of birds not found in North America, some small avian dramas and occasionally something new or surprising. This diary describes some common birds of northern Europe, with a little history thrown in. Sweden has become something of a refuge for both birds and people, so indulge me in a short digression about refugees at the end of this diary.