The Burgas Lakes

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Around Burgas are some of the most important wetlands in the world. Migrating species of many birds, travelling to Africa from Northern Europe (and Russia) follow the strip of land down to Turkey and then on through the Middle East and into Africa.

Collectively known as the Burgas Lakes, they're actually seperate areas within 10 or so kilometers of the city. Sara and I visited the PODA Protected Area, which is the easiest for the backpacker to visit (has a visitor centre) and close to the city. The Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds manages the area and welcomes visitors. We only had a few hours at the centre but with the aid of binoculars lent to us from the visitors centre we saw, cormorants, herons, waders, swans, terns, ducks, coots and many types of gull.

The nice guys who run the PODA conservation center lent us binoculars and showed us lots of things through telescopes, such as cormorant and tern chicks.

We spent time walking around the area (on the dry bits) as well. The area is full of insect life (dragonflies, butterflies) and lizards. The best views of the birds were from the roof of the visitors centre.

How to get there: It is possible to get to the PODA conservation centre via local buses, but working out the time tables and stops was tricky - we cheated and got a taxi there and a bus back. The centre is on the left side of the E-87 Burgas/Sozopol highway, with a bus stop within 400m of the entrance.

Contact: NCC Poda/BSPB, tel. [phone] for more information.

Reprinted: A version of this journal was printed in Issue 1 of Quest Bulgaria Magazine.

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Photos

Dragonfly
My photos of insects were better than those of the birds - easier to get close.

Common Tern
Several platforms had been created to allow the birds to breed.

Butterflies Mating
Another type of swallowtail, there was a lot of wind so this is the best image I got.

View from PODA
With binoculars you can see many types of birds from here.

Terns
This is one of the areas that can be walked near.

Comorants Nesting
About 100 pairs nest on the disused electricity pylons in front of the PODA center. They are perfect places for the nests as tree's (the other option) die after a few years use due to the droppings.

Comments

[anonymous]

pests
why are we not stopping these birds they are worthless to our society and should be eliminated to extinction. Read the articles they are hurting the aquatic life they kill vegetation and trees. CAN ANYONE SAY ANYTHING USEFUL ABOUT THESE OVERPOPULATING BIRDS BESIDES SOME BIRD WATCHING BIRD LOVER WITH DISTORTED VIEWS