The friendly and quiet areas of Pomerania are perfect for peace-loving tourists seeking uninterrupted contact with nature. Not surprisingly, one of the most pleasant forms of spending free time in Pomorskie is birdwatching. Especially at the seaside which is an ornithological paradise for enthusiasts of peaceful observation.
Sight – the most important of human senses, can experience a unique feast in these coastal areas. Thanks to contact with nature and greenery surroundings human eyes can finally rest, which is not often experienced in the city. Numerous nature reserves, natural diversification of areas, and characteristic microclimate of Pomerania are particularly liked by birds. In Poland discreet birdwatching is becoming increasingly popular; one doesn’t disturb the birds in their environment and still have a rare opportunity to admire the hustle and bustle of their everyday life – both close to the ground and high in the sky.
The atlas of species
The Gdańsk Bay coast is the bird watchers first choice as one can observe winged representatives of uncommon species that can’t be found in other parts of Poland. The area of the Vistula Lagoon belongs to one of the largest breeding places for the great cormorant. This unusual bird especially likes fish-rich bodies of water, both sweet and salty. Cormorants return to Poland from their wintering grounds in February or March. After that, they begin their spectacular courtship display – males perform series of acrobatic figures resembling dance to attract the attention of females. Another region of Pomerania where one can observe cormorants is a bird reserve in Kąty Rybackie. This adorable village located on the Vistula Spit is also a natural habitat for rare common loons, yellow-billed loons, skuas, procellariiformes, black-legged kittiwakes gulls, and arctic terns.
Additionally, in the best-available tourist area of the Gdańsk Bay there are about 150 other species including gray herons, red-crested pochards, greylag geese, or white-tailed eagles; the observation of which will definitely bring a lot of joy.
The estuary of the Vistula River near Gdańsk captivates with the presence of rare species of wetland birds. In this picturesque area there are reserves of Mewia Łacha (Seagull Lake) and Ptasi Raj (Birds Paradise), popular among bird watchers. As their names suggest, at various times of the year one may meet mainly seaside birds such as terns, gulls, swans, and oystercatchers.
In the Bay of Puck there is the Beka reserve – one more worth reaching place with rare salt-tolerant plants and breeding grounds of wild birds. In addition, rare bird species such as dunlins and citrine wagtails as well as white-tailed eagles, lapwings, swans, redshanks, pheasants, and snipes nest in this exciting reserve.
Further, there is the thrilling Słowiński National Park with the European herring gull in its logo. The park is another bird paradise abundant with fascinating species. Not only birds constitute the majority of the park’s fauna with a total of over 270 species but also half of them have their breeding grounds here. One can observe such birds as Eurasian coots, Eurasian teals, mallards, common pochards, tufted ducks and the only breeding species of wild goose in Poland – greylags. The best view extends from the Rowokół hill also known as the Holy Mountain of Slovinians. From the tower at an altitude of 115 meters above sea level one can observe magnificent moving sand dunes, vast Baltic Sea, the Łebsko and Gardno lakes, as well as green fields and meadows located further inland.
Deep into Pomorskie
The rocky coast of Jastrzębia Góra creates the most convenient perspective for observing the passage of sea birds. The high-placed shore has numerous spots to observe the migration of common loons and skuas, which dive incredibly skillfully between waves. And all of that nearly from a bird’s-eye view! Moreover, those that are careful and patient enough (and equipped with good-quality binoculars) may enjoy the gaze at the most interesting species of sea ducks. The best time to watch them is in spring and at dawn; however, birdwatching has many enthusiasts also in autumn and early winter.
An exceptional attraction for those seeking an unusual ornithological experience is provided by the Pirate Mountain in the Vistula Spit. Every year a unique ornithological event – the Bird Picnic takes place there. For guests disposal there is a 7-meter observation tower and a two-level viewpoint located between Krynica Morska and Piaski. Tourists can reach it by a one-and-a-half-kilometer educational trail with information boards located along the road. There are also some fascinating legends about pirates watching the sea from the Vistula Spit where they allegedly built a tower to bury their treasures underneath it…
From the impressive observation point one will be delighted with a stunning view of the Vistula Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. Additionally, when the weather is good, one may be able to see Frombork or the spires of the basilica towers in Braniewo.
We highly recommend this fascinating entertainment to all enthusiasts of the wild nature and we are certain that it will fill everyone with peace and teach patience and respectful observation of the majestic bird nature.
