The Avocet's trail is located in the southern part of Lake Atanasovsko (at the roundabout at the exit for Sarafovo - on the right before the gas station) in the area around the Birdwatching Hide. It is short and very pleasant to walk around because it tells the story of the avocet Atanas and presents the most important features of this beautiful and elegant bird and its relatives fascinatingly.
What are their wardrobe, beak, and legs, what they eat and how they live can be learned from the cute signs located along the trail. "Benches" of stumps provide resting opportunities for visitors, and the outdoor classroom is actively used by the educational institutions of Burgas.
Two attractive observation points made of natural materials attract hundreds of visitors and allow to observe the birds and the lake without disturbing the inhabitants. One is woven from wicker and hazel and is called "The Nest", while the other is stiffly made from old Salinas planks and resembles an "Egg", hence its name. Both observatories are used by Burgas artists and as a backdrop for various creative projects.
Access to the Birdwatching Hide is also provided for people with disabilities, who can reach the Hide through the newly built ramp and along the concrete walkway and observe the birds with binoculars and scopes.
The trail was created in 2016 as part of the project "The Salt of Life", implemented by the Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation, BSPB and "Black Sea Salinas" AD with the financial support of the LIFE+ program of the European Commission.
In just two years we have transformed this area from an unregulated dump into a welcoming and preferred place for walking and resting, holding cultural events and celebrating children's birthdays. The joint census with RIEW-Burgas (the owners of the Hide) of the independent visitors of the Trail shows that more than 10 000 people have chosen to spend their free time here in the last two years.
It is especially important for us that the avocet's trail annually hosts an educational program for children, which educates adolescents to love and understand the inhabitants of Lake Atanasovsko and to understand the complex processes that take place in the wild nature around us. More than 2000 children of different ages and from all over the country, as well as young people and students from France, Belgium, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Poland, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey, have come through the programme.
- Maps, photos
- Presentation of the Salt and Avocet's Trails (link to http://saltoflife.biodiversity.bg)
- Suitable places to visit and observe birds and rules against disturbing them
- Integration of the interactive map https://map.biodiversity.bg
