Baltoji Voke - background & birds |
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Written by Jos
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From Latvia in the north-east to the Polish border in the far south, the eastern half of Lithuania is a broad swath of extensive forests and lakes. Yet, despite this abundance of water, there exists a paradox in that there is relatively little natural aquatic habitat of any great value to significant numbers of birds - most of the lakes are steep-banked, deep and provide little in the way of opportunities to either feed or breed. The notable exceptions to this, including the internationally-important Nemunas Delta and the lakes of Zuvintas, Dusia and Metelys, are mostly in the south of the country or near the Baltic Sea. At these, the bird fauna is diverse and numerous, with both large numbers of breeding species and even greater numbers of migratory wildfowl. However, even though these sites are of extreme importance, they are also quite few in number, limited in geographical spread and, furthermore, of little use to the numerous waders that migrate across Lithuania, birds which require shallow water and exposed mud. |
Last Updated ( Saturday, 08 May 2010 )
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E.U. vandalism, a site destroyed. |
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Written by Jos
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The Lukna meadows, early spring. Picture the scene, a shallow wetland abounding with birds - Ruff, some 300 or more in active lek, strutting and chasing; Garganey and Shoveler quietly floating past; Wood Sandpipers by the dozen, if not hundred. The seasonal floods across these grasslands provided one of the richest bird habitats in the entire area, home to numerous species, common and rare. Add to the birds already mentioned, breeding Black-tailed Godwits, huge flocks of passage White-fronted and Bean Geese and the picture begins to build, an oasis of utmost importance. Throw in the occasional Red-necked Phalaropes and Marsh Sandpipers, the visiting White-tailed Eagles and the frequent White-winged Black Terns and you'd begin to believe you were in one of the finest bird reserves in the area. And a reserve it should have been, but tax payers of Europe, you have just destroyed it, the place is no more. In an act that is little short of simple vandalism, the European Union provided the funding to drain the entire area. And for what? For nothing! Lithuania is awash with meadows standing idle, the entire country is dotted with farmland abandoned and, even at this very site, little of the land in the area is used in a meaningful way, if used at all. Congratulations E.U., you have obliterated one more special little place in Europe. Shame on you, so much for enlightened environmental times. |
Last Updated ( Thursday, 14 February 2008 )
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