One of the most picturesque parks in Sofia is situated at the foot of the Vitosha Mountain, surrounded by two of the most luxurious neighborhoods of the capital city – Lozenets and Ivan Vazov. The idea at its creation was this park to be linked with the Vitosha Nature Park, but later on both neighborhoods appeared there. However, there is still a connection between the two green areas, although it is an aerial one. It is particularly important in matters of ornithology, being a part of the Via Aristotelis migration corridor that follows the valley of the Struma River. That is why there are some 65 bird species in the park, 29 of those protected via the Biodiversity Act and two of them are included in Bulgaria’s Red Book. All these birds turn the park into a very attractive destination, situated closely to the central parts of the city. That was the reason why the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds /BSPB/ created a special alley in the park, supplied with signboards, describing the different bird species that can be seen.

“The idea was an old one, but we couldn’t implement it for one reason or another,” Petar Yankov from BSPB says. “On July 9 we managed to unveil the first city route for bird observation in Sofia’s South Park. Our main goal is to attract international attention to Bulgaria as a most interesting destination for tourists that are fans of ornithology. The BSPB has had a lot of success in that area over the past 10 – 15 years. We have attracted quite a lot of tourists, bird lovers, but we would like their number to go up. This could support this country’s economy. The second goal of the society is the interest of Sofia’s citizens to be attracted, especially the one of young people. Thus we want not only to preserve love to nature, but also to make children’s lives more interesting and meaningful. This is a wonderful alternative to the many challenges and dangers that threaten them in the contemporary city environment.”

A walk through the South Park in these warm October days is a real pleasure. The birds can be heard in the mornings and at dusk. Being migration periods, autumn and spring are the most suitable seasons for bird observation, when the most species can be seen. Some waterfowls spend the winters at one of the lakes in the park, which never freezes due to both springs, one of them situated in its center.

“The South Park is one of the most interesting places in Sofia,” the ornithologist goes on to say. “That was why we opted for it. Its environment is richest, unlike the one in Borisova Gradina or the West Park. There are different ecosystems in it, such as lawns, swamps, wet zones, rivers and woods. Hence this rich biodiversity. That is why we picked up one of the most attractive parts of the place and placed some 20 signboards. They provide some info on the most typical bird species, residing in the park, along with some beautiful pictures. We aim not only at acquainting people with the Common Blackbird and the Great Tit, but we also want to provide a chance for groups of students, for instance, to go along the route on their own, even without the company of their teachers or the BSPB guides and to get to know this feathered wealth of the park. When the children from a group have seen a Collared Dove in the picture, they will able later on to walk along the route and spot the real birds of this kind. Thus they can feel like discoverers for a while. We hope to keep love for nature in them, along with their strive for discoveries. Currently there is a trend for a greater attraction of pupils to after class activities. We work jointly with experts from the educational ministry with the goal precisely these initiatives of ours to be implemented in school training programs, thus becoming a part of education in the future.”

English version: Zhivko Stanchev