Durrësi wetland offers quite a unique view early in the morning, as hundreds of birds are spotted beyond the high pines. Walking through the sand dunes, beside dozens of waterfowls and wintering ducks, which are the most frequent inhabitants during this period of the year, rare and endangered species are spotted time after time. 

“You can now see Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus). The bird can be distinguished by a dark metallic color and a feather on the head. This species is found in Albania in winter, and it is not spotted very often in the country's wetlands. We even couldn’t register it in the Waterfowl Census during January 2024”, says the biologist Ledi Selgjekaj as she gives her binoculars to a young student from “Dhosi Liperi” School in Sukth, Durres. 

Dorjan has many questions to ask, as he finds the birdlife quite interesting; the survival flight through continents and the migratory route from Africa or Siberia towards the lagoon nearby his home. The eighteen year old is one of twenty students from “Dhosi Liperi” school that were part of a field trip and outdoor learning lesson on the World Wetlands Day, organized under “Green Campaign” by Europe House together with PPNEA Environmental Organization.

The theme for World Wetlands Day this year is “Wetlands and human wellbeing”, which aims to highlight how all aspects of human wellbeing - physical, mental, and environmental - are tied to the health of the world’s wetlands considering their vital role for biodiversity. 

Living a few kilometers away, for the students it was the first time to participate in a birdwatching or watch them through a telescope. As the area is known for the splendid beaches in the summer, the students were not aware of its winter colours and the important role that Durrësi wetland represents, as part of the Adriatic Flyway corridor for thousands of migratory birds.

EU Delegation to Albania

The students observed various species of birds such as the black headed gull (Larus ridibundus), yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), etc, but they were really curious about Dalmatian pelicans. 

“We couldn’t see the curled pelican today, but it has visited the area for food several times. It is a critically endangered species and it nests only in the Divjakë-Karavasta lagoon. A large individual pelican with GPS, was spotted for a long time in this area. Rare species have been observed nearby during the trek”, says Selgjekaj, mentioning also the Collared Pratincole, another rare and endangered species which is under protection. 

Young students were surprised to discover the importance of a small lagoon nearby their home in the long journey of the birds. According to last month’s census, around 4000 different species of birds spent the winter in this wetland.

While the outdoor learning session with students, focused on exploring biodiversity was heading towards the end, the birds were dancing over the wetland, flapping, soaring and gliding. 

Background

During November 2023, the EU Delegation in Albania launched the Green Campaign aiming to raise awareness among Albanian citizens, policymakers, civil society, businesses, and other stakeholders around environmental issues affecting the country. 

Another programme, EU4 Circular Economy, has started and seeks to address the detrimental environmental and health consequences resulting from solid waste in the Kukës and Gjirokastra waste regions. This initiative, aims to enhance the quality of life for the 190,000 residents in the Kukës and Gjirokastra regions and support Albania’s alignment with EU environmental standards.