Bird Island on the Poraj Reservoir

On the Poraj Reservoir — a dam reservoir on the Warta river created in 1978 south-west of Poraj — lies Bird Island, a natural refuge for water birds. It is best viewed from the side of the village of Kuźnica Stara in the commune of Poraj, in the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland. The island is inaccessible to tourists and belongs entirely to the birds.

Who lives here

On and around the island you can see herons, cormorants, grebes, swans and ducks of various species. With a bit of luck you may spot an osprey or even a white-tailed eagle, which is why the spot has regular admirers among ornithologists. Mornings are the best time, when the birds feed along the shores.

A reservoir built for a steel mill

Lake Porajskie was created for the needs of the Bolesław Bierut Steelworks in Częstochowa and still shapes the leisure rhythm of the area. It covers up to 5.5 km², is 4.9 km long, up to 1.4 km wide, with about 15 km of shoreline. Its maximum depth reaches 13 metres, the average being 3.9 m.

Practical notes

There is no access to the island — birdwatching takes place from the shores or from the causeway, which can be walked even with a stroller. Binoculars come in handy. Nearby are the castle in Olsztyn (12.4 km) and the ruins of Bobolice castle (18.7 km).