Volunteering in Agras – Vritta – Nisi Wetland

Last week we had an opportunity to participate on the European Midwinter Bird Monitoring. In Tuesday we were in two points for do the bird monitoring. “Taverna” and “Theater”. In this lasts places we saw a lot of birds. In Wednesday we had three places for do the bird monitoring: “Springs”, “Marmara” and “Info Center”. In the Info Center place we had a lot of fortune: a Fulica atra was, blocked in the ice and a Circus aeruginosus stayed near the body for eat. It was a good opportunity to observe this specie without flying.
With the time and some practice, we start to know the species better and the observations are more faster. During the bird monitoring, we stay on the points during one hour and we observe in different strategic places for have the better overview of the birds.
In the point “Springs”: There is a little part of the wetland, where we can see a lot different birds if we do not scare them. It’s the place where you must be quiet because we are very close to the species. This is the place where the water come from the underground mountains and go to the wetland. Around this little piece of water, we can see a lot of duck species.
Marmara: Now, it’s the place where it’s difficult to find some species because we have a lot of things to observe. In Marmara, we can see the big part of the wet meadows . Usually we see some raptures and herons.
Theater: It’s the place where we observe better. We must separate the lake in two part because it’s better for the observation (One in front of us and the other more far away). It’s a place in higher ground, it’s better for the observation.
Taverna: Is the place near the restaurant and we can see a good part of the lake (and we can drink coffee). It’s in this part of the wetland where we can see the most of Fulica atra, and it’s difficult to find the others species with one or two thousand of this specie. And if you are lucky, you can see the Aythya nyroca, a specie very rare in the Europe.
Info Center: It’s little part of the wetland near the working place, we don’t see a lot of species, but we observe sometimes very interesting species (Circus aeruginosus, Anas clypeata …)
17/01/12
Theater :
Part 1:
Aythya nyroca 10
Aythya ferina 16
Fulica atra 382
Tachybaptus ruficollis 192
Pelicanus crispus 4
Cygnus olor 1
Circus aeruginosus 2
Phalacrocorax pygmeus 11
Phalacrocorax carbo 2
Larus cachinnans 2
Buteo buteo 1

Part 2 :

Aythya nyroca 22
Pelicanus crispus 6
Cygnus olor 3
Phalacrocorax pygmeus 1
Pelicanus onocrotalus 1
Aythya fuligula 3
Larus cachinnans 2
Fulica atra 970
Aythya ferina 50
Tachybaptus ruficollis 94
Aythya platyrinchos 5
Circus aeruginosus 1

Taverna

Podiceps cristatus 2
Anas clypeata 7
Aythya nyroca 6
Anas strepera 11
Aythya fuligula 11
Anas crecca 14
Fulica atra 1200
Phalacrocorax carbo 21
Pelicanus crispus 3
Phalacrocorax pygmeus 1
Tachybaptus ruficollis 45
Circus aeruginosus 3
Upupa epops 1
Cygnus olor 2
Aythya ferina 35

18/01/12

Springs

Fulica atra 119
Tachybaptus ruficollis 28
Aythya ferina 9
Anas crecca 9
Phalacrocorax pygmeus 7
Circus aeruginosus 2
Gallinula chloropus 1
Anas platyrinchos 7
Anas strepera 5
Buteo buteo 1
Aythya nyroca 1

Marmara

Buteo buteo 3
Tachybaptus ruficolis 6
Anas platyrinchos 2
Egretta garzetta 1
Circus aeruginosus 3
Fulica atra 2

Info Center

Anas platyrynchos 17
Aythya ferina 5
Fulica atra 6
Tachybaptus ruficollis 11
Cygnus olor 5
Circus aeruginosus 1
Phalacrocorax pygmeus 1
Anas clypeata 2
Gallinula chloropus 1

And ofcourse we observed the species from the car during the travel between monitoring places and we saw these species:
Buteo buteo 5
Ardea cinerea 1

Eno and Pierre

Sellel nädalal oli meil võimalus osaleda Euroopa Kesktalve Linnuseirel. Teisipäeval oli meil kaks asukohta, kus oli vaja teha linnuseiret: “Taverna” ja “Theater”. Nendes punktides nägime me palju linde.
Kolmapäeval oli meil kolm asukohta linnuseireks: “Springs”, “Marmara” ja “Info center”. Vaatepunktis “Info center” oli meil palju õnne ja õnnestus näha, kuidas Circus aeruginosus sõi lindu Fulica atra. Tavaliselt näeme seda lindu ainult lendamas.
Muutume linnuseires järjest osavamaks. Ladina keelsed nimed jäävad meelde paremini ja loomulikult lindude äratundmine on palju kiirem. Tavaliselt viibime 30 minutit igas seirepunktis, kuid seekord tegime erandi ja viibisime igas seirepunktis 1 tund. Seirepunktide kirjeldus on järgmine:

“Springs”- piirkond, kuhu saabub mägedest tulev vesi. Avavett on vähe, kuid võib kohata palju erinevaid linnuliike, eriti erinevaid parte. Samas väga raske piirkond linnuseireks, kuna peame olema väga lähedal lindudele ja need kipuvad põgenema.
“Marmara”- Selles piirkonnas on väga hea ülevaade märgalast, kuid raske on linde leida, kuna peidavad end pilliroos ja kõrges rohus. Tavaliselt kohtame seal haigruid ja kotkaid.
“Theater”- linnuseireks väga hea piirkond. Asub kõrgemal ja on hea ülevaade erinevatest liikidest. Tavaliselt jaotame avavee seal kaheks, et oleks lihtsam linde loendada.
“Taverna”- Seal kohtame me palju linnuliike ja lindu Fulica atra, võib seal kohata tuhandeid, mis teeb kohutavalt raskeks loendamise ja teiste liikide äratundmise. Selles piirkonnas võib ka üsna tihti kohata lindu Aythya nyroca, kes on väga haruldane terves euroopas.
“Info center”- See seirepunkt asub meie töökoha (infopunkt turistidele) läheduses. Seal kohtame tavaliselt vähe liike, kuid võib leiduda huvitavaid linde nagu Circus aeruginosus, Anas clypeata.

Eno and Pierre

My name is ali akçelik 25 years old and ı studied economics. On 5 January 2012 I came to Greece for 6 months for  EVS. Aircraft landed after 13 hours. After a long and cold journey, we reached to Edessa. When We reach the bus, we meet Eirini and we went by taxi to the Vrita village. When we came here we saw our house and we met with ather colleagues also  volunteers Pierre and Eno. on Monday  we went to the information center. And we talked for the rules and about our  jobs. Our  first bird monitoring was on Wednesday. Although the cold ıt  was so beautiful to watch them. We entered the first greek lesson on Thursday and we met with our teacher Katherine. The project is very beautiful  and ı think it will be better. However, the fact that there are not so often ın the vıllage ıs the biggest problem. There ıs not any social activity !  to g oto Edessa,ıs very difficult.  But other than that everything is OK.

See you soon

Ali

Adım Ali Akçelik. 5 Ocak 2012 günü 6 aylık AGH yapmak için Yunanistan’a geldim. Saat 13.00 gibi uçağımız Atina’ya indi. Kısa bir yolculuktan sonra terminale vardık. Yaklaşık 8 saat süren uzun ve yorucu bir yolculuktan sonra Edessa şehrine vardık. Edessa’ya iner inmez Eirini bizi karşıladı. Buradan taksi ile Vrita köyüne geçtik ve yaşayacağımız evi görerek diğer gönüllü arkadaşlarımız Pierre ve Eno ile tanıştık. Pazartesi güzü Eirini bizi bilgi merkezine götürdü. Burada kuralları ve yapacaklarımızı konuştuk. Çarşamba günü ilk kuş gözetlememize gittik.  Ondan sonra Perşembe günü ilk yunanca dersimize girdik ve hocamız KAtherine ile tanıştık. Bu proje bence yazın daha güzel olabilir. Çünkü şimdi hiçbir şekilde otobüs bulamıyoruz. Bu gerçekten büyük bir problem. Vrita köyünden Edessaya inişlerde otobüs bulamadığımız için bu bizim canımızı sıkıyor. Çünkü yaşadığımız köyde hiçbir sosyal aktivite yok. Yazın bu durumun düzeleceğini düşünüyorum yoksa bunun dışında burada yaşamak ve proje gerçekten çok güzel.

Görüşmek üzere

Ali

Hello, my name is Eren UZUN. I’m 24 years old… I’m from Istanbul and studied a Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in İstanbul.Now, I’m a volunteer in Agras-Vrita-Nisi wetland project.
A beautiful journey from Istanbul. After an 8 hour bus ride and EDESSA CITY.
In fact, we will spend 6 months here came. The first bird monitoring activities are good. We spend a wonderful time with Eno, and Pierre.The training take place in the information center. İ have learned a variety of birds and animals . I knew them all in the same category .. Eirini helps us greatly in this regard. on Thursday we are going to shop the market and we have Greek lesson .I would say that our greek teacher is one of the best . A very sweet lady and is trying to teach us the Greek. I plan to take this course for 6 months.I want to go back to my house after 6 months as a learned Greek.
The first weekend with our friends decided to go to Salonica. Edessa takes 1.5 hours by train. It’s not too far. (You can, go to the main train station..) People in Greece are very warm, . When I asked trying to understand a greek person help us with the translation on the train. I really enjoyed this. after we went to the Turks friend we see some sightseeing in Salonica and afterwards We went to the erasmus party in Aristoteles University. It was a night very beautiful and fun.So far, I could not find the excitement for Edessa.I hope, I can find here my excitement.
We introduce ourselves and our country at a school in Vrita so had to made presentations , and at the end we played football with the childrens. Mooving day was..
I’m trying to memorize the names of birds at this time. .

See you soon ..
EREN.

Merhabalar, Benim adım Eren UZUN. 24 yaşındayım. Mimar Sinan Güzel Sanatlar üniversitesi mezunuyum ve Agras-Vrita-Nisi sulak alanı projesinin yeni gönüllüsüyüm. İstanbul’dan başlayan güzel bir yolculuk ve sonrasında 8 saatlik bir otobüs yolculuğu… EDESSA CİTY…Ben daha 10 gündür burada olduğum için pek bir şey söyleyemiyorum….. İlk kuş izleme aktivitem çok güzeldi.Doğal ortam süper ve diğer gönüllüler Eno ve Pierre ile güzel vakit geçiriyoruz.
Bilgi merkezinde kuşlar hakkında eğitimler alıyoruz. Bir sürü kuş ve hayvan çeşitli olduğunu buraya gelince öğrendim. Hepsini aynı kategori içersinde sokardım. Eirini(Projemizin koordinatörü) bize bu konuda fazlasıyla yardımcı oluyor.
Perşembe günleri pazara alışveriş yapmak için iniyoruz. Yunanca derslerimizi de perşembe günleri görüyoruz. Öğretmenimiz Katherine’nin ne iş yaptığını bilmiyorum fakat iyi bir öğretmen olduğunu söyleyebilirim. Çok tatlı bir hanımefendi ve bize Yunanca öğretmek için çabalıyor. 6 ay bu kursu almayı planlıyorum. 6 ay sonra Yunancayı öğrenmiş olarak evime geri dönmek istiyorum.
İlk hafta sonu arkadaşlarımız ile Selanik’e gitmeye karar verdik. Edessa’dan tren ile 1,5 saat sürüyor. Çokta uzak değil.(Tabi tren garına gitmeyi becerebilirseniz.Çünkü Vrita köyünden Edessa’ya otostopla inmeniz gerekiyor. Hafta sonu hiç otobüs olmadığı için bu bizim için büyük bir problem.) İnmeyi becerdiğinizde diğer yolculuklar sizin için çok eğlenceli ve zevkli oluyor. Yunanistan’da insanlar çok cana yakınlar. Trende yunanca çalışırken anlamadığım yerleri sorduğumda cevap alabildim. Bu benim çok hoşuma gitti. İngilizce bilmemelerine rağmen kendi kültürlerini öğrenmeye çalışmam onları mutlu ediyor olsa gerek. Selanik’e vardığımızda internet bulamadığımız için küçük çaplı bir problemde yaşadık . Selanik’te EVS yapan bir Türk arkadaşımız Aydan’nın yanına gittik. Gece konaklama için otele gitmeyip arkadaşımızın evinde kalmayı tercih ettik. Arkadaşımızın konuk severliği elbette bizi mutlu etti. Gece ise Selanik’i biraz gezdikten sonra Aristoteles Üniversitesinin Erasmus öğrencileri için hazırladığı bir partiye katıldık. Gayet güzel ve eğlenceli bir geceydi. Bir sürü insan ile tanışıp, sohbet edebilme ihtimali bulduk. Fransız, İspanyol ve Almanyalı gençler ile güzel sohbetler ettik. Hepsinin ismini hatırlamıyorum. Hatırlayamadıklarımdan özür dilerim.
Şimdiye kadar Edessa’da aradığım heyecanı bulamadım.(Selanik’i gördükten sonra bu şehir, bu köy beni kesmez oldu). İlerleyen zamanlarda zevk alabileceğimi düşünüyorum. Umarım aradığım heyecanı burada bulabilirim.
Selanik seyahatinden sonra pazartesi günü Vrita’da bir okulda ülkemizi ve kendimizi tanıtan sunum yaptık ve ardından çocuklar ile futbol oynadık. Hareketli bir gündü. Onun dışında şu anda kuş isimlerini ezberlemeye çalışıyorum. İlerleyen günlerde daha fazla aktivite yapılacağını düşünüyorum ama beklediğim hiçbir şeyi burada bulamadım. Çünkü beklediğimden küçük ve sessiz bir köy. Şehre inmediğin zaman insan yüzü görmen nerede imkansız oluyor.

Görüşmek Üzere
EREN

H.O.S Car

Vrita School

Thessaloniki

AGRAS – VRITA – NISI PROJECT VOLUNTEERS: COME AND BACK ON THE PELOPONESE.

During the Christmas holyday, Eno and I had twelve days of vacations. During this period, we went for two days in Athens (again by bus … During 8 hours) for meet two friends and stay in their flat. We gone with the snow, the bus don’t came on the morning and we must did hitchhiking for go in Edessa. In Athens, we visit some places for did shopping, tourism, drunk coffee in a pub and many occupation.

After, for the Christmas day, we went in Korinthos by train for meet the others volunteers. We were thirty on the flat (big flat fortunately) for celebrate the Christmas. Very good moment, a lot of bests souvenir. We pass three days in Korinthos and we use this time for visit this city near the sea and the mountains. We discover the Greek food specialty: the Pita. Pow Pow Pow …

Then, we go by bus to follow some friends in Xilokastro (one hours of traveling) during three days. Again we visit another city, very beautiful with the sea, the mountains and the forest. We did a lot of thing: party on a balcony, volley-ball, tourism, drink coffee …

After this three days we come back in Korinthos for say good bye to two French volunteers because they returned in France. We had a party with two Turkish mans on a beach and we saw a concert of rock on the Young Center of Korinthos.

Finally we come back again in Athens for two days, at the home of the same friends that the first time, to pass the New Years Day on the capital. It was a strange experience for me because I never did the New Years Day on the street of the city. We drink, walk a lot and dance on a club. The Sunday was necessary for relax …

On Monday, we took the bus at 14:00 for go back in Edessa at 22:00. The snow is again here and offer us a very beautiful landscape.

Pierre

AGRAS – VRITA – NISI PROJET: ALLER ET RETOUR DANS LE PELOPONESE.

Pendant les vacances de noël, Eno et moi avions douze jours de vacances. Pendant cette période nous sommes allés pendant deux jours à Athènes (Encore en bus … Durant huit heures) pour revoir deux amies et loger dans leur appartement. Nous sommes partis avec la neige, le bus de Vrita n’est pas venu le matin et nous étions obliger de faire du stop pour parvenir jusqu’à Edessa. A Athènes, nous avons visités quelques lieux pour faire du shopping, du tourisme, boire quelques café dans des pubs et beaucoup d’autres occupations.

Après, pour le jour de noël, nous sommes allés à Corinthe en train pour rencontrer les autres volontaires. Nous étions trente dans un appartement (Un grand appartement heureusement) pour la célébration. C’était un excellent moment, j’emporte avec moi beaucoup de souvenirs. Nous avons passés trois jours dans Corinthe et nous avons utiliser ce temps pour pour visiter la ville et ses alentours proche de la mer et des montagnes. Nous avons découvert une spécialité Grec: La Pite Pow Pow Pow …

Ensuite nous sommes allés à Xylocastro en bus (une heure de voyage) pour suivre des amis durant trois autres jours. Encore, nous avons pris connaissance des lieux, une belle petite ville proche de la mer, des montages et d’une forêt. Nous avons utilisés notre temps de divers façon: Soirées sur un balcon, volley-ball, tourisme, boire du café …

Après nous sommes retourner à Corinthe pour dire au revoir à deux volontaires Français qui retournent en France. Nous avons fait une soirée avec deux Turques sur un plage et nous avons vu un concert de rock dans le centre de jeunesse de Corinthe

Finalement, nous sommes revenus encore à Athènes pour deux jours, dans l’appartement des mêmes amies que la première fois, pour passer le Jour de l’An dans la capitale. C’était assez étrange pour moi parce que je n’ai jamais fais cela dans les rues d’une ville. Nous avons bu, beaucoup marché et dansés en boîte. Le Dimanche était plus que nécessaire pour se relaxer …

Le jour d’après, le lundi, nous avons pris le bus de 14h 00pour retourner à Edessa à 22h 00. La neige était encore présente, nous offrant un paysage magnifique.

Pierre

                                                                                                                   The snow in Vrita

                                                                                                                    Meeting in Xilokastro

                                                                                                                             Visit the City

In 22 of December me and Pierre went to spend our Christmas in Korinthos with other volunteers. It was great there because we meet people who we have last seen from the on-arrival seminar. And we had a lot of fun. Also we had the chance to visit Xilocastro for few days and it was really beautiful there. It had sea, mountains, sun and ofcourse we played volleyball near the sea in December. I’m not good in playing this sport but I really enjoyed it, because it was December. I have never played during the Christmas holidays volleyball in Estonia. We even discovered Greece fast food pita giros, which was very tasty. It looked like somekind of a pancake, which had inside onions, French fries, tomatoes and tadziki souce and ofcourse zouvlaki- meat.
For the new years eve we went to the big city Athens. It was strange a little bit that during 00:00 pm there were few people outside, but later than 02:00 clock a lot of people started to come outside to party. When we were tired and wanted to go to sleep, Greeks started to party.
To sum up the Christmas holiday in South of Greece was really great and definately unforgettable.

Eno

Läksin koos Pierriga 22. detsembril oma jõulupuhkust veetma teiste vabatahtlikega Korinthosele. Kohtasime seal inimesi, keda nägime viimati on-arrival seminaril. Seal oli väga tore. Samuti tekkis meil võimalus külastada Xilacastro, kus veetsime mõned päevad. Seal oli väga ilus- väike tore linnake mägede ja merega, samuti oli seal palju päikest. Sai mängida ka seal rannavollet mereääres. Ma pole päris osav sellel spordialal, kuid nautisin seda väga, sest ma pole kunagi varem mänginud rannavollet detsembrikuus. Samuti sai proovitud ka Kreeka kiirtoitu pita giros, mis oli väga hea. See meenutas mingisugust pannkooki, mille sees oli tadziki kaste, sibulad, friikartulid. Kõige tähtsam komponent oli zouvlaki, mis on grillitud liha.
Aastavahetuse peo pidamiseks läksime Ateenasse. Seal oli veidi imelik, kuna 00:00 paiku oli vähe inimesi väljas. Alates kella 02:00st hakkas palju inimesi välja ilmuma- lausa tohutult. Siis kui meie olime juba väsinud ja tahtsime magama minna, alustasid kreeklased alles pidutsemist.
Kokkuvõtteks oli jõulupuhkus Lõuna-Kreekas väga põnev ja kindlasti meeldejääv.

Eno

Volunteers in Xilacastro

Before the seminar 06.12 Eirini had some freetime and took us, also Nestor who wanted to go fishing but did’nt get any- so no dinner, to see other nearby lakes. We visited Vegoritida and Petron lake. Fortunately I did’nt forget my camera, so I got some good pictures which I also added to this blog.
Eirini has been really great and helpful. She has shown us different places in the wetland, tought about the culture and ofcourse shared instructions how to do the bird monitoring and told about the work in the info center. I hope soon we will start working and we have to start to learn bird names in latin. In 15th of december we had to go to Edessa to see our Greek teacher. She is really good at teaching- I felt only with half an hour that I already know something. Soon I can hopefully understand this language even a little bit.
18th of december we visited Zazari and Ximaditida lake. My health was’nt so good to really enjoy these places but it was still a good experience and I got from the Ximaditida lake my first Kingfisher (picture. I even saw how Eirini scared a shepherd dog away from us. They can be very dangerous if their cattle is near. We had to hurry to the car, becouse cattle was moving and the dogs came near us. It was’nt scary for me or Pierre, becouse we are’nt used to these dangers. But next time I’ll know for sure to avoid the cattle.
I have been in Greece now for 2 weeks but my mind still does’nt believe it. Every morning when I wake up I start to talk with Pierre in Estonian. But I’m adapting and my English gets only better.

Eno

Kuuendal detsembril oli Eirinil vaba aega ja ta viis meid, Nestori kes tahtis kala püüda liitus meiega aga ei saanud mitte ühtegi kala ja seega jäime õhtusöögist ilma, lähedal asuvaid järvi vaatama. Külastasime Vegoritida ja Petrona järve. Õnneks oli mul kaamera kaasas ja ma sain mõned head pildid mälestuseks, mille lisasin ka blogisse.
Eirini on olnud väga abivalmis ja tore. Ta on näitanud meile erinevaid piirkondi märgalal ja rääkinud palju siinsest kultuurist ja loomulikult jaganud näpunäiteid kuidas teha linnuseiret ja viinud meid kurssi tööga infokeskuses. Loodan, et varsti algab meie töö täie hooga ja me peame hakkama ka linnunimesid õppima ladina keeles. 15 detsembril läksime Pierreiga Edessasse, et kohtuda kreeka keele õpetajaga. Ta on väga hea õpetamisel- juba poole tunniga tekib tunne, et midagi oskan. Loodetavarsti oskan varsti veidikenegi seda keerulist keelt.
18 detsembril külastasime Zazari ja Ximaditida järve. Mu tervis polnud just kõige parem, et nautida ümbrust, kuid see oli siiski hea kogemus. Sain oma esimese pildi jäälinnust (Alcedo atthis). Ximaditida järve ääres nägin kuidas Eirini ajas eemale karjakoera. Nad on väga ohtlikud kui kari on läheduses. Pidime isegi autosse jooksma, kuna kari hakkas liikuma ja koerad tulid meie lähedusse. Mulle ja Pierreile ei olnud see väga hirmus, kuna me ei osanud ohtu karta. Kuid järgmine kord tean, et karjast tuleb eemale hoida.
Olen olnud juba Kreekas ligikaudu 2 nädalat kuid ikkagi ei jõua see kohale. Iga hommik kui ärkan, hakkan Pierreiga eesti keeles suhtlema, kuid ma vaikselt kohanen ja inglise keel muutub järjest paremaks.

Eno

Pierre and Vegoritida lake

Lake Petron

Lake Petron

Lake Ximiditida

Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

Hello, me it’s Pierre, I’m 20 years and I come from France (Cancale in Bretagne). I’m a volunteer for the project Agras Vrita Nisi Wetland. Why I choose this project ? Because I’m studying on the environment (Management of the Wildlife). When I will finish my EVS and my studies, I will want to find a job with bird monitoring, management of animals species and education on environment. This project it’s a chance for me because I can find this three points. Why in Greece ? I don’t choose particularly this country. For me all European country must be visited for their culture, their environment, their people etc etc. The Greece it’s just the first country who accepted me, but I’m really happy to be here !
When I leave my friends and my family, I didn’t realize that I’m going in Greece during six months. I started to understand when I was on the plane (A first time for me …). I arrived in Thessaloniki on night and I met Eno (my partner from Estonia) and Sofia (EVS coordinator). The day’s after, we went to Edessa to met our coordinator Eirini and Nestora (the Greek volunteer), and we went in Vrita where we will live during this six months. It’s the winter, the environment is not in his advantage but it’s really beautiful, quiet, peaceful. A good plan for me ! I wait the spring with haste.
After, Eno and me went in a seminary in Athens during five days. It was a really good experience for me. I met 36 volunteers from 16 different European country in a really beautiful city. During this 5 days we visited the city, did some meeting for the EVS project, the European Community, the Youth Path etc etc, and played some interactive games. it was with sadness to leave this great community.

And now I’m here, in Vrita, we are always in the discover of the region, and the prochain week, we will start the bird monitoring. We live in a big house of themunicipalityofVrita. It’s a little cold but we fell it’s us house. We have a little dog his name it’s … He have no name but Nestor say Always Mastora.

We saw a lot of lakes near the wetland: Vegoritida, Petron, Zazari and Ximaditida. But I prefer the wetland of Agras-Vrita-Nisi because we can found different types of backgrounds, what makes it more mysterious … We have a lot of species (more than 165 species) I want to start the bird monitoring !
And now I’m here, in Vrita, we are always in the discover of the region, and the prochain week, we will start the bird monitoring. That all … For the moment.
Pierre

Salut, moi c’est Pierre, j’ai 20 ans et je viens de France (Cancale en Bretagne). Je suis un volontaire pour le projet de la zone humide d’Agras Vryta Nisi. Pourquoi j’ai choisis ce projet ? Dans un premier parce que j’étudie dans le domaine de l’environnement (BTA Gestion de la Faune Sauvage). Quand j’aurai finis mon SVE et mes études, je voudrai trouver un travail avec du comptage d’oiseaux, de la gestion des populations animales et de l’éducation à l’environnement. Ce projet est une chance pour moi car il réunit ces trois critères. Pourquoi en Grèce ? Je n’ai pas particulièrement choisis ce pays. Pour moi tous les pays Européen méritent d’être visité pour leurs cultures, leurs environnements, leurs habitants etc etc. La Grèce a juste été le premier pays à m’avoir accepté, mais je suis bien content quand même !
Quand j’ai quitté mes amis et ma famille, je ne réalisais toujours pas que je partais en Grèce pour six mois ! J’ai commencé à comprendre quand j’étais dans l’avion (une première fois pour moi …) Je suis arrivé à Thessalonique dans la nuit et j’ai rencontré Eno (mon partenaire venant d’Estonie) et Sofia (EVS coordinateur). Le jour d’après nous sommes allés à Edessa pour rencontrer notre coordinateur Eirini et Nestor, et nous sommes allés à Vrita, où nous vivrons durant ces 6 prochains mois.
After, Eno et moi sommes allés à un séminaire à Athènes durant 5 jours. C’était une expérience magnifique pour moi. J’ai rencontré 36 volontaires venant de 16 pays différents dans une belle grande ville. Durant ces 5 jours nous avons visités la ville, fais plusieurs réunions pour le projet SVE, la Communauté Européenne, le Youth Path etc etc joué à plusieurs jeux interactifs toujours dans le cadre de l’apprentissage. C’était avec tristesse que j’ai quitté cette belle communauté, mais ce sera pour mieux se retrouver

Et maintenant je suis à Vrita, toujours en découverte de l’environnement alentour. Et la semaine prochaine nous allons commencé le comptage d’oiseaux, Enfin ! Nous vivons dans une grande maison appartenant à la municipalité de Vrita. Il y fait froid à cause de l’hiver mais on s’y sent chez soit. Nous avons un petit chien qui s’appelle … Il n’a pas de noms mais Nestor lui dis souvent Mastora.

Nous avons vu beaucoup de lacs non loin de la zone humide: Vegoritida, Pearon, Zazari et Ximaditida. Mais je préfère la zone humide de Agras Vrita et Nisi car elle possède une diversité de milieux plus importante, ce qui la rend plus mystérieuse …  Nous avons beaucoup d’oiseaux (Environ 140 espèces). Vivement que je commence le comptage d’oiseaux !

Et maintenant je suis à Vrita, toujours en découverte de l’environnement alentour. Et la semaine prochaine nous allons commencé le comptage d’oiseaux, Enfin ! C’est tout … Pour le moment.

Pierre

springs of the wetland

Fulica altra

Hello my name is Eno Noorsalu from Estonia and I’m a volunteer in Agras-Vrita-Nisi wetland project. I have studied hydrobiology in the Estonian University of Life Schiences and the need to be in the nature is one of the reasons I choose this project.
This is my first time to write in this blog, actually there is alot of first times since I arrived to Greece, so I start from the beginning of how I arrived and my first impressions about Agras-Vrita-Nisi wetland.
It started when I went to the airport in Tallinn 04.12, stressed about the luggage capacity and mayby I forgot something- ofcourse I did forget many things. I remember well when I went to the aeroplane thinking to myself: „Oh no, it’s my first time, what will happen now. Should I tell to the air hostess that I might get sick and ask somekind of a medicine“. But everything went well and I survived, except the headache and bad hearing I got when the aeroplanes landed- I had to change flights 2 times. This bad feeling lasted few days and finally I’ve got my hearing back.
When I finally arrived to Thessaloniki I met Sofia who is EVS coordinator and also another volunteer from France Pierr. The next day I started to go with Pierre by bus from Thessaloniki to Edessa- it lasted about 1.3 hours. Our project coordinaator Eirini greeted us in the bus station and our trip began to Agras-Vrita-Nisi wetland.
When we arrived in the little village called Vrita I saw the house which is going to be our home for the next 6 months, in this house is also living another volunteer Nestor from Greece who is by the way a really good cook, and it was great. We have a really good view on the wetland and everywhere I look I can see mountains- I have never seen mountains before. And ofcourse the wetland was full with birds. In this day I saw many raptors clyding in the sky.
Me and Pierre had only few days to see around, becouse 08.12 we had to go 8 hours by bus to Athens EVS on-arrival seminar. The five days there was absolutely amazing. I met there other volunteers around Greece and we had a great time- thank you all!
Now I’m back in Agras-Vrita-Nisi, filled with positive energy which I got from the seminar, to start to work.
Eno

Tere, mina olen Eno Noorsalu Eestist ja ma olen vabatahtlik Agras-Vrita-Nisi märgalal. Olen õppinud hüdrobioloogiat Eesti Maaülikoolis ja vajadus olla looduse keskel oli minu üks peamisi põhjusi selle projekti valimisel.
See on minu esimene kord kirjutada siia blogisse, tegelikult mul on alates Kreekasse saabumisest neid niiöelda esimesi kordi mitmeid, niisiis alustan oma saabumisest ja esimestest muljetest Agras-Vrita-Nisi märgalal.
Kõik sai alguse Tallinna lennujaamast 04.12.. Olin mures, et võib-olla mu pagas on liiga raske või unustasin midagi- unustasin tegelikult palju asju. Mäletan veel selgelt, kui astusin lennukisse ja mõtlesin endamisi: „Oh ei, see on mu esimene kord, mis nüüd saab. Äkki peaksin stjuardessidele teatama, et mul võib hakata paha ja küsima mingisuguseid medikamente“. Õnneks läks kõik hästi ja elasin üle, ainult peavalu ja kehva kuulmise sain lennukite maandumisel- pidin korduvalt ümberistuma. See halb enesetunne kestis mõned päevad ja siis hakkas enesetunne paranema ja kuulmine taastuma.
Kui ma viimaks Thessalonikisse jõudsin, tutvusin seal Sofiaga, kes on EVS koordinaator ja teise vabatahtliku Pierriga, kes on prantsusmaalt. Minu retk Pierreiga jätkus järgmisel päeval bussiga Thessalonikist Edessasse, mis kestis ligikaudu 1.3 tundi. Edessas tuli meile vastu projekti koordinaator Eirini ja meie retk algas Agras-Vrita-Nisi märgala poole.
Kui me viimaks saabusime väikesesse Vrita külla, nägin ma maja, mis hakkab olema meie koduks järgmised 6 kuud. Seal majas elab samuti vabatahtlik Nestor Kreekast, kes oskab väga hästi süüa teha. Maja on vägev. Meil on samuti väga hea vaade märgalale, kus oli väga palju erinevaid linde ja igalepoole kuhu ka ei vaataks, näen mägesid- ma pole kunagi varem selliseid mägesid näinud.
Minul ja Pierril oli ainult mõned päevad vaadata ümbrust, kuna pidime lahkuma 08.12 8 tunnise bussiretkega Ateenasse EVS on-arrival seminarile. Viis veedetud päeva seal oli absoluutselt võimas. Kohtasin palju vabatahtlike erinevatest Kreeka piirkondadest ja meil oli väga tore- suured tänud!
Nüüd olen ma tagasi Agras-Vrita -Nisi märgalal, täis seminarilt saadud positiivset energiat, et alustada töötamist.

Eno

Nestor at the wetland

springs of the wetland and Vrita on the back

June finished and july started. I did bird monitoring with the gps although it’s was a bit difficult since I’m not able to recognize the songs of all the birds. I have to continue my own training to be a good ornithologist.

The animals that I have to emphasize are Circaetus gallicus, Oriolus oriolus, Emys orbicularis (that it can be seen in different points of the stream near to “Corada”) and Testudo graeca. I discovered some days ago that there are two specimens of this turtle at home! They can’t keep still for a minute!

My flatmates came back to Spain before than me but Julia, the german girl, spent some days with me. Besides, “someone” more kept me company, the Falco tinnunculus and the Corvus monedula. The first was almost ready to live alone and left but the other still needed someone who took care of him, so Irine took it when I left.

Now I’m in Spain and I don’t know if one day I’ll visit Vritá again. I will miss the place where the bridges are; it’s the most beautiful place.

I hope that the next volunteers are happy in that place and they go out to the field to learn lots of things. Besides, I hope they are able to stand up for what they want.

Good luck everybody!

Pili

Junio terminó y julio comenzó. Hice “bird monitoring” con el gps aunque fue un poco complicado ya que no soy capaz de reconocer los cantos de todas las aves. Tengo que continuar con mi entrenamiento personal para ser una buena ornitóloga.

Los animales a destacar son el águila culebrera, la oropéndola, el galápago europeo y la tortuga mora. Hace unos días descubrí que tenemos dos ejemplares de esta en casa! No paran quietas ni un momento!

Mis compañeros regresaron a España antes que yo pero Julia, la chica alemana, pasó conmigo algunos días. Además, “alguien” más me hizo compañía, el cernícalo vulgar y la grajilla. El primero casi estaba preparado para vivir solo y se fue pero el otro aún necesitaba alguien que le cuidase, así que Irine lo tomó cuando me fui.

Ahora estoy en España y no se si algún día volveré a visitar Vritá. Echaré de menos el sitio donde están los puentes; es el lugar más bonito.

Espero que los próximos voluntarios estén felices en ese sitio y que salgan al campo para aprender muchas cosas. Además, espero que sean capaces de luchar por lo que quieren.

Mucha suerte a todo el mundo!

Pili