The Flight of the Wild Geese - Let divljih gusaka
Bardača is a lake and marshland. For centuries home to a host of migratory birds. What used to be protected as a nature area has been, for sometime now, turned into high output agricultural land.
Hello and welcome to this edition of our newsletter from Čardačani, in the north of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This morning I have been looking out of the window and daydreaming, only to be disturbed by the sound of flocks of geese, in typical “V” formations flying south.
A definite sign that the seasons are changing again.
It’s always an impressive sight, but this year it’s tinged with some sadness and anger.
You see, not too far away from us is an area called Bardača.
Bardača is a lake and marshland. For centuries home to a host of types of migratory birds.
What used to be protected as a nature area has been, for sometime now, turned into high output agricultural land.
The area is devastated.
Lake Bardače is located near the municipality of Srbac, in the very north of BiH, about 30 km northeast of Banja Luka. Bardača used to be a complex of 11 lakes located between the rivers Sava and Vrbas. The total size of all lakes was as much as 732 hectares. Today it is just a pale shadow of once one of the most famous ecosystems and natural habitats of birds. You could see as many as 2/3 of all bird species in BiH in Bardača. Today, that number is many times lower ...
Although on the list of internationally important wetlands, Bardača has never been declared a protected area by the Republika Srspka government.
Maybe profit over culture raises its head yet again.
Whatever the outcome. It’s sad.
As a footnote there was a film called “The Wild Geese” back in 1978 and this was the themE song. A favourite of mine too.
From the Blog
Finding out about the Lippizzaners of Vučijak
A Former England U16 Captain playing in Sarajevo
You Couldn’t Make This Up
Our Changing World
Across Europe, it looks like COVID-19, or the variant that we know have, is taking hold again. Cold weather seems to be the time when we suffer more, and therefore our governments impose restrictions to try and protect us.
Here in Bosnia and Herzegovina we have been living with this situation reasonably well. Yes, we have had more than our fair share of suffering and death. Our vaccination rate isn’t impressive as we simply don’t have the funds to buy in large quantities of vaccines and, charity/donations from kind countries can only go so far.
As we approach December, restrictions and in particular, the introduction of COVID passports are being discussed, and it’s looking like implementation will be soon.
Fingers crossed we get through the cold snap with as least illnesses as we can.
I have to say again, that while this country is dysfunctional at many levels, at least in the area where I live, the authorities are acting responsibly.
And, thank goodness, living in a rural environment allows us to live as normal life as we almost used to have.
Nowhere is perfect.
Please stay safe.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s BEST male Sevdah Singer
Bozo Vreco is simply amazing in so so many respects.
What a life story. What a Talent.
Sevdah, in my opinion, is the soul of my adopted country.
What We Have Been Watching.
Addictive. Highly Recommended. And Canadian, so it must be good. Right?
And finally this week
If you’re reading this for the first time, we hope you’re enjoying, and if you would like to support us, then maybe you can …
If you want to read back editions of the newsletter, listen to previous podcasts (we have quite an archive now), or catch other content, all this is available on the web interface, just like a regular blog.
Oh, and you can also share the newsletter with friends, relatives and colleagues using the button below.
Tamara and I appreciate your faithful readership, your comments, and your generosity!
THANKS SO MUCH ❤️
This is heart breaking. I have no word to describe it. We are forgetting what is important.
It's such a shame about Bardace. Alot of people are against the use of the area for agriculture, but obviously money speaks louder 😦