Satchinez swamps
The Satchinez swamps (or Banat delta; Romanian: Mlaștinile Satchinez) form an ornithological nature reservation that spreads over 242 hectares (600 acres) near Satchinez, in Timiș County, Romania. It was founded in 1942, at Dionisie Linția's proposal. The reservation was expanded to cover 1,194 hectares (2,950 acres) in 2002. The swamps of Satchinez were declared as a protected area in 1999, during the project Life Natura. The European Commission invested 3.5 million lei in the area.
This natural habitat is a reminiscence of the old swamps that covered these lands until the 8th century. The lush vegetation represents a very good camouflage during the nesting season, and the reservation is home to large numbers of protected birds including the pied avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta), the little egret (Egretta garzetta), the great egret (Egretta alba), the black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus), the grey heron (Ardea cinerea), the squacco heron (Ardeola ralloides), the little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus), the purple heron (Ardea purpurea) and the black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). Foxes, rabbits, deers and wild boars can also be seen.
The reservation can be visited between 15 April and 15 September, and during mild autumns, the reservation can be visited until October.