A coastal lagoon (liman) on the north-eastern Black Sea coast, about 3 km east of the town of Shabla and separated from the sea by a sandbar. It is shallow, between 0.4 and 4 m deep, and only slightly brackish. A neighbouring lake, Ezerets, lies a few kilometres to the north.
How it formed
A narrow barrier of sand and gravel separates it from the sea, and an artificial canal links it with Lake Ezerets, the two forming one Ramsar wetland of about 4 km², listed in 1996. Reed beds and marshes line the shores.
Nature
The lake lies on the Via Pontica flyway, with more than 240 bird species recorded. With Lake Durankulak it holds almost the whole world population of red-breasted geese in winter, along with white-fronted and lesser white-fronted geese, in flocks that can reach tens of thousands. Pygmy cormorants, ducks, little and Sandwich terns and Mediterranean gulls breed here, egrets, herons and waders pass on migration, and otters also use the wetland.
Visit
Swimming
No reliable information
Tips
The lake is reached by road from Shabla, about 65–70 km north of Varna, and hides and viewpoints stand around its edge. October to March is best for waterfowl, and the geese peak in November and December; September to November brings the largest numbers of migrants. Shabla has small guesthouses and local restaurants, and local operators run guided birdwatching tours.
The festival “Shabla and the Birds”, in late autumn, includes guided trips to the Tuzla. The Shabla lighthouse of 1856 is a landmark, though it is a military site and normally closed to visitors. Durankulak Lake is 11 km away, and the Yailata reserve and Cape Kaliakra are a short drive south.
Nearby lakes
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Sources & data
- OpenStreetMap: Шабленско езеро (way 109870660), OpenStreetMap contributors
- Wikidata: Lake Shabla (Q1133271), Wikimedia Foundation
- English Wikipedia: Lake Shabla, Wikimedia Foundation
- Shabla Lake, International Parks
- Shabla Lake, Ramsar site, Ramsar Sites Information Service
- Shabla and the Birds festival, Bulgarian National Radio