Very close to Cluj-Napoca, in the Fizeş Basin, there is magical place some people call the Transylvanian Delta. The nature reserve from Sic comprises reed beds, salty steppe grasslands, meadows and woodlands, forming a mosaic of ecosystems that support a particular biodiversity.

An interesting fact is that the reed bed covering the Sic and Coasta valleys is the largest reed bed in Romania, besides the Danube Delta. Considering that the Fizeş River is just a fraction of the Danube River this is really a remarkable thing.

The reeds represent the best habitat for many species of birds, both for nesting and during migration, such as egrets, herons, hawks, storks, larks, bittern, wood lark, but also woodpeckers, warblers or owls.

Here can also be found rare and strange animals, big insects like the stag beetle and Bolbelasmus unicornis, or amphibians like the Yellow-bellied toad and the crested newt.

There are about 1 km of wooden passages that go from the road above the reed beds and swamps to the other end, up to a hill from where you can see all the valley. From the wooden path, there are 3 or 4 observatories were you can go up and observe the birds and the nature. The reservation is a perfect place for bird watching enthusiasts.

We went there at the beginning of April and the place was already buzzing with life. We could hear all sorts of noises around us, frogs and birds, but we didn’t get to see many birds . A few storks were looking for frogs and small fish, but the main attraction was a hawk jumping in the reed to catch something.

Even though we didn’t see so many animals the trip was worth having, because the area is really beautiful and the village of Sic is very nice. We plan to go again next year, maybe in May or June, in the hope to see more birds.

The Sic Reed bed nature reserve lies in the north-eastern of Cluj County, about 60 km from Cluj-Napoca, south-east from Sic, and can be reached by County Road 109D.