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Hersek Lagoon, a Bird Stopover on the Marmara Shore

A thin strip on the Marmara shore On the southern shore of the Sea of Marmara, within the borders of the Altınova district, lies a shallow body of water called Hersek Lagoon.

Radar TürkiyeRadar Türkiye6 Kasım 2026
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Hersek Lagoon, a Bird Stopover on the Marmara Shore

A thin strip on the Marmara shore

On the southern shore of the Sea of Marmara, within the borders of the Altınova district, lies a shallow body of water called Hersek Lagoon. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the site is about 27 kilometres from the centre of Yalova. What separates the lagoon from the sea is not a broad piece of land but a thin coastal strip. On a map, lake and sea seem almost to touch. The official page gives the area as 167 hectares, and this figure describes the zone protected as a wetland of local importance. The ministry describes Hersek Lagoon as a very valuable wetland ecosystem, even though it covers a relatively small area. The date of its protection is on record. The General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks registered the site as a Wetland of Local Importance in a letter dated 23 February 2016. The work in the area is carried out by the Yalova Provincial Directorate under the Regulation on the Protection of Wetlands. In other words, before it was a place to visit, it was a protected area set aside for birds and plants. Knowing this changes the way you look at the lagoon. The aim is not to take a photograph at a viewpoint and leave, but to watch a living system with patience.

The arithmetic of shallow water

What sets Hersek Lagoon apart is its depth, or rather its lack of it. According to the ministry's findings, the average depth of the lake is 50 to 60 centimetres and its deepest point is 90 centimetres. Water this shallow creates a favourable setting for birds that feed by wading. The way water enters the lagoon is also distinctive. In stormy weather sea water spills over the coastal strip into the lake, rain falls on its surface, and drainage water and surface runoff come from the land south of the lagoon. The lake therefore sits in a balance that is always shifting between sea and land. The ministry's page lists salinity, depth, underwater diversity and temperature as the most important factors that make the lagoon a bird paradise. One of the key links in the food chain is an aquatic plant called Ruppia maritima. According to the official page, this plant is highly important for the feeding of waterbirds. The endemic and critically endangered Rumex bithynicus has also been recorded at two points in the north of the lagoon. This tells us that the lagoon is valuable not only for birds but also for its plant life. When you watch, looking at the water, the shore and the vegetation together is the shortest way to understand why the birds are here.

On the migration route

The real story of the lagoon is that it sits on a migration corridor. According to the ministry's page, the site lies on a flyway used by hundreds of thousands of birds crossing between Europe and Africa in spring and autumn. On their long journeys birds look for shallow, safe waters in which to rest and feed, and this lagoon on the Marmara shore offers exactly that. The same page says that winter is the season when the lagoon is at its busiest. Winter here is not a quiet season; on the contrary, it is a lively one. The lagoon is described as an important wintering place in the Marmara region because of the number of flamingos it shelters. Watching pink flocks feed together in shallow water is, for many observers, the most memorable moment of a visit. According to the sources, 255 bird species are recorded in the area. The ministry's page shows that mid-winter waterbird counts were also carried out here in 2024. Count figures change every year, so they are not given here; for the current table you can look at the count section of the bird observation area's website. That website also has a bird species list, photo and video galleries and a live viewing section. Looking at these pages before you set out helps you know which species to look for.

Colony nesters on the coastal strip

The lagoon does not host only visiting birds; it also offers a suitable habitat for summer migrants that come to breed. The official page says that important species breed in colonies, especially on the coastal strip between the sea and the lake. These are the gull-billed tern, the common tern, the Mediterranean gull, the Eurasian oystercatcher (poyrazkuşu), the little ringed plover and the yellow-legged gull. A colony, meaning many pairs nesting close together, shows how valuable the thin strip is. This narrow ground between sea and lake means both feeding water and an open nesting area close at hand. A visitor reading the lagoon from the shore can take a lesson from this: approaching the coastal strip during nesting disturbs the birds. Watching from a distance with binoculars is always the right way. Early morning and late afternoon are the times when birds are most active, and the light is softer for photography at those hours. Summer and winter observations paint very different pictures. In winter the large flocks of waterbirds take centre stage, while in summer the colonies on the coastal strip stand out. Seeing the two seasons separately lets you get to know the lagoon as a stage that changes through the year.

The idea of an accessible protected area

The website of the bird observation area says that Hersek Lagoon was designed as an Accessible Protected Area serving people with disabilities and their families. The same site presents this feature as the first and only one in Türkiye; this is the institution's own statement. The idea is simple but valuable: watching nature should be possible also for visitors who find walking difficult or who use a wheelchair. The observation house of the site is at the heart of this approach. A 2022 event report from the Altınova Vocational School of Yalova University describes students and academic staff touring different parts of the lagoon. The same report says the group went up to the bird observation house and watched various creatures through high-resolution binoculars. This note confirms that the observation house was built for reading the lagoon through binoculars. For families, too, the lagoon is a good classroom. It offers a calm setting in which to teach children to count birds and tell their colours and walks apart. It is best to learn the visiting conditions and access arrangements in advance from the official website.

The lagoon and the bridge

Hersek Lagoon lies right next to the Osmangazi Bridge, a closeness familiar to anyone who knows the Gulf crossing. According to the ministry's page, the original plan required the bridge piers to pass through the lagoon. The same page says that, out of concern for nature, the bridge project was revised and the bridge was given a curve so that the lagoon would be protected. This information also helps in understanding the geography. Even though it is a neighbour of a major transport structure, the lagoon is a protected wetland. That the birds keep using it as a lasting stopover despite the road and bridge noise shows the value of the site. A visitor also gets an interesting opportunity: in a single view you can see both a large man-made structure and the calm surface of a wetland. This contrast adds another layer to photographs. Still, the focus should be on the lagoon itself. The birds and the water surface are worth looking at far longer than the silhouette of the bridge.

How to read it and how to get there

To reach the lagoon, you head from Yalova towards Altınova; according to the official page the distance is about 27 kilometres. The address of the bird observation area is given on its website as Hersek Mahallesi, Hersek Caddesi, Hersek village road, Altınova. Check current transport options and vehicle arrangements from regional transport sources. The most important warning concerns the visiting status. The website of the bird observation area has published announcements that the site would be closed to visitors because of maintenance work. So do not assume the bird observation area is open; before going, learn the current status, opening hours and entry conditions from the official website. Reading the lagoon from a distance, from the shore and the surrounding roads, is always the more flexible option. The choice of season matters too. Winter stands out for crowded waterbirds and flamingos, summer for watching the colonies, and spring and autumn for migration movement. Bring binoculars, warm clothing, a windproof jacket and water. The wind blowing on the coastal strip is felt in the winter months. Staying quiet and avoiding sudden movements is the best way to see birds up close. If you plan to take photographs, a long lens makes the job easier. Following the site's own protection rules helps the lagoon keep its richness in the years to come.

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