Birds and Representatives

One of my closest friends over here works for Green Balkans (Zeleni Balkani), an environmental NGO with offices in Stara Zagora. I attend their volunteer meetings every Tuesday evening. I was invited on Sunday to help feed their birds at their bird rehabilitation facility, the only one in Bulgaria. Let me reassure everyone that I was very careful to keep clean, I wore gloves for everything, and I took multivitamins and vitamin C before and after the experience to bolster my immune system. No avian flu for me, thank you!

The rehab facility sustains over 50 birds that include buzzards, hawks, harriers, owls, pelicans, storks, gulls, a plover, eagles, herons and more. Most of the birds are injured wild birds, but some have been injured so badly that they are unable to return to the wild. Perhaps the most impressive bird at the facility is a very wild griffon vulture that has a wingspan of 8-9 feet. When passing his meat through the chain-link fence, he aggressively snapped through the wires and dragged the chunks through with a primeval vigor. The pelicans we fed ate several pounds of fish each, and went after the buckets with comical enthusiasm. It was fascinating to feed and watch the birds eat in such close proximity. And yes, several days later I feel fine.

On Monday, I traveled to the Embassy in Sofia to attend a short reception for a delegation from the House Agricultural Committee. I had a short conversation with Rep. Goodlatte of Virginia about agriculture and ground pollution/water contamination in Bulgaria. One of my friends had a good conversation with her home congresswoman, Rep. Herseth of South Dakota, about children's programs. I had wanted to talk more about Peace Corps programs and activities in Bulgaria, but it seems that it was not on the delegation's agenda. After pinballing through the reception, the delegation departed for a briefing. It was an enlightening experience.