In the village of Novomalyn, Ostroh hromada, Dermansko-Ostrozkyi National Nature Park has created an ornithological trail, "Along the Zbytynka River Floodplain". It is a linear route about 3 km long along the Novomalyn Reservoir, past castle ruins, through meadows and reedbeds. A guided tour with a park employee takes about two hours. This is a place for birdwatching lovers: bring binoculars, a field guide, and a notebook, and remember the main rule of birdwatching — do not startle the birds.
Seven stops
- reservoir and open-water birds;
- Novomalyn Castle — nests of the white stork and common kestrel;
- abandoned farm — birds of scrublands and settlements;
- colony of sand martins and European bee-eaters;
- birds of flooded reedbeds;
- birds of agricultural landscapes;
- birds of marshy meadows.
What birds live here
The great crested grebe, mute swan, mallard, common pochard, and Eurasian coot nest on the reservoir. In marshy meadows and reedbeds, you can find the common crane, Eurasian bittern, western marsh harrier, and whiskered tern; in the floodplain forests, the black stork nests. During spring and autumn migrations, black-throated loons, common goldeneyes, and gadwalls stop over here, and occasionally an osprey; a common kingfisher darts past over the water like an arrow. In total, 168 bird species have been recorded in the park, 22 of which are listed in the Red Data Book of Ukraine.
Reservoir and castle
A pond in Novomalyn existed from ancient times, and it gained reservoir status in 1981 after reconstruction. Its area is 232 hectares, 180 of which are open water; the average depth is only one and a half metres, which is why there are so many birds here. In 1993, the "Zbytynskyi" ornithological sanctuary was created here, and in 2009, it became part of the national park.
Rising above the water are the ruins of a 15th-century castle-palace — Novomalyn was once called Hlukhiv. The castle was damaged during World War II, and now storks nest on its towers. There is a campsite nearby.
How to get there
Novomalyn lies between Ostroh and Mizoch, about 50 km from Rivne. Forest access restrictions have been in effect in Rivne Region since 2022, so tours should be arranged in advance with Dermansko-Ostrozkyi Park. The track on the map is approximate: the park does not publish official coordinates for the stops.