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Overview
In the far northeast of the Adriatic, close to the Italian-Slovenia border is the former delta of the River Isonzo, an important breeding area and migrant staging post, much of which is included in the Isola della Cona Nature Reserve, which forms part of Isonzo Regional Park.
The varied habitats include a valley with wet meadows and riparian woodland, marshes and reedbeds, sandbanks, mudflats and the surrounding sea. Laguna di Grado to the west is a river-fed tidal lagoon with islands and sandbanks.
Birds
Notable Species
Breeding birds of the freshwater wetlands include Little Bittern and Little Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron and Purple Heron, Marsh Harrier and reedbed birds such as Bearded Tit while the sandbanks and similar habitats have breeding Little Tern and Black-winged Stilt.
However, the area is of greater importance outside the breeding season with large numbers of waterfowl and waders feeding and roosting here. Bean Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose and Greylag Goose visit on passage or winter in the area and most European ducks occur as well as Great Cormorant, divers and grebes.
Seaducks occur in good numbers offshore and non-breeding Common Eider regularly spend the summer and can be seen from the point at Punta Spigolo. Around 280 species have been recorded in the area and nearly 100 are known to have bred.
Rarities
Rare but regular in winter is Pygmy Cormorant and Ferruginous Duck, and spring Eurasian Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis and Squacco Heron.
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver, Great Crested Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Great Cormorant, Mediterranean Shag, Pygmy Cormorant, Great Bittern, Little Bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron, Squacco Heron, Little Egret, Great White Egret, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Eurasian Spoonbill, Mute Swan, Tundra Bean Goose, Taiga Bean Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Ferruginous Duck, Tufted Duck, Common Eider, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Osprey, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Water Rail, Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Oystercatcher, Black-winged Stilt, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Grey Plover, Northern Lapwing, Red Knot, Sanderling, Little Stint, Temminck's Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Turnstone, Mediterranean Gull, Common Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Little Tern, Black Tern, Common Kingfisher, Blue-headed Wagtail, Cetti's Warbler, Savi's Warbler, Zitting Cisticola, Sedge Warbler, Marsh Warbler, Reed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Bearded Tit
Other Wildlife
To do
Site Information
History and Use
The area has suffered much degradation in recent decades and much habitat has been lost to agriculture and fish farming but a great deal of important habitat remains.
Areas of Interest
To do
Access and Facilities
The area can be approached by road from either Venice or Trieste taking the linking autopista. From Monfalcone turn south on the 352 towards Grado and turn east before the bridge on the Primero Canal.
From here the Isola della Cona reserve can be visited which has an information centre, hides and observation posts, and ringing station.
Contact Details
To do
External Links
Tourism in Friuli Venezia Giulia
Content and images originally posted by Steve
