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Old Delta of the Kalamas River

Epirus  >  Greece

The narrow strip of the riparian forest and the vast mudflats, saltflats and the lagoon form the most important wetland of northwest Greece.

Added* by Dragan Simic
Most recent update 1 января 2025

Description

Due to the irrigation, the current Kalamas Delta is pushed further north. Drive by the “tower hill” (check the cow herds for Египетская цапля), cross the Kestrini River and search the northern bank to the left (the southern bank is mostly dried out and converted into citrus orchards).

Обыкновенный зимородок are hunting (on this bank alone I recorded six of them). Quite a few Травник, numerous Хохлатый жаворонок (by cattle corrals), Луговой чекан (in reedbeds), Кудрявый пеликан (in the Xeradi Lagoon). In September the roadside bushes are alive with migrating Серая мухоловка and flocks of Пеночка-весничка.

Details

Access

Driving north along the Ionian seacoast through the city of Igoumenitsa, there is a place where the main artery takes you right, further away from the sea – follow it for 150 metres and then turn left just before a small sports stadium. The rest of the road follows the sea.

Zoom in on the map and click on the "P" (parking) sign for driving directions.

Terrain and Habitat

Forest , Wetland , Beach , Mud flats , Agriculture , Scattered trees and bushes , River , Sea , Reedbeds

Conditions

Flat , Dry , Open landscape , Dusty

Circular trail

No

Is a telescope useful?

Yes

Good birding season

Winter , Spring

Best time to visit

Spring migration , Autumn migration , Winter

Route

Paved road , Unpaved road

Difficulty walking trail

Easy

Accessible by

Car , Foot

Birdwatching hide / platform

No

Extra info

To be properly explored, the Kalamas area requires one full day. The nearest resorts are at the island of Corfu (Igoumenitsa is the ferry port for the island) or in the town of Parga, further south.

A detailed description of the area is to be found in the Birdwatching in Northern Greece (2023) by Steve Mills.

Links

View other birding spots in the area that are published on Birdingplaces

Map

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