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This route along the Po di Goro bank, about 25 km long, starts from the Visitor Centre inside the Mesola Castle, crosses the Sacca di Goro lagoon and finally leads to the Lanterna Vecchia (Old Lantern), in Valle Gorino. In its first part, the route runs along a long stretch of the river Po, among riparian woods and flooded banks; on the right, cultivated fields, Poplar woods and strips of thermophilous woods, peopled by Hobbies. Near Goro, the flooded bank turns into a beautiful marsh, Valle Dindona, peopled by Night Herons, Little Egrets, Squacco Herons and Cattle Egrets. Further on, you will meet the flat landscape of Sacca, a large sea arm surrounded by a long sand tongue stretching forward into the Adriatic Sea. A halting place for thousands of birds in Winter, in Spring the lagoon is peopled by all the types of Gulls and Terns nesting in the Po Delta. The route ends at the old lighthouse which dominates the vast reed-beds of Valle Gorino, created by the fresh waters of the Po mouths: this is a nesting site for Marsh Harriers and Purple Herons, which can be seen on the wing or on the edges of reed-beds; muddy areas are peopled by flocks of Sand Birds and ducks.
Valle Porticino-Canneviè and Valli Bertuzzi
The route across the Porticino – Canneviè lagoon is well-equipped with hides and huts for bird watching; it can be reached from Casone di Porticino or Casone di Canneviè.
The brackish lagoon is rich of halophilous plants and houses a number of bird species - Sand birds above all - such as Black-winged Stilts, ducks and hundreds of Coots. This station can be visited by bike following the Acciaioli road, which runs along the eastern border of the wonderful Valli Bertuzzi, the best preserved brackish lagoon of the Po Delta.
Large colonies of Gulls and Terns nesting on Salicornia-covered hills can be seen from the road during their continuous shifts to the sea and to the meadows that divide the lagoons from the sea, which represent their main feeding environments. From the road it is also possible to observe great flocks of flamingoes resting in the lagoons calm waters, together with Great White Egrets, Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cormorants.
Map of the Birdwatching Path
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