Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
look in the city of Ioannina. Rent a bike and take a ride along the new cycle track next to willow trees. Penduline Tits nest on their branches, while taking a look at the banks of the lake will reward you with beautiful images of egrets, grebes and Pygmy Cormorants.
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If you take a walk at the southern part of the city, on the new cycle track along the lakeside route you will reach the Faculty of Agriculture, where there is a beautiful
riparian habitat with grasslands and open expanses, ideal for birdwatching. The area is rich in avifauna and that’s why it has been suggested that the site becomes an Ornithological Park. Certain buildings (e.g. the courts of justice) of the city have become nesting sites for Lesser Kestrels, and in the park of Litharitsia you can relax while listening to the incessant song of the Nightingale.
Spring is the best season to see Lesser Kestrels and all the other breeders.
Other interesting fauna/flora The lake hosts at least three species of freshwater fish, while two of the nine amphibian species of the area, the Macedonian Crested Newt and the Yellow-bellied Toad, are strictly protected. The Epirus Water Frog, first recorded in 1984, is quite common. There are also 24 reptile species.
EXTRAS In late summer, large flocks of Lesser Kestrels are gathering in the fields around the lake as they get prepared for the long journey south. Up to 3,500 birds can be seen in a single day!
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