HI
I know i am not the only one interested in nature. Corfu has a bundle of forner and flora Due to the Corfiots love of hunting most species of birds on the island shun human contact and might not be as abundant as in other parts of Europe therefore you have to work hard to observe them but worthwhile
Some places you can see multitude of birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish.
Airport lagoon
In excess of 150 separate species have been catalogued on Corfu, some as migrants, and some quite rare. Certain species however are plentiful, whether this is because of their unsuitability for the pot or superstition is unknown. Throughout the island there are various habitat types, all within
easy driving distance of each other. Just to wet your appetite some of those sites include
Unusual in its closeness to the airport, your plane will land on what is reclaimed land on the lagoon. There are almost always a number of Little Egrets, Grey Herons and sometimes the Great white heron, Cormorants and possibly Pygmy Cormorants, Terns and Marsh Harrier to name but a few.
Note: EU funding has been secured to provide a nature trail and bird watching facilities on the lagoon.
Antiniotis Lagoon
Lake Antiniotissa or Antinioti, sometimes known as Antinioti Lagoon, is a small brackish lake on the north-east coast of Corfu, Greece near Agios Spyridon beach. It is an important wetland area and lies within a Natura 2000 nature protection area of 188 hectares
The area is full of wildflowers and reeds as well as aquatic plants that are unique. The biodiversity of this area is of particular interest due to the existence of a unique bird fauna which includes, in addition to the endangered aquatic and marine species, predatory species.
More than 90 species of endemic and migratory birds have been recorded by scientists in the Antinioti lagoon, including herons and cormorants. - Copied from MyKerkyra.com
The lagoon marsh turtles belong to the families Emys orbicularis and Mauremys caspica and are important fauna elements of the Mediterranean wetlands.
In the Antinioti lagoon you can find sixteen different species of orchids such as Opphrys, Orchis and Serapias. The lagoon is also famous for its large fish farm, which uses traditional fishing methods. The species of fish caught in the lake are mainly eels, mullets, and sea bass.
The Antinioti lagoon is connected to the sea with two mouths (estuaries), while in the southeast of the lake there are springs of fresh water. Antinioti lagoon attracts tourists, especially during the summer months as it offers an excellent landscape for touring. - Copied from MyKerkyra.com
The Ropa Valley
This is the remains of a long dried out lagoon and spring would be the best time of the year to make a visit here. If you are lucky you can see quite a variety of species due to the fertility of the land and the changing terrain surrounding it. Rivers, streams and drainage ditches, many abundant in wildlife, crisscross the valley.
which stretches across a plain of about 2,500 acres in central Corfu was once a lake but now, having been drained, it is covered with a network of drainage ditches and canals which carry away the rainwater from the surrounding hills into the Ropa or Ermones River and then into the sea. The valley is an important wetlands habitat, home to a multitude of birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. The amphibians include freshwater terrapins, which can be seen in the river which runs beside the golf course, along with hundreds of bullfrogs. There are also many kinds of small mammal such as weasels, foxes, hedgehogs and otters. Today it house the local Golf Club.
Lefkimmi Salt Pans
Now disused and returning to nature. This is quite a large area and provides an undisturbed breeding ground for a number of species including waterfowl, Shorebirds, warblers Pipits etc.
If you were really lucky you might spot Flamingo’s, a flock was seen in summer 2006, flying offshore only to divert to the saltwater marsh near Igoumenitsa on the mainland.
During the hottest summer months much of this area resembles a desert landscape and it is easy to imagine it in its original working state. Therefore early spring and autumn would undoubtedly be the best time to visit.
The surrounding reed beds, ditches and saltwater marsh/lagoon harbour most of the wildlife.
The Saltmarsh of Lefkimmi is located about 2,9 km north of Lefkimmi, in Corfu. It is a peninsula, of an area of 1500 acres, which is located in southern Corfu, near the homonymous large village.
The Saltmarsh of Lefkimmi were already known from the 16th century and they operated, with stoppage during some periods, until 1988, the last year that produced salt . But, until then the area was very well organized, with at least 80 salt wells, salt warehouses, ditches and corridors. The large, central lake was the space where the sea water was saved, while on the north-eastern end of the Saltmarshes of Lefkimmi you can see the V.O.R. (Very high frequency (VHF) Omnidirectional Range).
The Saltmarsh of Lefkimmi have been included in the network Natura 2000, mainly because of the avifauna that they host: More than 180 bird species are recorded in the region. Common Shelducks, brown headed gulls, gulls, Black-winged Stilts, Kentish plovers, little terns, Curlew sandpipers, little stints and flamingos, with their largest number recorded in May 2011 – more than 3,000.
Today anyone can visit the Saltmarsh of Lefkimmi in order to enjoy the natural beauty of the landscape, the historicity of the area but, also to swim in the beach that is created by the sandy shores. Its waters are calm and clean, while the quiet of the region will impress you.
Lake Korission
on the south west of Corfu Lake Korission is separated from the sea by a strip of sand dunes, this area is relatively untouched by human activity. Egrets, Gulls, Waterfowl, Harriers, Kingfishers, Warblers, Hoopoe and a great variety of migrants can be sighted here during the spring and autumn migration. The Eastern shoreline is quieter, has more vegetation and probably the best place to sight birds.
Korission Lagoon is a coastal lagoon located in the southern part of the Greek island of Corfu, in the Ionian Sea. It is located near the village of Agios Mattheos and is separated from the sea by Chalikouna Beach.
The Lake is over 5km long from one end to the other and roughly 1.5km across as its widest point making it around 24 square kilometres in area, naturally this means that Lake Korission is home to a vast amount of both native and migrating birds including, seagulls, Owls, buzzards, swallows and if you’re lucky, flamingos.
Lake Korission is the perfect place for a long walk but remember to bring supplies with you as there are no facilities other than those on the beach and if you’re walking in the summer you will definitely need some refreshments.
Pantokrator Mountain
Because Pantocrator is the highest peak on Corfu on a clear day (most days) the whole island is visible from the summit as are the Albanian and mainland Greek coastlines. Bird life although sparse is quite interesting and varied.
Eagles, Kites and Buzzards patrol the skies while Falcons and Kestrels can also be seen pursuing their quarry. Blue Rock Thrush, Black Redstarts and Cirl Buntings are regularly seen here and obviously the lower foothills have a greater variety of species.
Here is some of the Birds and Reptiles you may see
Terrapins, frogs and snakes
Bar-tailed Godwit
Black Redstart
Black Stork
Blackbird
Blackcap
Black-eared Wheatear
Black-headed Gull
Blue Rock Thrush
Blue Tit
Booted Eagle
Cetti's Warbler
Chaffinch
Chiffchaff (heard only)
Cirl Bunting
Collared Dove
Common Buzzard
Common Kestrel
Common Kingfisher
Common Redshank
Common Sandpiper
Common Whitethroat
Cormorant
Corn Bunting
Cory's Shearwater
Crested Lark
Curlew Sandpiper
Dunlin
Dunnock
Eleonora's Falcon
Fan-tailed Warbler
Goldfinch
Great Tit
Great White Egret
Greenfinch
Grey Heron
Grey Wagtail
Hooded Crow
House Martin
House Sparrow
Jay
Kentish Plover
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Lesser Whitethroat
Linnet
Little Egret
Little Grebe
Little Gull
Little Stint
Magpie
Marsh Harrier
Meadow Pipit
Melodious Warbler
Moorhen
Moustached Warbler
Northern Wheatear
Olivaceous Warbler
Orphean Warbler
Peregrine Falcon
Pied Wagtail
Pintail
Raven
Red-rumped Swallow
Reed Bunting
Robin
Rock Nuthatch
Sand Martin
Sandwich Tern
Sardinian Warbler
Savi's Warbler
Scops Owl
Sedge Warbler
Serin
Skylark
Song Thrush
Spanish Sparrow
Sparrowhawk
Spotted Flycatcher
Starling
Stonechat
Swallow
Tree Sparrow
Water Pipit
Water Rail (heard only)
Whinchat
White Wagtail
Willow Warbler
Woodcock
Woodlark
Wren
Yelkouan Shearwater
Yellow-legged Gull