Clyde

Malta - 09-Nov-20 -

I visited the coastal ponds in the Bay of Oristano in March 2017. I drove to different vantage points as close as possible to the scattered salt works and ponds mentioned in the nomination dossier to be able to spot a variety of birds and in terms of birdlife I wasn't disappointed. Some highlights were the Sardinian Warbler and Purple Gallinule, together with the flocks of flamingoes, egrets and spoonbills. 

That said, even though all the ponds mentioned in the nomination dossier are considered to be Ramsar wetlands of international importance, the comparison made with the inscribed Donana NP in Spain or the tentative WHS of Camargue in France is quite far fetched both in terms of size and bird numbers. The area I spent most time in was the pond (stagno) of Sale e' Porcus near San Vero Milis. Be on the lookout for irrigation canals as most birdlife tends to hide there.

NB: try to avoid visiting in summer as most ponds tend to dry out completely with not much to see apart from salt covered basins! In winter, around January, you'll definitely be able to see hundreds of cranes, especially around the area of Stagno di Sale e' Porcus.