In inland areas containing woods or fresh water sources, you can find
AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES typical of the lower Po Valley region. Worthy of
mention are: the green frog (Rana esculenta complex), the agile frog
(Rana dalmatina), the green lizard (Lacerta viridis), the Italian wall
lizard (Podarcis sicula), the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis),
Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni), a water snake of the Natrix species,
and the dark green snake (Coluber virdiflavus).
As far as BIRDS are concerned (some of which are: the
GREY HERON -
BEARDED TIT -
COMMON SNIPE -
EGRET -
MALLARD -
NYCTICORAX -
WATER RAIL -
LITTLE BITTERN),
In the central regions of the Bay, thousands of black-necked grebes (Podiceps
nigricollis), little grebes (Tachibaptus ruficollis), and hundreds of great crested grebes (Podiceps cristatus) come to spend the winter. Also in winter, tens of goosanders (Mergus merganser), red-breasted mergansers (Mergus serrator), and the odd common scooter (Melanitta nigra) descend from Scandinavia. Among the most common wintering ducks, worthy of mention are the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), the green-winged teal (Anas crecca), and the pochard (Aythya ferina). Also common are: the coot (Fulica atra), the little egret (Egretta garzetta), the grey heron (Ardea cinerea), and the white heron (Egretta alba).
Thousands of sandpipers use the sandbanks of the Bay and of the Scannone, while in summer the open waters of the Bay are inhabited by common terns (Sterna hirundo) and sandwich terns (Sterna sandvicensis), in the process of feeding. Many migratory species can be found in spring and autumn, including wintering and summering species; these "transition seasons" are in fact the best for bird-watching.
The sand and bay's beds are rich with small worms and molluscs, so that during low tides these habitats are inhabited by hundreds of ruffs (Philomachus pugnax), black-tailed godwits (Limosa limosa), little stints (Calidris minuta), spotted redshanks (Tringa erythropus), common redshanks (Tringa totanus), and curlews (Numenius arquata).
Throughout the year, there are black-headed seagulls (Larus ridibundus) and caspian gulls (Larus cachinnans); these follow fishers' boats in search of small fish.
Also common are little egrets (Egretta garzetta) and grey herons (Ardea cinerea). Finally, the Bay is a feeding place for hundreds of great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo), who arrive and leave in their typical V-shaped formation.
