LIPU Reserve:
6. Isola Boscone (MN)
Tel. 0386 41611
Habitat
Situated inside a loop of the River Po, Isola Boscone is rather like a huge green lung within a landscape of cultivated farmland and poplar trees, typical of the Lombardy Plain. Centuries of erosion have changed the course of the river and in recent years embankments have been built, creating a peninsula. Thanks to intervention by LIPU, Isola Boscone has escaped the destruction which has affected such a large part of the floodplain, so that it has retained its natural heritage of trees and animals. Consequently, it is on the list of Nature Reserves of the Lombardy Region and recognised as a "wetland of international importance" under the terms of the Ramsar Convention. Its main elements are the great wood of white willows and areas of mud, resulting from the river flowing only very slowly and, in places, leaving stagnant pools. For several years there has been an active programme of reforestation to supplement the dominant tree species with other species which are also characteristic of the Lombardy Plain, such as oak, maple, black alder and white poplar, as well as various bushes and shrubs, including hawthorn and elder.Birds
A great river, bordered by areas of shallow and stagnant water, and dense, green, peaceful woodland: Isola Boscone is very attractive to large numbers of many different species of birds. A relaxing walk along shady woodland paths allows one to see many small birds, from acrobatic Great Tits to the more shy Spotted Flycatchers, from Bluetits to Long-tailed Tits, from Chaffinches to Robins, just to mention a few. Holes in trees reveal the presence of Green Woodpeckers and of Greater Spotted Woodpeckers, whose drumming often re-echoes through the wood. From time to time a silent shape glides across some clearing, and we discover a Long-eared Owl or the rarer Short-eared Owl, and perhaps, over the gravely river bed, a Black Kite or an elegant and powerful Osprey, here only present during the migration period. Amongst the high meadow grass, in spring, one comes across families of pheasants, now permanent residents of the Reserve and breeding freely here in safety from human hunters. Elsewhere there are important areas for waders to rest and feed and here Common Sandpipers, Greenshanks, Redshanks, Black-tailed Godwits, Snipe and Black-winged Stilts are the species which are most likely to be encountered during the course of the year. In winter, on the other hand, there are ducks and other water birds, such as Teal, Mallard and Pochard, as well as Cormorants and Great Crested Grebe. The river, and its sandbanks and embankments, are also a haven for other birds whose lives are linked closely to water: Kingfishers, Common Terns, a few breeding pairs of Little Terns, and occasional Black Storks and Spoonbills. But the Boscone Reserve is, above all, a place for herons. On the edge of the reserve there is a heronry of over 600 pairs of Night Herons and Little Egrets, of international importance for both species. At the end of summer there is always the spectacular sight of tens, and sometimes hundreds of egrets and herons fishing, or the huge silhouettes of Grey Herons flying into the sunset.Other wildlife
Within the wood there is a whole world which is less obvious and little known. With determination and patience there is a range of butterflies, moths and beetles to be discovered. In the clearings there are occasional hares and weasels, while in and close to water are frogs and tree-frogs, in noisy chorus during breeding time.Visits
The The Reserve is open from May to September.School groups and parties of over 5 people must book, telephone: 0386 41611
The Reserve is closed in March and April.
