Greece · Eastern Macedonia and Thrace

Lake Ismarida

Directions

Λίμνη Ισμαρίδα

A natural lake in the south of Rhodope in northern Greece, also called Mitrikou. It lies east of Lake Vistonida, about 3 km from the sea and the bay of Anoikto, in the same protected wetland.

How it formed

The lake is very shallow, about 1.5 m at its deepest, and is hidden from the road by its reed beds, with coastal lagoons and salt marsh beyond. It is a Ramsar site.

Nature

Winter counts reach about 20,000 waterbirds, above all mallards, wigeon and teal, with black-headed gulls, shelducks and avocets. Red-breasted geese, white-headed ducks, Dalmatian pelicans, and white-tailed and imperial eagles have all been recorded, little bustards turn up most winters, and calandra larks and collared pratincoles breed here. Pollution, the taking of water, hunting and the spread of farming are the main pressures.

Visit

Swimming

No reliable information

Tips

The lake is about 15 km south of Komotini; take the provincial road from Imeros to Sidirochori. Since the reeds hide the water, the observatory with its hide is the best place to watch from. There are birds all year, with winter and summer best, and a telescope is useful.

The ground is flat, sandy and without shade, dusty when dry and sometimes flooded. The village of Kalamokastro, with its large colony of lesser kestrels, is worth a visit.