River Stella Mouth Natural Reserve includes the delta of the river Stella and the surrounding lagoon; question of an extensive and luxuriant cane thicket crossed by a tortuous water network that extends smoothly into the lagoon. The cane thicket is a constant and important expression of Foci dello Stella Nature Reserve. Reason of high naturalistic of the lagoon and in particular of the Foci dello Stella is the exceptional presence birdlife. Many are, in fact, for the species and quantity, the birds that populate and animate this marshy environment in the different seasons. Many stop by during migrations, others will spend the winter and others find here the perfect place to nest.
In the large existing canneto find refuge all major species typical of these environments. Among the nesting species special mention deserves the Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea), about 80 pairs breed in the thickets of the delta of the star, the Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) which here finds the maximum concentration perhaps at national level, and various Passerines such as Bearded Tit (Panurus biarmicus), salciaiola (Locustella luscinioides), cannareccione (Acrocephalus arundinaceus), and cannaiola (Acrocephalus scirpaceus). In the bags in the lagoon surrounding the canebrakes s the aggregate in winter large flocks of aquatic birds in particular coots and ducks which: gadwall (Anas strepera), teal (Anas crecca), the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Shoveler (Anas clypeata), moriglione (Aythya unbridled), moretta (Aythya fuligula) and Quattrocchi (Bucephala clangula)
The Casone typical lagoon construction in the barrel and wood, Antico Rifugio/home of fishermen maranesi, the lagoon of Marano the nucleus of casoni more consisting of all, for number of same, is the one placed at the mouth of the river Stella, in the heart of the natural reserve. The Casone maranese typical should be what is well present in various examples to the Foce dello Stella (omitting recent reconstructions that in addition to the materials have distorted even dimensionally those that were the ancient types). At one time the Casone was used both for storing tools from fishing and hunting, to eat, in order to shelter from the rain and sleep.
Every family maranese had his home in masonry to Marano and one or more casoni in laguna, as resting point to carry out fishing activities. There were no windows and once kindled the fire, smoke had to exit through the interstices of the straws or from the door left open in the summer. Certainly the smoke s the overcome all the Casone and you had to sit low and with the door open to be able to look, talk and breathe better. Took away the many mosquitoes oily and com era, s the attacked to the incannucciato making it internally more impermeable to water.
Visit to the Reserve
the visit to the Foce dello Stella necessarily takes place via water. Through the use of a vessel is possible to admire besides a unique panorama and suggestive, and on the rich avifauna, some environmental aspects of all the peculiar and now very rare at national level. Characteristic elements of the Foce dello Stella, of sure charm, are the casoni, typical local buildings in swampy cane that is well integrated with the surrounding environment.