Introduction
You are now in the beautiful setting of the old lake of Bellcaire, between the regions of the Alt and Baix Empordà, with the castle of Montgrí on one side and fields of rice and other cereals on the other. The lake was drained in the middle of the nineteenth century by drainage channels which have recently been incorporated into the hydrological functioning of the rice fields. Despite the lake being almost completely drained, it has various distinctive botanic and wildlife features, making it an exceptional space from an environmental and conservational perspective. The current rice cultivation occupies most of the area of the lake’s plain and this provides many birds with a good place to winter and is an ideal place for water birds to breed. Various birds of prey can be found, as well as ortolan buntings and Anatidae.