Strangford Lough is a massive tidal lough with miles of intertidal mudflats and marshland. What may look like a muddy, barren landscape is actually teeming with life, if you don’t mind getting your hands dirty! Living in the mud are a great number of Macro invertebrates and crustaceans surviving in the harsh conditions. Worm casts, little spirals of sand, the only giveaway to the Lugworms secret existence below the mud, doing its best to avoid the myriad of predators above.

These predators begin to arrive in their masses. Migrants and resident birds from all over come the Lough to stock up on its bountiful food. The highlights include, waders such as Oyster catcher, Curlew, Redshank and Greenshank. All will be probing their beaks around in the mud to find the tasty treats within.

Duck numbers will also rise as they seek the richness of the lough. Teal, Widgeon and Pintails will all take advantage of the reserve. The main attraction of the migrant birds though are the Light Bellied Brent Geese, who arrive here from their breeding grounds in the Arctic in their thousands. There could be up to 25 thousand birds! Strangford Lough is an incredibly important site for these birds as a huge majority will visit the lough through the Autumn, feeding on the plentiful eelgrass.