0:00:03 > 0:00:06Welcome to Strangford Lough,
0:00:06 > 0:00:09one of Europe's most diverse natural habitats,
0:00:09 > 0:00:12and it also just happens to be one of my favourite haunts.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17It's home to an abundance of animals and plants,
0:00:17 > 0:00:22and with its outstanding views and easy access to fabulous flora
0:00:22 > 0:00:26and incredible creatures, this is simply a wonderful place to explore.
0:00:32 > 0:00:37Join me as we go Wild On Water to meet our extraordinary neighbours.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Strangford is the largest
0:01:05 > 0:01:07sea lough in Britain or Ireland.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09It's internationally recognised for
0:01:09 > 0:01:11the diversity of animals and plants
0:01:11 > 0:01:16that live in and around its sand, rocks, grasslands and tidal waters.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22I've lived on the shores of the lough for several years now,
0:01:22 > 0:01:25so it's time I learned more about the remarkable natural life
0:01:25 > 0:01:28which this stretch of water has to offer.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33So to satisfy my curiosity
0:01:33 > 0:01:36and help me meet with our extraordinary neighbours,
0:01:36 > 0:01:39I've asked a couple of local experts to join me
0:01:39 > 0:01:41for this wildlife adventure.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45Jen Firth is the Lough Ranger
0:01:45 > 0:01:47and we're starting our Strangford safari
0:01:47 > 0:01:49from Whiterock Bay,
0:01:49 > 0:01:50close to Killinchy.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58We're on our way to the appropriately named Bird Island.
0:01:58 > 0:01:59Right in the middle of the lough,
0:01:59 > 0:02:03it's one of the most important bird-nesting sites in Ireland.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Jen, so many birds here on Bird Island -
0:02:07 > 0:02:09what are we looking at?
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Bird Island is one of the biggest cormorant colonies
0:02:12 > 0:02:14we have here in the lough and in Northern Ireland.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18This is where most of them come to have their young.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22You'll see them all just resting up at the top there
0:02:22 > 0:02:25while the tide goes out.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29They're really distinctive, they have big long necks.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32And you'll often see them with their wings stretched out like Dracula.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35The reason they do that is because they don't have
0:02:35 > 0:02:37the same waterproofing oils that other birds have,
0:02:37 > 0:02:40so they have to actually dry them out in the wind -
0:02:40 > 0:02:41the same way we dry our hair -
0:02:41 > 0:02:45and that means when they're actually under the water or flying around,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47they'll be nice and warm and dry underneath.
0:02:47 > 0:02:48They really aren't a pretty bird,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51they're a bit like a dinosaur, reptile even.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53They are, it's one of the reasons why I love them.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56They're so unusual looking. They're quite scaly around the eyes
0:02:56 > 0:02:59and then they have this big long hooked beak
0:02:59 > 0:03:02and they just remind you of the dinosaurs, really.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Yeah. And what stage in the season are they at now?
0:03:05 > 0:03:06We're nearly at the end of the season,
0:03:06 > 0:03:11so a lot of the young birds will be starting to lose their downy feathers
0:03:11 > 0:03:15and practising to fly, and they'll get more and more hungry
0:03:15 > 0:03:18and then start to leave the nest and search for their own food.
0:03:21 > 0:03:22And are they good mums and dads?
0:03:22 > 0:03:26Brilliant mums and dads, they only have one brood during the summer,
0:03:26 > 0:03:29so they can put all their energy into that one brood.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32And they're also monogamous, so they stick to the same partner
0:03:32 > 0:03:36and every year, they'll come back to the same spot, the same partner
0:03:36 > 0:03:39and do a little dance to each other to confirm their partnership.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42- How romantic!- Old romantics, yep!
0:03:42 > 0:03:44And what about the seagulls too? Lots of them around.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46Yep, there's lots of seagulls.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49One of the most impressive would be the black back.
0:03:49 > 0:03:54- He's huge!- He's massive and quite intimidating if you see them up close
0:03:54 > 0:03:55and also to the others birds,
0:03:55 > 0:03:59because these guys are actually one of the biggest predators in the air
0:03:59 > 0:04:02and they will take the small chicks off the other birds
0:04:02 > 0:04:05and that's why they nest beside other colonies.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08So they take the live chicks, not just the eggs?
0:04:08 > 0:04:09No, they take the chicks.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13Unfortunately, it's a hard world out there for the birds.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16And what sort of lifespan does the average seagull have?
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Well, some seagulls can live quite a lengthy life.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23The oldest seagulls have been found up to 30 years or more
0:04:23 > 0:04:27and the oldest cormorant was 23.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31But on average, they only live maybe 12, or a wee bit more than that
0:04:31 > 0:04:34because life out here is very difficult,
0:04:34 > 0:04:37especially in the winter, and they don't always survive that long.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40So why are you such a fan of the ugly old cormorant?
0:04:40 > 0:04:43- They're just so different! - You don't even think he's ugly!
0:04:43 > 0:04:46No, I think he's fantastic! When you see the sun on their feathers,
0:04:46 > 0:04:49they glisten because they're black, they're brilliant divers,
0:04:49 > 0:04:53they have really unusual webbed feet that they use as propellers
0:04:53 > 0:04:56under the water, and because they look so reptilian,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59they're so different and so distinctive. And when you see them
0:04:59 > 0:05:02gliding along the glassy water in the lough, it's just beautiful.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05You're doing a really good sales pitch for them, I have to say!
0:05:05 > 0:05:07If we wanted to go onto this island
0:05:07 > 0:05:09and have a bit of a walk around, is that possible?
0:05:09 > 0:05:11Unfortunately not.
0:05:11 > 0:05:12Bird Island is a sanctuary,
0:05:12 > 0:05:15which means it's totally protected for the birds.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17I think it's better that way
0:05:17 > 0:05:20because it means the birds know they can go somewhere to be safe
0:05:20 > 0:05:24and not be disturbed. It also means that we can watch from a distance
0:05:24 > 0:05:27and see so many birds together in one place.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Such a special thing, right on our doorstep.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31Oh, it's fantastic, I love it.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44We've come back to land to get up close and personal
0:05:44 > 0:05:46with some of the amazing creatures
0:05:46 > 0:05:48who can be found along the shoreline.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51And I'm here in search of some Coastal Guardians.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54What are the Costal Guardians, Jen?
0:05:54 > 0:05:56The Coastal Guardians are a group of local people
0:05:56 > 0:06:00who want to learn how to look after their coastline,
0:06:00 > 0:06:02so we're down here today to do some rock pooling.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04So, Jack, what have you found?
0:06:04 > 0:06:06We have found a pie crust crab,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09which can grow to an unbelievable size and can also be eaten.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13Oh, look, there he is! We've actually got two in there.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16So you can see there, Karen, the pie crust shape on the shell
0:06:16 > 0:06:19- and that's what Jack's taking about. - Just like a Cornish pasty!
0:06:19 > 0:06:23Exactly right. And they do grow really, really big.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27That's why we eat them, because their claws are full of flesh.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31So they're very popular around here and all around the world to eat.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33Nora, what have you found, what did you like?
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Well, one of the best things is the butterfish,
0:06:35 > 0:06:37which is hard to find,
0:06:37 > 0:06:41but it's pretty fun to watch it swim around so fast.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44- Which one? Have we got one in there? - Yes, we've got a couple in here.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47There's one absolutely gorgeous orange-coloured one.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49And the reason they get their name is because
0:06:49 > 0:06:53they're really slippery, like butter, but they're very special because
0:06:53 > 0:06:56they can survive on the coastline here
0:06:56 > 0:06:58without water for quite a long time.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02So the slimy coating all over their skin actually provides moisture
0:07:02 > 0:07:05for their gills, which helps them breathe when they're in the dry,
0:07:05 > 0:07:08and they're always mistaken for eels.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11- Oh.- So if you find what looks like an eel,
0:07:11 > 0:07:14but has spots on its side, it's definitely a butterfish.
0:07:14 > 0:07:15OK, what else have we got?
0:07:15 > 0:07:18OK, so we've got lots of limpets, we've got some anemones,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21but I'm actually going to have a wee go myself
0:07:21 > 0:07:24- and maybe get your hands a bit dirty.- Absolutely.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26If you want to help me move back some of this seaweed...
0:07:26 > 0:07:28and see what we can find.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33- Oh!- Oh, look!
0:07:33 > 0:07:35Yep, we have a starfish.
0:07:35 > 0:07:40So this is a common starfish, they are absolutely common here,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43you'll probably find one nearly every time you come down to the beach.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45They get a lot bigger than this,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48but the shoreline is the perfect spot for finding baby starfish.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51They've quite rough little suckers on there, yeah?
0:07:51 > 0:07:55- Yeah, I'll just pass it over to you and we can turn him over.- Ooh!
0:07:55 > 0:07:58So underneath here, we've got hundreds of little feet
0:07:58 > 0:08:01and they each move around individually
0:08:01 > 0:08:03and they have little suckers on the ends.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05So that's how starfish can stick to rocks,
0:08:05 > 0:08:08but it also helps them when they're feeding.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11So what they do is, they find a piece of food, like a shellfish
0:08:11 > 0:08:15or a piece of fish, anything they can find that's usually quite smelly,
0:08:15 > 0:08:19and they sit on top of it and pull the shellfish open
0:08:19 > 0:08:22with these sticky feet, and then they do something pretty gross -
0:08:22 > 0:08:25- they spit their stomach out on top of their food.- Oh!
0:08:25 > 0:08:28So there's not much room in there,
0:08:28 > 0:08:32which means they have to digest all the food outside of their body.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Not such a pretty starfish!
0:08:34 > 0:08:37No. And when they're finished, it turns into a big fish soup
0:08:37 > 0:08:41and they suck it all back in again, so it's not very pleasant,
0:08:41 > 0:08:43but it's the way they have to do it to survive.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46- He's terrible table manners!- Yes.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49He's got five legs. And if we turn him over there...
0:08:49 > 0:08:52Sometimes, you'll find a starfish that doesn't have five legs,
0:08:52 > 0:08:54but it doesn't mean he was born that way -
0:08:54 > 0:08:57it's actually a really clever defence mechanism.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01So if a crab decided he wanted some starfish,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03he would come up to the starfish and attack it
0:09:03 > 0:09:06and the starfish would actually drop one of its legs,
0:09:06 > 0:09:10almost like a sacrifice, so the crab's left with the leg
0:09:10 > 0:09:13and the starfish gets away scot-free and grows back a new leg.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15How long does that take?
0:09:15 > 0:09:17It depends on the size of the starfish.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19If it's a small one, it doesn't take long - maybe a few weeks -
0:09:19 > 0:09:21but the bigger ones, it can take quite a while.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28Well, Lewis, what have you found?
0:09:28 > 0:09:30I've found a sea anemone.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33A sea anemone! Very good!
0:09:33 > 0:09:36And he's stuck to the rock, that's what they do, isn't it?
0:09:36 > 0:09:41So a sea anemone is basically an upside-down jellyfish.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43And you know when they're under the water,
0:09:43 > 0:09:45all of their red tentacles come out.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47This one's called a beadlet anemone
0:09:47 > 0:09:51and all around the outside, he's got little blue tentacles
0:09:51 > 0:09:54which he uses for fighting with other anemone.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56And I see you've got a limpet here as well...
0:09:56 > 0:09:59And these are also stuck to the rock.
0:10:00 > 0:10:05So did you know that limpets actually leave their little spot
0:10:05 > 0:10:08in the rock whenever the tide comes up?
0:10:08 > 0:10:09And when they go away,
0:10:09 > 0:10:13they leave a little trail of scent behind them
0:10:13 > 0:10:16so that they can find their way back when the tide goes out again.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19And that means they always stay in the same spot.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22So if you see a rock with a dark circle in it,
0:10:22 > 0:10:25that's called a limpet scar and that's where the limpet lives,
0:10:25 > 0:10:27so he always comes back.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Jen, Lewis and David are loving all of this and we've got to remember,
0:10:31 > 0:10:33haven't we, that this stuff can be found on any rocky shore?
0:10:33 > 0:10:37Yep, and every rocky shore will have a different set of animals,
0:10:37 > 0:10:39so you'll never get bored.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41And you can get more interesting ideas
0:10:41 > 0:10:43for exploring your local habitats at...
0:10:57 > 0:10:58Time to go back on the water,
0:10:58 > 0:11:02and we're in search of some of the 300 seals
0:11:02 > 0:11:04who have made this lough their home.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08We're heading for Cloghy Rocks, just south of Strangford.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12But first, there's time for a short stop at an unusual local attraction.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Jen, there's such a lot of fast running water here, what is this?
0:11:19 > 0:11:21This is a unique area in Strangford Lough
0:11:21 > 0:11:23called the Routen Wheel,
0:11:23 > 0:11:27and it's basically all the water flowing in from the sea at high tide
0:11:27 > 0:11:31going against all the ridges of rock underneath the surface.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33So you can see lots of little whirlpools
0:11:33 > 0:11:37and they all merge together in a big bubbling cauldron.
0:11:37 > 0:11:38So it can be quite violent at times
0:11:38 > 0:11:41and you wouldn't want to get caught in it without an engine,
0:11:41 > 0:11:42you'd need a good escape route.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46- And do all the local sailors know to avoid this area?- They do, yes.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48My dad always told me when I was younger,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50"Stay away from the Routen Wheel."
0:12:03 > 0:12:07Jen, so many seals the length of the lough, who are we looking at here?
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Well, this is Cloghy Rocks,
0:12:09 > 0:12:11this is one of the best places to come and see the seals,
0:12:11 > 0:12:14and we've got a couple of greys just floating around.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16The tide is starting to come up again
0:12:16 > 0:12:19- so they're starting to head back off to sea.- What's the difference?
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Because I know there are two different types of seal here.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Yep. We have the grey seal and the common seal in Strangford Lough.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29There's more common seals because they like the shallow inlets,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32whereas the grey seals like the more exposed coastline.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36And you can tell the difference quite easily once you get your eye in.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39The grey seal has got a really long Roman nose
0:12:39 > 0:12:42and they're absolutely huge animals,
0:12:42 > 0:12:46whereas the common seal has a little squashed puppy dog face.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Is there competition between the two types of seal?
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Yeah, all the animals here in the lough compete for fish.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56- They're fishing now!- Yeah, quite a lot of them rely on fish
0:12:56 > 0:12:58as their only source of food
0:12:58 > 0:12:59so because the greys are bigger,
0:12:59 > 0:13:01they often intimidate the commons,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04but they seem to be living in harmony at the minute,
0:13:04 > 0:13:05but we're keeping an eye on the numbers.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07You're monitoring the population here,
0:13:07 > 0:13:09is one more dominant than the other?
0:13:09 > 0:13:12Yeah, well, the common seals have the biggest number here
0:13:12 > 0:13:16but, all in all, there's just below 300 seals in total.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19The common seals are breeding at the minute - they're summer breeders -
0:13:19 > 0:13:23so if you see a little group of commons, you'll often see seal pups
0:13:23 > 0:13:24dotted in amongst the adults,
0:13:24 > 0:13:28and then whenever the tide comes back up, like now,
0:13:28 > 0:13:30the adult seals go out to sea to catch fish
0:13:30 > 0:13:33and then they'll come back periodically
0:13:33 > 0:13:36to feed the pups the sticky milk that they have.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38Are they good mums and dads?
0:13:38 > 0:13:40Well, the dads aren't so good, I must admit,
0:13:40 > 0:13:44but the mums definitely tend very well to their young
0:13:44 > 0:13:46and they'll wean them for a few weeks
0:13:46 > 0:13:49and then they'll start eating their own fish,
0:13:49 > 0:13:51so the commons are quite independent.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54But the greys are born with the furry coat in the winter
0:13:54 > 0:13:57to keep them warm, so it takes them a little bit longer to be weaned.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01They're having a lot of fun out there - big splashes behind me -
0:14:01 > 0:14:02and so curious following us,
0:14:02 > 0:14:06and I heard calls too earlier, they make a very strange noise!
0:14:06 > 0:14:07Yeah, especially the greys.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11They sound a bit like a cow, mooing in the distance.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15But the greys are particularly more loud than the commons would be.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17They are great entertainment
0:14:17 > 0:14:19and we've got the luxury of seeing it from a boat today,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22but the road's just over there, anyone can come and see this!
0:14:22 > 0:14:26Definitely, because the rocks here are so close to the road,
0:14:26 > 0:14:28you can simply just park your car...
0:14:28 > 0:14:29Big splash!
0:14:29 > 0:14:31Yeah, he's making a scene.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33You can just park your car in one of the laybys or car parks,
0:14:33 > 0:14:37get your binoculars out and you can listen and look at them.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39Do they occasionally leave the lough?
0:14:39 > 0:14:43Yes. We did a project a few years ago where we tagged a couple of the seals
0:14:43 > 0:14:47and we found out that a few of the rogues go down to Dublin for the day
0:14:47 > 0:14:49or some of them go over to Scotland,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52so although we have a steady number here,
0:14:52 > 0:14:54we don't know if it's exactly the same seals,
0:14:54 > 0:14:58but as long as we keep the general numbers up, we're OK.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01- Spot of shopping or a pint, maybe? - Yep!
0:15:01 > 0:15:02Who could blame them?!
0:15:07 > 0:15:09For the next step of my journey,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12I'm crossing over to the other side of the lough.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16I'm heading for one of the area's hidden wildlife havens -
0:15:16 > 0:15:18Killard Nature Reserve.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20Visitors come from all around the world
0:15:20 > 0:15:24to see the multitude of wild orchids that grow here every summer.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28But even though it's no longer orchid season,
0:15:28 > 0:15:30I'm told it's well worth the trip.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36My guide for today is naturalist Rory Mellon.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Rory, this place is absolutely stunning!
0:15:39 > 0:15:42- What's so special about Killard? - Isn't it spectacular?
0:15:42 > 0:15:44It's over 100 acres of natural nature reserve
0:15:44 > 0:15:49and it's never been farmed. It's very thin soils,
0:15:49 > 0:15:54pristine environment and just choc-a-bloc with wild herbs,
0:15:54 > 0:15:57flowering grasses, sedges,
0:15:57 > 0:16:01butterflies, bees, you name it.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Every time of the year you come down here,
0:16:03 > 0:16:06there's something different to see, something new.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10Definitely a place to come out and enjoy and stretch your legs.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25Look, though, at all the colour and all the plants!
0:16:25 > 0:16:27- What is that blue one? - Isn't it spectacular?
0:16:27 > 0:16:30Come on, we'll step in off the path and we'll have a look and see.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36- Oh, even more up here!- Yeah, and it's kind of late on in the year,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39but this is pretty spectacular.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41- This is Field Scabious.- Right.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43It's a really important nectar plant,
0:16:43 > 0:16:46and the head of it's got 50 individual flowers on it
0:16:46 > 0:16:48and you'll find the butterflies and bees
0:16:48 > 0:16:50feeding predominately on that at this time of year.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53- Ah, that's their favourite. - It's a really good butterfly plant.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56And what's that wee yellow one?
0:16:56 > 0:16:58That's one you wouldn't expect to find this far in off the path -
0:16:58 > 0:17:02that's pineappleweed, it came in in the 1800s from Oregon
0:17:02 > 0:17:03and it doesn't compete very well.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06Give it a good rub and smell it...
0:17:06 > 0:17:09- Oh, my goodness!- Isn't it brilliant? - Really strong smell of pineapple!
0:17:09 > 0:17:13You'll find it where the gates are swinging backwards and forwards,
0:17:13 > 0:17:15or at the edge of the path that's well trampled.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19This is another fascinating wee plant here. It's Restharrow.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22It's called Restharrow because of its massive tangle of roots
0:17:22 > 0:17:25and when the farmer would have taken the harrow through it,
0:17:25 > 0:17:28he would have to lift it up, clean it all out and have a rest.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30Great nectar plant too, feel the texture of the leaves there...
0:17:30 > 0:17:33- Oh, they're sticky. - Sticky and hairy,
0:17:33 > 0:17:35that's just to protect them from the insects.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37- And it has that long root that you talk about.- Yeah.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39Kids would have use those years ago,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41they chewed the roots as a liquorice substitute.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44- Does it taste of liquorice? - It tastes disgusting.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47OK, that good. Well sold! What about this peculiar thing?
0:17:47 > 0:17:50That's a lovely wee one. That's a yellow rattle.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53That's a fascinating plant, it's what they call a hemiparasite,
0:17:53 > 0:17:56so that actually takes in nutrients from the roots of the grasses
0:17:56 > 0:17:59that are growing here and in doing that,
0:17:59 > 0:18:00it suppresses the growth of the grass
0:18:00 > 0:18:03and you get more species moving in to more open canopy.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05But if you shake it against your hand,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08- you'll see where it gets its name. - Oh, are they seeds inside?
0:18:08 > 0:18:11Yeah, they're seeds, they desiccate off. And in Norway,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14they would say when it's at that stage, it's time to cut the hay.
0:18:14 > 0:18:15So this is a good weed?
0:18:15 > 0:18:19- Yes. A good conservation weed. - There we go.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35So, Karen, this is also a spectacular site for butterflies.
0:18:35 > 0:18:36If you come down here on a warm day,
0:18:36 > 0:18:40particularly early in the season when it's nice and still,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43you'll see clouds and clouds of blue butterflies. Common Blues,
0:18:43 > 0:18:48Meadow Browns, Graylings, whole swathes, all over this site normally.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52It really is worth coming down here to take that view in.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55You can just see all the children and all the nets already!
0:18:55 > 0:18:57As long as they put them all back, that would be great!
0:18:57 > 0:19:00What's the difference between a butterfly and a moth?
0:19:00 > 0:19:02The moths are mostly night fliers,
0:19:02 > 0:19:05butterflies are day fliers.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07You will get some day-flying moths here as well.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09You've seen the Burnet Six-spot Moth
0:19:09 > 0:19:11and the Magpie Moth on the way down the path here.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13Has it been a good season for them?
0:19:13 > 0:19:15Brilliant season. They've had a couple of bad years,
0:19:15 > 0:19:17maybe three really bad years - very wet.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20This year's brilliant. It's stayed dry and very hot,
0:19:20 > 0:19:21the plants are up in abundance
0:19:21 > 0:19:25- and they're all doing really well. - I've seen lots of caterpillars, too.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28- Wee brown and yellow boys?- Yeah! - That's the Cinnabar Moth caterpillar,
0:19:28 > 0:19:31they feed on the ragweed here on the site
0:19:31 > 0:19:35and they develop into a beautiful wee moth as well. Quite spectacular.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53Three fascinating plants here, Rory,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56everything seems to have a story to it. What's this one?
0:19:56 > 0:19:59That's Wild Thyme, if you want to pick a wee piece and crush it.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02They use this in the Mediterranean a lot to wrap their cheeses.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04So that's related to the herb we cook with?
0:20:04 > 0:20:07That is the herb you cook with, only it's developed from that.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09I see, and what about this one?
0:20:09 > 0:20:11That's a lovely wee plant, that's wild carrot,
0:20:11 > 0:20:13you wouldn't normally see carrot flowering.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16It's the same leaf as carrot - it is just original carrot.
0:20:16 > 0:20:17It looks no more like a carrot.
0:20:17 > 0:20:18The commercial varieties of carrots
0:20:18 > 0:20:21would have been bred from this, originally.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23You'll see it starts pink and turns white,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26and sometimes, you'll get a little scarlet centre.
0:20:26 > 0:20:27Yes, a wee dot in the middle.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30The ancient herbalists would have used that to treat epilepsy
0:20:30 > 0:20:32and mental health problems, it would have been highly prized,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35- harvested and picked out. - They fed it to a patient?
0:20:35 > 0:20:38- Yeah, fed it to a patient.- I see. And what about the yellow one?
0:20:38 > 0:20:40That's a lovely wee one, that's another favourite.
0:20:40 > 0:20:41That's Lady's Bedstraw.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44Smell that and see what you think.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48Oh... Hedgerow! Honeysuckle!
0:20:48 > 0:20:52That's honeysuckle, and it's a really strong smell on a warmer day.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54Now, if you were very wealthy years ago,
0:20:54 > 0:20:56you would have paid somebody to pick that for you,
0:20:56 > 0:20:58to stuff your straw mattress,
0:20:58 > 0:21:00so that's where it gets its name - Lady's Bed Straw.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03And the bedrooms were all fragrant with the smell of honeysuckle.
0:21:03 > 0:21:04Absolutely right.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17So why is Killard such a great place for birds?
0:21:17 > 0:21:21Oh, it's brilliant. It's because we manage it for wildlife and plants
0:21:21 > 0:21:23and there's an abundance of insects and an abundance of food
0:21:23 > 0:21:27for all these birds that'll come over and nest here during the summer.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29Who are these little fellas? We're surrounded by them!
0:21:29 > 0:21:32These are wee Sand Martins and they're feeding on the wing.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35Adults and young there, who have raised broods of birds
0:21:35 > 0:21:38in the sandy cliff face just below our feet.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41And these would be some of the first birds to arrive on the site to nest.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43They would be travelling thousands of miles
0:21:43 > 0:21:46and they're some of the last ones to leave back home in the migration.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48And they're breathtaking,
0:21:48 > 0:21:50they're just soaring on the thermals there
0:21:50 > 0:21:54and taking the insects as they're flying by.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57Most days, you'll see there's plenty of birds there.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59At the winter time, it just comes into its own,
0:21:59 > 0:22:02the focus changes from the birds nesting in the grasslands
0:22:02 > 0:22:05to what's coming in, and over winter, there's always something.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08It's one of the best bird watching places you could come to.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12It certainly is!
0:22:12 > 0:22:14For the last leg of my journey,
0:22:14 > 0:22:15I'm heading back up the lough
0:22:15 > 0:22:18to meet Jen on the shoreline at Greyabbey.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22We've come at low tide to explore the exposed mud flats
0:22:22 > 0:22:24to see why Strangford Lough supports
0:22:24 > 0:22:27such a fabulous diversity of wildlife,
0:22:27 > 0:22:29especially the hungry birds.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33So, Jen, what are we looking for here?
0:22:33 > 0:22:35We're going to look under the sand to see what it is
0:22:35 > 0:22:37all the birds come to eat.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39- So I'm going to give you the spade... - Good.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42..and I want you to focus on this little worm cast here.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45So just dig in as far as you can...
0:22:45 > 0:22:49- and then just flip the sand over.- OK.
0:22:49 > 0:22:50That's perfect.
0:22:50 > 0:22:56Brilliant, so what we're looking for is a burrow, and these little
0:22:56 > 0:22:59worm casts are made by a worm called the lugworm,
0:22:59 > 0:23:01and it's one of the favourite foods of the birds.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04So if we just dig around in here...
0:23:04 > 0:23:05What does he look like?
0:23:05 > 0:23:09He looks like a little pink earthworm...
0:23:09 > 0:23:11And here we go.
0:23:11 > 0:23:12Oh, I'm glad you found him!
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Yeah. They're quite hard to find
0:23:14 > 0:23:17and they're quite small at this time of the year.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20I'm going to pass that over to you.
0:23:20 > 0:23:21OK. It's windy.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25He's not very significant looking, but he's very, very strong
0:23:25 > 0:23:28and as soon as you put him back in the sand, he will burrow down.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32So he eats all of the detritus that lives in the sand and then ejects it
0:23:32 > 0:23:36up to the surface, and that's why you get these little curly casts.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39OK, and what else have we got in this pool?
0:23:39 > 0:23:42OK, so we've also got some cockles.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Cockles are another important food source for the birds,
0:23:45 > 0:23:48especially the Oystercatchers.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51All the different birds have different lengths of beaks,
0:23:51 > 0:23:53so they specialise in different animals.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56These ones only burrow about five to ten centimetres underneath,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59so they just eat the gooey centre in the middle,
0:23:59 > 0:24:02- just like we would eat cockles. - Hard work for a bird to get that.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05Yeah, they're pretty hard, but they're all really good at getting
0:24:05 > 0:24:07- the soft centre out of there. - I'll bet.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09As we've been talking about lots of birds, lots to eat,
0:24:09 > 0:24:11lots of vegetation, too?
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Yeah, this area is one of the most important areas for eelgrass
0:24:14 > 0:24:18and it's one of the most protected habitats we have here.
0:24:18 > 0:24:19Every year, in the winter,
0:24:19 > 0:24:24we get nearly 100% of the Pale-Bellied Brent Goose population.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27And they come here to feed on the grass, so every summer, we allow
0:24:27 > 0:24:31the grass to grow back ready for these birds to come and feed.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33With such a rich variety of food,
0:24:33 > 0:24:35no wonder we get so many birds,
0:24:35 > 0:24:37and such a great place to watch them!
0:24:37 > 0:24:39Yeah, if you come here all year round, you'll see birds,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42but in the winter, we get huge numbers
0:24:42 > 0:24:45and you can see some brilliant spectacles of birds.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47What are the most common, though, perhaps?
0:24:47 > 0:24:50If you pull up at any of the laybys along the road here,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53you're probably most likely to see the Oystercatcher -
0:24:53 > 0:24:56they're the most distinctive. They're black and white, quite big birds,
0:24:56 > 0:25:01big long red beaks, big long red feet, so you can't miss them.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03And you'll always see them piercing their beaks into the sand.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05Do they eat oysters?
0:25:05 > 0:25:08They don't really eat oysters, I don't know why they got that name.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11Maybe in the past, they ate more oysters, but now they really
0:25:11 > 0:25:14concentrate on the cockles and the worms in the sand.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16What else might we see commonly?
0:25:16 > 0:25:18Quite common would be the heron,
0:25:18 > 0:25:22the heron flies along with big open wings, a huge bird.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25They dangle their feet, which is a really good way of telling
0:25:25 > 0:25:28what it is and they'll stand at the edge of rock pools
0:25:28 > 0:25:30with their heads stretched out looking for fish.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37What might be a more unusual visitor to the lough,
0:25:37 > 0:25:39or perhaps something that's just harder to see?
0:25:39 > 0:25:42Some of the birds are really well camouflaged, like the curlew.
0:25:42 > 0:25:47It's quite a big bird, it's got big long feet and a huge long curved beak
0:25:47 > 0:25:50so once you see it, you know it's definitely a curlew.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52- What else?- We also get the Redshank.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57The Redshank is also easy to tell, with a brown mottled body.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59If you see a bird with a brown mottled body,
0:25:59 > 0:26:03a red short beak and red legs, it's probably a Redshank.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06What's your favourite most unusual bird?
0:26:06 > 0:26:09My favourite would probably be the heron
0:26:09 > 0:26:12because they're so comical with their dangly feet and their big long necks.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16So, Jen, with such a brilliant place to watch birds,
0:26:16 > 0:26:18how do you pick a really good set of binoculars?
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Well, the best way to watch birds is to stay as far away from them
0:26:22 > 0:26:24as possible, so they don't know you're there.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28So if you get a pair with really good magnification, you'll do well.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31This one is ten and you've also got seven here,
0:26:31 > 0:26:33so anything between that is really good
0:26:33 > 0:26:35and you should be able to see the birds from this distance.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37So when you're looking at the bird
0:26:37 > 0:26:40and you want to see it through the binoculars,
0:26:40 > 0:26:43find it first of all and if you can get a pair of binoculars
0:26:43 > 0:26:47that are adjustable, it means you can shape them to your face.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50So find the bird, hold the binoculars up,
0:26:50 > 0:26:54look through them and make sure you can only see one circle.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58If you see two circles, it means the binoculars are too big.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01And then you'll hopefully have a really good view of the bird.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07How do we know what we're looking at?
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Well, whenever I'm stuck, I just use a bird guide.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13I keep it in the car and that means it's there when I need it,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16but there's plenty of apps that you can use with your smartphone.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19You can download a guide onto your phone to use it
0:27:19 > 0:27:22just like a book, or you could take a photograph or a description
0:27:22 > 0:27:26and feed it into the app and some experts will even come back to you
0:27:26 > 0:27:27on your phone and tell you what it is.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30And I also just go home and look things up on the internet
0:27:30 > 0:27:32because then you've got the time to do it.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35Then when you're out, you can just enjoy looking at the birds.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40And you can also find an easy-to-use bird guide on our website at...
0:27:47 > 0:27:49Well, it's been great fun
0:27:49 > 0:27:53to discover more about the amazing array of natural life
0:27:53 > 0:27:56that's right here on my doorstep.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59Strangford Lough is just a small part of the unique landscape
0:27:59 > 0:28:01that is Northern Ireland.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05So I hope, like me, you're inspired to step outside
0:28:05 > 0:28:09and get closer to our extraordinary wildlife neighbours!
0:28:28 > 0:28:31Subtitles By Red Bee Media Ltd