Monthly Archives: February 2013

Schoolhouse Garden Restoration

Posted on 24/02/2013 by

On Saturday, the volunteer group met at the Old Schoolhouse on the Portaferry Road.  This had originally been built to educate the children of the staff who worked on the Mount Stewart Estate.  In more recent years, it had been … Continue reading →

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Darragh Island

Posted on 16/02/2013 by

This week, our volunteer group went to Darragh Island.  This National Trust owned island is on the western side of Strangford Lough, not far from Killinchy and Whiterock. Darragh is a great example of how the correct management can produce species-rich grassland with … Continue reading →

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Green-winged Teal

Posted on 12/02/2013 by

Strangford Lough is one of the best locations in the whole of the UK and Ireland for bird watching.  The lough has been designated as a Special Protection Area under the European Birds Directive and also as a Ramsar wetland … Continue reading →

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Nugent’s Wood

Posted on 07/02/2013 by

Today, our volunteer group went to Nugent’s Wood, on the edge of Portaferry, on the Ards Peninsula.  This strip of mixed woodland was once part of the Nugent’s Estate but is now owned by the National Trust and is a … Continue reading →

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Konik Ponies at Ballyquintin

Posted on 04/02/2013 by

In our article on 26th January, we mentioned the Konik ponies at Horse Island. (See that article for details about these interesting horses). The ponies would normally be grazing the RSPB reserve at Portmore Lough, but during the winter months, the … Continue reading →

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Blustery Knockinelder

Posted on 03/02/2013 by

This week’s plans to go to Nugent’s Wood had to be changed, because we didn’t fancy the idea of working under trees during such windy weather.  So we went to Knockinelder instead, just south of Kearney Village, near the southern … Continue reading →

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