Can you spot an otter playing along the banks of Annaty Burn or bats returning home to roost in the evening?
Blue tits and great tits regularly nest in our bird boxes throughout the park and look carefully for dippers and wagtails flying low along Annaty Burn. Wrens and blackbirds are frequent visitors and can be seen nesting in the shrubs and undergrowth.
Watch out for the unmistakable sound of the Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming on Scots Pines and the raucous shouts of jays in the canopy above you. A variety of bumblebee species can be seen along Quarrymill’s paths in the summer months. Butterflies are also common in summer, while moths visit towards the spring and autumn.
Enjoy walking among Scots Pines (Pinus Sylvestris), Britain’s only true native pine tree. Spot their distinctive twin needles and characteristic reddish-orange bark on the upper section of the trunk.
Elm trees also grow in the park. In the summer, they have bright green leaves which are rough and hairy to touch. In winter they’re easy to spot with their bright orange hairs that grow on the buds and twigs. You can also see Ash, Beech, Willow, Cherry, Birch and Oak trees throughout the park.
Enjoy the unsung hero of the natural world, the fungi. Many species of fungi grow around the roots of plants and trees improving access to water flow and minerals. Look out for the black ‘bootlace ‘ rhizomophs which grow on logs and fallen branches.
