Exploring the estate at Mount Stewart

The estate begins to shake off its winter coat at the end of March and as you walk the trails you will start to see Celandine, Primrose and Daffodils starting to appear and decorate the woodland floor and banks. In later Spring, the carpets of Bluebells spread through the woodland, follow the red trail to the Folly and take a moment to lie on the forest bathing logs to soak up the atmosphere.

Discover the many Pond habitat ‘scrapes’ which have been restored and have become a great places to spot frogs, newts and freshwater invertebrates (broad bodied chaser and common darter dragonflies, common blue and blue tailed damselfly and beautiful and banded demoiselle).

Spot some Mediterranean visitors who begin to arrive in Spring. See a “gulp” (the collective noun) of Swallows flying around near buildings where they will be busy building their nests. Chiff Chaff can be spotted in the woodlands and Willow Warblers prefer scrub land and listen out for the Black Caps who will be singing their songs in gardens everywhere.

From March keep an eye out for emerging pollinators (bumble and solitary bees) and butterflies (Orange tip butterfly, small tortoiseshell, meadow brown). Young red squirrels become active around the estate having left their dreys to explore.