I know this one is a bit late - but better late than never. On sunday we made another trip to Mount Stewart for the autumn fair and on the way couldn't help but notice the large numbers of (what I at first thought were) ducks swimming in the lough but, on investigating further, found them to be Brent Geese. It seems that three quarters of the world population of Brent Geese winter in the lough. According to the BBC 'Up to 15,000 pale-bellied brent-geese make the 3,000 kilometre journey from Polar Bear Pass in north-east Canada each autumn to feed on the lough's succulent eel-grass' but I have heard it reported that they are expecting 29,000 to arrive this winter. More here about Brent Geese.
