Other wildlife

Red squirrels still survive in Northern Ireland's woods, though the introduced grey squirrel has invaded much of the southern and central areas. The Glens of Antrim and the north-west remain strongholds for the smaller, less gregarious red squirrel. Look out for pine and spruce cones that have been stripped by the squirrel's sharp teeth.

Northern Ireland's rarest mammal, the pine marten, is also a woodland creature. Recent research has shown that it appears to be expanding its range again, and is most likely to be seen in Fermanagh or Tyrone.

In spring, you will hear the calls of the commoner woodland birds: robin, blue tit, great tit, chaffinch, blackbird, goldcrest, but Northern Ireland has no woodpeckers and many other British species do not occur here. Long-eared owls, crossbills, and siskin are all more likely to be seen in sites planted with conifers.

The largest butterfly you will see is the silver-washed fritillary, named for the dramatic markings of its underwing. Oakwoods are probably the best place to look for this species, and also for the rarer purple hairstreak, which tends to remain in the canopy and can be difficult to spot. More common species include the speckled wood.