The Chronicles of Strangford

Autumn is a busy season on the lough which is marked not only by changing colours but also the arrival of grey seals that use the lough's sheltered islands to breed and raise their pups, before returning to the open sea a few weeks later. National Trust ranger Hugh Thurgate counts them as they arrive, providing valuable year-on-year data of the population.

It's winter, and work continues to protect the lough's wildlife despite stormy weather. Boats need repaired, livestock moved, winter birds tagged and nesting boxes checked.

It is summer, and humans and birds flock to the lough to enjoy its unspoilt beauty and unique habitats. At Slievemoyle farm, Mark McCormick from the RSPB is camping out for a dawn chorus survey.

A year on Strangford Lough, the largest sea inlet in the UK.

Following a year on and around Strangford Lough, the largest sea inlet in the UK.