Oxford Island facts for kids
Oxford Island is a fantastic nature reserve and fun place to visit. It's located on the southern edge of Lough Neagh near Lurgan, County Armagh. This huge area covers 282 acres (113 hectares). Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council owns and looks after it. Much of Oxford Island is a National Nature Reserve. This is because it has many different natural homes for plants and animals. The main goal here is to protect nature and offer a great place for everyone to enjoy.
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History of Oxford Island
In 1846, the water level in Lough Neagh was lowered. This was done by people. Because of this, Oxford Island became connected to the mainland. It changed from an island to a peninsula. Later, in the late 1960s, Oxford Island was bought. The plan was to turn it into a public recreation area. At that time, most of the land was used for farming or grazing animals. This meant that most of the natural plants were gone. Since then, thousands of different trees have been planted. The Lough shore has been allowed to grow wild. Also, the meadows have become rich grasslands with many plant types.
Fun Activities and Facilities
Oxford Island offers many things to do and see. Here are some of the main attractions:
- Lough Neagh Discovery Centre: This building was built in 1993. It has conference rooms and a cafe. The cafe offers amazing views of Lough Neagh. You can also find a gift shop and a Tourist Information Point here. It also provides details about local nature and history. The Lagan Canal Trust also works from this centre.
- Kinnego Marina: This marina has 190 safe places for boats to dock. It also has a caravan and camping park. The Lough Neagh Sailing Club, started in 1877, uses Kinnego Marina as its base.
- Walking Trails: The island has several walking paths. These trails cover a total distance of 4 miles. They are perfect for exploring the nature reserve.
- Art Space: There is an artist’s studio on the island. Visitors can watch artists at work. Sometimes, workshops are also held here.
- Enterprize Barge: This is a restored old boat called a lighter. It used to travel on the Lagan Canal. Now, it holds an exhibition about inland waterways.
Protecting Nature: How Oxford Island is Managed
Oxford Island is carefully managed to protect its many different plants and animals. This is called maintaining biodiversity. Some grassland areas are cut for hay. Other areas are left for grazing by special rare animals. These animals include the Irish Moiled and Dexter cattle. Workers also remove plants that don't belong here. For example, they remove Himalayan Balsam. This plant can grow very fast and take over from native plants. They also clear some bushes from the shore. This helps the natural reed beds to grow well.
Amazing Plants (Flora)
Oxford Island is home to many beautiful wild plants. Some of these are rare, while others are common. Here are a few you might spot:
- Hyacinthoides non-scripta (common bluebell)
- Silene dioica (red campion)
- Different types of Orchids
- Rhinanthus minor (yellow rattle)
- Lychnis flos-cuculi (ragged robin)
- Butomus (flowering rush)
Wonderful Animals (Fauna)
Oxford Island and Lough Neagh are full of amazing animals.
Butterflies and Moths
Many types of butterflies live at the reserve. You might see these colourful insects flying around:
- Large white
- Small white
- Green-veined white
- Wood white
- Orange tip
- Small tortoiseshell
- Meadow brown
- Ringlet
- Speckled wood
- Common blue
- Small heath
- Small copper
- Red admiral
- European peacock
About 60 different kinds of moths have also been found here.
Freshwater Fish
Lough Neagh is well-known for its fish. Here are some of the species you can find:
- Northern pike
- Perch
- Roach
- Common bream
- Brown trout
- Eel
- Gudgeon
- Lamprey
- Pollan
- Rainbow trout
- Dollaghan
- Migratory salmon
Winter Birds
Lough Neagh attracts many different kinds of birds. It is a special protected area under European laws. It is especially famous for the huge numbers of wildfowl that spend the winter here. These birds fly from places like Iceland, Scandinavia, and Siberia. Some of these winter visitors include:
- Goldeneye
- Common pochard
- Tufted duck
- Greater scaup
- Eurasian teal
- Wigeon
- Whooper swan
- Tundra swan (also known as Bewick's swan)
- Lapwing
- Curlew
Summer Birds
Some bird species arrive in the area during the warmer summer months. Here are a few you might see:
Other Fauna: The Chironomid Midge Fly Life Cycle
Lough Neagh is famous for the Chironomidae (Chironomid midge fly). This small insect spends most of its life in the water. It eats dead plant material there. After about a year, it comes to the surface. It then changes into a pupa, which becomes the adult fly. Billions of these flies perform a mating dance. They swarm above the treetops around the Lough. The adult flies live for only a few days. They are completely harmless because they do not have mouths to bite. The Chironomid midge is a very important food source for many other animals in the area.
