The Boora Parklands offers approximately 50km of gravel walkways ranging from a short stroll around Finnamores to a 5 km trek. Throughout the seasons the Parklands are in a continuous state of flux, birds depart or arrive, breed and rear their young, plants flower and fingi appear and disappear, while the Parklands animals go about their lives. The sounds and smells also change with the seasons, ensuring that a walk through the Parklands has always something new, exciting and interesting to offer.

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In spring the Parklands come alive as the breeding season starts and plants and hibernating animals begin to emerge. Winter visitors such as the Whooper swan and Greylag goose are beginning to depart whilst on the lakes and wetlands the breeding season commences for Parklands residents such as Coots and Mallard. The Great Crested Grebe, with its rufus frill, partakes in an elaborate courtship display, which can be seen on any of the wetlands during March or April. Meanwhile, the Lapwings engage in aerial courtship, giving a loud perr-u-weet-weet call as they do so. Summer visitors also start to arrive – the Wheatear, Chiffchaff, Willow warbler, Swifts, Swallows and in April, the Cuckoo can be heard announcing the coming of summer.

Frogs and Newts begin to spawn and in the case of newts, this can be seen anchored to the vegetation at the edge of lakes and wetlands.

The Parkland’s numerous Hares start breeding and large groups are easily observed in the short vegetation. Foxes start to mate early in spring and although rarely seen the vixen's eerie call can be heard at night. Hedgehogs begin to emerge after their long winter hibernation and immediately start searching for food.

Although Gorse can be seen in bloom all year round it is in spring that it blooms most profusely. On mineral soilssuch as along the Leabeg and Mesolithic trails and along Turraun’s pathways, the dandelion-like Coltsfoot blooms, its flowers appearing before its leaves. Catkins appear on the Alder, Willow and Birch trees and by the end of April the leaves are appearing on most of the Parkland’s trees.

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Autumn is a time of movement and change in the Parklands. The summer visitors begin to leave as winter visitors such as Whooper swans, Shovelers, Pintails, and Pochard begin to arrive. Lapwing numbers start to increase with the arrival of birds from northern Britain.

The Parkland’s Frogs, Newts and Hedgehogs enter hibernation around the end of September or early October, while Pipistrelle and Long-eared bats mate before they too hibernate.

The wildflower displays are over by the middle of autumn but are replaced by the russets and reds of the Purple moor-grass and Bog cotton. In early autumn deciduous trees are a mass of colour but by the end of the season they are bare, save for the red berries of the Rowan (Mountain ash) and Holly which can be seen throughout the Parklands where they will provide food for birds and animals throughout the winter months. Meanwhile, plants such as Willow herb, Broom and Herb Robert disperse their seeds. It is now that the Fungi start to emerge becoming more noticeable as the season progresses into winter.

Autumn sees the Parklands covered in early morning mists and dew and a morning walk under such conditions offers the chance to marvel at the beauty of the many spider webs. Just as the summer displays are legendary so too are the autumn reds, golden browns and yellows and a walk around Turraun during this season is a rewarding experience.

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Life is far from dull in the Parklands during winter – just a little less obvious. Winter provides the perfect opportunity to see things that have been overlooked during the previous seasons. It is also a time when the Parklands are alive with visiting birds.

A walk along the Boora Lake path provides a perfect view of Leabeg wetland, a site of National Importance for Whooper swans. By now the winter birds such as Dunlin and Golden plover have arrived and a walk along the wetlands may yield a glimpse of rare visitors such as Gadwall, Smew and Merganser. Peregrine falcons may be seen hunting throughout the Parklands in winter and their death dive as they hurtle towards their prey is spectacular to watch. Buzzards are occasionally seen hunting around Tumduff Mor.

This is the season when the Parkland’s Mosses and Lichens are most evident. Conifers provide a splash of green and the orange-red bark of the Scots Pine reflects the winter sun.

Late winter sees the start of the Foxes courting season and although rarely seen evidence of their activity may be evident on snow-covered ground, for like the Badger they favour certain pathways, giving an indication of their territories.

A walk through the Parklands in winter is certainly a different experience - no less beautiful or interesting than the other seasons.

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