Access: park in the layby along the Killard Road at Mill Quarter Bay. Walk south along the beach to access the reserve. The terrain is somewhat rocky along the beach and the reserve itself has some steep slopes, though you don't need to climb these to see any of the orchid species.
In the summer of 2024 my friend Ana McCrae and I made a short documentary about the plants and pathogens at this reserve. Check it out on youtube below:
May 2021 Killard has historically been famous as the most northerly site in Ireland for Green-winged Orchid Anacamptis morio.
August 2023 More recently, Killard hit the news when my mum and I discovered a new, highly disjunct population of Autumn Lady's-tresses Spiranthes spiralis. Read more on my blog.
August 2024 Frog Orchid Dactylorhiza viridis is extremely rare in Down, but it does well in Killard. In 2024 I saw perhaps ten spikes growing along the paths.
August 2024 Killard is now the only site in Ulster for Dodder Cuscuta epithymum. The population is very small (we found four plants in 2024) and restricted to the top of the crumbly cliff at the south of the site. I do not recommend going — it is very dangerous!
April 2024 Killard is currently the only known Irish site for the rare Primrose Smut Urocystis primulae. It forms white conidia around the anthers, which are clearly visible in thrum-eyed flowers. It forms brown teliospores in spore balls in the ovaries.
April 2024 Killard has a very large population of Spring Squill Tractema verna, so it's no surprise the smut Antherospora tractemae is common here.
August 2023 An unusual gall on Eyebright Euphrasia sp. I suspect this is the mite Aceria euphrasiae; if so it is one of less than ten global records. I need to return to refind this species and search for mites under the microscope.
August 2024 The powdery mildew Podosphaera phtheirospermi on Eyebright Euphrasia sp. This was the first Irish record.
August 2024 The flower smut Microbotryum scabiosae on Field Scabious Knautia arvensis. The host is fairy abundant in the north of the site so this smut has a moderately sized population of perhaps 6-10 infected plants.