News
Recent Sightings 20th Dec 2021
The following sightings were taken on Monday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a rising tide. A fairly familiar sight around most of the north coast is the Eider duck with a resident population on Strangford Lough that swells during the winter with loc
22 December 2021
Recent Sightings 13th Dec 2021
The following sightings were taken yesterday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a high tide. A calmer start to the week, with the shore birds settling back to their old haunts after the stormy weather last week. The number of Brent on the Lough has vis
14 December 2021
Recent Sightings 6th Dec 2021
The following sightings were taken yesterday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a high tide. A blustery start to the week with many of the wintering geese, ducks and waders hunkering down to avoid the worst of the weather. The hide tide brings those bi
7 December 2021
Recent Sightings 29th Nov 2021
The following sightings were taken yesterday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a high tide. There are still good number of geese and duck on the estuary with Teal now a familiar sight on the Wadermarsh, Shingle bank and Main lake. Wigeon have also bee
30 November 2021
Recent Sightings 23rd Nov 2021
The following sightings were taken yesterday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a rising tide. The WeBS counts have resumed this year, with the 2nd count on Sunday past. The wintering birds are returning in numbers to the Lough including good numbers o
24 November 2021
‘Exceptional’ Natural Capital of Ards and North Down recognised
The WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre in Co. Down was selected as one of the locations to host BBC Two’s popular wildlife programme, Autumnwatch. Ards and North Down Deputy Mayor, Councillor Robert Adair, paid tribute to the work of conservation charity
3 November 2021
Castle Espie to host BBC Two's Autumnwatch 2021
WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre has been selected as one of three live locations across the UK to host BBC Two’s popular wildlife programme Autumnwatch. Following on from the huge success of BBC Springwatch earlier this year the watchers will again be
22 October 2021
Winter Migration Festival
It’s one of the most dramatic wildlife events of the year - and the public are being invited to come along and see the action for themselves. A phenomenal 28,000 Brent geese make the gruelling 3,000 mile trek from Arctic Canada to our very own St
20 October 2021
Recent Sightings - 18/10/2021
A great time to see birds at Castle Espie is High Tide. Once the water covers all the mudflats, many birds go to roost to rest, before returning to the mudflats once the tide recedes. Lots of waders gather on the Pier. Ducks, like Teal, prefer to roost on
18 October 2021
Recent Sightings - 11th October 2021
Migrating birds are well and truly here now! Over a thousand Brent are being seen every day and waders numbers are beginning to build; 170 Curlew were seen at one point over the weekend. Golden Plover are being seen with Lapwing out on the estuary too. We
11 October 2021
Recent Sightings 4th October 2021
The following sightings were taken yesterday from the reserve at Castle Espie during a rising tide. Brent numbers continue to swell and they are the dominant sound on the estuary presently. In addition to the Brent, other geese species including the Gre
5 October 2021
Recent Sightings - 27th September 2021
The Brent are back! Large flocks of Brent are being seen are being seen on a daily a basis out on the estuary. The best time to see them is 2 hour before high tide, when the tide pushes them in close to the shore to feed. At this time, if your quiet you c
28 September 2021
A Portrait with a View
Castle Espie unveils stunning 'Paddy' portrait by Colin Davidson
8 September 2021
Recent Sightings 6th September 2021
The following sightings were taken yesterday from the reserve at Castle Espie during a rising tide. With the arrival of the first Brent to the shores of Strangford Lough, there is a definite feel that the winter season has started. The change in seasons
7 September 2021
Recent Sightings 30th Aug 2021
The following sightings were taken yesterday from the reserve at Castle Espie during low tide. We still anticipate the imminent arrival of the first Brent to the shores of Strangford Lough, and this annual event is always a significant marker in the year
31 August 2021