Castle Espie
The Atlantic sea meadows, mudflats and eel-grass mats at WWT Castle Espie make it a winter feeding ground for up to 20,000 light-bellied Brent geese from Arctic Canada and many hundreds of other waterbirds, including whooper swans, several species of ducks, oystercatchers, plovers, black tailed godwit and redshank.
A rare and special feature is the Limekiln Lagoon - a shallow coastal lake, classed a priority habitat under European law, which supports a large variety of plants and where otters are sometimes seen.
The combined natural riches of the lagoon, the foreshore and the adjoining calcareous grassland have earned the location multiple international designations, among them Ramsar and SSSI ranking, and protection as a Marine Nature Reserve, National Nature Reserve and Special Area of Conservation.
Castle Espie is justly famous for the number and range of visiting and breeding waterbirds in evidence from its two hides, one overlooking Strangford Lough, the other opening on to the tidal lagoon.
Depending on the time of year, visitors can hope to see 50 or more types of wader, dabbler or hunter - some in vast flocks, others scarce and unusual.
But field, hedgerow and woodland birds are also plentiful; badgers and foxes are often seen beyond the predator-proof fence; at least four species of bat catch insects above the lakes; signs of a pygmy shrew colony have been found and over 200 species of moth have been recorded.
Castle Espie is also home to many scarce rushes, grasses, seaweeds and wildflowers. Much of the flora have highly evocative names, such as quaking grass (Briza media), upright brome (Bromus erectus), the northern marsh orchid (Dactylorhiza purpurella) and fairy flax (Linum catharticum).
Photo credit: Richie L.
Don’t miss...
- 1
- 1