News

Volunteers’ Week: Learning Team help over 1,600 NI schoolchildren connect with nature

Volunteers’ Week: Learning Team help over 1,600 NI schoolchildren connect with nature

It’s Volunteers’ Week, and we’re celebrating the achievements of our Learning Team at Castle Espie, made possible by amazing support from volunteers! Through Generation Wild, a project spearheaded by WWT, 15,474 nature activities have been comple

3 June 2024

Call to clean up Lough Neagh

Call to clean up Lough Neagh

As a charity who campaigns for healthy wetlands, we are calling for immediate action to clean up Lough Neagh, one of the UK’s most important wetlands, providing 40% of Northern Ireland’s drinking water. Healthy wetlands, such as lakes, rivers a

22 September 2023

New EV charge points at WWT Castle Espie

New EV charge points at WWT Castle Espie

There are now around 660,000 electric vehicles on the UK roads and 445,000 plug in hybrids. 1 in 6 new cars purchased in the UK in 2022 was an all electric. The RAC estimates that around 80% of electrical vehicle charging happens at home but public charge

6 September 2023

WWT Castle Espie calls on NI nature lovers to make a big splash for wildlife

WWT Castle Espie calls on NI nature lovers to make a big splash for wildlife

From drainpipe wetlands to bogs in backyards, WWT Castle Espie is encouraging everyone in Northern Ireland to make a big splash for nature by building nature-rich mini-wetlands where they live, no matter how small or how built up the area. The charity is

27 July 2023

Your guide to a rainy-day adventure at Castle Espie

Your guide to a rainy-day adventure at Castle Espie

Your guide to a rainy-day adventure at Castle Espie

21 July 2023

Environmental management certification awarded to WWT Castle Espie

Environmental management certification awarded to WWT Castle Espie

We are delighted to announce that Castle Espie are the first centre in the WWT to be awarded the prestigious ISO 14001 certification for Environmental Management.

13 July 2023

Become a Wetlands detective this Easter at Castle Espie

Become a Wetlands detective this Easter at Castle Espie

Join WWT Castle Espie for a quacking family day out as a Wetland Detective 6th -16th April, 11 - 1pm and 2 - 4pm each day. Explore, discover, put your senses to the test to succeed and complete the trail this Easter. Investigate underwater mysteries, fo

31 March 2023

Castle Espie to host BBC Two's Autumnwatch 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

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

Fall for nature’s spectacle at WWT Castle Espie this Autumn

Fall for nature’s spectacle at WWT Castle Espie this Autumn

Just as wetlands offer sanctuary to thousands of animals over the colder months, they also make the perfect place to safely escape the everyday and appreciate one of nature’s greatest shows - autumn.

14 October 2020

Vote to ban lead ammunition shot down again as dirty tricks prevail

Vote to ban lead ammunition shot down again as dirty tricks prevail

Lead ban on hold yet again as last minute objection derails plans.

15 July 2020

Today's Sightings

Today's Sightings

Bewick’s swan Mute swan Whooper swan Canada goose Greylag goose White-fronted goose Gadwall Goldeneye Mallard Pintail Pochard Teal Tufted duck Shelduck Shoveler Wigeon Cattle egret Crane Great egret Little egret Cormorant Coot Moorhen Black-tailed godwi

16 January 2019

Wildlife sightings 16/01/19

Wildlife sightings 16/01/19

a.m. mid/high tide Wader Lake Grey heron 3 Shoveler 4 male, 1 female Mute swan 2 Shelduck 9 Tufted duck Water rail (heard at Prince's Trust hide) Teal 15 Saline lagoon Teal 3 Hawthorn Wood Lesser redpoll 4 Mealy redpoll Brambling 10 Nuthatch Treecreeper G

16 January 2019

Chiffchaff overwintering in Wildside

Chiffchaff overwintering in Wildside

1 Bittern - main lake 4 Pintail - main lake, reservoir lagoon 1 Water Pipit - grazing marsh 1 Shelduck - main lake 4 Snipe - wader scrape 1 Chiffchaff - Wildside   January bird highlights: Shelduck, Goldeneye, Bittern, Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit,

16 January 2019

Great Whites

Great Whites

Martin Smith Hide Chiffchaff calling from the nearby trees, two birds have been seen here lately and are probably roosting in the ivy. The Jack Snipe made another appearance along with 5 Common Snipe, if you don't see it first time it's well worth return

15 January 2019