News
Recent Sightings 12th July 2021
The following sightings were taken on Monday from the reserve at Castle Espie during low tide. The reserve is now relatively quiet compared to the last few months with most of the Black-headed gulls and terns now vacated their nesting areas.The Terns can
13 July 2021
Recent Sightings - 5th July 2021
At this time of year, get down to Castle Espie at high tide, to see one of our summer spectacles, the Oystercatcher roost. Oystercatchers are a very striking medium sized bird; with a black back and white belly, a long carrot-orange beak and long pink leg
5 July 2021
Recent Sightings 28th June 2021
The following sightings were taken on Monday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a receding tide. A regular and common site currently on the Crannóg is the Moorhen family, sometimes referred to as ‘Waterhens’ or ‘Swamp chickens’. These birds ca
29 June 2021
Recent Sightings 21st June 2021
The following sightings were taken on Monday from the reserve at Castle Espie at high tide. A breezy start to the week saw lots of gulls in the air around the reserve. Gulls have been a familiar feature on the reserve at Castle Epsie for a number of yea
21 June 2021
Recent Sightings 14th June 2021
The following sightings were taken on Monday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a low tide. The male Shoveler has now been joined by another on the Freshwater lagoon. In addition to these ducks there are also Teal, Tufted, Gadwall and Mallard, with the
17 June 2021
Recent Sightings 7th June 2021
The following sightings were taken on Monday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a rising tide. A drake Shoveler were spotted on the Freshwater lagoon. This duck is mainly a winter visitor and now breeds in only small numbers, having experienced a massi
7 June 2021
Recent Sightings 31st May 2021
The following sightings were taken on Monday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a receding tide. The warmer weather has seen a lot of the birds loafing in various areas around the reserve including the Shingle bank. Oystercatcher continue to come into th
1 June 2021
Recent Sightings 24th May 2021
The following sightings were taken on Monday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a rising tide. The breeding season continues across the reserve with many birds now on eggs or busily feeding their young. In addition to the noisy nesting gulls, there area
25 May 2021
Recent Sightings 17th May 2021
The following sightings were taken on Monday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a receding tide. A pair of Sandwich Terns have joined the Black-headed gulls and the Common terns on the island in the Saline lagoon. Sandwich terns nest on the wider lough
18 May 2021
WWT Castle Espie to host BBC Two's Springwatch 2021
WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre in Co. Down has been selected as one of three live locations across the UK to host BBC Two’s popular wildlife programme Springwatch.
18 May 2021
Recent Sightings - 10th May 2021
The following sightings were taken on Monday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a rising tide. The Common Terns are now showing interest in the island on the Saline lagoon and we hope they will settle and start to nest soon. A pair of Mediterranean gul
11 May 2021
Recent Sightings - 03th May 2021
The following sightings were taken on Monday from the reserve at Castle Espie on an ebbing tide. Despite the strong winds and rain over the bank holiday, the Sedge warbler could be seen, and heard high in the willows near the Peninsula field lookout. Th
4 May 2021
Recent Sightings - 26th April 2021
The following sightings were taken on Monday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a rising tide. There are 2 pairs of Shelduck on the reserve presently, and this a species we are lucky to see all year around. We enjoy large flocks of birds on the estuary
27 April 2021
WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre ready to welcome visitors back on 23 April
Visitors will soon be able to find solace from the latest lockdown by getting out into the 60 acres of big skies and beautiful wetland nature at WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre which re-opens this Friday 23 April.
20 April 2021
Recent Sightings - 19th April 2021
The following sightings were taken on Monday from the reserve at Castle Espie on a low tide. An improvement in the weather has spurred a lot of birds on with breeding activities, with many species, across much of the habitats at Castle Espie busy singing
20 April 2021