Sightings - Castle Espie
Recent Sightings - 23rd March 2020
Although Castle Espie is currently closed due to the exceptional circumstances that are affecting us all. Our small team are still providing wonderful care to our captive birds and the reserve team are maintaining the habitats for the vast array of wildli
24 March 2020
Recent Sightings - 16th March 2020
One of our favourite spring features is the roosting Black-tail Godwits. During high tides, the roost together on our marshes and shingle bank in big flocks together. Our biggest count this week was a mixed flock of c.250 Black-tailed godwit and c.100 Kno
16 March 2020
Recent Sightings - 9th March 2020
Spring is definitely closing in in! Our Black-headed Gull colony have started to return again. Overnight the Freshwater Lagoon islands were transformed; one morning they were barren and empty and then the next, were bursting with life and noise. Black-hea
9 March 2020
Recent Sightings - 25th February 2020
Once again, the days are getting longer and the winter is drawing to a close. Very soon lots of the birds that have spent the winter in Strangford Lough will be leaving for their breeding grounds. However over the next couple of weeks, the numbers of thes
25 February 2020
Recent Sightings - 17th February 2020
The storms and heavy rain over these past two weeks have been perfect timed for our Puddle Jumping competition, which runs over this half term week. All the puddles are great fun for us to splash around in, but they are also great for the wildlife on the
17 February 2020
Recent Sightings - 10th February 2020
Storm Ciara is a nightmare if you're a wading bird. Being so small and light, you'll get blown all over the place when you move from your roost to your preferred feeding grounds. However, whenever waders do decide to take to the air, they produce some mag
10 February 2020
Recent Sightings - 3rd February 2020
Black-tailed godwits numbers are beginning to build again on the reserve. The sub species of Black-tailed godwits that are seen on Strangford Lough breed in Iceland and spend the winter in the UK and Ireland. They can be seen all through the winter on the
3 February 2020
Recent Sightings - 27th January 2020
You may be forgiven for thinking it is spring at the reserve in the last week, with the warmer than usual temperatures and the sound of the Song Thrush in the brickworks, Limestone Lake area. One particular bird is in full chorus with its astonishing rep
27 January 2020
Recent Sightings - 20th January 2020
One of the real joys at Castle Espie is being able to watch the tide come in. Or rather, how the birds behaviour changes with the tide. Wildfowl and waders will use the mudflats and the wee rivers to feed when the tide is out. As the tide comes in, the bi
20 January 2020
Recent Sightings - 13th January 2020
Another really blustery day here, and lots of small passerines are taking sheltered in the woodland. Small flocks of goldfinch are chittering in the tree-tops and our infrequently visiting flock of Bullfinch have returned to take refuge. Beautiful birds a
13 January 2020
Recent Sightings - 6th January 2020
An awfully blustery day this morning! The heavy rain and high winds had birds hunkering down on the edge our lakes for shelter and large flocks of Lapwing and Golden Plover were seen struggling to fly overhead; a chaotic aerial display of sorts. In our 25
6 January 2020
Recent Sightings - 30th December 2019
With the passing of another year, lets take a moment a relive some of the bird highlights at Castle Espie in 2019! It's been quite a year with large flocks of passing migrants, infrequent visitors becoming regular features, remarkable breeding successes a
30 December 2019
Recent Sightings - 23rd December 2019
A common winter sight at Castle Epsie is the subtly beautiful Greenshank. Long slender green legs, olive brown wings and bright white belly, make them stand out even at a distance on the mudflats and the Wadermarsh. Their bright bellies and understated co
23 December 2019
Recent Sightings - 15th December 2019
Frosty mornings have given us some beautiful winter scenes and the clear light has given us some excellent opportunities to view wildlife on the reserve. A regular visitor to the reserve as of late has been the charismatic little stonechat.
16 December 2019
Recent Sightings - 2nd December 2019
With all trees now bare, winter is a great time of year to watch our small woodland birds. Diminutive but yet beautiful Tits and finches; darting from branch to branch, and tree to tree, searching for food. The Treecreepers are showing really well around
2 December 2019