WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre

12/06/2026

Less than 3 weeks to go until Dragonfly Festival at Castle Espie! ✨🐉 Get ready for a summer packed with dragonfly-themed arts & crafts, weekly pond dipping, live music, circus performers and plenty of family fun in nature. 🌿

📅 Starts 30 June
📍 WWT Castle Espie

Who’s joining us this summer?

11/06/2026

Happy World Saltmarsh Day! 💚🌿

Saltmarshes are some of our most valuable wetlands -they provide a vital home for wildlife, store carbon, help to reduce flooding and support incredible biodiversity.

We're lucky to be surrounded by habitats that connect with the wider wetland landscape of Strangford Lough, where saltmarshes play an important role for many species of birds, plants and invertebrates.

Did you know that saltmarshes are often called the "rainforests of the coast" because of the rich variety of life they support? 🦆🦋🌱

Discover more about these remarkable habitats and the amazing wildlife they support in WWT's latest blog:

👉 https://www.wwt.org.uk/discover-wetlands/blog/the-amazing-biodiversity-of-saltmarshes

From the tiniest marine worm to the most spectacular flock of waders, saltmarshes support a huge abundance of biodiversity around the world. Read on to discover some of these remarkable species, and how WWT is shining a light on this understudied habitat.

10/06/2026

Just a wee wood mouse stopping by your feed to brighten your day 🐭💚🥺

These tiny mammals are expert climbers, great foragers and an important part of our wetland ecosystems.

Have you ever spotted one at Castle Espie?

📸 Jonny Clark

09/06/2026

🌍 We're finalists!

WWT has been shortlisted for Best Geography Learning Experience in the School Travel Awards 2026.

Teachers, we'd love your vote:
https://www.schooltravelorganiser.com/school-travel-awards

🗳️ Voting closes 31 July.

08/06/2026

Nest-building season is serious business. This House Sparrow appears to have found the perfect soft furnishing -a large white feather for a cosy new home. 🪺

07/06/2026

Just over 3 weeks to go! 🌻

Our Dragonfly Festival at WWT Castle Espie is just around the corner 💚

Get ready for a summer of family fun from dragonfly-inspired trails and creative workshops to pond dipping, live music and more -all set in the beautiful wetlands of Strangford Lough. 🌍

Stay tuned… the magic starts soon 🐉✨

06/06/2026

Did you know that terns are one of Strangford Lough's most important breeding seabirds?

These elegant birds have faced challenges in recent years, including storms, disturbance, predation and the loss of suitable nesting habitat.

We've deployed a number of artificial nesting rafts across the water bodies at Castle Espie to help support breeding terns. These floating platforms provide a safer, predator-free and flood-resistant place for birds to nest and raise their chicks.

On your next visit, keep your eyes peeled - you might just spot a tern making itself at home on one of the rafts. 🪺👀

📷 Jonny Clark

05/06/2026

It's Volunteers' Week! 💚

Today we're celebrating the 48 incredible volunteers who help make WWT Castle Espie such a special place. From maintaining our grounds to supporting events and our café, we really couldn't do it without them.

Meet two of our brilliant volunteers, Kim and Andrew and discover what volunteering means to them 👇

https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/castle-espie/news/celebrating-our-wonderful-volunteers-during-volunteers-week

04/06/2026

A glimpse into recent family life at Castle Espie...
This photo shows a Mistle Thrush at the nest, with a young chick just visible below. Since the image was taken, the chick has successfully fledged and the nest is now empty.

Mistle Thrushes are one of the UK's largest thrush species and are known for their loud song- often heard even in unsettled weather.

📷 Photograph taken under licence by Jonny Clark.