Situated 2km southeast of Comber, off the Downpatrick road (A22), Castle Espie reserve is a haven for huge flocks of geese, ducks and swans. The landscaped grounds are dotted with birdwatching hides, and a paradise for fledgling naturalists, with family bird-feeding and pond-dipping sessions.
The best months to visit are May and June, when it's overrun with goslings, ducklings and cygnets, and October, when vast flocks of 30,000 light-bellied brent geese (75% of the world's population) arrive from Arctic Canada.
