Probus members enjoy outing to Castle Espie

EIGHTY years to the day when Allied Troops stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, members of Omagh Men’s and Ladies Probus Clubs headed for the shores of Strangford Lough on a visit to the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust Centre at Castle Espie, Comber, Co Down.

Seated comfortably on a luxury coach provided by Lynch Travel, Castlederg, the 30-strong party departed Omagh at 10am.

Following a brief stop at Oxford Island Discovery Centre, just to break the journey, the group arrived at Castle Espie at 12.45pm. Over refreshments in the café, the party received an introductory talk about the Reserve before leaving on a tour of the site led by Brigid Watson, whose CV includes a spell as Head of Geography in CBS Omagh.

The reserve is home to a wide variety of waterfowl species – ducks, geese, swans, gulls, moorhens, coots, curlews, egrets, herons and more.

Each autumn, over 16,000 Brent Geese – about 70 per-cent of the European population – arrive from Northern Canada to spend the winter on Strangford Lough.

The geese are not the only migratory birds to touch down in Castle Espie, their overall numbers and the variety of species making the reserve very popular with Northern Ireland’s ornithologists.

Castle Espie works closely with the Slimbridge Nature Reserve in Gloustershire to ensure the survival of endangered species, with some notable successes in saving birds from the verge of extinction.

On the way home, the party stopped off at Canavan’s Restaurant, Garvaghey, for an evening meal, a convivial event which rounded off an outing thoroughly enjoyed by members and guests alike.

Both clubs take a break over the summer and resume activities in the autumn. Both are open to retired or semi-retired persons and new members are very welcome.

l For more information visit www.omaghprobusclub.org.uk