If you’ve never visited the RSPB’s nature reserve right in the heart of bustling Belfast Harbour then prepared to be WOWed!
After an extensive programme of works, the newly refurbished Window on Wildlife (WOW) reopens very soon and visitors will be able to enjoy improved views of Belfast Lough and the birds and wildlife which call the reserve home.
As a charity, we're reliant on donations from members and supporters to help run this fantastic site. To help this we will be introducing a small entry charge at Belfast WOW. You can easily become a member - just ask the team at Belfast WOW. You can then enjoy free access to Belfast WOW, as well as all the other benefits of that RSPB membership brings. If you are already an RSPB member and have lost your card, email us or call 01767 693680 to have a replacement card sent to you.
Just ten minutes from Belfast city centre, and a few minutes from Holywood Exchange and IKEA Belfast, Belfast WOW gives you the chance to see nature in an urban setting at incredibly close quarters.
Read on to find out more about what you can see at the reserve...
At this time of year the reserve is bustling with wintering wildfowl like widgeon, teal and shelduck but don’t worry if you’re not an ID expert - trained staff and volunteers are on hand to help you identify what you see.
As you look out over the reserve towards the Belfast hills, you might even spot two of the reserves most-loved non-avian residents - konik ponies which graze the reserve to help keep it in optimum condition for ground-nesting birds like lapwing.
As well two new hides, which are constructed from shipping containers to tie in with their industrial surroundings, the reserve now boasts a new sand martin bank and a swift tower.
These structures will provide cosy hideaways for these threatened species to nest in when they arrive on these shores in spring, having travelled thousands of miles from Africa.
With lots more indoor space, including a community room and refreshment area, the visitor centre is also now full of interactive interpretation for all the family, including information on the rich history of the harbour and the formation of the reserve back in 1998.
To be the first to find out when the reserve will be opening, visit our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter.
We are very grateful to the European Regional Development Fund administered by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Belfast Harbour Commission and the Alpha Programme administered by Groundwork NI for helping us to fund this project.