← Back🦉 Nature reserve

Birnie and Gaddon Lochs

28 ha

BirdsWildlifeSeasonal

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome28 ha

Getting here

56.30091, -3.15579

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
🐕Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails
☕Africafé — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
🐕Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails
☕Africafé — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

CaféParking

Best for

9 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Nature reserve; Birds — Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Mallard +45 more · last seen 2026

Free

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Gorse, Ribwort Plantain, Ivy · last seen 2026

Free

Dog walks

Strong match

Dogs allowed — nature reserve

Free

Farm visits

Strong match

Zoo or animal collection nearby

Varies

Forest walks

Strong match

Nature reserve

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚴

Cycling

7 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

EuroVelo 12 - North Sea Cycle Route - part United Kingdom 7Cycling route

Named routeRef EV12International cycle route

Kingdom Cycle RouteCycling route

Named routeRound tripRegional cycle route

NCN 1 Loch Leven to DundeeCycling route

Named routeRef 1National Cycle Network

Main RouteCycling route199 m

Named routeRef 1Length 199 mNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route6.2 km

Named routeRef 1Length 6.2 kmNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route1.5 km

Named routeRef 1Length 1.5 kmNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface asphalt

About this nature reserve

Birnie and Gaddon Lochs is a local nature reserve spanning 28 hectares in Fife, Mid Scotland and Fife. The lochs attract a variety of waterfowl, making it ideal for birdwatching, while also providing scenic walking routes around its shores.

Wildlife to spot

28,296 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

28,296 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds48 species

winter

2026

Mute Swan · Greylag Goose · Mallard · Carrion Crow · Wigeon +43

Mute SwanCygnus olor
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
WigeonMareca penelope2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Great White EgretArdea alba2025
Great TitParus major2025
CootFulica atra2025
TealAnas crecca2025
MagpiePica pica2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
ShovelerSpatula clypeata2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
GreenshankTringa nebularia2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
GadwallMareca strepera2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2025
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
MerlinFalco columbarius2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025

🦌

Mammals3 species

spring

2026

American Mink · Grey Squirrel · Red Squirrel

American MinkNeovison vison
Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2025
Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris2025

🌿

Plants3 species

winter

2026

Gorse · Ribwort Plantain · Ivy

GorseUlex europaeus
Ribwort PlantainPlantago lanceolata
IvyHedera helix

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

28,296 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds48 species

winter

2026

Mute Swan · Greylag Goose · Mallard · Carrion Crow · Wigeon +43

Mute SwanCygnus olor
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
WigeonMareca penelope2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
GoosanderMergus merganser2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Great White EgretArdea alba2025
Great TitParus major2025
CootFulica atra2025
TealAnas crecca2025
MagpiePica pica2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
ShovelerSpatula clypeata2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
GreenshankTringa nebularia2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
GadwallMareca strepera2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris2025
Lesser RedpollAcanthis flammea cabaret2025
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2025
TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
MerlinFalco columbarius2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025

🦌

Mammals3 species

spring

2026

American Mink · Grey Squirrel · Red Squirrel

American MinkNeovison vison
Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2025
Red SquirrelSciurus vulgaris2025

🌿

Plants3 species

winter

2026

Gorse · Ribwort Plantain · Ivy

GorseUlex europaeus
Ribwort PlantainPlantago lanceolata
IvyHedera helix

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 James Allan · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Loch Birnie and Loch Gaddon

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🐄Fife ZooVisitor farm200 m→🌱Victoria Public ParkUrban park2.8 km→🌱Letham ParkUrban park2.9 km→🐄Scottish Deer CentreVisitor farm4.3 km→🌱Monimal Tower Project GardenUrban park1.9 km→⛪Auchtermuchty Parish ChurchReligious grounds4.8 km→

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