← Back🦉 Nature reserve

Findhorn Bay

842 ha

📷 Alan Hodgson · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

WildlifeBirdsSeasonal

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome842 ha

Getting here

57.64394, -3.61043

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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
🅿️Parking nearby — easy to reach by car

🌤️ 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
🅿️Parking nearby — easy to reach by car

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

Parking· Paid

Best for

7 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Oystercatcher, Pink-footed Goose, Redshank +76 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Oystercatcher, Pink-footed Goose, Redshank +76 more · last seen 2026

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Crested Dog's-tail, Sea Plantain, Gorse +17 more · last seen 2025; Plants — Crested Dog's-tail, Sea Plantain, Gorse +17 more · last seen 2025

Free

Dog walks

Strong match

Dogs allowed — nature reserve

Free

Forest walks

Strong match

Nature reserve

Free

Foraging

Good match

Plants — Rowan, Bramble, Common Nettle

Varies

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

2 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Moray Coast TrailWalking route72 km

Named routeLength 72 kmPoint-to-pointNational walking route

Dava WayWalking route38 km

Named routeLength 38 kmPoint-to-pointNational walking route

🚴

Cycling

29 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

NCN 1 Dundee to TainCycling route

Named routeRef 1Point-to-pointNational Cycle Network

EuroVelo 1 - Atlantic Coast Route - part United Kingdom 1Cycling route

Named routeRef EV1International cycle route

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

Named routeRef EV12International cycle route

Route 1Cycling route

Named routeRef 1National Cycle Network

Main RouteCycling route3.1 km

Named routeRef 1Length 3.1 kmNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

Main RouteCycling route1.4 km

Named routeRef 1Length 1.4 kmNational Cycle NetworkOn-roadSurface asphalt

About this nature reserve

Findhorn Bay is a 842-hectare Local Nature Reserve in Scotland. It includes salt marshes and sandy beaches that support rich wildlife, especially coastal birds, and offers nature trails for visitors.

Wildlife to spot

23,074 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

23,074 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds49 species

winter

2026

Oystercatcher · Redshank · Shelduck · Little Grebe · Curlew +44

OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
RedshankTringa totanus2025
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
KnotCalidris canutus2025
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
DunlinCalidris alpina2025
WigeonMareca penelope2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
TurnstoneArenaria interpres2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponica2025
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2025
EiderSomateria mollissima2025
MagpiePica pica2025
ShovelerSpatula clypeata2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
WoodcockScolopax rusticola
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
Carrion/Hooded Crow HybridCorvus corone x cornix2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2025
Rock PipitAnthus petrosus2025
GreenshankTringa nebularia2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
SanderlingCalidris alba2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
MerlinFalco columbarius2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025

🦌

Mammals3 species

winter

2025

Harbour Seal · Grey Seal · Rabbit

Harbour SealPhoca vitulina
Grey SealHalichoerus grypus
RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

23,074 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds49 species

winter

2026

Oystercatcher · Redshank · Shelduck · Little Grebe · Curlew +44

OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus2025
RedshankTringa totanus2025
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
CurlewNumenius arquata2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchus2025
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
KnotCalidris canutus2025
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
DunlinCalidris alpina2025
WigeonMareca penelope2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
TurnstoneArenaria interpres2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
TealAnas crecca2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponica2025
Golden PloverPluvialis apricaria2025
EiderSomateria mollissima2025
MagpiePica pica2025
ShovelerSpatula clypeata2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
WoodcockScolopax rusticola
Mute SwanCygnus olor2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
Carrion/Hooded Crow HybridCorvus corone x cornix2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
CrossbillLoxia curvirostra2025
Rock PipitAnthus petrosus2025
GreenshankTringa nebularia2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
SanderlingCalidris alba2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
MerlinFalco columbarius2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025

🦌

Mammals3 species

winter

2025

Harbour Seal · Grey Seal · Rabbit

Harbour SealPhoca vitulina
Grey SealHalichoerus grypus
RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Alan Hodgson · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Findhorn Bay

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Grant ParkUrban park3.7 km→🌱Grant ParkUrban park3.6 km→🌱Grant ParkUrban park3.7 km→🌱Mannachie ParkUrban park4.9 km→🌱Market GreenUrban park3.7 km→🌱Roysvale ParkUrban park4.3 km→

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