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  • Loch of Strathbeg

Loch of Strathbeg

All covid rules and restrictions have now been lifted in Scotland. We will continue to make our reserves and centres as safe as possible for all. Please help protect yourself and each other by using covid sense, washing or sanitising your hands, wearing masks if appropriate and giving everyone space to enjoy their day. Thank you and we hope you enjoy your visit.
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Address
RSPB Scotland Loch of Strathbeg, Starnafin, Crimond AB43 8QN
Grid ref
NK055577
What3Words
shops.fallback.storyline
Covid-19 updates for RSPB nature reserves

As Britain's largest dune loch, Strathbeg is a vital wintering and staging post for up to a fifth of the world's pink-footed geese. It's also home to a wide variety of wetland wildlife, such as breeding terns and gulls, migrating waders and wintering wildfowl.

Plan your visit

Opening times

Visitor Centre open every day from 9am - 5pm. The paths and wider reserve are open at all times.

Entrance charges

Free entrance to RSPB members
Yes
Adults
Free, but donations are very welcome.
Children
Free, but donations are very welcome.
Car park cost

Free

Facilities

  • Visitor centre
  • Car park
  • Toilets
  • Accessible toilets
  • Refreshments facilities are closed
  • Picnic area
  • Guided walks is closed
  • Viewing point
  • Nature trails
  • Educational facilities are closed

Accessibility

  • Full accessibility information (external website)

How to get here

By train

Most accessible railway station is 38 miles (61 km) away in Aberdeen.

By bus

Nearest bus stop is in Crimond village. In the village, walk towards the church. Beside the church is a small road with a brown nature reserve sign.

By road

From A90 in the village of Crimond, take the turn beside Kirk, following the brown tourist sign to nature reserve. At the T-junction at the end of the road, turn left. After approximately 500 m, turn right at reserve entrance.

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Get directions from Google Maps
View on What3Words
RSPB reserves on Google Earth

Group booking information

Groups are welcome. Please ring in advance if advice or staff assistance is required. 

Schools booking information

Any enquiries should be made to the East Scotland Regional Office, 01224 624824, email: esro@rspb.org.uk

Contact Loch of Strathbeg

  • RSPB Scotland Loch of Strathbeg, Starnafin, Crimond AB43 8QN
  • strathbeg@rspb.org.uk
  • 01346 532017
  • Find us on facebook

What will you see?

Our star species

    Common tern

    Common tern

    Watch common terns raising their young on the island in spring and summer.

    Pink-footed goose

    Pink-footed goose

    Up to one fifth of the world population assemble here from late September to March.

    Tree sparrow

    Tree sparrow

    Subtly different from the house sparrow, tree sparrows are much less common.

    Whooper swan

    Whooper swan

    Whooper swans arrive here in late autumn from Iceland where they spend the summer.

Recent sightings

Whooper swan

Find out about recent wildlife sightings at Loch of Strathbeg.

Read more

Seasonal highlights

  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Autumn
  • Winter

The changeover of the birds as geese and waders give way to terns, gulls and warblers.

The dunes are in bloom with pansies and violets.

The return of the geese, with huge flocks coming in to roost.

Flocks of waders and the possibility of otters foraging on the ice.

About Loch of Strathbeg

Habitat

Loch of Strathbeg is a site of international importance comprising a shallow freshwater loch with surrounding wetland, dunes and grassland. It provides wintering habitat for a number of important wetland bird species, particularly wildfowl. In spring, the site has a diversity of breeding birds. Strathbeg is one of the best-known localities for migrant birds in Scotland and adjacent fields and pools provide important roosting and feeding sites for geese.

Conservation

  • Working for wildfowl - We're working to maintain an annual population of at least 20,000 wintering wildfowl, including whooper swans, pink-footed geese and teals. Grazing and water level controls help us maintain a suitable balance of open water and grassland.
  • Other habitats - We're improving the wet grassland for breeding waders, including lapwings and redshanks, by maintaining a low sward, controlling scrub and rushes, and managing seasonal flooding. Work includes grazing, upgrading sluices and clearing invasive plants. We are also managing dry grassland for wintering geese and farmland birds, by rotating grassland and arable, and maintaining hedgerows and margins.
  • Monitoring - We're monitoring all species and habitats to inform our management. This includes winter wildfowl counts and standard monitoring of other birds. We also monitor key mammal, fish and plant species, plus water levels, sward height and soil quality.
  • Restoration - Here at the Loch of Strathbeg, we're restoring 22 hectares of fen meadow through a mixture of mechanical cutting and grazing by our herd of Konik ponies. The meadow had become dominated by soft rush - the ponies eat the rush making room for smaller, more delicate flowering plants.

Partners

We'd like to offer a big thanks to:

  • The European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas - For helping us to manage the reserve for breeding and wintering birds.
  • Save our Magnificent Meadows, Heritage Lottery Fund and Plantlife - For helping us to restore the Fen Meadow on Mosstown Marsh through Save our Magnificent Meadows (2014 - 17)
  • Scottish Natural Heritage - For their contribution to everything we do.
  • Gillman Trusts - For all their help and support.
  • Coastal Communities Fund - For their contribution to our upgraded volunteer accommodation and Visitor Centre in 2015-16. 
  • RSPB Aberdeen & District Local Group and Friends of Strathbeg - For their significant contributions and support to the reserve over many years.
The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development
Save our magnificent meadows
Heritage Lottery Fund
Plantlife
Scottish Natural Heritage
Coastal communities fund

Site information

The Loch of Strathbeg reserve covers 894ha, of which 473ha is a designated SPA/RAMSAR site for wildlife, primarily geese and swans, and 740ha is SSSI, for both wildlife and geological reasons.

Sand dunes and coastal features comprise 43 per cent, 29 per cent is surrounding grassland and 24 per cent open water and wetland or reedbeds.

The RSPB took over the original element of the site in 1973, and has since purchased the fields around Savoch, Mosstown and Netherton.

Please note there are livestock on this site and you may encounter them on your visit here.

RSPB Scotland welcomes responsible access, in line with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

Latest forum posts

  • 2021 Year List

    If you spot anything missing, please let us know! Strathbeg@rspb.org.uk 1. whooper swan 2. wigeon  3. teal 4. mallard 5. black-headed gull 6. pink-footed goose 7. starling 8. moorhen 9. little egret 10. blackbird 11. goldfinch 12. tree sparrow 13. bl...

    Posted 14/08/2021 by Lorna Dow
  • cattle egret

    Cattle Egret on Thursday 3rd September. First for the region

    Posted 07/09/2020 by Mark
  • Access to Reserve during Track Repairs 24 February onwards

    Starting from 24 February, work will take place to repair and resurface the worst section of the track - this will take around three days and is weather dependent, so we can't predict exactly when it will start - at the moment this is 24 Feb for arou...

    Posted 19/02/2020 by Kath Hamper
  • 2020 Year list

    Kicking off the New Year: 1. carrion crow (1 Jan) 2. stonechat 3. woodpigeon 4. tree sparrow 5,=. goldfinch 6. black-headed gull 7. mute swan 8. lapwing 9. curlew 10. pink-footed goose 11. blackbird 12. chaffinch 13. great tit 14. blue tit 15. wren 1...

    Posted 08/01/2020 by Kath Hamper
read our forum

Latest blog posts

  • 5 months at Strathbeg

    Naomi High spent the winter as a residential volunteer at Loch of Strathbeg with us and she reflected on her time spent here in the blog below: I have spent the past 5 months volunteering and living at Strathbeg and have gotten stuck into all aspects...

    Posted 13/03/2022 by Lorna Dow
  • recent sightings 14/10/2021 - 03/11/2021

    Here are some sightings from the Loch of Strathbeg reserve from the last night three weeks. Dates shown are the most recent recorded for each species: - Marsh harrier (03/11/2021) - Little egret (03/11/2021) - 4 birds - Snow bunting (03/11/2021) - 1 ...

    Posted 03/11/2021 by Kat S
  • Recent sightings: 30/09/2021 - 13/10/2021

    Here are some sightings from the Loch of Strathbeg reserve from the last fortnight. Dates shown are the most recent recorded for each species: - Greater yellowlegs (13/10/2021): seen daily since 28/09/2021 - Lesser yellowlegs (13/10/2021): seen daily...

    Posted 13/10/2021 by Kat S
  • Recent Sightings: 16/09/2021 - 29/09/2021

    Here are some sightings from the Loch of Strathbeg reserve from the last fortnight. Dates shown are the most recent recorded for each species: Greater yellowlegs. Photo by Kat Suchecka - Greater yellowlegs (29/09/2021)  - Arrived on 28/09/2021 and st...

    Posted 29/09/2021 by Kat S
read our blog

Activities and events

Activities for children and families

The reserve holds a number of family and children events. There is also an area for younger children in the visitor centre with colouring activities and puzzle sheets.

For more information on events and to book tickets, please visit events.rspb.org.uk/lochofstrathbeg

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