RSPB - giving nature a home
Search
Close
Skip to content
Shop | Community
Log in | Sign up
  • About the RSPB
      About us
    • Our History
    • What we do
    • How the RSPB is run
    • RSPB Media Centre
    • RSPB job vacancies
    • At home & abroad
    • International
    • England
    • Northern Ireland
    • Scotland
    • Wales
    • Get in touch
    • Contact us
    • RSPB offices
    • Connect with us your way
      Our activities
    • Gardening for wildlife

      Gardening for wildlife

      See our ideas to keep you connected to nature during coronavirus

    • Connect with us your way

      Connect with us your way

      From our regular emails to your favourite social media, there’s more than one way to keep in touch with nature

    • Our History

      Our History

      Discover how a campaign against feathers in fashion sparked a global force to save nature with more than a million members

  • Our work
      Nature conservation
    • Conservation and sustainability
    • Projects
    • Landscape scale conservation
    • Centre for Conservation Science
    • Satellite tracking birds
    • RSPB News
    • RSPB News
    • 'Our work' blog
    • Policy and Insight
    • Policy and Insight: England and Westminster
    • Casework
      Featured news
    • Mindful mornings

      Mindful mornings

      If you can’t get outside, why not bring the outside in by downloading our bird song radio app?

    • How nature can help protect our homes

      How nature can help protect our homes

      Following the floods this winter, watch how one area is using nature as a natural protector.

    • Casework

      Casework

      Catch up with the RSPB’s own nature detectives on the case as they look to save some very special places.

  • Birds and wildlife
      Wildlife guides
    • Identify a bird
    • Bird A-Z
    • Other garden wildlife
    • Guide to birdwatching
    • What is the Red List for UK birds?
    • Nature's Calendar
    • Nature's Home magazine
    • About Nature's Home magazine
    • Birds and wildlife articles
    • RSPB Podcasts
    • Nature's Home blog
    • Birds and Wildlife Advice
    • How you can help birds
    • Gardening for wildlife
    • Ask an expert
    • Wildlife and the law
    • How to report crimes against wild birds
    • Bird songs
    • Which bird song is that?
    • Most popular bird guides this month
    • Bird migration

      Bird migration

      Migrating birds have travelled thousands of miles just to get here. Find out why.

    • Who to contact if you spot an injured or baby bird

      Who to contact if you spot an injured or baby bird

      Read more advice about what to do if you find a bird that needs help

    • In for a duck

      In for a duck

      It’s nesting season for our waterfowl too but what are the rules you need to follow for ducks, geese or swans?

  • Get Involved
      Activities
    • Big Garden Birdwatch
    • Nature on Your Doorstep
    • RSPB Competitions
    • Dolphinwatch
    • #MyClimateAction
    • Community & advice
    • Join our local groups
    • How green are you?
    • RSPB Community
    • Get involved blog
    • Volunteering & fundraising
    • Volunteer
    • Fundraise
    • Help nature thrive as a corporate partner
    • Our grant funders
    • Campaigning
    • Campaigning in Scotland
    • Campaigning in Wales
    • Campaigning in England
    • Campaigning in Northern Ireland
    • The nature and climate emergency
    • Protecting wildlife sites
    • Campaign with us
    • Top activities to do
    • Nature on Your Doorstep

      Nature on Your Doorstep

      Great ideas on how your garden, or even a small backyard or balcony, can become a mini nature reserve

    • How green are you?

      How green are you?

      See some of the ways you can get into green living.

    • Campaigning

      Campaigning

  • Reserves & events
      Reserves A-Z Events Find a reserve
      Top reserves this month
    • Marshside

      Marshside

      This fantastic wetland site is located north of Southport town centre and has some of the best wildlife in the region.

    • Lytchett Fields

      Lytchett Fields

      The reserve has seen more than thirty species of wading birds.

    • Arne

      Arne

      Heathland home to more than 2565 species.

  • Fun & learning
      For teachers
    • Supporting resources
    • Wild Challenge
    • School outreach visits
    • Big Schools Birdwatch
    • Sign up for the newsletter
    • School trip ideas
    • For kids
    • Fun factoids for all the family
    • Games and activities
    • Kids stories
    • RSPB kids competitions
    • For families
    • Big Wild Sleepout
    • Wild Challenge
    • Nature reserves for families
    • Robin Robin
    • Cameron's Cottage
    • Your Support
    • About Cameron's cottage
    • Latest kids' activities
    • Wild Challenge

      Wild Challenge

      Nature is an adventure waiting to be had. Get out, get busy and get wild!

    • Fun factoids for all the family

      Fun factoids for all the family

      Find out more about the nature and wildlife outside your window.

    • Youth membership

      Youth membership

      As well as a free gift and magazines, you’ll get loads of ideas for activities to try at home.

  • Join & Donate
      Join us
    • Choose a membership
    • Family membership
    • Youth membership
    • Gift membership
    • Nature is stronger with you on its side. Become a Life Fellow today.
    • Renew your membership
    • Donate
    • Philanthropy & Major Gifts
    • Our appeals
    • Make a one-off donation
    • Make a regular donation
    • In Memory Donations
    • Plant a celebration tree
    • In Memory Booklet
    • Leave a gift to nature in your Will
    • Why Include a Gift to Nature in Your Will
    • How to Include us in Your Will
    • Information for executors & solicitors
    • Download your free guide
    • Other ways to help
    • Gift Aid
    • Support us when you shop
    • RSPB Images
    • RSPB second-hand binocular scheme
    • Win with the RSPB
    • Payroll Giving
    • Stamp out albatross deaths
  • Login to your account Sign up for an RSPB account
  • Shop
  • Community
  • Home
  • Reserves & events
  • Reserves A-Z
  • Udale Bay

Udale Bay

gallery image
gallery image
gallery image
gallery image
gallery image
gallery image
gallery image
gallery image
gallery image
gallery image
gallery image
gallery image
Address
RSPB Udale Bay, B9163, Jemimaville, Dingwall IV7 8LU
Grid ref
NH712651
What3Words
equipment.cashew.dwarves

This peaceful intertidal bay on the Black Isle is winter home to thousands of waders, ducks and geese. In the autumn, big flocks of migrating wigeons gather in the bay to feed on abundant eelgrass. Ospreys are frequently seen during the summer, fishing in the bay.

Plan your visit

Opening times

The trails and hide are open at this reserve. The Kirkmichael car park and viewing screen remain closed due to ongoing maintenance. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

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

Facilities

  • Car park is closed
  • Viewing point
  • Nature trails

Accessibility

How to get here

By train

Dingwall, 15 miles (25 km).

By bus

Jemimaville, approximately 0.6 mile (1 km) away. From Jemimaville, travel west along the B9163 for approx 0.6 mile (1 km).

By bike

The reserve is near Route 1 of the National Cycle Network.

By road

Travelling north along the A9 from Inverness, turn right onto the B9169 signed to Culbokie. Continue for approximately 9.5 miles (15 km) then round a sharp left bend. Take the next left (B9163) to Cromarty. After approx 0.6 mile (1 km), park in the lay-by on your left.

 

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

Contact Udale Bay

  • RSPB Udale Bay, B9163, Jemimaville, Dingwall IV7 8LU
  • cromartyfirthreserves@rspb.org.uk
  • 01463 715000
  • Find us on facebook

What will you see?

Our star species

    Standing Lapwing illustration

    Lapwing

    Though lapwings don't nest around the bay, you'll see them late into spring before they move inland to breed.

    Pink-footed goose

    Pink-footed goose

    Pink-footed geese assemble here from late September to March. Up to 10,000 pass through on their way north.

    Male scaup

    Scaup

    The nationally important wintering flock is best viewed from the Ivy Cottage car park.

    Redshank, summer plumage

    Redshank

    You can see redshanks throughout the year at Udale Bay.

    Male wigeon

    Wigeon

    During winter, flocks of wigeon are a daily sight - up to 10,000 arrive here in early October during migration!

Seasonal highlights

  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Autumn
  • Winter

The bay becomes quieter as the winter migrants have left for their summer breeding grounds, though pink-footed geese remain into April feeding up on their return migration. The local Highland-breeding waders such as lapwings, redshanks and oystercatcher may be present quite late into the spring.

The bay is quieter but some gulls, waders and ducks remain, following the tide in and out of the bay. Terns are often seen from the Newhall Point car park searching for fish in the Cromarty Firth.

Winter migrants begin to arrive to take advantage of the rich feeding to be had in the bay. Up to 10,000 wigeons stop off in the bay on their return migration to feed on the beds of eel grass. They are joined by waders, also en route to their wintering grounds.

Winter migrants such as wigeons, pink-footed geese, teals, bar-tailed godwits, dunlins and knots, join oystercatchers, lapwings and redshanks to take advantage of the rich feeding to be had in the bay. They are best viewed two hours either side of high tide as the birds are pushed closer to the hide. A nationally-important flock of scaup spends the winter in the Cromarty Firth - good views can be had with a telescope from the Ivy Cottage car park especially around high tide. The viewing screen at Kirkmichael can be good for ducks and waders.

About Udale Bay

Habitat

Udale Bay is a reserve mainly comprised of coastal, estuary, mudflat and wetland habitats.

Conservation

The wet grassland fields above high tide are managed by conservation grazing by cattle belonging to a local farmer – along with volunteers managing the gorse scrub, this keeps the fields nicely open for wintering ducks and geese. Invasive Spartina anglica (Common cord grass) is an aggressive hybrid which quickly grows across the mudflats and saltmarsh outcompeting the saltmarsh plants and reducing feeding and roosting areas for wintering birds. A program of herbicide treatment across large patches and hand removal of young plants is a major part of the conservation work at Udale Bay.

Site information

This nature reserve is important for wildlife. RSPB Scotland welcomes responsible access, in line with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

Activities and events

Activities for children and families

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

Share this

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

You might also be interested in

Fairy Glen RSPB reserve. Foliage: young leaves back-lit, glow a vivid green. The Black Isle, Ross-shire, near Rosemarkie, Scotland

Fairy Glen

This small and steep-sided reserve is a magical broadleaf woodland.
RSPB Giving Nature a Home Campaign

Join us - legacy

Become an RSPB member by signing up here.
RSPB Giving Nature a Home Campaign

Homes for Sealife appeal

Our seas are in deep trouble. You can help save them from top to bottom.

We spend 90% of net income on conservation, public education and advocacy

Quick links

  • Contact us
  • Online Community
  • Vacancies
  • Media centre

Information for

  • Teachers
  • Policy makers
  • Farmers & landowners
  • Scientists

Our work in

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Wales
  • Northern Ireland
  • International

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Email

Partnering with

The RSPB is a member of BirdLife International.

The RSPB is a member of BirdLife International. Find out more about the partnership

Fundraising Regulator logo OSCR logo

© The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: England and Wales no. 207076, Scotland no. SC037654

  • Terms & conditions
  • Cookie policy
  • Privacy policy
  • Charter and statutes
  • About our site
  • Modern Slavery Act

Cookie Preferences

Accepting all non-essential cookies helps us to personalise your experience

Edit settings
Accept all

Essential cookies are required

These cookies are required for basic web functions

Enable analytics cookies

Allow us to collect anonymised performance data

Enable marketing cookies

Allow us to personalise your experience

Save settings
Read our cookie policy