Bird PlacesRSPB reserve · Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire
Loch of Strathbeg birdwatching guide
Loch of Strathbeg is Britain's largest dune loch and the first landfall for tens of thousands of pink-footed geese arriving from Iceland — up to a fifth of the world population roosts here on peak autumn mornings. Whooper swans and breeding waders use the surrounding wet grassland.
Key facts
- Habitat
- wetland
- Size
- 1000 ha
- Entry fee (adult)
- Free
- Entry fee (child)
- Free
- Membership required
- No
- Hides
- 3
- Wheelchair access
- Yes
- Car park
- Yes
- Car park to hides
- 150m to the visitor centre viewing window
- Toilets
- Yes
- Dogs
- Not allowed
- Status
- open
- Best seasons
- autumn, winter
Species by season
| Season | Species | Likelihood | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| summer | Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) | occasional | — |
| autumn | Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) | common | Up to 60,000 at the autumn peak |
| winter | Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) | common | — |
| winter | Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) | common | — |
Getting there
Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, AB43 8QN
View on OpenStreetMap · Official website
Facilities & opening
Open at all times; visitor centre daily
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Information last updated 25 July 2026.