Short birdwatching visit · RSPB
Udale Bay
- Tier
- Worth a special trip
- Best season
- Autumn and winter flocks; spring and summer Osprey
- Headline birds
- Osprey · Wigeon · Snipe
- Parking
- Parking options include the main hide, Kirkmichael, Ivy Cottage and Newhall Point.
- Hides
- One hide and one viewing screen provide established public watching places.
- Step-free
- Not stated by the operator
Jemimaville · IV7 8LU
Udale Bay is a Black Isle wetland on the Cromarty Firth, with intertidal mud, saltmarsh and grazing fields. Wigeon and migrating wildfowl bring autumn and winter interest, while Osprey can be seen fishing in the warmer months. The RSPB also names Lapwing, Snipe and Redshank among birds benefiting from the managed wet grassland. A public hide, viewing screen and several car parks allow a flexible short visit, with open views across the bay rather than a demanding walking circuit.
When to go and where to look
Autumn and winter suit a visit centred on Udale Bay’s large gatherings of migrating Wigeon and other wildfowl. The public hide looks across the intertidal bay, while the nature trail offers another watching position at the Kirkmichael screen. Compare the birds feeding on the exposed shore with those using the wet grassland, where the RSPB names Lapwing, Snipe and Redshank. In spring and summer, an Osprey fishing over the bay provides a different possibility. Choose the parking area that serves your intended viewpoint, as the small arrivals have different facilities. Stay outside feeding and roosting habitat and let the birds remain settled.
Sources: RSPB visitor information — Confirmed. Planning reviewed 2026-10-27.
Birds and seasons
- Osprey · Headline bird — Typically spring and summer Source for Osprey
- Wigeon · Headline bird — Typically autumn and winter Source for Wigeon
- Snipe · Headline bird — Typically year-round Source for Snipe
- Lapwing — Typically year-round Source for Lapwing
- Redshank — Typically year-round Source for Redshank
Plan your visit
- Hides and viewpoints
- One hide and one viewing screen provide established public watching places.
- Paths
- The nature trail leads to the Kirkmichael screen; additional views are available from public parking areas.
- Toilets
- No reserve toilets; the operator lists seasonal facilities in Cromarty.
- Parking
- Parking options include the main hide, Kirkmichael, Ivy Cottage and Newhall Point.
- Dogs
- Keep dogs on a short lead during breeding season and around livestock.
- Access notes
- The hide has ramp access and low viewing slots.
- Step-free access
- The hide has ramp access and low viewing slots.
Getting there: Choose one of the designated public car parks around the bay for road access.
Sources
Social preview photograph: Common Starling standing in grass in Oxfordshire. Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized and converted for the preview.
Nearby special trips
- Nigg Bay · 7.5 straight-line miles
- Ben Wyvis National Nature Reserve · 18.5 straight-line miles
- Loch Fleet National Nature Reserve · 20.3 straight-line miles
Continue birding nearby
Nearest full guide: RSPB Culbin Sands, 12.8 miles away in a straight line.
- Fairy Glen · 5.4 miles in a straight line
- Nigg Bay · 7.5 miles in a straight line
- Brodie Castle Estate Woodland and Pond · 17.6 miles in a straight line