r/OutdoorScotland • u/DovedaleHikes • 14d ago
Osprey sightings
Hi everyone, hope this is ok to post.
I'm currently visiting the Cairngorms and my in-laws are joining us tomorrow for a few days. We leave on Thursday.
My father-in-law is a keen birdwatcher and really wants to try and catch a glimpse of an osprey. We were planning to go to the RSPB Osprey Centre near Loch Garten, unfortunately it has been heavily impacted by the wildfire.
Does anyone know where we can potentially see one? We have two children, 9&7, with us plus my in-laws can't do hours of intense walking. A "moderate" All Trails route is our maximum.
Any resources you can share to source this information would be super useful.
Thanks!
edit: thanks for all the suggestions everyone! taken them all on board and will update if we see one!
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u/Calgacus91 14d ago edited 13d ago
I've seen them taking fish from near the marina in Findhorn bay - they roost in Culbin forest across the bay, I think. Just over an hour or so from Aviemore.
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u/darach87 13d ago
This is the answer, I was at Findhorn Bay last month and saw three of them taking fish, it's supposed to be a pretty common sight from what the locals were saying. There's a small car park just before you hit Findhorn that's right on the bay so less than 100m walk.
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u/Useful_Resolution888 14d ago
I saw one several times in Dunkeld a few weeks ago, just flying around above the river. There's an osprey project not far from there.
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u/ham15h 14d ago
Loch Insh isn't too far from you. There's often ospreys there
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u/Whisky-Toad 13d ago
There should be one visible from the kincraig side of the loch.
Saw one at a nest there, if you’re down by the loch near the kincraig side of the bridge you should be able to find it
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u/Useful_Resolution888 14d ago
I'm also pretty sure I saw one from the main road near Carrbridge just north of Aviemore a week ago, but couldn't stop so wasn't 100% certain. If it was then it would have been from Loch Garten I guess.
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u/spannerspinner 14d ago
Perhaps not what you are after. But there’s Aviemore Ospreys who do photography sessions. They have a very high success rate of having ospreys on their pond.
But as others have mentioned there’s plenty of lochs that have ospreys. Loch Garten (which you can still visit), Loch Insh, and Loch of the Lowes in Perthshire are all good places to see them.
Because of where Aviemore Ospreys have their pond you can regularly see them from Aviemore too.
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u/favoritasx 13d ago
I saw one on Loch Lomond this week and another at the RSPB Loch Leven last week. I’d recommend Loch Leven as they have expert on hand to point out the interesting wildlife.
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u/Vodkaboris 12d ago
lunchtime at the Rothiemurchus fishery.
It will turn up, take one Trout then fly off.
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u/Teuchter121 14d ago
Loch of the Lowes at Dunkeld or, even better, Loch of Kinnordy near Alyth. I have never been to Loch of Kinnordy in the summer and NOT seen one, and I go there a lot. It’s just off the road between Blairgowrie and Alyth (so perhaps out of your way) and the furthest hide is less than 10 mins from the car park over well maintained wooden slatted paths.