Visitors asked to help birds by staying off the water at Muir of Dinnet

To avoid disturbing wildlife at this crucial time, restrictions on water access will be in place at the reserve’s Loch Kinord from Sunday, March 1 to August 31. During this period people are asked not to take paddleboards, kayaks, canoes, inflatables or other vessels onto the loch.

People are also asked not to do water sports on Loch Davan at any time of year as it is too small to allow for any water access without disturbance. 

The measures on Loch Kinord have been in place since 2021, when they were introduced in response to a sharp rise in the number of people going out on the water.

Human activity on the lochs can disturb birds at this sensitive time and even lead to ducklings becoming separated from their parents and dying.

In the past few years, there has been an improvement in the breeding fortunes of some water birds at the reserve, including goldeneye. This is linked to a range of factors and likely includes the reduction in disturbance on the water.  

NatureScot’s reserve manager Simon Ritchie said: “Muir of Dinnet is a fantastic place to relax and connect with nature, and we welcome more than 70,000 visitors a year. We want everyone to enjoy their visit, but at the same time we are first and foremost a nature reserve, and our emphasis is on protecting wildlife while welcoming responsible visitor access.

“That’s why, with spring on the way, we’d like to remind water sports enthusiasts to please stay off the reserve's lochs at this sensitive time of year for breeding birds. Individually, someone going out on the water may not cause an issue but add in lots of other people doing the same thing and over time it adds up to a significant disturbance problem for the birds.

“Indications are that these changes are working well and have made a real difference to the breeding birds here. We’d like to thank visitors for their continued help to protect nature at this internationally important wildlife site.”

The local access guidance was put in place following consultation with recreational users, ornithologists, the Cairngorms National Park, and Dinnet and Kinnord Estate.

For more information, see our Muir of Dinnet NNR webpages.

ENDS