Forvie National Nature Reserve

01/09/2026

At high tide, the egrets can sometimes be seen roosting on the Snub or Inch Geck. At least two of these birds are 'our' fledglings from this year, recognisable by (if you zoom in) their pale grey legs - adult birds have black legs and yellow feet.

30/08/2026

Today's Forvie blog celebrates the fact that in any given week, you never quite know what wildlife will come your way. And this week was a total case in point - read on to discover more!

There are many brilliant things about being interested in the natural world. But to my mind at least, one of the most brilliant aspects of all is the limitless scope for learning and discovering ne…

29/08/2026

Hi folks! Our weekend warden is on site this weekend, if you see them, please feel free to ask any questions.

It feels like change is in the air, but there is still a lot to see out on the reserve. Striking mounds of purple heather brighten the dune heath and you may spot migrating birds taking a break from their journey in the shelter of the leafy willow scrub.

A polite reminder to help us reduce disturbance to wildlife by watching from a distance and keeping dogs under control.

Thank you! The Forvie Team.

28/08/2026

Feeling icky. Or, rather iccy. The easterlies and rain have dropped a 'fall' of birds on the reserve, including this rare icterine warbler, colloquially know an as an 'iccy'. The name means 'jaundiced' as they are a bonny yellow down the front.

27/08/2026

Check out our new arrivals at Forvie!

26/08/2026

...'and gathering swallows twitter in the skies'. I don't suppose, in Keats's day, there were phone lines criss-crossing the countryside, but, nowadays, the swallows do love to perch up on the lines and chatter at one another. I like to imagine them discussing what the winds will do and which way is the best to get to Africa.

25/08/2026

The warm weather has brought the butterflies out. The heather is suddenly full of peacocks and admirals and every buddleia bush in the village is dripping with butterflies. Arguably the most striking is the peacock, which brings a touch of the exotic to any garden.

23/08/2026

Blog time, folks. Am I allowed to mention the 'A' word yet? No, not 'ale', the other 'A' word. Oh well, here goes...

Please don’t shoot the messenger here, but the summer on the Reserve is now officially over and done. Maybe not in the strictest sense – meteorological autumn doesn’t actually beg…

22/08/2026

Hi folks! Our weekend warden is on site today, if you see them, please feel free to ask any questions. The Visitor Centre will be closed this Sunday, apologies for any inconvenience. The nearest toilets are at Collieston Harbour.

Although the bird breeding season is drawing to a close, the reserve is still home to lots of important wildlife. We appreciate visitors giving animals like seals and birds plenty of space and keeping dogs under control – thank you!

The Forvie Team.

21/08/2026

The admirable butterfly. The original name for the red admiral was the 'red admirable' and I think it rather suits them. They're at their most prolific in late summer and we see them feeding on the heather across the moor. They also love buddleia bushes in gardens.