Loch Lomond wildlife
Ospreys, deer, squirrels and geese, by place and season
You can see ospreys, red squirrels, red deer, wintering geese and, with luck, a golden eagle around Loch Lomond. The best-known spots are the Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve and Inchcailloch, reached by ferry from Balmaha and its island. Ospreys and woodland wildlife are best from April to September, geese from autumn to spring, and the red deer rut in September and October. From November the geese are the main event, so the winter section comes first. Most other islands you can visit are privately owned, and nothing here is guaranteed, so treat the list as places to look.
Wildlife now: November to February
The ospreys fish here from April to September and the red deer rut ends in October, so winter is about waterbirds. NatureScot says winter is when wildfowl numbers peak, and the time to watch thousands of geese leave or come in to roost at sunrise or sunset; the RSPB says flocks gather to feed by day and fly in at dusk. The park authority says red squirrels are best seen early in the morning or in the evening.
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RSPB Loch Lomond, Gartocharn
Go for the geese: a 1.3 km trail runs from the car park through grassland, fen and old oaks to the loch shore. The reserve is open 24 hours, but the car park opens 9am to 5pm in November, so a dusk visit means timing your walk back.
Trail to the loch 1.3 km
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Endrick Mouth wetlands
NatureScot names wigeon, teal and shelduck at the river mouth, beside the geese. There are no visitor facilities on the marsh itself, so watch from the RSPB trail rather than trying to reach it.
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Red squirrels, early or late in the day
The park authority names two places: the conifers at the start of the Conic Hill walk at Balmaha, and the red squirrel hide at the Lodge Forest Visitor Centre near Aberfoyle. Go early in the morning or in the evening.
Birds
Ospreys fish in the loch in summer, and the nature reserve holds wintering geese between autumn and spring. The park authority also names golden eagles over the hills near Arrochar, as a chance rather than a promise. These are wild birds. To see eagles, hawks and owls up close, with flying shows, the Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre at Balloch is a separate visit.
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Ospreys and geese
Go to the Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve for ospreys fishing from April to September and wintering geese between autumn and spring.
Geese arrive from Greenland and Iceland
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Golden eagle
Look up over the hills around Arrochar. A sighting is luck, not a promise.
Deer and squirrels
Red deer are easiest in the quietest hours, early morning or evening. The rut brings the roaring that carries across the hillsides.
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Red deer on Ben Lomond
Go in autumn and you may hear stags roaring on the hill. The rut runs in September and October.
Rut September and October
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Red deer on Ben Vorlich
The park authority names Ben Vorlich for red deer, particularly in the autumn rut.
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Red squirrels at Conic Hill
Look in the conifer trees at the start of the walk.
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Red squirrel hide, Trossachs
The Lodge Forest Visitor Centre in the Trossachs has a red squirrel hide in the woodland.
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Deer on Inchcailloch
The island’s nature reserve of oak woodland has fallow deer.
Reserve size 52 hectares
Photos
What to look for, and where
The Great Trossachs Forest National Nature Reserve lists black grouse, golden eagle, osprey, pine marten, red squirrel and otters. Pine martens get no viewing times from the park, so they are left out of the table below. The Lodge Forest Visitor Centre in the Trossachs has a red squirrel hide in the woodland.
Otters may be seen at the head of Loch Tay in the early morning or evening, and red squirrels are best seen early in the morning or evening. The authority also lists whooper swans, goldeneyes, barn owls, kingfishers and dippers across the park.
| Species | Where | When |
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| Osprey | Loch Lomond reserve; Loch Earn; Lake of Menteith | Summer months |
| Red squirrel | Conic Hill start; the Lodge Forest Visitor Centre hide | Early morning or evening |
| Red deer | Ben Lomond, Ben Vorlich, hills near Arrochar | Rut in September and October |
| Otter | Head of Loch Tay; Great Trossachs Forest | Early morning or evening |
| Golden eagle | Hills around Arrochar; Trossachs | Over the mountain tops; the park gives no season |
| Wintering geese | RSPB Loch Lomond trail; Endrick Mouth in the nature reserve | Autumn to spring, at dawn and dusk |
| Wigeon, teal and shelduck | Endrick Mouth, in the nature reserve | Winter |
A wildlife year
NatureScot names April to September as best for woodland wildlife and ospreys fishing in the loch. In autumn, geese arrive from Greenland and Iceland: Greenland white-fronted, greylag and pink-footed, with wigeon, teal, goldeneye, shoveler and whooper swans. Wildfowl numbers peak in winter, and the geese stay until spring. The red deer rut runs in September and October.
Midges are typically active from late May to early September, usually peaking in July and August, so plan your early-morning watching with repellent. April to July is the critical ground-nesting season, when dogs should stay close on moorland, forest, grassland and loch shores.
Other guides pass through the same country. Balloch Castle Country Park, what to expect at Loch Katrine and a day on Loch Ard each have their own guide. Starting from the south, a stop in Balloch is the easiest base, and walks from here lists the routes. For days out and activities beyond wildlife, use the main list.
Questions people ask
What wildlife can I see at Loch Lomond in winter?
Wintering geese and ducks such as wigeon, teal and shelduck at the Endrick Mouth, best at dawn and dusk from the RSPB Loch Lomond trail, plus red squirrels early in the morning. The ospreys have gone by then: they fish here from April to September.
Are there eagles around Loch Lomond?
Possibly. The National Park says you may be lucky enough to see a golden eagle over the mountain tops in the hills around Arrochar. It is a chance, not a promise.
Are there dolphins in Loch Lomond?
No. Loch Lomond is a freshwater loch, and the National Park's wildlife guide lists no dolphins or other whales in its lochs. The sharks and rays at SEA LIFE in Balloch are in indoor tanks.
Are there ospreys at Loch Lomond?
Yes, in summer. The RSPB reserve lists ospreys feeding in the loch, and NatureScot names April to September as the best months for ospreys fishing at the Loch Lomond nature reserve.
When is the red deer rut?
In September and October, according to Forestry and Land Scotland. Early morning or evening is quietest.
Are there wallabies on Loch Lomond?
Press reports say wild wallabies live on a private island called Inchconnachan. We found no official source, and the island is reached only by private boat, so we do not list it as somewhere to watch.
Is Loch Lomond safe to swim?
The National Park says its lochs and rivers stay cold enough to cause cold water shock even on warm days. Enter slowly and never swim alone. Water safety and the weather has the detail.
How do I watch wildlife responsibly?
Keep a respectful distance and keep dogs under control or on a lead near animals. April to July is the ground-nesting season, so keep dogs close on loch shores, in woods and on grassland. Stay on paths and take extra care on islands, which are refuges.
Can I get to the Endrick Mouth wetlands?
Not easily. NatureScot says the ground makes access difficult and there are no visitor facilities there. Visit Inchcailloch by ferry from Balmaha for a woodland walk instead.