Bird hide overlooking freshwater loch with extensive reed beds
A free-to-use community bird hide just 2 miles by road or 1 mile on foot from Rothesay town centre. Parking is available nearby but access will involve a short walk. Kirk Dam is a shallow freshwater loch with extensive reed beds attracting many varieties of wading birds. Regular visitors include large flocks of whooper and mute swans, lots of ducks, coot, moorhen, reed bunting, sedge warbler, grasshopper warbler, redpoll, snipe, heron, sand martin, swallow, buzzard, kingfisher and osprey. Occasional visitors include water rail, scaup, shoveler and gargany.
Kirk Dam is adjacent to Loch Fad - a larger freshwater loch offering angling, boat hire and occasional test location for Donald Campbell's Bluebird.
We have indicated that Kirk Dam bird hide at Loch Fad is wheelchair accessible but it should be noted that assistance will probably be required as access is gained via a swing gate with an equine latch then a walk of about 50m over compacted ground on a light slope and a wooden bridge; however there are few obstacles other than small steps.
