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At Morton Lochs you will find three small lochs, fringed with reeds which provide shelter and protection for many birds and animals. The lochs were created in 1906 by the Christie family, local land-owners, who flooded an area of the dune heath for fishing. The lochs quickly became an important freshwater habitat, attracting huge numbers of breeding and wintering wildfowl. In 1952 the importance of Morton Lochs was recognised and the area designated a National Nature Reserve, only the second in the UK at the time.
There are four wildlife hides around Morton Lochs – all great places to watch wildlife or to just relax in the peace and quiet. Water rail, little grebe, tufted duck, goldeneye, marsh harrier, ospreys, kingfishers and otters are all regularly seen on and around the lochs. Visit during winter to experience the spectacular sights and sounds of hundreds of teal gathering on the food-rich sheltered water.
Today we work to maintain a balance between open water and vegetation by clearing scrub and reeds to create the important habitats needed to support the rich variety of plants, animals and insects which thrive at Morton Lochs.