Insh Marshes Nature Reserve is an important wetland that supports abundant birdlife.
Encompassing five miles (eight kilometers) of floodplain between Kingussie and Kincraig, Insh Marshes Nature Reserve is said to be one of the most important wetland areas in Europe. The reserve is protected by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and supports populations of breeding waders including curlew, lapwing, redshank and snipe. Visitors can follow two trails around the reserve to bird hides and viewpoints. While there is no campsite in the nature reserve, the Spey Bridge Caravan and Camping Park, a 10-minute drive south, sits on a bend of the River Spey and has pitches for campervans and tents.
The reserve is open all year-round and its resident birdlife varies throughout the year. Spring and summer are the best seasons for seeing the breeding waders as well as ospreys fishing in Loch Insh and the River Spey. In fall, winter migrants, including whooper swans and greylag geese, arrive from Iceland, while in winter you can see ducks including wigeon and tufted duck, as well as roosting hen harriers.