A local nature reserve lying to the north and south of the mouth of the River Don, Donmouth Nature Reserve was designated in 1992 and is located at the southern end of the largest dune system in Scotland, 2 miles (3 km) north of the centre of Aberdeen and a half-mile (1 km) northeast of Seaton. The range of habitats here includes estuary and mudflats, beach and dune system, woodland (willow, ash, sycamore and beech) and a small area of salt marsh. The reserve is home to a variety of wading birds and sea-birds. Sandwich, common and Arctic terns fish here in summer, with little and black terns also recorded. Skuas visit in late summer, while hundreds of wading birds and other waterfowl such as Teal, Goldeneye and Tufted Duck spend the winter here. Seals haul out on the islands in the river and the sand spit near its mouth, while the area is also home to otters.
