Fife's relatively small size belies the rich array of coastal habitats and species it accommodates. From the sandbanks and reed beds of the Tay Estuary in the north to the craggy bird and seal islands of the Firth of Forth in the south, the Kingdom's stunning seascapes play host to a wealth of nature. Nationally important nature reserves such as Tentsmuir Point, Eden Estuary and the Isle of May are among its crowning glories, the perfect accompaniment to the beautiful and towns and villages which line this stretch of Scotland's North Sea coast.

Between the estuaries of Tay and Eden there is a stretch of sand and forest covering a huge area known as Tentsmuir Point. The Forestry Commission's Tentsmuir Forest is home to a number of species of bat. Towards the sea, where the shoreline has encroached on the forest floor, one can look out to a vast array of wading birds on the Abertay Sands. Here, in winter, are impressive numbers of grey plover, sanderling, bar-tailed godwit, dunlin and oystercatcher. Furthermore, thousand sof pink-footed geese arrive here in the evenings to roost, while numerous seaducks and seals are often visible. Plantlife around the sand dunes surrounding Tentsmuir Point is similarly first class.

Adjacent to the golfing mecca of St Andrews in north-eastern Fife, the Eden Estuary is home to significant numbers of wildfowl and waders. Here, where the River Eden meets tidal mudflats, one can visit an observation centre in winter and hope to see great numbers of grey plover, oystercatcher, knot,dunlin and pink-footed geese. The estuary also holds the country's largest numbers of black-tailed godwit. In summer many shelduck and eider may be seen.

At the mouth of the Forth, off the coast of Fife's famous East Neuk, sits the Isle of May National Nature Reserve. This reserve is immensely important for a number of species, and is the site of a bird observatory from which much significant study has been carried out. In summer, the cliffs of the island's west coast are alive with seabirds - above these in a honeycomb of burrows nest most of the May's 25,000+ pairs of puffins, the number one attraction here. The island is increasingly important for breeding common and Arctic terns. It is also one of Britain's foremost eider duck nesting sites. Later in the year, the coast of the island accommodates the biggest grey seal population on the east coast of the UK, one that has grown steadily since the 1980s.