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Everywhere is white, frozen, cold and wet, it may look pretty but these conditions are extremely tough on wildlife. Finding food becomes more difficult and surviving each night becomes uncertain. Small mammals are hidden in tunnels under the snow, keeping warm under ground, making it difficult for the...

Every 2 weeks all the Otmoor staff rise at the crack of dawn to carry out a Wetalnd Bird Survey. The results of this are very important and allow us to monitor how wetland birds are doing and whether our management is heading in the right direction. We usually split up, allowing each of us to concentrate...

Staff from Southern Electric Power Distribution braved the cold icy conditions yesterday to help save birds on Otmoor nature reserve. Bright tags are being installed on power lines to make them more visible and prevent bird fatalities.At times of poor visibility, geese and swans have been flying into...

I may be a little late writing this as I flew over Otmoor on the 11 th November but I want to share my experience and some of the photos with Otmoor’s followers. It is all thanks to one of our lovely volunteers and her very generous friend that I had this opportunity as well as being the only one...

Taken on the opposite side of the path near the feeders at Otmoor

Taken at the hide, Otmoor

Taken at the last screen at Otmoor

Taken over the meadows at Otmoor

Taken along the hedgerow between screen 1 & 2 at Otmoor

Seen at Otmoor in the car park, February 2012

Seen by the feeders in February 2012

Taken at the first screen, Otmoor on Thursday 13th September 2012

My first visit to Otmoor this afternoon. Was blown away by the sky and the light, and all the swifts in flight, what a wonderful place. On my way out saw two Hobby pointed out by a fellow birder, then on the way back was enjoying a wonderful view of one perched on a fence on Greenaways for about 5 minutes...

It was raptor day on Otmoor today with SEVEN species seen. The day started well at 8.00 am with a Short eared Owl hunting over Greenaways. Then Merlin being mobbed by a Lapwing over Big Otmoor. Peregrine circling over second screen. Added to these were sparrow hawk, Kestrel, Buzzard and Red Kite. Highlight...

Taken on 06/04/2012 RSPB Otmoor.

The last few days have been great for spotting wildlife. Only 5 minutes of stepping onto the reserve yesterday I witnessed a grass snake, brimstone butterfly (my first this year!), and a huge swarm of excitable frogs in the ditch. The birds, as always, have not disappointed visitors with sightings of...

Two redpolls are still around the feeders, Got some wonderful views yesterday. Hope you like. Lee

Incredible display of two short eared owls at ~ 1730 on the 11th of March. The two birds first flew up and around the reeds near the screen on the opposite side of the path from the hide. Sorry, I don't know the Otmoor reserver well enough yet to describe the place by name. One of them flew over...

Took a walk around the outside of the reserve today. Had only just started at about 1.30pm and was in the field behind the rifle range when two owls started circling and hunting. They had a little go at each other when they came close. They flew all round me and even over my head. This was the first...

This was photographed by the first hide, maybe a reed warbler, all I know is it was really difficult to photograph. Any help would be great Cheers Lee

The Tuesday volunteers were out this week clearing a section of bramble and thorn to open up a new view of the Ashgrave field. This section is halfway along the bridleway between the Wetlands Watch hide and the bridge at the Noke end. It provides a good watch point for one of the areas of the field that...

The scrape on Greenaways has now been finished and a small one has been dug next to the Wetland Watch hide. A third scrape on Big Otmoor is almost complete and so now it's just a matter of time before they fill with water and the waders and wildfowl start making use of them. All three of the scrapes...

It's been a busy time at RSPB Otmoor over the past couple of weeks. The tractor has been out most days on the wet grassland fields, rotavating (to create bare muddy areas for the waders to feed on), aerating (to improve soil structure) and topping (for amongst other reasons, to bring the sward height...