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For latest sightings, see Oxon Birding Blog, Birds and Wildlife in Oxfordshire Facebook Group or Birds and Wildlife in Oxfordshire Facebook Group.
Days out
Otmoor
BeckleyClosed | Opens tomorrowSee opening timesLeave bustling Oxford behind and venture into the tranquil wetland reserve of Otmoor. Wading birds and wildfowl await, alongside warblers and other songbirds.
About
During starling murmuration season, increased visitor numbers put a strain on our carparking facilities, access roads and neighbouring villages. Please drive slowly through Beckley and along Otmoor Lane and consider car-sharing if possible. Please use the designated carpark and do not block gateways or entrances. If you can, come early in the week, avoiding weekends and Fridays. We suggest getting to a viewing point an hour before sunset. There is a 45-minute walk from the carpark.
Otmoor is a haven for wildlife in the heart of Oxfordshire. The visitor trail leads you alongside an expansive floodplain grazing marsh, home to wading birds and wildfowl all year round. Elsewhere in the reserve, hedgerows bustle with warblers and other songbirds, while the rustling reedbed adds to the immersive experience of being on the moor.
The 485 hectares of this reserve are carefully managed to provide rich habitat to our Lapwings, Redshanks, Snipe and more. One of the largest inland wetland complexes in the country, Otmoor is home to a huge amount of wildlife, rare species and impressive wildlife spectacles.
At a glance
Open daily, dawn-dusk. 30 spaces. Found at the end of Otmoor lane. Level and limestone surfaced can be uneven in places. No lighting.
If the car park is full please do not park along Otmoor Lane, as this can block access for emergency vehicles.
There are no toilets here. The nearest public toilets are in Headington around 4.5 miles away.
There are no toilets here. The nearest public toilets are in Headington around 4.5 miles away.
A mix of different paths, both flat and undulating. Paths are uneven in places and may be wet and muddy after rain. There are kissing gates around the reserve.
A mix of different paths, both flat and undulating. Paths are uneven in places and may be wet and muddy after rain. There are kissing gates around the reserve.
There are no toilets here. The nearest public toilets are in Headington around 4.5 miles away.
BBQs are a fire risk, endangering other people and the precious wildlife and habitats here. They are not permitted on the reserve at any time.
Dogs are welcome on the public footpaths and bridleways on the reserve but must be kept under close, effective control at all times.
Dogs are not allowed off the paths onto any of the fields, nor along the visitor trail or other permissive paths.
There are 'no dogs' signs on various gates to indicate which paths they cannot use.
Assistance dogs are welcome in all parts of the reserve.
The flying of drones is not permitted.
See what’s here
What to expect:
Spring
Summer
Grass Snakes and Common Lizards bask out in the early morning sun, while Cattle Egrets follow the livestock around the fields looking for insects and amphibians.
Autumn
Watch Redwings and Fieldfares feasting on the berries in the hedgerows and look out for Barn Owls hunting over the fields and Kingfishers fishing in the reedbed.
Winter
Watch the flocks of Golden Plovers and Lapwings as they perform aerial displays, evading a Peregrine or Marsh Harrier and listen out for 'whistling' Wigeon as they graze the grassland.
Latest sightings
Contact Otmoor
otmoor.admin@rspb.org.uk Otmoor, Otmoor Lane, Beckley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, 01865 351163