Birds
I am sure you are now all aware of the dry conditions on Otmoor and the surrounding area. We have been monitoring this closely for the past six months and in the past few weeks, it is official, Oxfordshire is in drought conditions. Obviously, this can have serious impacts on the wetland species, which rely on Otmoor during the breeding season.
With water resources so limited across the reserve, we have decided to pump water from Ashgrave into Big Otmoor. By moving the water into Big Otmoor we should be able to achieve improved water levels which will be essential for the feeding of chicks in mid-spring. Big Otmoor is the field with the predator fence, with this added protection we felt it was best to concentrate the limited water resource in this area.
With the water being pumped from Ashgrave, the water levels in front of the hide will reduce. These water levels will recover faster than anywhere else on the reserve, as Ashgrave is the only field on the reserve that has water flowing in from off the reserve.
If you have any questions please drop the office a line.
Regards
The Otmoor team
- Otmoor: Rspb Reserve: 8th April
2 Marsh Harrier (m/f skydiving over Reedbeds) 1 Sparrowhawk (over CP Field) 1 Peregrine 1 Merlin (Otmoor Lane). 2 Little-ringed Plover 2 Oystercatcher 1 Green Sandpiper 1 Ruff 2 Dunlin (Ashgrave) 1 Curlew (calling, Greenaways) 6+Snipe 1 Water Rail (H)...
- Otmoor: Rspb Reserve: 19th February
Otmoor: RSPB reserve Short-eared Owl: Morleys at c.6pm. 2 Barn Owl: 2 hunting along the bund between the screens late afternoon and 1 later at Morleys. 2 Redshank: Big Otmoor. Lot's of calling, possibly 3 or 4 birds. 22 Dunlin: Big Otmoor. 27...
- Otmoor 03/04/12 Am
44 species recorded on the reserve this morning. Including: Ruff (on Greenaways) White-Fronted Goose (on Big Otmoor) Large flock Fieldfare (on Barn) Sparrowhawk with prey along Bridleway near Big Otmoor Water Rail (Heard) Quite a few pairs of Gadwall...
- Otmoor, 17th May, Silly O'clock To 10:00
We have just completed an early morning survey on the reserve, and have had a few interesting sightings, on a lovely spring morning. A turtle dove was feeding on seed around the Greenaways cattle pen. There were at least two cuckoo's heard one along...
- Northern Long-tailed Tit Otmoor
We had a possible sighting of northern long-tailed tit on Otmoor yesterday afternoon, it was only a quick view at the feeders so it would be great if this could be confirmed. The sighting was from our Assistant Warden and the description of the event...
Birds
I am sure you are now all aware of the dry conditions on Otmoor and the surrounding area. We have been monitoring this closely for the past six months and in the past few weeks, it is official, Oxfordshire is in drought conditions. Obviously, this can have serious impacts on the wetland species, which rely on Otmoor during the breeding season.
With water resources so limited across the reserve, we have decided to pump water from Ashgrave into Big Otmoor. By moving the water into Big Otmoor we should be able to achieve improved water levels which will be essential for the feeding of chicks in mid-spring. Big Otmoor is the field with the predator fence, with this added protection we felt it was best to concentrate the limited water resource in this area.
With the water being pumped from Ashgrave, the water levels in front of the hide will reduce. These water levels will recover faster than anywhere else on the reserve, as Ashgrave is the only field on the reserve that has water flowing in from off the reserve.
If you have any questions please drop the office a line.
Regards
The Otmoor team
- Otmoor: Rspb Reserve: 8th April
2 Marsh Harrier (m/f skydiving over Reedbeds) 1 Sparrowhawk (over CP Field) 1 Peregrine 1 Merlin (Otmoor Lane). 2 Little-ringed Plover 2 Oystercatcher 1 Green Sandpiper 1 Ruff 2 Dunlin (Ashgrave) 1 Curlew (calling, Greenaways) 6+Snipe 1 Water Rail (H)...
- Otmoor: Rspb Reserve: 19th February
Otmoor: RSPB reserve Short-eared Owl: Morleys at c.6pm. 2 Barn Owl: 2 hunting along the bund between the screens late afternoon and 1 later at Morleys. 2 Redshank: Big Otmoor. Lot's of calling, possibly 3 or 4 birds. 22 Dunlin: Big Otmoor. 27...
- Otmoor 03/04/12 Am
44 species recorded on the reserve this morning. Including: Ruff (on Greenaways) White-Fronted Goose (on Big Otmoor) Large flock Fieldfare (on Barn) Sparrowhawk with prey along Bridleway near Big Otmoor Water Rail (Heard) Quite a few pairs of Gadwall...
- Otmoor, 17th May, Silly O'clock To 10:00
We have just completed an early morning survey on the reserve, and have had a few interesting sightings, on a lovely spring morning. A turtle dove was feeding on seed around the Greenaways cattle pen. There were at least two cuckoo's heard one along...
- Northern Long-tailed Tit Otmoor
We had a possible sighting of northern long-tailed tit on Otmoor yesterday afternoon, it was only a quick view at the feeders so it would be great if this could be confirmed. The sighting was from our Assistant Warden and the description of the event...