It seems to be a good time on Otmoor at the moment for raptors. A female merlin is still being seen semi-regularly over Greenaways. Kestrel, buzzard and red kite are almost guaranteed and sparrowhawks are present (I got amazing views of a male yesterday chasing a meadow pipit along a ditch). Short-eared owls are back on the moor with 2 reported from the Pill on the MOD land adjoining the reserve (19th Oct) a barn owl was seen (17th Oct) and a huge female peregrine has been spotted recently on Flood, Ashgrave and Big Otmoor. Non-raptor sightings include; snipe and a green sandpiper reported from the reedbed (19th Oct) and various smaller birds including greater spotted woodpeckers are making use of the temporary feeding station that's been put up near the Wetlands Watch hide. [A map of the reserve including field names can be downloaded from http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/o/otmoor/index.aspx].
The Wednesday volunteer team were out this week coppicing willow trees overhanging the bridleway, the areas under these trees get really boggy in the winter and so some careful tree management seemed a good solution. Wrestling willow logs up steep banks in a hail storm is hard work but we got a good section cleared, managed to avoid slipping into the ditch and we got great views of a female hen harrier flying low along the edge of Ashgrave, it dropped to the ground once and then disappeared off out of sight.