There have been a nice range of birds on the reserve recently. The short-eared owls are still roosting on the moor with at least 5 reported over the weekend. A peregrine has been seen semi-regularly for the last few weeks, a pair of ravens have been seen most days flying over the moor and there are good numbers of kestrels around. The group of bullfinches working their way along the hedgerows near the carpark have been a popular sight and the new niger seed feeder has drawn in good numbers of godlfinches and a lesser redpoll. A goldeneye was reported on the reedbed over the weekend and although not a rare bird it's very very unusual to see one at Otmoor. A couple of pochards have also been using the reedbed for the last week, the first time this species to be seen on the reserve this winter. A male pintail is keeping company with the large teal and wigeon flocks and the white-fronted goose is still associating with the greylags.
The volunteer work parties have finished the reed cut and they are also coming to the end of the thorn coppicing season, with just a few more sections of thorn to go. We aim to finish the thorn work before the beginning of march so as not to disturb any birds that are looking for suitable nesting sites or who are actually nesting in the hedgerows.