Otmoor and Farmoor

We had to take one of visitors home today and took the opportunity to go via Otmoor, The Old Boot and Farmoor.

When we arrived at Otmoor, we only just managed to squeeze into the car park, everyone else had obviously had the same idea as us, to go for a walk on this crisp winter day.  We concentrated for a quite a while round the feeders after hearing a Brambling call from nearby bushes.  However, despite our efforts we could not locate the bird.  It had possibly been scared off by an overhead Sparrowhawk or the hordes of photographers wanting to get that ever closer shot of a finch.   A quick stomp round the reserve produced nothing really of interest despite a fleeting glimpse of a Ringtail Hen Harrier and several Red Kites.

As lunchtime was approaching, we drove over to the other side of the A34 to the Old Boot in Eynsham which never fails to impress with its food and boot collection.  After lunch a brief trip to Farmoor gave us a wonderful close view of a Slavonian Grebe and an adult Caspian Gull in the pre gull roost.