Otmoor Nature Reserve, Oxford (RSPB): Oxfordshire Walks

Otmoor Nature Reserve is one of the my favourite places to walk in Oxford. It’s usually totally deserted, so it’s a great place to walk, pray, think. A watery world of sea and sky, lagoon-like ponds reflecting the sky, punctuated by the honks of wild geese and swans, and the quacks of ducks,and the cries of herons and seagulls.

Otmoor Nature Reserve is a tranquil area of marshland with a few gravel roads visitors can walk.  (The reserve has no postcode, but OX3 9TD will take you into Otmoor Lane, and just follow this road to the reserve car park at the end.)  To see birds well, you need binoculars, or even a telescope.  We went to enjoy the scenery.

This seems like a man made waterway. It is in the fenced RSPB reserve.

Reflections in the still water.

View of the wetlands from the (very comfortable) hide.

A pair of swans through the Echinops.

Pair of swans.

Nesting swan, with two Canada gees

A male pheasant with one of his six females.

It was a cold windy day, mostly sunny, with occasional rain.

Canada geese (iphone photo)

The reserve is known for blackthorn.  Similar to hawthorn, but can be distinguished because it flowers earlier.

Pure white cascades of blackthorn flowers.

I was surprised by the quality of the iphone photo below:

Willow catkins (please correct me if I’m wrong, iphone photo)

Moss encrusted, thatched cottage (Beckley, Oxfordshire. iphone photo)

A loose rooster, Bekley Oxfordshire. (iphone photo)

Hen running loose in Beckley, Oxfordshire.