Oxfordshire SPOONBILL

As Terry and others have reported, the EURASIAN SPOONBILL was still on the Flood field at Otmoor RSPB at about 12 o'clock today (found initially by Phil Barnett last night). For anyone who doesn't know the reserve, the Flood is to the north of the reserve, near the village of Oddington. The field can't be accessed from the main body of the reserve, i.e. the section containing the the main car park, reedbed and visitor trails.

If you want to see the bird, please park in the village of Oddington. Out of respect for our neighbours, please avoid blocking any driveways or tracks. Also, please keep in mind that agricultural traffic regularly travels through the village, so please leave as much room as possible. There is a phone box in the centre of the village by a track. Follow this track downhill until it crosses a bridge. After the bridge, carry on straight through the kissing gate, to the left of the locked double metal gates, and follow the track until its conclusion,a about a kilometre walking.

Signs have been put up to guide you from this point, but for information, cross into the field and turn immediately right. We have temporarily opened up an access track for a few days through the small gate (please close after use as livestock are present in the field). This track is rough and overgrown, so shorts not recommended! Please keep below the banks to avoid disturbance until you reach a small screened area, approximately 500 meters, by a telegraph pole. From here, you should be able to see the bird to the right.

Martin Randall, Warden, RSPB Otmoor Nature Reserve, C/o Folly Farm, Common Road, Beckley, Oxford, OX3 9URT: Martin.Randall@RSPB.org.uk