When we woke the snow was falling and I decided not to rush out. Eventually we had lunch got our things and were on the road to RSPB Otmoor by 2.00pm. There was a lot of water arounfd the Otmoor Lane and in the carpark and the car was nicely coated in mud - a job for tomorrow.
Once onto the reserve there were good movements of blackcap, tits, goldfinch, chiffchaff and reed bunting. Many of the same suspects could be seen on the feeders. 
Just past the feeders we could see a female marsh harrier quartering the reeds in the far distance. A skylark launched to the right, catching my attention as I watched the harrier. Lots of reed bunting, linnet, goldfinch and yellowhammer were still frequenting the path beyond the gate at the hide, joined by a pair of pheasant. Red kite, buzzard and marsh harrier were alo seen from here. Little grebe was added at the second screen and eventually, after hearing them along the path, sedge warbler was seen when almost back to the first screen. Up to 101 for the year!
Passed a couple of guys heading into the reserve as we left. Presumably it was them that then reported short-eared owl and barn owl on the OXON Birding blog later in the day. If only we'd had more time and the showers threatening hadn't pushed us along so fast. No cuckoos calling.
Sightings (36) today: goldfinch, robin, blackcap, chiffchaff, lapwing, chaffinch, mallard, great tit, pheasant, greylag goose, canada goose, blue tit, woodpigeon, reed bunting, long-tailed tit, dunnock, magpie, carrion crow, tufted duck, black-headed gull, grey heron, marsh harrier, skylark, teal, yellowhammer, linnet, moorhen, swallow, shoveler, blackbird, red kite, buzzard, cormorant, little grebe, little egret and sedge warbler.
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