The Otmoor Starling Murmuration

Over recent years, the Otmoor car park has been at its busiest during the Christmas and, particularly the New Year period with visitors flocking to see the starling murmuration. Afternoons around the starling murmuration have been particularly hectic with significant increases in visitor numbers.

Please avoid visiting during this time as the inevitable increase in traffic causes parking issues that damages the soft road verges and car park edges and results in cars getting stuck, and we find that gates onto the reserve get blocked meaning emergency vehicle access is impossible.

The starlings often stay well into the new year and often through to February so we would encourage you to visit once the peak of visitor numbers drops after the New Year holiday period.

Many thanks for your co-operation and patience in this matter during what is a very difficult time for the reserve.

The Otmoor team

Fergus Mosey Warden, RSPB Otmoor