Farmoor Reservoir's concrete environment does produce some good birds throughout the year as, fortunately, it is surrounded by woods and open countryside. The more rural northern end of the reservoir also has two tiny reserves, Pinkhill and Shrike Meadow, created by Thames Water, that lie between the reservoir and the adjacent River Thames.
The huge expanse of open water that comprises Farmoor One (the smaller) and Farmoor Two (the larger) reservoirs, each lying on one side of a central causeway must be visible for miles to birds passing high above and consequently attracts a selection of wading birds, terns and gulls at the right time of year.
Here below is a subjective pictorial record of what I have seen at Farmoor this year, of both common and not so common birds. It is not comprehensive as I do not cover the reservoir every day and therefore miss some birds but even so the variety I have managed to see is still heartening.
I hope you will enjoy my selection
The reservoir is open to anyone to walk around, even the car park is free at the moment and there is also Hackett's Cafe which is open to all, where you can sit and look out over the reservoir and have a coffee or tea and a slice of homemade cake.
Maybe even join The Friends of Farmoor - which is also free!
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| Water Rail |
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| Kingfisher |
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| Common Goldeneye-drake |
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| Common Coot - an aberrant white individual |
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| Common Coot |
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| Great Cormorant |
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| Great crested Grebe |
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| Red crested Pochard - drake |
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| Yellow legged Gull - adult |
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| Knot - juvenile |
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| Grey Heron with Perch |
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| Gadwall |
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| Sanderling |
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| Ringed Plover |
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| House Martin |
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| Barn Owl |
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| Sanderling and two Dunlin |
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| Yellow Wagtail - male |
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| Little Stint - juvenile |
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| Slavonian Grebe |
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| Common Chiffchaff |
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| Greater Scaup - adult female |
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| Common Kestrel - male |
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| Common Tern |
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| Ruff - juvenile male |
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| Blue Tit |
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| Mallard Ducklings |
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| Turnstones |
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| Snow Geese - part of a feral flock |
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| Tufted Duck - drake |
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| Common Cuckoo |
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| Little Grebe |
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| Blackcap - male |
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| White Wagtail |
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| Little Ringed Plover |
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| Hybrid Greater Scaup x Lesser Scaup |
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| Eurasian Sparrowhawk - male |
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| Redwing |
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| Northern Wheatear |
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| Black Tern |
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| Mute Swan |
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| European Stonechat - male |
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| Great Tit |
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| Fieldfare |
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| Dunlin |
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