Friends of Lye Valley
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friendlyevalley.bsky.social
Friends of Lye Valley
@friendlyevalley.bsky.social
850 followers 290 following 2.5K posts
We care for this 14,000 year-old internationally rare habitat, a tufa-forming alkaline spring fen, together with the calcareous grassland of Rock Edge. Headington, Oxford.
www.friendsoflyevalley.org.uk
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friendlyevalley.bsky.social
For those that had trouble spotting the bird, here's a cropped image showing a Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) rather more clearly.
#Birds #UKWildlife #UrbanBirding
Just to the right and slightly above centre is a small bird facing away from the camera. The overall impression is light grey, though its flanks and the base of its tail are yellow. To its right is some low growing green vegetation, while the rest of the background shows very shallow water with lots of dead Willow leaves.
November 11, 2025 at 8:13 AM
friendlyevalley.bsky.social
An easy one for Monday morning. Spot the bird. 😃
#birds #UKWildlife
A photo of mixed green vegetation with shallow running water going from roughly top left to bottom right.
November 10, 2025 at 9:49 AM
friendlyevalley.bsky.social
Decades ago, part of the Lye Brook was deepened and widened, with peat piled on the banks. One side effect was to block the flow of spring water here. We've made a start on reprofiling this part of the fen, with a view to rewetting this currently dry area. 🌍
#OxfordshireFens #FenRestoration
Roughly in the centre of the photo two men with spades are standing on a raised area of ground. Behind them is a mass of green vegetation, and in front of them bare earth. They're gradually removing peat from this raised area (and mostly our of shot, piling it up to make a bund). To their right is a small trench with a black pipe in it, and at extreme right a couple of dark rucksacks.
November 8, 2025 at 9:23 AM
friendlyevalley.bsky.social
Finally some dramatic autumn colours in the Valley. The three tress on the right are some of our disease resistant Elms planted around seven years ago with help from @upperthames.bsky.social to try to attract White-letter Hairstreak butterflies. None yet, but fingers crossed!
#HabitatRestoration 🌍
In the background of the photo to the left is an Oak tree with a mixture of coloured leaves, some still green, some yellow and some brown. To the right are the Dutch Elm disease resistant Elms, which have predominantly yellow leaves. The sky is a mixture of light grey and white. In the foreground is a strip of dead brown vegetation, while immediately behind it is a strip of Reed which is a mixture of brown and green.
November 7, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Reposted by Friends of Lye Valley
tombedford.bsky.social
Bringing the Birds of the Lye Valley to the people of Headington Quarry, Oxford, this evening. Great to share pictures and stories about local birds with so many interested people. I’m repeating this talk in January, watch this space!
@friendlyevalley.bsky.social
#patchbirding #headington #Oxford
November 6, 2025 at 9:44 PM
friendlyevalley.bsky.social
Delighted to spot this Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) in the Valley this morning. An occasional visitor here, they love fishing in our ponds. 😍
#birds #UKWildlife #OX3 #OxfordshireFens 📷
@everyheron.bsky.social @judywebb.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social
A medium sized all white bird with a black beak, black legs, and yellow feet is perched on a branch of an oak tree. To the left of the photo from top to bottom is the tree trunk. The Egret is surrounded by still mostly green leaves, while in the background are a number of fallen autumn-coloured leaves.
November 5, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Reposted by Friends of Lye Valley
tombedford.bsky.social
Finally caught up with the Kingfisher that has been visiting the Lye Valley top ponds. Also a Blackcap and a couple of Chiffchaffs are still hanging on into November in the Lye Valley woods.
@friendlyevalley.bsky.social
#ukbirding
#OxonBirding
Kingfisher, Lye Valley, Oxford.
November 3, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Reposted by Friends of Lye Valley
judywebb.bsky.social
We in @friendlyevalley.bsky.social would like to thank all at @oxconservation.bsky.social vols for a great work session last weekend, raking cuttings up & lots of scrub work at the #LyeVally #SSSI south #fen section. This maintains this tiny site in private ownership's stunningly rich biodiversity.👏
October 30, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Reposted by Friends of Lye Valley
tombedford.bsky.social
If you are in the Oxford area next Thursday, I’m giving a talk on the birds of the Lye Valley area. It’s a multimedia presentation (pictures and calls!) covering the resident and migratory birds recorded in this part of the city. See you there!

@friendlyevalley.bsky.social
#Oxonbirding
#Oxford
Flyer designed by the local eco group. Thursday 6th November, 7:30pm, Coach House, Quarry Road, Oxford OX3 8NU - see you there!
October 28, 2025 at 9:40 PM
friendlyevalley.bsky.social
Another day, another #IDRequest. 😀
Does anybody know what this tiny orange weevil is? Found on our boardwalk a couple of days ago.
#insects #invertebrates #OxfordshireFens
In the centre of the photo a small orange weevil seen from the side and behind. The typical elongated head is slightly out of focus. The left diagonal part of the photo is black, while the rest shows a dark brown boardwalk made of recycled plastic.
October 24, 2025 at 8:36 AM
friendlyevalley.bsky.social
We unearthed this Silphid (?) beetle this week. We understand they eat snails? Anyway, can anybody give an ID from this photo?
#IDRequest #insects #beetles #invertebrates
@judywebb.bsky.social
A small black shiny beetle is facing top left. Its antennae are just about visible, as are a couple of legs. It's sitting on a dark brown plastic boardwalk.
October 23, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Reposted by Friends of Lye Valley
tombedford.bsky.social
The first hour of light produced a decent selection of overhead migrants over the Lye Valley area, Oxford, this morning, incl the 8th Linnet and 5th Brambling records for this site. The audio highlights are here:

macaulaylibrary.org/asset/643926...

@friendlyevalley.bsky.social
#ukbirding
#vizmig
ML643926755 - Soundscape: A montage of bird calls over Warneford Meadow, Oxford. Beginning with calling Goldcrests (0:02) and autumn-singing Chiffchaffs (0:17); then migrating Chaffinches (0:25); a fl...
Macaulay Library ML643926755; © Tom Bedford; Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom
macaulaylibrary.org
October 22, 2025 at 6:31 PM
friendlyevalley.bsky.social
With four scythers on site this morning, we're making great progress with clearing the fen. We cut a block on the east side of the Valley, and a larger area on the west side (pictured below). Lots more work for our rakers though... 😀
#OxfordshireFens #Conservation #FenRestoration #OX3 #SSSI
🌍
In the foreground, and just to the right of centre a man in short sleeves wearing blue trousers and wellies is using a scythe. In the distance are a number of trees, while in the mid ground a gently sloping area of green, mostly short vegetation.
October 22, 2025 at 2:56 PM
friendlyevalley.bsky.social
Our seed collection continues. This time from two of our commoner plants, Angelica and Purple Loosestrife. Both are firm favourites with bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. The seed will be spread in areas of the fen we're still restoring.
#OxfordshireFens #OX3
A woman with a light blue hat, blue top with white sleeves and light coloured trousers is facing to the right. She has a small bright red rucksack on her back. In her left hand is a large black plastic bag, and in her right, a pair of secateurs. She's surrounded by waist high vegetation which is mostly reddish brown. A woman in a bright red and dark blue anorak with a small black rucksack is standing on a boardwalk with two small plastic bags in her left hand and a pair of secateurs in her right. She has light blue jeans and green wellies. She's facing a mass of almost head height vegetation.
October 21, 2025 at 9:04 AM
friendlyevalley.bsky.social
Scything Marsh Arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris). Near Threatened in England, it flourishes here. Once cut it will be used as "green hay" in areas of the fen we're restoring to reinforce its local population.
#FenRestoration #OxfordshireFens #RedList 🌍
@bsbibotany.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social
A man wearing a blue checked shirt, dark blue peaked cap, and light grey trousers is using a scythe to cut an area of brown vegetation in front of him. The background is a mix of green and yellowing shrubs.
October 19, 2025 at 9:19 AM
friendlyevalley.bsky.social
Delighted to welcome two new volunteers to the Valley this week! They were quickly put to work raking the west fen and carrying the cut material to build up the eroded banks of the Lye Brook.
#OxfordshireFens #FenRestoration #OX3 #SSSI #LocalWildlifeSite @judywebb.bsky.social
🌰🌍
To the left of the photo a young man in dark blue clothing is holding a rake with yellow prongs above a pile of cut reed and rush. In the centre a young woman in bright red bobble hat, dark top and bright green leggings also has a rake. Immediately behind the cut reed is a dark green drag sheet, and running from left to right is a brown boardwalk. Behind that is an area of green vegetation. At the far left of the photo a young man in dark clothing with his sleeves rolled up is wearing dark gloves. In the centre of the photo a young woman in bright red bobble hat, dark top and yellow wellies is carrying a drag sheet stuffed with a roll of cut reed and rush. She's walking over an area of short green vegetation while in the background are carious mostly dark green shrubs and ivy plants.
October 17, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Reposted by Friends of Lye Valley
judywebb.bsky.social
Oxford Brookes Uni students had a great time recently in #LyeValley #fen learning various coring techniques, studying peat & tufa sediments. They learnt what hard work it was! but some very interesting layers discovered, now for some lab study...
@friendlyevalley.bsky.social @palaeolou.bsky.social
October 14, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Reposted by Friends of Lye Valley
wildabtkennington.bsky.social
Today we completed scything the 'wild' patch at Forest Side, as part of our long-term plans to make the area nicer to look at, while keeping it as a little biodiversity haven. In total it took only 12 scything hours to do whole patch!

Scything is a wonderful new tool for us! For several reasons: /1
A newly cut patch, with a house in the background and trees on the left
October 9, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Reposted by Friends of Lye Valley
judywebb.bsky.social
We welcomed again entomologist Steve Gregory to #LyeValley #fen to complete his grant-funded invertebrate survey. A bit cool for flying insects but Steve did find spiders & snails & actually found a Glow-worm larva feeding on a dead snail! @friendlyevalley.bsky.social @colsocbi.bsky.social
October 4, 2025 at 6:13 AM
Reposted by Friends of Lye Valley
judywebb.bsky.social
Look at how important warm sunny logs are to wildlife at this time of year in #LyeValley. A basking Common Darter and a very young Viviparous Lizard just absorbing as much warmth as possible. @friendlyevalley.bsky.social
October 3, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Reposted by Friends of Lye Valley
judywebb.bsky.social
Accidentally scythed off in #LyeValley #fen, this small delicate inkcap toadstool made my day with its fragile beauty. Maybe a small Hare's foot inkcap, Coprinopsis lagopus?
#fungifriends @friendlyevalley.bsky.social
October 1, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Reposted by Friends of Lye Valley
judywebb.bsky.social
Some last #LyeValley flowers & a smart hoverfly that enjoys them: Fleabane, Hoary Ragwort and Marjoram. The batman hoverfly Myathropa florea is a favourite wasp mimic on the wing still, here sunning on our seed collecting bags @friendlyevalley.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
September 27, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Reposted by Friends of Lye Valley
judywebb.bsky.social
In #LyeValley scrub work time. Cutting back non-native invasive Russian Vine (mile a minute climber) ramping in from a neighbour first. This generates lots of material made into useful faggots for our Brook bank #restoration, combined with poles cut from hazel nearby @friendlyevalley.bsky.social
September 26, 2025 at 9:07 AM
Reposted by Friends of Lye Valley
judywebb.bsky.social
#LyeValley is slowly turning brown with all the seed heads from many flowers. Here rather attractive fluffy heads of Hemp Agrimony alongside the boardwalk caught my eye. @friendlyevalley.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
September 24, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Reposted by Friends of Lye Valley
judywebb.bsky.social
#Fungi do not usually feature much in #fens because they are too wet. But in #LyeValley, drier short turf areas near seepage zones are sprouting red-orange jewels in the shape of little Blackening Waxcaps, Hygrocybe conica. @friendlyevalley.bsky.social
September 19, 2025 at 4:30 PM