A rather late arrival at the floral ball. When the rest of our Meadowsweet has long gone to seed, this rather small plant is just coming into flower!
#WildflowerHour

Every initiative to restore wetlands and #wetland functions deserves attention, as #freshwater availability and biodiversity declines.

Even better in this UK initiative is that it forms part of a much larger fenland restoration initiative.

#GenerationRestoration 🌰

#WildflowerHour

Well, if you love wildlife, and have a spare fiver or so, consider giving it to the Wildlife Trusts to help to buy the Rothbury Estate in Northumberland, a 3,800 hectares (9,500-acre) site... They're so close, and appeal now runs to end of October...
www.wildlifetrusts.org/appeals/roth...

Sunrise on Warneford Meadow, Oxford this morning, all mist and spiderwebs.
A Linnet overhead was my 63rd species this month, equalling my best ever monthly total on my local patch
@friendlyevalley.bsky.social
#ukbirding
#oxford #urbanbirding

Despite dry conditions there has been just enough rain for a few #fungi to appear in Lye Valley. First a Pluteus perhaps ephebeus (Sooty shield mushroom) on dead willow. Note the nice pink gills & a single Bay Polypore on a drier piece of dead willow. @friendlyevalley.bsky.social #fungifriends

The Friends of Lye Valley are one of the three finalists for the Biodiversity & Ecology Award in the Oxford Climate Awards 2026: content.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKO...

I know everybody probably has them now, but it was a great joy today in Lye Valley to encounter this big hawthorn overgrown by flowering ivy, literally humming with many Ivy Bees on the flowers. Now I wonder where they are nesting ? - lawns nearby no doubt @friendlyevalley.bsky.social

Clouded Yellow butterfly seen whilst walking down the boardwalk in the Lye Valley Nature Reserve today 💛 @friendlyevalley.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social OX3

The value of a Lye Valley #fen log pile in full sun for #reptiles. There were three juvenile Viviparous Lizards enjoying basking in the morning on these old willow logs. Two legged it as I reached for the camera, leaving this one. Nice Slow Worm juvenile nearby @friendlyevalley.bsky.social

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

This week, attractive seeding heads have caught my eye in Lye Valley #fen. Here are fluffy Hemp Agrimony, maroon seeds of Parsley Water-dropwort, green-striped seeds of Wild Angelica & the maroon splashed with silver of opening flowers of Common Reed waving in the wind @friendlyevalley.bsky.social

Astonishing to see an OSPREY over the Lye Valley, Oxford, this morning! The second patch record, after the first back in March; I never expected another over the city! It has a distinctive notch in its left wing, so it may be identifiable elsewhere #patchgold
#UKbirding @friendlyevalley.bsky.social

Lovely to see all the small life in Lye Valley #fen today. A Long-winged conehead female and a Dock bug enjoying the warmth of the boardwalk. An orange coloured Garden Spider and the strange egg case of a Wasp Spider. The adult wasp spider nearby escaped the camera @friendlyevalley.bsky.social

Which insects like to feed on Grass of Parnassus flowers in Lye Valley #fen today? Stripy hoverfly, probably a Vestal Cuckoo Bumble Bee queen and a Small Copper Butterfly for starters @friendlyevalley.bsky.social

Finally some migrant birds in the Lye Valley, Oxford. A brief male Redstart, plus two Spotted Flycatchers this morning, the second and third of the autumn, all decent birds in the city.
#ukbirding #migration #oxford
@friendlyevalley.bsky.social

It is almost peak Devil's bit Scabious in Lye Valley #fen, the purple haze just does not come out in the photo. The purple bobble flowers are where all the insects are -spot the painted lady I never even noticed in first photo. @friendlyevalley.bsky.social Well worth a visit to see this display.