Not sure I've ever seen this before. Lots of Whites, mostly Small (Pieris rapae) and Green-veined (Pieris napi) 'mud puddling' this morning in the Lye Valley, but only in two specific places. Given the amount of mud available, not sure how they choose!
#OxfordshireFens #OX3

Marsh lousewort or red rattle 🩷
A semi-parasitic plant that takes nutrients from others growing near it - hence it weakens reeds & helps increase fen biodiversity.
This week I've seen it in both #LyeValley and #HinkseyHeights 🌸
#OxfordshireFens

Our frogs are back!
Movement in three of our ponds this morning. 🐸🐸
[archive 📸]
#OxfordshireFens #Amphibians

𝙃𝙚𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙚 Brittany Ferries Finally, and much closer to home, sunset in the Lye Valley in East Oxford...
#OX3 #OxfordshireFens #Sunset #cloudsecurity

This week we planted out a range of sedges and cotton-grasses. Here, Common Cotton-grass (nationally Vulnerable, and Scarce in Oxon). We also planted some Broad-leaved Cotton-grass (Rare in Oxon); Tawny Sedge (Scarce in Oxon) and Flea Sedge (Scarce in Oxon).
#OxfordshireFens

A bitterly cold morning in the Valley today for our volunteers, but it makes a nice change from last week's heavy rain! (And spot the Red Kite...)
#OxfordshireFens #winter #frost #ice #OX3

One of a group of very noisy Crows (Corvus corone) in the Valley this morning. Such smart birds when you see them close up!
#OxfordshireFens #OX3

Merry Christmas to all our followers, supporters, and volunteers!
[archive photo: Grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia palustris) growing through Marsh Lousewort (Pedicularis palustris). Two of our rarer plants...]
#OxfordshireFens

Our ecologist painstakingly sorting through pots of Dioecious Sedge (Carex dioica), dividing them into males and females, and removing grass. Rare in Oxon, the seedlings are been passed to volunteers to grow on until they're big enough to plant in the fen.
#OxfordshireFens

A few of our volunteers have suggested we produce a calendar of them at work instead of photo of our flora and fauna. We're not convinced, but if we did, here's Mr January! What do you reckon?
#OxfordshireFens #volunteers

Would you believe this wonderful patch of beautiful Common cotton grass Eriophorum angustifolium came from a few transplanted tufts from the other side of Lye Valley #fen just three years ago? Astonishing rate of spread now it is in a wetter area it likes! #Oxfordshirefens

It's #WorldWetlandsDay , and this is the Lye Valley fen SSSI, an internationally rare habitat right in the middle of East Oxford. Home to rare plants and insects, its peat acts as a huge carbon store. Find out more here: friendsoflyevalley.org.uk
#OxfordshireFens #LocalWildlifeSite

Undeterred by heavy rain, our work of moving plants to more suitable positions continues. Here, moving Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus) from a dry bank (where they never flower) to wetter spots alongside the boardwalk. Hopefully they'll flower this May!
#OxfordshireFens #OX3

We spread the last of our Marsh Lousewort (Pedicularis palustris) seed today in a couple of areas that are sill too dominated by reed and rush. A hemiparasite, within two years the reed should be gone. Read more here: freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/app/uploads/20…
#OxfordshireFens #OX3 #FenRestoration

Harvesting Willow shoots to use in the protective shuttering for the soft peat banks of the Lye Brook.
#OxfordshireFens #OX3

The Common Cotton-grass (Eriophorum angustifolium) we lovingly grew from seed before planting out in the #SSSI fen is just starting to flower. Though still plentiful in the uplands, it's declining elsewhere and is Scarce in Oxon.
#OxfordshireFens #OX3

There's a volunteer under those waterproofs somewhere! This week we planted out lots of (Scarce in Oxon) Tawny Sedge (Carex hostiana) plants, grown from seed collected in the Valley. We're hoping to strengthen the small population we have of this plant.
#OxfordshireFens #OX3

Please join us in wishing a very Happy Birthday to Judy Webb!
Those who know her won't be surprised to learn she chose to spend it with us here in the Lye Valley...
#OxfordshireFens #Volunteer #InspirationalLeader

A very wet start for our first work party of the year, but with signs that Spring is just around the corner: Robins chasing each other through the scrub, and a Song Thrush in full voice.
#OxfordshireFens #OX3

We spotted our first Scarlet Elf cups (Sarcoscypha austriaca) of the season today. Such a bright colour on a grey day! According to #folklore , Elves use them to drink the morning dew. However early we're there, we still haven't seen them doing it! 🙃
#Fungi #OxfordshireFens #OX3