Tom Bedford
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tombedford.bsky.social
Tom Bedford
@tombedford.bsky.social
380 followers 320 following 160 posts
Obsessive patch birder in the Lye Valley, Oxford | eBird reviewer for Oxfordshire | bird surveys for BTO.

Part of a 2024 team that set the current Oxon Big Day record by bike, beating the motorised record 🚴🏼‍♂️👊🏻✅
Blog 👇🏻
https://www.outofthebluesky.co/?p=5909
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tombedford.bsky.social
-3° in the Lye Valley, Oxford, this morning, but wintering warblers were the highlight. A record winter count of 6 Blackcaps, plus 2 Chiffchaffs, were present. Pyracantha berries were most popular with the Blackcaps.
@friendlyevalley.bsky.social
#patchbirding
#oxford #ukbirding
Two male Blackcaps Female type Blackcap Fox and Muntjac Deer A frozen Lye Valley boardwalk
November 20, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Reposted by Tom Bedford
msj99.bsky.social
Divers still at Covenham Reservoir this morning
@lincsbirding.bsky.social
@lincswildlife.bsky.social
@rarebirder.bsky.social
#Birds #UKBirding
Red-throated, Black-throated & Great Northern Divers
November 18, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Reposted by Tom Bedford
judywebb.bsky.social
Good news; the section of Lye Valley fen boardwalk destroyed by arson in the summer has been repaired by Oxford City Council Parks staff- thanks! @friendlyevalley.bsky.social
November 12, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Reposted by Tom Bedford
conormackenzie.bsky.social
October Oxon Birding round-up is now up! A superb month with the county in fine form for rarities: Bluethroat lingering into the 1st week, then a Pec Sand and finally two Twite – a real inland mega these days. And all 3 found by the same birder! #UKbirding oxonbirding.blogspot.com/2025/11/octo...
October Review
Highlights October continued the county’s excellent run of rarities, with three standout highlights punctuating an otherwise fairly quiet ...
oxonbirding.blogspot.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:57 AM
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
Reposted by Tom Bedford
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
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
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
Reposted by Tom Bedford
birdsoftheworld.bsky.social
Are you ready for the annual eBird/Clements taxonomy update? Happening as soon as tomorrow! Details at ebird.org and explore the species on Birds of the World (birdsoftheworld.org). The site will be open access from 29 Oct-7 Nov.

birdsoftheworld.org/bow/home
Birds of the World - Comprehensive life histories for all bird species and families
Species accounts for all the birds of the world.
birdsoftheworld.org
October 27, 2025 at 1:16 PM
tombedford.bsky.social
Comet Lemmon was visible between the clouds over Headington, Oxford this evening. Pictures taken on my phone, through my birding ‘scope.
#CometLemmon #Oxford
@headingtonnews.bsky.social
Comet Lemmon Comet Lemmon and the trail of a satellite (showing how much the wind was moving my telescope!).
October 25, 2025 at 6:37 PM
tombedford.bsky.social
Twite is a rare bird in Oxfordshire, the last being in November 2011. News of two birds at Farmoor late afternoon led to mad dash out to the reservoir on the bike, but great views in fading light and rain
#Oxonbirding
#UKbirding
Twite at Farmoor Reservoir Twite at Farmoor Reservoir Twite at Farmoor Reservoir
October 23, 2025 at 7:11 PM
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
tombedford.bsky.social
Great find and pictures Conor, what a memorable experience!
conormackenzie.bsky.social Conor MacKenzie @conormackenzie.bsky.social · Oct 16
After the initial couple of flyby’s the juvenile Sabine’s Gull showed incredibly well. Not many birds that are as stunning in juvenile plum as adults but Sab’s are definitely one of those. Just a shame for it be on site with no access #UKbirding @birdguides.bsky.social @berksbirdclub.bsky.social
Juvenile Sabine’s Gull Juvenile Sabine’s Gull in flight Juvenile Sabine’s Gull Juvenile Sabine’s Gull
October 16, 2025 at 6:30 PM
tombedford.bsky.social
A longer blog post about a week on Fair Isle with @sheldonbirds.bsky.social: www.outofthebluesky.co/2025/10/11/a...
Many thanks to all at @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social, a fantastic place with incredible food! Honourable mentions for @lukemarriner1.bsky.social and @philwoollen.bsky.social
#ukbirding
A week on Fair Isle: seeking still air
I first visited Fair Isle in 1986 as a seventeen-year-old, benefitting from a Richard Richardson bursary to cover the accommodation costs at the bird observatory. As an inexperienced inland birder,…
www.outofthebluesky.co
October 12, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Reposted by Tom Bedford
sheldonbirds.bsky.social
Leaving Shetland after 8 super days birding Fair Isle & Shetland with @tombedford.bsky.social. A superb mix of rarities, scarcities, common migrants, seabirds & spectacular scenery based at the brilliant @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social - thanks to all. eBird trip report ⬇️
ebird.org/tripreport/4...
A male Siberian Thrush emerges from cover at Asta Loch, Shetland, Oct 2025 Red-breasted Flycatcher peeping out from cover in South Raeva Geo on Fair Isle, Sept 2025 A migrant Common Redstart finding shelter in the derelict buildings near the summit of Ward Hill on Fair Isle Landscape looking south along the West Side of Fair Isle
October 4, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Reposted by Tom Bedford
sheldonbirds.bsky.social
A bit of relief to get flight off Fair Isle this morning ahead of impending arrival of Storm Amy, otherwise we'd have been stranded till Monday! A great first visit, capped off by @tombedford.bsky.social and I finding an Olive-backed Pipit (first seen yesterday evening, not confirmed till today)
Plane on the runway at Fair Isle Airport View of Sheep Head, Fair Isle, from the air Very poor record shot of Olive-backed Pipit, Fair Isle, 3 Oct 2025. Unstreaked and olive-toned mantle and coverts visible here Very poor record shot of Olive-backed Pipit, Fair Isle, 3 Oct 2025. Unstreaked and olive-toned mantle visible here, also a hint of the strong white supercilium on the left hand side of the bird's head
October 3, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Reposted by Tom Bedford
sheldonbirds.bsky.social
Day 3 on Fair Isle: SE gale again, but pre-dawn rain & heavy cloud brought in new birds with many Song Thrushes & Goldcrests in sheltered geos. Highlights of the day a Corncrake by North Light (@tombedford.bsky.social photo), stunning male Red-backed Shrike trapped at Obs & Red-Breasted Flycatcher
Record shot of Corncrake in flight by North Light, Fair Isle Head of male Red-backed Shrike Red-breasted Flycatcher, South Raeva, Fair Isle
September 27, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Reposted by Tom Bedford
macstronach.bsky.social
Just back from a pelagic trip out to the Whittard Canyon area on the continental shelf edge with @scillypelagics.bsky.social @scottinscilly.bsky.social @nomadbirder.bsky.social Madeiran Storm Petrel reclassified from MEGA!!! to scarce summer visitor in one evening with 84 counted last night! 😂
September 20, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Reposted by Tom Bedford
severnsidebirds.bsky.social
An exceptional day river watching at Severn Beach. Highlight was the 1st Sooty Shearwater record for 51 years. I even managed to see it from upstairs for my 169th species seen from home. Other sightings included Sabine's Gull, 3 Grey Phalarope, 3 Leach's Petrels, 4 storm Petrel, Arctic Skua etc
Sooty Shearwater Sooty Shearwater Sooty Shearwater Sooty Shearwater
September 15, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Reposted by Tom Bedford
dlangstonbirder.bsky.social
Coal Tits migrating at Falsterbo...

Their excitable flocks were wizzing past at eye-level into a strong head-wind today, then climbing south.
September 12, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Reposted by Tom Bedford
alexanderlees.bsky.social
Common Grackles are great generalists - likely to have survivorship on boats as they do things like [checks notes] killing and eating Snow Buntings! see: ebird.org/checklist/S1... 4/4
eBird Checklist - 10 Nov 2023 - Fish Dragging Location - 2 species
Submitted by Nova Scotia Bird Records.
ebird.org
September 11, 2025 at 11:51 AM
tombedford.bsky.social
Mostly cloudy in Oxford, but a brief glimpse of the lunar eclipse over Headington this evening, the Earth’s shadow covering the right-hand side.
#lunareclipse
#oxford
@headingtonnews.bsky.social
September 7, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Reposted by Tom Bedford
conormackenzie.bsky.social
A round up of an exciting month of birding in Oxon - topped by a 2nd for the county and proper grip back for those who missed the 1st. Other highlights include an unseasonable Wood Warbler, a storm blown Shag and a southward bound Honey-buzzard #UKbirding
oxonbirding.blogspot.com/2025/09/augu...
August Review
Highlights One of the many great joys of birding is the appearance of a total wildcard. A totally unexpected species that not even the mos...
oxonbirding.blogspot.com
September 4, 2025 at 6:50 PM
tombedford.bsky.social
Good to see this being discussed.
September 3, 2025 at 6:14 AM
Reposted by Tom Bedford
tmbirding.bsky.social
Ropey pic of the juvenile Marsh Sandpiper found yesterday at Standlake Pit 60 by Jeremy Dexter but not confirmed until this morning. In the pouring rain! #ukbirding
Digiscoped image of Marsh Sandpiper
August 29, 2025 at 7:16 AM