Last of the summer spiders

As Autumn approaches, the spiders are making a noticeable presence in our hedgerows and around the garden. Here are a few seen today in my back garden and nearby hedge:

Steatoda bipunctata

Zygiella x-notata - very rusty coloured individual

Araneus diadematus

I noticed the little zebra spider salticus senicus is still jumping around on the wall of my house when the sun's out too.

A few pics...

Well, I didn't get any time to go birding in Canada as my work schedule was very tight. However, I did manage to see a few things on my travels (1200 miles in 6 days) and below are a few of the photos and record shots I managed to get.

Western Gull, Juvenile - English Bay, Vancouver

Western Gull, Juvenile - English Bay, Vancouver

Pelagic cormorant, Vancouver

1st winter Ring-billed Gull, Vancouver

California Gull, Vancouver

California Gull, Osoyoos, BC (also next 2)

Glaucous-winged Gull, Vancouver

2nd winter Glaucous-winged Gull, Vancouver

2nd winter Glaucous-winged Gull

Juvenile Glaucous-winged Gull, Vancouver

Clarke's Nutcracker, BC

Brewers Blackbird, male, Osoyoos

Brewers Blackbird, Osoyoos

Northern Flicker, Osoyoos

Western Tanager, Osoyoos

Gray Jay, BC

Gray Jay, BC

Say's Phoebe, Vernon

Juvenile California Gull

Ring-billed gull, Osoyoos

record shot of female red-winged blackbird

Cassin's Finch

Cassin's Finch

Least chipmunk - well marked for a western one

Red Squirrel

Black bear - best photo I could get!

Beautiful British Columbia

The weather here is great. Since arriving it hasn't dropped below 26 degrees. Birds have included:
California gull
Ring-billed gull
Western gull
Glaucous-winged gull
Great blue heron
Northern flicker
Sage thrasher
Bald eagle
Golden eagle
Northern Harrier
Tree swallow
Varied thrush
Pine siskin
Clarke's nutcracker
Stella's jay
Gray jay
Osprey
Turkey vulture
Red-tailed hawk
Merlin
Western tanager
Brewers blackbird
Red-winged blackbird
American robin
Fox sparrow
Common nighthawk
American coot
Red-breasted nuthatch
Red-necked grebe
American black tern
Cassin's finch
'Oregon' junco
And a black bear.
Not bad considering I haven't had a chance to go birding!
More to follow...

More spiders!

You don't realise just how many species of spiders are commonly found around you until you start looking and identifying them. My house and garden alone have now tallied over 10 species. Here are a few more...

Young Pisaura mirabilis

Pardosa amentata (one of the 'wolf' spiders)

Amaurobius similis

I'll be in British Columbia, Canada next week, so the blog will be a little quiet, although I'll post if I get the chance.

Tranquillity is...

No birds of note other than 2 common sandpipers and a kingfisher this morning but the res looked beautiful...

Bit of bird movement at last!

An early visit to Chard res this morning paid off with 2 nice black terns close to the hide before relocating to the east shore. They only stayed for an hour before disappearing but at least the local birders got to see them. Whilst looking for the terns, Andy Grinter had brief views of a pied flycatcher - a Chard res 1st no less! Although it never reappeared, Dave Helliar had a peregrine, sparrowhawk and a hobby hunting martins too, all good records for the res.

Birds at last!

Had a day off today and as soon as I heard that the wryneck at Cogden Beach had been seen again, I decided to try and get it as I missed one a few days ago just along the Fleet at West Bexington. This time I was lucky...

Wryneck

It showed quite well at times and allowed the opportunity of a quick photo.

Then back to Black Hole Marsh, Seaton on the way home to see the juvenile spotted redshank that's been there for the last couple of days, great bird - if only it had been a bit closer. This was by far my best shot.

Juv. spotted redshank

What to do on a showery day...

The weather today has been changeable to say the least. One minute the sun's out, the next it's raining so hard you can't see more than 50 metres away! After checking the res this morning and finding it pretty lifeless, I turned my attention to checking for spiders in the garden and hey presto, another new one for me! I love it when you start looking at something new, so many ticks to be had.

This is Steatoda bipunctata, pretty common and fairly unmistakeable. This one was sitting under an upturned flower pot.

Common sandpiper

They may be frequent on passage at Chard res but they are none-the-less lovely little waders. Over the past few weeks we have been lucky to get both green and common sandpipers wandering right up to and under the hide, at times too close to photograph.

Definitely one here to keep an eye out for!

Well, they are easier to photograph than birds and there are lots around at the moment so...

Enoplognatha ovata

Tegenaria species

...and this one, Steatoda nobilis - one of the few spiders in this country that will *bite if provoked. Sometimes called the False Widow. Found this one on the inside of the window frame!

* the following accounts are taken from the Natural History Museum's website:

Bite reports

The bite itself is not usually felt but, within a short space of time, a local burning sensation is followed by radiating pain ('far more severe than a bee or wasp sting', Warrell et al., 1991).

'Sudden onset of intense pain, radiating across thigh. Lasted 20 minutes with some swelling and a developing weal.'

'Bitten on left hand; within 3/4 hour developed swelling of palm including thumb and fingers with tingling in all fingers. Swelling on left side of face with tingling over face. Two small puncture wounds in the region of the swelling, surrounded by local erythema with small bluish tinge a few hours later.'

'Bite on arm (area red) immediate pain. Spread to chest - still stiff 48 hours later.'

'Burning sensation on the right side of ribs. Increased in intensity, like being scalded, stabbing pains spread first to armpit then down right arm. Also flu-like symptoms, aches, sweats, fatigue, perspiring, cold and shaky, sick and giddy (all in first 10 minutes). Face and right arm went purplish and slightly puffy. Bite mark raised with red area c. 5 or 6cm. After 1 hour, responded to Piriton but felt unwell for 3 days.'

'Bitten on the shoulder. Initially the top of my arm ached, then felt itchy. Ten minutes later my armpit became numb. The skin was hot and sticky and looked wrinkled. The tenderness and itchiness lasted for some days' (later said to be infected).

Frequency of bites

Increasing as the species spreads in the south and east of England.

Another monster!!

Ok, well not a monster exactly. In fact it's body length is only 6mm long but it looks pretty nasty! It is in fact a common spider called Zygiella x-notata. What a stunning thing it is too. Click on it and take a closer look.

If the weather improves this weekend as forecast, I might be able to stop taking photos of spiders in my house and get outside instead. Some scarce migrant birds would be nice...