A spider tick and a few good birds...

Yesterday evening Dave Helliar found three Mediterranean Gulls at Chard res and this morning he sent me a few distant shots taken in failing light along with a photo of a spider he'd seen on his local patch near Chard. It was a female Araneus marmoreus, which is described by M. J. Roberts as 'Fairly widespread in Britain but rather locally distributed and uncommon.' Certainly a new one for me so once the weather improved I decided to take a look today and found another two in a different area to where Dave had found one, so clearly well established. Stunning spiders they are too:

Araneus marmoreus: R. Harris

Araneus marmoreus: R. Harris

Araneus marmoreus: R. Harris

Araneus marmoreus: D. Helliar

Long-winged Conehead: R. Harris

Araneus marmoreus is closely related to the common garden orb spider Araneus diadematus but much more colourful and very distinctive. What a great find. And not forgetting the Meds of course...

1st winter Med: Dave Helliar

2nd winter Med: Dave Helliar

Second 1st winter Med: Dave Helliar

A few other bits from this week include a few of these:

Wheatear, male - Chard: R. Harris

Still several commas around along with red admirals too.

Comma: R. Harris

Speckled Wood: D. Helliar

Pale Tussock caterpillar: R. Harris

Common Lizard, catching the last of the sun: D. Helliar

Common Lizard: D. Helliar