The Mist

Posted by Graeme Lyons , Tuesday 23 August 2011 18:36

Southerham was very damp and bleak today, with cloying low cloud and damp still airs that carried sound clearly for miles. The low cloud had grounded quite a few migrants and we saw two Whinchats and a Redstart as well as a number of Wheatears and Yellow Wagtails.

The sward was looking in good in many places but a real surprise were two Autumn Lady's-tresses just outside a quadrat on one of the arable reversion fields.

Invertebrate-wise though there was very little happening and I wasn't expecting to see anything new. As we were walking towards the car I spotted this amazing spider hanging beneath an Upright Hedge-parsley umbel and thought I recognised it from the book as one I had not seen. I like this spider as it is easily identifiable in the field and is the only one in the genus being Neoscona adianta.

2 Response to "The Mist"

Crispin Says:

A lot of Autumn Lady's-tresses at Malling Down this year. I cant remember seeing them there in previous years - if they were I don't think there were so many as this year.

Graeme Lyons Says:

Hi Crispin
They are usually there. The largest patch between my grazing exclosures and the little gape up the hill from there. Also, there are a few on the south facing back on the sunken track coming up from Mill Road. i think i counted about 60-70 in 2008.
Graeme

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