Andrew Douglas
@andydouglas1967.bsky.social
Spiders, inverts, botany, birds, wine, beer, food, pottery, aircraft. Not necessarily in that order. See @andydouglas1967-IT.bsky.social for IT/Computer Science stuff. West Norfolk and South Northamptonshire.
The reason we’re here. Fab - much more new wave than I remember. Should get side 2 in before Strictly.
November 15, 2025 at 6:10 PM
The reason we’re here. Fab - much more new wave than I remember. Should get side 2 in before Strictly.
The only decent Duran Duran album before they went a bit shit. Not been played in 40+ years. More crackles than an open fire and more jumpy than a Salticid.
November 15, 2025 at 5:31 PM
The only decent Duran Duran album before they went a bit shit. Not been played in 40+ years. More crackles than an open fire and more jumpy than a Salticid.
In other news I bought a cheap deck to play my records. Technologically backwards but nice to hear again. Starting with a favourite (which I have digitally anyway.)
November 15, 2025 at 4:32 PM
In other news I bought a cheap deck to play my records. Technologically backwards but nice to hear again. Starting with a favourite (which I have digitally anyway.)
My latest wheeze, once I find some glue, is sticking plastic nylon washers to microscope slides, to hold palps and spiders. Not as deep as a tube lid, a dab of gel, a palp, then alcohol on top. We’ll see what happens. Had those slides for over 20 years!
November 15, 2025 at 4:29 PM
My latest wheeze, once I find some glue, is sticking plastic nylon washers to microscope slides, to hold palps and spiders. Not as deep as a tube lid, a dab of gel, a palp, then alcohol on top. We’ll see what happens. Had those slides for over 20 years!
Ooh - just arrived. Looks good. The first of the three books I ordered and paid for half a year ago. Not that I ever go to Yorkshire these days.
November 15, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Ooh - just arrived. Looks good. The first of the three books I ordered and paid for half a year ago. Not that I ever go to Yorkshire these days.
Last of the polytunnel peppers. Small Poblanos and Beaver Dam, which are the same species but with a kick. Would have made good Chipotle if I could be bothered to process, I suspect. Some for tonight’s Texas chilli, rest for freezer.
November 15, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Last of the polytunnel peppers. Small Poblanos and Beaver Dam, which are the same species but with a kick. Would have made good Chipotle if I could be bothered to process, I suspect. Some for tonight’s Texas chilli, rest for freezer.
This is the same but slightly enhanced using GIMP - sharpened and contrast shifted. You still can't see the 'wiggly' bit that makes this Micrargus herbigradus. The gel has distorted the light and also gone slightly opaque. I'm not sure where to go with it, now.
November 13, 2025 at 8:28 PM
This is the same but slightly enhanced using GIMP - sharpened and contrast shifted. You still can't see the 'wiggly' bit that makes this Micrargus herbigradus. The gel has distorted the light and also gone slightly opaque. I'm not sure where to go with it, now.
Update on the handgel for holding/covering specimens under the compound scope. Still no good. I bought 6 bottles of the Garnier gel but either it's a different recipe, or the bottles don't contain what they say they contain. Optical qualities pretty rubbish. Have diluted but no real improvement.
November 13, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Update on the handgel for holding/covering specimens under the compound scope. Still no good. I bought 6 bottles of the Garnier gel but either it's a different recipe, or the bottles don't contain what they say they contain. Optical qualities pretty rubbish. Have diluted but no real improvement.
Also from Dersingham wood, leaf litter, Tenuiphantes flavipes and Agyneta rurestris. There were other things. I'd never seen Drapetisca socialis, which we saw a few of, and in the bog, Hypsosinga cf pygmaea and Tibbelus sp, and an odd black and white job under a log (probably a dark Pachygnatha.)
November 10, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Also from Dersingham wood, leaf litter, Tenuiphantes flavipes and Agyneta rurestris. There were other things. I'd never seen Drapetisca socialis, which we saw a few of, and in the bog, Hypsosinga cf pygmaea and Tibbelus sp, and an odd black and white job under a log (probably a dark Pachygnatha.)
An odd one from yesterdays trip to Dersingham Bog. Took ages for the moss folk to get to the bog proper, but here's a presumed Zygiella sp on what was a smooth-ish tree, with nest. Well, I wasn't expecting it there, anyway. Maybe it's a thing, I don't know. Not many bushes nearby but a lot cleared.
November 10, 2025 at 6:57 PM
An odd one from yesterdays trip to Dersingham Bog. Took ages for the moss folk to get to the bog proper, but here's a presumed Zygiella sp on what was a smooth-ish tree, with nest. Well, I wasn't expecting it there, anyway. Maybe it's a thing, I don't know. Not many bushes nearby but a lot cleared.
Tasting the umeboshi Sloes. Fruity and not too salty - very pleasant indeed. Not sure what you’d do with it - with rice perhaps?
November 7, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Tasting the umeboshi Sloes. Fruity and not too salty - very pleasant indeed. Not sure what you’d do with it - with rice perhaps?
First time looking through the 15x eye pieces at spiders from Sweet Briars. Bathyphantes approximatus female, easy to see. 67.5x on zoom. Much better.
November 6, 2025 at 9:13 PM
First time looking through the 15x eye pieces at spiders from Sweet Briars. Bathyphantes approximatus female, easy to see. 67.5x on zoom. Much better.
And here is what is left of Caldecote fen, just a bit up the road. There's a bridleway along the edge and it is no longer a SSSI. There's also Stoke Ferry fen, which I know as it's near the viaduct of the Wissey over the cut off channel - I used to walk round to it, but not accessible by road.
November 4, 2025 at 7:40 PM
And here is what is left of Caldecote fen, just a bit up the road. There's a bridleway along the edge and it is no longer a SSSI. There's also Stoke Ferry fen, which I know as it's near the viaduct of the Wissey over the cut off channel - I used to walk round to it, but not accessible by road.
Here's the lower fen - not a SSSI. I didn't get a photo of the higher fen as I wasn't quite sure which bit of land was it.
November 4, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Here's the lower fen - not a SSSI. I didn't get a photo of the higher fen as I wasn't quite sure which bit of land was it.
Did a bit of noseying about today, looking at a couple places where spiders were found in the late 80s and wondering if I should look again. First is Boughton Fen - very close to me.
Here's the middle fen SSSI:
Here's the middle fen SSSI:
November 4, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Did a bit of noseying about today, looking at a couple places where spiders were found in the late 80s and wondering if I should look again. First is Boughton Fen - very close to me.
Here's the middle fen SSSI:
Here's the middle fen SSSI:
The last of last years Xmas puddings. Seems ok so we’re eating it tonight.
November 2, 2025 at 6:06 PM
The last of last years Xmas puddings. Seems ok so we’re eating it tonight.
‘Cheiftan of the pudding race’ is one of nick names.
October 28, 2025 at 6:26 PM
‘Cheiftan of the pudding race’ is one of nick names.
Beautifully wrapped books arrived in the post. Couldn’t resist as price affordable, really pleased to have them.
October 25, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Beautifully wrapped books arrived in the post. Couldn’t resist as price affordable, really pleased to have them.
Supplemental quinces bought at Drove Orchard, plus a bag of Medlars. No scales at the shop so only have 600g Medlars - not enough really. Also D’Arcy Spice apples - an Essex speciality!
October 25, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Supplemental quinces bought at Drove Orchard, plus a bag of Medlars. No scales at the shop so only have 600g Medlars - not enough really. Also D’Arcy Spice apples - an Essex speciality!
Fish for Lunch Friday, at Eric’s in Thornham. Excellent as ever. Best in Norfolk if not UK.
October 24, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Fish for Lunch Friday, at Eric’s in Thornham. Excellent as ever. Best in Norfolk if not UK.
Tea and cake at Welney then convinced mum to walk over the bridge and see the swans. Not many - loads of ducks and geese - nice male Marsh Harrier.
October 23, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Tea and cake at Welney then convinced mum to walk over the bridge and see the swans. Not many - loads of ducks and geese - nice male Marsh Harrier.
Bonus quince product. Three jars of quince jelly.
October 23, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Bonus quince product. Three jars of quince jelly.
New tubes. Two dozen small ones, and three dozen larger screw top tubes. What do folks do with their takings once id'ed? I use one large tube per 'spot' where sampling is taking place, so maybe two to four per field trip. And now I have loads full of stuff id'ed but just sitting about!
October 22, 2025 at 11:29 AM
New tubes. Two dozen small ones, and three dozen larger screw top tubes. What do folks do with their takings once id'ed? I use one large tube per 'spot' where sampling is taking place, so maybe two to four per field trip. And now I have loads full of stuff id'ed but just sitting about!
Membrillo 2025 batch 1. It’s ok.
October 22, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Membrillo 2025 batch 1. It’s ok.
Testing the new hand gel on palps from todays excursion to Sweet Briar Marshes in Norwich. Clubiona stagnatalis, Bathyphantes approximatus and a Centromerita bicolor so large I didn't think it was a linny.
October 18, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Testing the new hand gel on palps from todays excursion to Sweet Briar Marshes in Norwich. Clubiona stagnatalis, Bathyphantes approximatus and a Centromerita bicolor so large I didn't think it was a linny.