First Newborn Reptiles of 2012 (VERY PIC HEAVY)

[JonathanD]

Yeah, no problem there Mary. Slow-worms are found right up to the north coast. They like a nice big compost heap and plenty of tangled grass to hide in when moving. You rarely see them on the surface compared to other reptiles and are almost subterannean in their habits.

 

[JonathanD]

Excellent! and to add, there are now two of you to get a soak on...................

The whole place has been flooded over with all this rain mate. It's like a bog in there as it is right on the bend of the river which has constantly been bursting its bank at that point. Our friendly neighbourhood nut mucher would have a hard time of going there at the moment unless we get some dry spells.

Moose-girl has been wanting to go and watch the otters, but it's not poss at the mo.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Ooof wonder if itll kick his subterranean building plans out of wack, the last of the three lizard pics is absolutly stunning Jon!

 

[JonathanD]

This was the only creature that would let me get within a foot of it and stopped still. Even then it just looked at me hoping I hadn't noticed. They are cocky little buggers when they are on this grass. All they have to do is just drop through it and they're gone within milliseconds. I think that's why they were so brave. The ones on ground level were gone just as I was noticing them. Trying to turn a camera on and waiting for it to make ready wasn't going to work.

 

[Mafro]

Cracking pics mate. That old boy is a stunner isn't he!

 

[Wook]

I guess the trick is knowing where to look. I've seen maybe one adder in my life!

Thanks for the photos.

 

[Wayland]

Excellent stuff Jonathan

 

[Cyclingrelf]

A great record - thanks for sharing all those photos Jonathan - it must have taken ages. Much appreciated.

 

[daveO]

Really great to see stuff like this. I found a clutch of grass snake eggs in my composter last week so I'm keeping an eye out for young snakes now.

 

[EmmaD]

Man you should charge for guided walks Jon - I haven't seen that many adders in a decade!

He never gets as excited about seeing me when he comes home as he does about baby snakes. Maybe I should start charging

 

[Barn Owl]

That was a good ramble well done managing to capture so many with photos too
Thank you for sharing.

JD......would slow worms survive up here ? There's plenty of food if they like slugs and I can keep cats and hoodie's away from them.

cheers,
M

They're certainly in the Galloway forest airt Mary.
Gaz found one at the last Glentrool meet.

 

[bushwacker bob]

He never gets as excited about seeing me when he comes home as he does about baby snakes. Maybe I should start charging

I couldn't, I just couldn't.

 

[kodiakjoe]

brilliant pictures and info too, thanks for sharing

 

[BushRatt]

That's fantastic! Quite the selection of wildlife you saw! Is that typical for the area?

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 

[JonathanD]

That's fantastic! Quite the selection of wildlife you saw! Is that typical for the area?

Only from a herpetologists point of view. I saw plenty of other stuff, but when snakes are your job, you do get blinkered slightly. I saw a little owl and sparrowhawk, but they only managed to stop me mid stride as I looked up. Adders were my quarry.

This is my place, spot the Emma-ness there.

 

[bushwacker bob]

Doe she install burglar alarms or PIR lighting?

 

[JonathanD]

Plastic owls.

Although it does have a very good purpose.

 

[bushwacker bob]

Plastic owls.

Although it does have a very good purpose.

She couldn't find any plastic secretary birds?

 

[JonathanD]

She couldn't find any plastic secretary birds?

Oooh, that's below the belt. The swines!!!

She put it there to stop the owls picking off the bats as they came out. We've got a few colonies under the roof, but the Brown Long Eareds used to get massacred.