RAUK - Archived Forum - Posts by mhows:

I am new to this forum, so should introduce my self

I am primarily a birdwatcher but have become interested in Reptiles and Amphibians in the last few years and would like to find out more about them and see a few more species.

I am interested in finding a group near Cambridge.

Are there any out there or what is the nearest to me.

Thanks

Mark

My website www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/birds.htm

Has a few reptile photo's on some of the photo pages

Many Thanks I will contact them

Mark

Here are a couple of photos from the site earlier in the year, both wall and green lizards were easily found.

http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/uk2006/gl3.jpg

http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/uk2006/liz.jpg

http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/uk2006/wallliz1.jpg

There were large numbers of brick red froglets at Tichwell RSPB (Norfolk) reserve at the weekend, in the the woodland between the car park and visitors centre.

Mark

Yes in the scrub above the wall lizard area, they are much harder to find than the wall lizards

I was bitten through a glove one rescuing a very annoyed adder from a road at Winterton two weeks ago, one fang only and the snake was small. I went to Hospital and was given anti venom, the hand and arm was swollen but went down after a couple of days, and was fine.

The toxins cause cell death and anti venom is recommended.

The picture was taken by my friend

Here is one taken this week

Mark

take a look at my webpage it has some details and pics of some I have seen.

http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/exotics.htm

click on the misc creatures link

Mark

I have seen many adders in my time and even recently got bitten rescuing one, but I have never seen a black adder where are good sites to see them

Thanks

Mark

Finally dug my October issue out, not much use realy narrows it down to the UK as a hotspot and mentions southern England.

Anyone got any better info, I saw a mention of Dunwich / Minsmere as a good site for them.

Mark

Where are all my toads, each year I help hundreds of toads cross to a large breeding pond along with some frogs and newts. This starts from mid Feb, but this year I have only had 5 toads and 10 frogs so far is this reflected elsewhere or is it localised?

Thanks

Mark

Thanks for the response, I will keep on the lookout for them, just concerned that they were so late.

Mark

Finally some this evening, just got into double figures (13) and 3 frogs

Mark

Alex can you contact me

also check out my webpage for non native species which I am trying to see

http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/exotics.htm

Thanks

Mark

PS your inbox is still full

There are several pics of Lizards on my webpage link below

http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/2008trip/unk/unkphoto.htm

Any help most appreciated, locations given on page

Thanks

Mark

I saw these a couple of weeks ago in Essex

Mark

In 1954, the third Viscount Anthony Chaplin released several species of animals into his walled garden at Wadstray House (Owned by Lord Chaplin from 1951 until his death in 1981) at Blackawton, near Totnes in Devon.

Two egg carrying [Midwife toad] males from the London Zoological Gardens were released at Black Oughton [Blackawton is the location of Wadstray Ho.], Totnes, in South Devon by Viscount Chaplin in the mid 1950's. This colony existed until the early 1970's but has not been heard of since. ( P Nicholson, Teignbridge District Council, 1985)

Mark

There is a healthy population in the south of Oundle, locally common but not particularly dispersed. They breed in garden ponds, they are easily heard during the right season.

Robert Brocklehurst / family  introduced them to Oundle and Worksop from the Bedford colony in the 1950's

Mark

Some pics

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8209127@N04/4622588102/in/set-7 2157612155046196/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8209127@N04/4621981485/in/set-7 2157612155046196/

[QUOTE=will]Hi Mark

I notice that you assign the UK midwife toads to Alytes cisternasii rather than the traditional Alytes obstetricans on your Alien Invaders website - is this now generally accepted?

Cheers

Will 
[/QUOTE]

No idea, I was told they were  cisternasii, but happy to be corrected if that is incorrect as I am no expert on taxonomy.

Mark