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mickp
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Joined: 05 Aug 2009
No. of posts: 2


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Posted: 29 Aug 2009 Topic: bumper year for common lizards?



Hi to everyone on this forum. this is my first post here. It seems to me to be a particularly good year for common lizards in my part of the country (North Devon). In the damp long grass meadows where i walk my dog I often see a half dozen yearling and newborns basking together at most available basking sites,  is this reflected in the rest of the country and could it be due to the wet but rather warm summers of the last three years.

Mike.



mickp
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Joined: 05 Aug 2009
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Posted: 30 Aug 2009 Topic: bumper year for common lizards?



Hi Chris and herpetologic2 and thanks for the replies.
It seems that from what you both are saying is that I am seeing a purely local effect. Of course it's possible that I am seeing more individuals not because there are more but for some other reason. possibly as my dog has got older and less boisterous he disturbs them less.  It's rather surprising that I rarely see many lizards on hot sunny days.  The best times are when the weather is cloudy with weak watery sunshine, I guess that the animals need to bask for longer and being colder are slower to move off when disturbed.
I only see the lizards when they sit on the wooden fences either the lowest rail of the post and rail fences or the diagonal braces of the barbed wire fence. Is this because they congregate here or are they spread throughout the meadows but only visible when fence sitting.

Herpetologic2, I am interested in getting more involved with ARG in Devon

Thanks Mike



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