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A good day for Slowworms: |
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arvensis Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2006 No. of posts: 445  View other posts by arvensis |
Posted: 27 Jul 2006 Ok, it wasn't hundreds but 2 new sites for them. My friend(who surveys with me) and I have allotment plots on the same site. There's a big mound of 'help yourself' soil conditioner. Since there's not many people currently on site, we decided to use the mound to grow some extra potatoes. I was digging up the last plant when not only I dug up potatoes but this as well:  A nice surprise and she was unharmed by the fork. One of the few plot holders decided to use the only decent tap to water here plot(another reason why we were there) so we decided to take a little wander. Not too far from the allotmentsis what I can best describe as rough scrub and parkland. There's a stream nearby, plenty of long grass, good basking spots and lots of thick bramble bushes. There's a good chance it could support 4 of our 6 reptiles. Scattered around part of this site is bits of old carrugated iron- some tin sized(which I moved to what I deemed more suitable locations on a previous visit). Also there is very lengths of wood and a few other bits of junk. After lifting a few bits of 'tin' we found the first of 5 Af, which were 4 adults and 1 juvenile. 2 of the adults were under the same bit of narrow but lengthy bit of wood. Here's one of the females:  Now I know there's reptiles on the allotment I shall be putting down refugia at certain points of the site. Off topic, but at work today I found 1 Viv Lizard, now I know where to look, I'll be back at the same place tomorrow to try and get a pic. I know the photos aren't the best of quality, this is due to me using a camera phone - Af, being the first piccies on that phone. Mark Hampshire Amphibian and Reptile Group. |
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Suzi Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 No. of posts: 860 View other posts by Suzi |
Posted: 29 Jul 2006 It's amazing how many slow worms can be in an area without ever being seen. I have scores in my garden and they breed in one of my compost heaps that is dedicated to them (they turn up in the other heaps as well) but I never see them on the prowl in the garden, day or night. Neither do I see them basking. Suz |
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arvensis Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2006 No. of posts: 445 View other posts by arvensis |
Posted: 29 Jul 2006 Good to hear about the Slowies in your garden Suzi. Obviously, the compost heaps are ideal for them if they are breeding, plus the heaps attract insects and such so its a ready made food source. I have none in mine, but I'm right in the centre of a town so I'm not too surprised. At work yesterday, a search under various bits of junk yielded 3 slowies(another new site). In the evening I went with my friend to check another Slowie site, 3 were found, including a juvenile under a discarded computer tower case. A brief look at a known Adder site nearby yielded a female Vb which darted in to cover and a male Af with a stumpy tale nearby under a log. Mark Hampshire Amphibian and Reptile Group. |
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Suzi Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 No. of posts: 860 View other posts by Suzi |
Posted: 29 Jul 2006 Mark, I live in a town albeit a country town in Devon. I have quite a few friends in town here with slowies in their gardens. I think what happened was they were here originally when it was still countryside and they survived as the town sort of grew round them as houses were thrown up piecemeal or in small numbers rather than huge estates where everything was blitzed and cleared and the slow worms with it. Suz |
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Ray999 Senior Member Joined: 07 Mar 2006 No. of posts: 101  View other posts by Ray999 |
Posted: 30 Jul 2006 Hi suzi As I have mentioned before I used to live in Torquay and I can remember when I was about 10 I was looking on this grass bank for slow worms and common lizards when I saw what looked like a large stick,I went to move it when it moved itself and so did the rest of the bank with it.I know everything looks bigger when you are young but I was used to handling lizards and slow worms but this looked massive and frightened the life out of me.I am not proud to say but I ran away,when I had the courage to go back it had gone.As best as I can remember it looked like a huge slow worm but it was probably a grassie.Now being a young kid I had explored this area really well and there was no water of any description anywhere,so was it a grassie or could it have been something else. Cheers Ray ray999 |
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Suzi Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 No. of posts: 860 View other posts by Suzi |
Posted: 30 Jul 2006 Ray when my brother was young he was wandering in Hackensall Woods (Knott End) and he swears he saw a very large lizard in a ditch in the woods. A couple of feet long he claims! He was quite scared by the sight although he loved and was used to lizards, newts and slow worms. He reckons it must have been an escaped or turned out pet. This is in your neck of the woods now so beware!
Suz |
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arvensis Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2006 No. of posts: 445 View other posts by arvensis |
Posted: 04 Aug 2006 I had a call from my friend whilst I was at work. He checked the tins on the site close to the allotments. He found 2 slowies and new to the site, a Grass Snake. No photos but I'm sure they'll be other opportunities. Mark Hampshire Amphibian and Reptile Group. |
- A good day for Slowworms |