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RAUK - Archived Forum - Numbers

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Robert V
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Aug 2004
No. of posts: 717


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Posted: 24 May 2010

All,

It's May (in case you haven't yet figured it out and there's not been that many numbers of reported sightings on here, unlike previous years. Are people still turning up Grassies? Or is it a question of no decent photos?

Rob


RobV
Paul Ford
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Sep 2006
No. of posts: 124


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Posted: 25 May 2010

Hi Rob,

I'd say that numbers were down at my local sites

Paul

 


tim hamlett
Senior Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2006
No. of posts: 572


View other posts by tim hamlett
Posted: 25 May 2010

hi

i haven't been out as much this year but so far only seen one grassie.

tim


herpetologic2
Senior Member
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
No. of posts: 1369


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Posted: 25 May 2010
Plenty of grass snakes at mitigation sites in Essex. Though
I haven't been back out on my study site in Hampshire this
year as I am finishing up NARRS protocol surveys and my
local churchyard which has had up to 109 slow-worms on it!
Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant -
visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife
Matt Harris
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Jun 2003
No. of posts: 196


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Posted: 25 May 2010
I've had 3 so far at one of our monitoring sites compared with just one in five previous years of monitoring. Another site is ticking along as usual - one subadult plus one of last years' neonates last week.
Gwent Amphibian and Reptile Group (GARG)
will
Senior Member
Joined: 27 Feb 2007
No. of posts: 330


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Posted: 25 May 2010

Hi Rob

Have to admit I was hoping for some good pics of mating pairs/balls of grassies this spring which never happened - they seemed to have got the mating business over and done in spite of the cold winter and late spring well before the adders had got going.  So in my case at least, the lack of posts is not due to a lack of snakes - if anything I'd say I've seen more at most of my regular sites this spring than for many years (a result of high survival rates due to the sustained cold weather over the winter, I guess)

Will


dave fixx
Senior Member
Joined: 13 Mar 2007
No. of posts: 319


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Posted: 25 May 2010
Had a record 13 in an hour at my local site which was very late getting going this year.Have found one at a new location today.Numbers seem to be at least as good as last year .Need to get a survey in at another local site in decent weather but early indications on that site point to normal numbers on the brief visits we have had there.
Dave Williams
davewilliamsphotography.co.uk
Chris Monk
Senior Member
Joined: 21 Apr 2004
No. of posts: 157


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Posted: 25 May 2010
I've seen more this spring - without going looking for them at known grass snake locations and have also had quite a few casual sightings reported to me.
Chris
Derbyshire Amphibian & Reptile Group
www.derbyshirearg.co.uk
AGILIS
Senior Member
Joined: 27 Feb 2007
No. of posts: 694


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Posted: 26 May 2010
Still plenty around the Suffolk sites keith
   LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID
kevinb
Senior Member
Joined: 18 Mar 2009
No. of posts: 61


View other posts by kevinb
Posted: 27 May 2010
Paul, I was down at your location a couple of weeks ago on a day off and met an old guy taking photos of Grass snakes. He told me that he had recently seen 35 there on one visit.
tim hamlett
Senior Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2006
No. of posts: 572


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Posted: 27 May 2010

popped out to a local grass snake site yesterday pm. not ideal conditions but saw four snakes including a melanistic one. no pics i'm afraid but that's average numbers for and hours looking given the conditions.

tim


Paul Ford
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Sep 2006
No. of posts: 124


View other posts by Paul Ford
Posted: 28 May 2010

[QUOTE=kevinb]Paul, I was down at your location a couple of weeks ago on a day off and met an old guy taking photos of Grass snakes. He told me that he had recently seen 35 there on one visit.[/QUOTE]

Perhaps I just need to get some glasses


Robert V
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Aug 2004
No. of posts: 717


View other posts by Robert V
Posted: 28 May 2010

Mmmm,

Must just be EF down in numbers then. But I too bumped into an old guy, reckons that he saw two blokes collecting some a few weeks back and got a car reg - he told me he'd passed it onto the rangers and the old bill had got involved!!!

Wow, hope they throw the book at them when they're caught!

R


RobV
dave fixx
Senior Member
Joined: 13 Mar 2007
No. of posts: 319


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Posted: 28 May 2010
Hope so Rob or something a bit harder.
Dave Williams
davewilliamsphotography.co.uk
arvensis
Senior Member
Joined: 15 Mar 2006
No. of posts: 445


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Posted: 30 May 2010
I've seen the grand total of 0 this year, partially because I've not been looking for them, only been to a couple of sites where they are.   I'm also useless at spotting stuffso I may have possibly overlooked any.

Mark

Hampshire Amphibian and Reptile Group.
AGILIS
Senior Member
Joined: 27 Feb 2007
No. of posts: 694


View other posts by AGILIS
Posted: 30 May 2010
Wonder we have seen anything this year freezing cold or heatwaves, you could leave hot water bottles around sites filled with ice and hotwater to compensate for the weather changes AGILIS40329.6302430556
   LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID
herpetologic2
Senior Member
Joined: 15 Jun 2004
No. of posts: 1369


View other posts by herpetologic2
Posted: 01 Jun 2010
Translocated over 30 grass snakes in basildon this year - a reasonable
number considering the survey results of a few individuals over the summer
months in previous years

The animals it seems have settled into their new home - some have taken
residence on grass piles created for them - fingers crossed for successful
breeding!

J


Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant -
visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife
Mark_b
Senior Member
Joined: 26 Jun 2008
No. of posts: 79


View other posts by Mark_b
Posted: 01 Jun 2010

First grass snake seen on the 17th of April. I am seeing quite a few on a regular basis.

One of my sites were I first saw a snake last year on the 18th of April still has no sign of any and I have been visiting it 3 times a week since mid April, worrying. This site had a hibernation site destroyed in 2008 with animals killed, but many snakes were caught during 2009. I dont know whether this harsh winter killed off snakes not hibernating deep enough? I'm sure some will turn up!


tim hamlett
Senior Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2006
No. of posts: 572


View other posts by tim hamlett
Posted: 18 Jun 2010

hi

camped at emberton country park near milton keynes last weekend and, without trying too hard, saw between 15 and 20 grassies.

tim


Robert V
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Aug 2004
No. of posts: 717


View other posts by Robert V
Posted: 19 Jun 2010
Good one Tim, at least they're still alive and well in MK
RobV

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