RAUK - Archived Forum - Reptiles in South Bucks

Although I now live in Merseyside, I am originally from South Buckinghamshire. When I was a kid (in the late 1960's and early 1970's) reptiles such as Grass snakes, adders, slow-worms and Common Lizards dould be found quite frequently at various localities (I'm not sure if I should name specific sites here.) Now, on the occasions I visit my original haunts, although some habitat has disappeared completely or changed from heathland to total tree cover, others still do not appear to contain reptiles, certainly not snakes, even where some suitable habitat remains.

I would be very interested to hear from anyone now living in the South Bucks area as to what they find there now. It appears to me that there has been an enormous reduction in reptiles, especially snakes, in what was 30 odd years ago a very productive area for them.

Hi Andy!

At last someone has responded to the above message!

The area I mostly knew was around Gerrards Cross, where there was some heathland and plenty of Grass Snakes, Slow-Worms and Common Lizards. Adders used to occur at several sites south of there.

Where do you live?

Cheers,

Mike Brown

 Hi Mike, Im origionaly (carnt speel!) from High Wycombe, but now live in West Wales, been here for nearly 12 yrs now.

 When I was a kid growing up in Wooburn Green, there were adders, common toads, plenty of common frogs, lots of slow worms, and a sprinkling of common lizards!

 My grandparent`s still live in Beaconsfeild, and we await my grandad`s proud pics of his resident grass snake, and frogs, every year, in the spring, with bated breath!

 We seem to have less toads here in Wales, but as we live near to a river, reedbed, and coast, we get tons of froggies! We do see the odd lizard, but we seem to have plenty of slow worms here. Nice to chat! 

Mike, I'm sure reptile numbers have decreased in recent years all over the country and you are probably correct in what you say about about your old haunts.

However, you have to take factors like time of the year or even time of the day into consideration, especially if you are thinking back over several years. 

For example, I was looking in a pond in Saffron Walden, in Essex last September, a place I remembered being very good for newts when I was a child.  I got a bit depressed to see no newts at all and decided, in my usual nostalgic fashion that the pond wasn't what it used to be when I was a nipper.  However, I went back there the other day to find the thing teeming with newts, just like the old days.  The moral of the story is that Spring is the best time for spotting most herps.

Is it possible you were just revisiting your old spots out of season?

I don't know S. Bucks, but I've had it on good authority Burnham Beeches is good for Adders.  Is that N. Bucks?

Hi Rick,

Burnham Beeches is in S. Bucks and I think you're right, it is good for adders again now - there was a NARRS training day held there this Spring.

However, I was back around Gerrards Cross briefly earlier this Spring, and still seemed poorer for reptiles than it used to be. As you say, it is probably true that many places have experienced similar declines over the last thirty years or so. Good to know that there are still Grass Snakes in Beaconsfield, however.

Cheers,

Mike

I used to pedal the 6 or so miles from Tatling End through the country lanes to Stoke Common and on to Burnham Beeches every sunny Spring and Summer weekend when I was a kid, in the 1960's and early 1970's, and see all the common reptile species. Don't think anyone worried about health and safety in those days.

Mike