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c.austrica, calne, wilts?: |
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ben rigsby Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 No. of posts: 337  View other posts by ben rigsby |
Posted: 11 May 2010 a few years ago a friend took me to SMALLGRAIN PICNIC AREA, calne, wilts. when we got there he said a sign had disappeared which had signified that the smooth snake was found there and added that hed once been shown one at this site by "experts" who told him that indeed it was not an adder as hed initially suspected. we didnt see any snakes the day i was with him and since then another friend has dimissed the claims as fantasy. WAS there a sign (with a picture)? WAS it taken down due to extinction or perhaps to keep the rare animals prescence less obvious to the public for fear of collectors, disturbance etc? WERE smooths once found here in perhaps the 70s or early 80s? have they disappeared completely? its easy to see why they might have died out since the site was very small and was surrounded by acres of unsuitable terrain in the form of arable farmland. on top of that, the very title PICNIC AREA tells you the degree of disturbance to wildlife likely here on sunny, reptile days. over to our wiltshire correspondent? ben Diversity. |
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Vicar Senior Member Joined: 02 Sep 2004 No. of posts: 1181 View other posts by Vicar |
Posted: 11 May 2010 There are a few historic records from the Swindon and Salisbury areas, but to my knowledge they are about 100 years old. Steve Langham - Chairman 
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG). |
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ben rigsby Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 No. of posts: 337 View other posts by ben rigsby |
Posted: 12 May 2010 thanks for the info steve. my colleague (whom i spoke to about it again today) insists his story is true. he revealed a little more about the sign which, he claims depicted the head and part of the body of CA with blurb saying smooth snakes had been seen there. he said he had definately seen the sign between 1980 and 1982 and maintained that he had been shown a CA specimen which he recognised as being neither an adder or a grass snake. when i was with him at smallgrain, he was genuinely surprised not to see the sign. unless his acting is of olivier standard. and thats not ollie. he certainly believes he is telling the truth and even offers to tell people more about it by direct phone contact if they so wish. mistaken identity by 80s herp recorders?adders instead? could they have been there yet no records kept or yet found? ben Diversity. |
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Vicar Senior Member Joined: 02 Sep 2004 No. of posts: 1181 View other posts by Vicar |
Posted: 12 May 2010 My guess is an unusually marked Adder, or an escaped exotic. That far north, I would expect suitable habitat to be restricted to lowland heath, probably with a sandy of gravel substrate. If this description matches your site, then a possibility. I've never yet had a new Smooth snake sighting turn out to be an actual Smooth snake. Partly because we know where they are (mostly), but largely due to the lack of experience the public have with the animal. Only very few lucky people get to see them regularly in the wild. (Most sightings turn out to be Slow worms)...but I live in hope. Looking at this link, it looks less likely to be good habitat to me. Steve Langham - Chairman
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG). |
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ben rigsby Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 No. of posts: 337 View other posts by ben rigsby |
Posted: 13 May 2010 thanks steve. the site description given in your link was broadly accurate id say, although there was more shrub cover than suggested there. this was broken up by sunny open grassier areas. it wasnt as typical a chalk hillside as others in the area. which are more open. looked suitable for adders. dont know if its grazed by sheep like many in wilts but no sheep signs when i visited. if this affects CA suitability? i agree on the face of it, the story looks impausible. im hoping someone will remember the sign. thats probably the key. it looked like a location a passing herper might stop and browse. anyone? regards, ben Diversity. |
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kevinb Senior Member Joined: 18 Mar 2009 No. of posts: 61 View other posts by kevinb |
Posted: 14 May 2010 I have been there but never saw the sign, maybe it was gone by then. This thread also raises a query regarding the reported Smooth snakes near Fairford in Gloucestershire and also near Faringdon in Oxfordshire. |
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ben rigsby Senior Member Joined: 27 Apr 2010 No. of posts: 337 View other posts by ben rigsby |
Posted: 14 May 2010 i certainly dont think claims for smooth snakes historically at these sites (thanks kev for add-on) should be dismissed out of hand just because theres scant recordings known. this was before computers and at a time when ripping-out as farming practice was encouraged and eco-awareness was infant. i suggest we send chris gleed-owen looking for bones. he did a great job in norfolk. 
ben Diversity. |
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AGILIS Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 No. of posts: 694  View other posts by AGILIS |
Posted: 15 May 2010 I agree with Steve sightings by the less aware public that have reported grass snakes and sloworms to be adders and some times have killed them.also I think its more likly for a smoothsnake to be mistaken for an adder, then the over way round,sometimes I have been a little slow with a fraction of of a second flashing in my deteriating brain on seeing a ca on the move as to it beeing ca or adder, as my eyes in age are not so sharp  keithLOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID |
- c.austrica, calne, wilts? |