Deprecated: mysql_connect(): The mysql extension is deprecated and will be removed in the future: use mysqli or PDO instead in /home/sites/herpetofauna.org.uk/public_html/forum_archive/forum_posts.php on line 73

RAUK - Archived Forum - Smooth snake sightings 2003

This contains the Forum posts up until the end of March, 2011. Posts may be viewed but cannot be edited or replied to - nor can new posts be made. More recent posts can be seen on the new Forum at http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/forum/

Forum Home

Smooth snake sightings 2003:

Author	Message
Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps	Posted: 28 Mar 2003 10/03 - Imm Male Studland NNR (recapture) 18/03 - Adult Male Furzebrook Nr Wareham (recapture) 27/03 - Imm male Matchams Nr Bournemouth 28/03 - Imm Male Hartland Moor NNR All basking half concealed in heather

Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps	Posted: 05 Apr 2003 Dead adult female(flattened) on Slepe Road Hartland (52cm) Retained for DNA sample Adult Male (62cm) Purbeck Nr Wareham 9th year of recapture, interestingly recently fed. Uunder tin). Immature male (25cm) Wareham Forest - basking in open. Adult male (55cm) Wareham Forest - baskong in open 3rd year of recapture.

Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps	Posted: 06 Apr 2003 Hartland around mid day cloudy strong breeze. Adult male U/tin Adult female concealed basking (Photo ID's for you Dave - on you patch).

Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps	Posted: 10 Apr 2003 Have been working in Surrey/Hants for the last few days. Left for Dorset this morning, in a blizzard at Guildford! On the way home decided to check on some old sites of mine near Frensham. At one site, there was still a dusting of snow on the heather, found two male smooth snakes. Both photo ID'd Both were basking - air temp was just 8deg but where the sun had warmed the ground - <16deg. 1st male - 55cm TL - wt 38g 2nd male 62cm TL wt 54g also male sand lizard (this is not a reintro site). No other species sighted. Records passed on to HCT Mike P. Tony

Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps	Posted: 15 Jul 2003 female 62cm/gravid 18yr old lying out 0630 on railway sleeper. Purbeck area. Tony

GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090 View other posts by GemmaJF	Posted: 01 Aug 2003 Kounyara, your post was moved to a separate thread "Smooth snakes in East Sussex" administrator37834.9356597222 Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant

Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps	Posted: 13 Sep 2003 Good day today Sat 13/09/03 Study sites Wareham Area Site 1. ad male TL 565 wt 62.6g mosaic basking recapt ad male TL 490 wt 38g UT recapt ad male TL 580 wt 65g Basking recapt ad male TL 620 wt 72g UT recapt ad fem TL 520 wt 36.9g post-part. UT recapt ad fem TL 550 wt 39g post-part basking recapt neonate male TL 165 wt 2.1g basking imm male TL 305 wt 9.2g UT recapt Other: V.berus male recent feed L.agilis 18 littlies 03 Site 2. ad male TL 490 wt 29g basking recapt ad male TL 500 wt 55g recent feed UT recapt imm fem. TL 280 wt 8g new record UT Other L.agilis 9 littlies 03 Site 3 Ad male TL 650 wt 78g basking recapt ad male TL 560 wt 54g basking recapt ad female TL 570 wt 42g post part. UT recapt Other V.berus fem TL 670 wt 67g post part. basking recapt L.agilis 11 littlies 03 Saw only one Z.viv all day and one fem Natrix moving like the clappers so did not record, but very good size. Tony

calumma Senior Member Joined: 27 Jun 2003 No. of posts: 351 View other posts by calumma	Posted: 14 Sep 2003 Tony: interesting to see you using the Z.viv nomenclature. I was debating this recently with Richard Griffiths and Leigh Gillett. The former prefers L.viv while the latter Z.viv. For my own observations I have decided to side with Richard and go with L.viv since it is what is used in the latest Collins NN. Thoughts? Lee Lee Brady Kent Herpetofauna Recorder \| Independent Ecological Consultant Email

Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps	Posted: 14 Sep 2003 Hi Lee, Yeah, L.viv is also used in the Collins Fieldguide. Tis lumping and splitting again isnt it, a national sport in the world of systematics (sorry Wolfgang). As an ecologist I am going with the flow, and most, if not all my colleagues in Europe go with Z.viv. Do you recall the moans about Podarcis? when that was fully recognised. It does mean however that the lacertids are nicely grouped in a way. The so called 'green lizards', agilis, viridis, bilineata, etc; and the now monotypic eyed lizard, b.....r can't remember the name, oh! and is there not a N.African one as well, so it may not be monotypic. If you think this is problematic you can imagine the task I have with the viper book, (just ask Wolfgang about Bothrops, oh yes and, Gloydius, Atheris, Bitis, Trimeresurus). We'll talk about Vipera when you have a few days to spare. Cheers Tony (just remebered I did post soemthing on the validity of Zootoca a while ago, I'll have a look).

Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps	Posted: 14 Sep 2003 Found it - the ref is on the forum April 14 Tony

- Smooth snake sightings 2003

Content here