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Dorset lizards showing |
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Rags
Senior Member Joined: 04 Dec 2011 Location: Dorset Status: Offline Points: 133 |
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Posted: 10 Apr 2015 at 9:33am |
Rags
Senior Member Joined: 04 Dec 2011 Location: Dorset Status: Offline Points: 133 |
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SteveA
Senior Member Joined: 30 Aug 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 53 |
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Well Done RAGS,
In order to balance my annoyance at not finding the first Sand Lizard of the year! I shall trump your picture with this little fella enjoying yesterdays sunshine. In addition had two adults and loads of common lizards, though they were a bit to active to snap. |
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will
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830 |
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good stuff - maybe more about by the end of the week if the weather forecast is to be believed
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Rags
Senior Member Joined: 04 Dec 2011 Location: Dorset Status: Offline Points: 133 |
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After checking this morning, Sand lizards now out at a second site in the area.
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will
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830 |
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I'm guessing it's an energy budget thing; maybe there just isn't enough food to give them a decent chance of survival in the coming winter, whereas going underground in late summer / early autumn makes more sense energy-wise. I wonder if this links in with the 'adders underground' thread - ie perhaps it remains cooler than one might think below ground on the heaths. I do think this is a genuine phenomenon rather than observer bias, given that autumn is a great time for spotting other reptile species on the heath (including smooth snakes) and also hatchling sandies.
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Rags
Senior Member Joined: 04 Dec 2011 Location: Dorset Status: Offline Points: 133 |
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An interesting point raised here. I will have to pay more attention to the final sightings of the year, as well as the first.
It certainly seems that they just drop off the radar quite early on. I thought maybe the increased vegetation cover meant they were harder to see. As Suzy asks, "What would be the advantages to the species in doing that?" ? |
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will
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830 |
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A very good Q! it has been suggested that it protects the hatchlings from their cannibalistic parents, but this argument is species-selection/group selectionist and doesn't hold water. This is because any adult that 'decided' to stay above ground would be able to feed up on the hatchlings and its genes would be passed on more effectively into the next generation, ie the 'hawk' strategy would triumph over the 'doves'. So there must be an advantage to the individual lizard in terms of its own lifetime reproductive success, but it does seem strange since there's often a glut of insects on the heath in September (crane flies etc). We need an expert on this - over to Chris??
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Suzy
Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1447 |
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Will why would they hibernate mid August? Seems incredibly early, and lots of hot weather still possible - likely even! What would be the advantages to the species in doing that?
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Suz
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will
Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1830 |
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interesting that La are early to bed for the year (mid August in some cases) and also early to rise the following spring. I usually expect Zv out and about along with the first Vb, but as yet haven't seen any Zv in spite of apparently suitable weather.
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