the online meeting place for all who love our amphibians and reptiles |
|
Grass Snake Identification & Sightings |
Post Reply | Page <1 23456> |
Author | |
asterix
Member Joined: 23 May 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Hi I have used the information on your web page and particularly Ruth's pictures to help me identify a grass snake in our garden pond in Rutland. It is about 1 inch across and I guess 18 to 24 inches long. The pond contains newts and frogs. Although we did have some frogspawn this this year there was less than usual and there seem to be fewer frogs as well. Can I expect to see more than one snake? Is there anything I should do about it? David |
|
Asterix, Rutland
|
|
Robert V
Senior Member Joined: 06 Aug 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1264 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
David, I think most of the members would agree with me when I say, there seems to be a reduction in frog spawn everywhere this year, not only your pond......Come to that there seems to be a reduction in Grass snake numbers as well, so i think you're very lucky to have one visiting on a regular basis. like I said to ruth, you could get some small carp to stock the pond if you want to keep the grassie interested. If i were you, I'd invest in one of those small hides/tents, set it up one night so that you can see the pond clearly and wait for a sunny morning. You have the ideal opprotunity to grab a photo of a grass snake swallowing a small fish.....It would be great if you could log it on here afterwards so that we can all see! Cheers Robert |
|
RobV
|
|
cressy
Member Joined: 08 Aug 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
hi, I'm totally new to this forum, but hope you dont mind me adding in
a grass snake sighting! it was in our kitchen garden,
'sunbathing' on a vertical old stone wall, and I've identified it from
the pictures on your site. I went in to get the children to come
and see it, but unfortunately they were a bit loud as we went back out,
and it had disappeared...
we are in Kent, very close to the sea, and this is the first grass snake I have seen here in about 5 years, although I have seen several slow worms too. do we not see them because they are rare, or because they hide themselves away? I was thrilled to see it. |
|
Alan Hyde
Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1437 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Hi Cressy
Welcome to the forums . I'm glad you managed to see a grassy in your garden, that's excellent news I've been into reptiles since I was very young , and now at age 41 I can honestly say I still get very excited when I see a snake. To answer your question, Our reptiles are becoming rarer and they're definitely not as easy to see as when I was young . Also, you may not often see snakes because you're not that familiar with them . Once you start looking in the right places you'll find that your eye becomes trained to spotting them . Thanks for telling us about your grass snake , hope to speak to you again here Alan |
|
cressy
Member Joined: 08 Aug 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
thanks for the reply and the welcome - can you recommend a quick
and easy way to find out more about reptiles in the UK? we
also get lizards (unfortunately brought in by the cats, but very often
still alive) and also lots of frogs here. trouble is, if
you google reptiles you get so much info that its hard to sift through
- I'd like to be able to identify things and know about their habitat,
lifestyle, how we can encourage more, etc etc. - a good book
recommendation would be great!
|
|
Peter Vaughan
Senior Member Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 172 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Great to see the Forum back . It seemed easier to observe the Grass Snakes at my local reserve during September and October - perhaps because the vegetation had thinned out a bit and temperatures were that bit cooler. My last sighting was on 16 October, but here is a photograph of one on a log pile taken on 10 September.
thinned |
|
Peter Vaughan
|
|
Mick
Member Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 184 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Peter. That's a lovely photo' of a Grass snake in the some Bramble.
|
|
arvensis
Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2006 Location: Hampshire Status: Offline Points: 493 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Here's a Juvenile from yesterday.
Mark |
|
Vicar
Senior Member Joined: 02 Sep 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1184 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Nice one Mark. Did you get 'slimed' ? :P, although it looks settled(ish).
|
|
arvensis
Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2006 Location: Hampshire Status: Offline Points: 493 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Steve,
I didn't get skunked because I wasn't the one holding it! There was another one underneath a tin which would've made a nice piccy if someone else lifted the tin. I was on my own at the time and its a bit tricky with a DSLR. I should be out next week if the weather isn't too hot and hopefully will find more. Did you get my reply to your PM regarding CA? Should be out looking for those too. Cheers, Mark |
|
Post Reply | Page <1 23456> |
Tweet
|
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |