Population crash ??

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   Here in essex i have been visiting two sites that have had an abundant number of grass snakes. Snakes could be seen at all the small ponds either hunting for newts or basking at the edge. A survey was done about five years ago (results unknown) and at that time every tin had at least one or more snakes beneath. Six was the most i saw under a single sheet.All sheets then removed. Since that period numbers have fallen. 2020 only one sighting and this year no sightings so far.It's a bit of a mystery.

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Rupe Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 Location: Essex . Status: Offline Points: 58	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rupe Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Population crash ?? Posted: 15 May 2021 at 8:19pm
	Here in essex i have been visiting two sites that have had an abundant number of grass snakes. Snakes could be seen at all the small ponds either hunting for newts or basking at the edge. A survey was done about five years ago (results unknown) and at that time every tin had at least one or more snakes beneath. Six was the most i saw under a single sheet.All sheets then removed. Since that period numbers have fallen. 2020 only one sighting and this year no sightings so far.It's a bit of a mystery.

chubsta Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2013 Location: Folkestone,Kent Status: Offline Points: 430	Post Options Post Reply Quote chubsta Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 May 2021 at 12:42pm
	Interesting - until this year I would regularly see up to 5 or 6 hedgehogs in my garden each night, the corrugated sheets I have in the garden would have a number of slowworms under them every time I looked, and I would regularly see adders along the nearby cliffs, and grass snakes along the canal, yet so far this year I have seen the same slowworm twice, no snakes at all, and have only had a single individual hedgehog visiting sporadically, it is like all of the wildlife in the area has suddenly disappeared. Not sure if this is part of some natural cycle, or whether there are other reasons which I am unaware of but it is pretty heartbreaking to see...

Suzy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1447	Post Options Post Reply Quote Suzy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23 May 2021 at 8:38pm
	I find grass snakes very flighty in the open. Under covers is more my guaranteed method of seeing them. However you did see them in the open and now you don't so bit of a mystery. The other thing is grass snakes seem to warm up and move off fairly quickly - adders more heat tolerant? Do tins etc. attract snakes to a place? I have lots of slow worms under covers in my garden, but seldom see them in the open. I had several hedgehogs in my garden for about a month this spring but they've gone now. We have had a very cold and dry April and now a monsoon May. I guess wildlife copes with all this.
	Suz