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Searching in the dark

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AGILIS View Drop Down
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    Posted: 18 Aug 2012 at 10:38pm
Its been to hot during the daytime so has any one done any late night herping with a torch on hot nights like we are getting?? as I am sure adders and smoothies are on the prowl keith

Edited by AGILIS - 18 Aug 2012 at 10:40pm
   LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sussexecology Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2012 at 11:11pm

Hi Keith

Must admit I was having the same idea this evening as it heated up so fast this morning that my survey results would have been compromised if I had done a survey. Same will happen again on Sunday and by 10 am it will 24 degress!!

It is going to cool down on Monday though so I'm just going to hold out till it cools down again, as I think the survey window is limited to only half an hour (1 hour tops) at the moment. Evening surveys when it is cooler is generally a good idea, but I've never done this in the dark.

Working at night could work for me, but there are extra health and safety concerns to deal with. One of my sites is working on an embankment near deep water so I don't realy fancy missing my step and ending up in the water in the dark.  Also, I've never tried to find my reptile tins in the dark!Smile so i think i will give it a miss for the time being.

Too hot for sleeping tonight though that's for sure.

Regards
SE Reptile Ecologist

 


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AGILIS View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AGILIS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Aug 2012 at 9:56am
Hi SUSSEX ECO roughly where abouts you looking keith
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sussexecology Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Aug 2012 at 11:42am

Thanks Keith

Sorry, just noticed that this is the thread for sand lizards!
We don't currently have any projects on sandies or smoothies (smooth snake) at the moment. I've got a few adder projects that are ongoing, and a few new ones on the cards.

Good luck with searching in the dark thoughSmile
Would be interested in how you get on, and if you can find your reptile tins in the dark.

I have given up for today again, but glad to see that it will be cooling down on Monday (yippee) as it is too hot to do anything such as report writing so a day off for me. SmileThumbs Up
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Which is probably why i'm here at the moment LOL SmileLOL

I'm currently working on 3 reptile contracts at the moment in Sussex and I was hoping to be done by 24th but i won't be finishing until the week after now. I had wanted to have a week off before the next contract starts but looks unlikely nowUnhappy.  Never mind eh.

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SE Reptile Ecologist
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Suzy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Aug 2012 at 12:17pm
As someone who has been looking under tins for 10 years or so I am always surprised that people feel they have to be out early in the morning. I look under tins from late morning to late afternoon and often the tins have been in full sun for hours by the time I get there and there are always adders, grassies and slowies present. I have found that really the time is irrelevant. Comparing the same tins on dull or sun/cloudy days the results are the same really.
I found a grass snake in my garden basking under black plastic at 3.45pm yesterday after 3 hours of 25deg.C. Perceived wisdom is that it would be too hot for a grassie. Have to say I don't know how long it had been there, but it clearly suited it.
Unlike SE and others on this forum I am not a professional herper, but just saying what I've found, and I would be interested to hear comments.
Suz
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