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Originally Posted by kdutoit I'm a new member who joined a little while ago. I spent my first couple of visits looking through the foto gallery, and where quite impressed with some of the picis, can't wait to add a few to the collection. I'm particularly interested in reptiles and amphibians and my goal for this spring/summer is to take at least one good pici of an Adder. I live in West Dorset, so from what I've heard and read I stand a good chance of seeing one. On recent expeditions to the new forest and a couple of other locations near Christchurch I've seen a few Common Lizards and my first Great Crested Newt, but no luck with the Adders. 
So, I'm looking for a few tips from the Adder-experts or anyone else who might be able to help. I know the Dorset heathlands are meant to be good for Adders but I'm not sure about : best time of day; best wheather conditions; ideal habitat or best locations in Dorset to see Adders. Thanks for your intrest and tips  |
Isn't there a reptile sanctuary place in west dorset? You could cheat?!......
Otherwise Dorest is an ace place for reptiles, I think you even have
Smooth Snakes and
Sand Lizards in places. Top tips would be go now!! get out into heathland in the early morning as it's warming up find bare open patches or heavily
Rabbit grazed short turf next to scrub where reptiles may be basking, trying to warm up but not yet warm enough to dash off! Anything above 12 degrees and you most reptiles will dash off before you get anywhere near! - avoid days of full blazing sunshine as things will heat up quickly - April, early May is ideal, any later and your window of sunny but still quite cool will become increasingly small. Otherwise wait until sunny ish days in Sept / Oct when things cool down again. In trying to see the beasties, move slowly and look pretty far ahead of you, reptiles can often be found under logs or piles of debris but as you are looking for
Adders BE CAREFUL as you turn such stuff over they don't like suprises!
Top tip for photographing lizards is knowing that after you've disturbed a lizard into cover, if you sit down out of it's light and stay still long enough it will return and may not notice you all that quickly - not sure if this applies to snakes though.
God hope this waffle helps!
