First reptiles of the year for me

[Wozza]

aeshna5, are you from the Rye area?

[LizardLover]

Originally Posted by marvin

sorry...don't know about gloucester i'm afrain. but here are a couple of other pics from the other day you might like:







cheers
tim

Wow Tim*Yes,I Love the other pics too,but it does not surprise me how friendly they are,lizards are very friendly beautiful little creatures*,I love all the pics thank you so much!!!.I think I may have found a place here I might see them,its called Wye Valley Woods,do you know the best month to see them?
Thanks again ;D
Gillian*X

[marvin]

hi gillian

i'd get out asap if i were you. i have seen common lizards every month from feb to october and i have heard of sighting every month of the year. spring is a really good time though as they spend much of their time basking. as it warms up they can still be seen but obviously don't have to bask as much or in such open places.

cheers
tim

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Wozza

aeshna5, are you from the Rye area?

No, I was leading a field meeting there for the London Natural History Society.

[arvensis]

Originally Posted by GuyF

Thanks Roy, it was a very nice day out, this was the same spot that I found the Sand Lizards last month, on the Purbecks in Dorset, and all the reptiles were found in a fairly small patch of heathland!
Guy

I wonder if that is the same fairly small patch of heath I'm going to visit later this week. The last trip I made there last year resulted in all 6 native plus a few Wall and Green Lizards at Boscombe.

Mark

[GuyF]

Originally Posted by arvensis

I wonder if that is the same fairly small patch of heath I'm going to visit later this week. The last trip I made there last year resulted in all 6 native plus a few Wall and Green Lizards at Boscombe.

Mark

It may well be, there can't be too many places where that's possible! I'd been visiting the site for a few years as a place to find Sand Lizards, but over the last few weeks I've explored a bit further and realised just how good it is for reptiles. I visited the site again last weekend and managed 5 species again, this time I couldn't find a Grass Snake. Along with Slow-worms, it was the two rarest reptiles that were the most abundant!
Here's a shot of a male Sand Lizard, they're really looking their best at the moment!

And here's a Smooth Snake


Guy

[arvensis]

Those male sandies certainly do look fantastic when in breeding colours - probably one of the best wildlife species to photograph.

Mark

Guy- sent you a pm.