Snakes at Thursley Common

Hoppingmad · #1 (**permalink**) 14-06-2009, 06:16 PM

I visited Thursley Common today as I had read that snakes and lizards are plentiful and easy to photograph there. It was a 160 mile round trip.

I did not see one snake, and only one lizard that beat a hasty retreat. We arrived about 9 am and left about 1.30 pm. Was this the wrong time of day? Or the wrong time of year? I have photographed lizards successfully elsewhere in the UK so don't think I was particularly clumsy or noisy in my approach.

Can anyone advise - would like to go again if I felt there was a better chance of seeing some reptiles.

Beekeeper · #2 (**permalink**) 14-06-2009, 06:30 PM

The best time to see adders is early morning when the sun has just enough heat to warm the ground, adders do like to make the most of that as being cold blooded they do need to warm up before going to find their breakfast, the best places are usually paths and well worn ground with not much covering of grass.

One used to sit on a small strip of concrete that made a sloping step to the rear door of my greenhouse, he nearly had me one morning, instead of reaching over the plants to open the door i went to open it from outside, as it used to jam a bit i always slid it from near to the bottom, this morning their was a loud clang from the teeth of the adder hitting the door as he struck out which was within an inch of my hand.

He was a real beauty, lovely wedge shaped head and really healthy.

BK

Hoppingmad · #3 (**permalink**) 14-06-2009, 07:44 PM

Thanks BK - I think we may have arrived too late. Will have to get up earlier next time!

Cheryl · #4 (**permalink**) 14-06-2009, 07:59 PM

I regularly walk at Thursley and it was only earlier this year that I have ever seen an adder there.

As for lizards - seems a bit strange you only saw one, it's been lovely today so I'd have thought you'd have seen some on the boardwalk at least

Sorry you feel you had a wasted journey

Hoppingmad · #5 (**permalink**) 15-06-2009, 02:04 PM

Yes I was surprised not to have seen more lizards. It was a long way to go not to see what I had hoped for and the M25 is tedious at the best of times. However, we thought the common was beautiful and had a good walk so enjoyed the day after all. We intend to return. I got a really good photo of a damselfly anyway so all was not lost.

Debbie

marvin · #6 (**permalink**) 15-06-2009, 04:56 PM

hi

in my experience time of year and weather conditions are as important as time of day for reptile spotting and these factors change over time.

in late winter and spring snakes and lizards can be found basking in relatively exposed areas near to where they hibernate. if you know where to look they are easy to see. they are also more easily approached as they are cooler and less likely to flit as well as sometimes being distracted by finding mates etc. sunny days with plenty of sun are best at this time of year.

in summer things go a bit quiet for a while (i was out this lunch time and saw one adder and one common lizard in an area that has been pretty good for me this year). in particular snakes disperse and become more difficult to find. i still get the odd opportunistic adder sighting and gravid females will lie out in pretty warm conditions, remaining close to where they overwinter. however, warm but overcast days seem to be most productive. refugia are productive in such conditions also, especially for grass snakes. last year was a poor summer for sunbathers but i saw a lot of grass snakes.

later on in the summer i tend to see lots of gravid female lizards basking out even in hot weather and then, of course, once the babies are born there are many more reptiles around, some of which are less cautious than the adults, which makes spotting easier.

in the autumn snakes return to hibernation areas so become easier to find again (if you know where a hibernation area is).

having said all that, it can take a long time to get to know an area and so it always helps to get advice and help about a specific site from someone who knows the area well. i don't know thursley but try Surrey Amphibian and Reptile Group (SARG) - HomePage they should be able to help. if you ask they might let you help out on a survey day or something. oh, and if you are ever in staffordshire i might be able to help.

good luck
tim

aland · #7 (**permalink**) 15-06-2009, 05:26 PM

Hello hopping mad, just reading your thread and i cannot believe some one would drive so far to see something that i am so scared of, up here between stratford and warwick there are adders and grass snakes if you are ever here visit a small village called [WASPERTON] and ask for st johns pool, it is a six metre deep ex gravel pit that i used to fish i am now too petrified to go any where near it, also GOLDICOTE BRIDGE stratford a old railway cutting for adders, good luck, aland.

GeoffS · #8 (**permalink**) 15-06-2009, 09:47 PM

Hi there

Warm days with little or no wind with cloud cover are best - early morning is normally best but that really depends upon several factors such as the topology of the land upon which they are found - equally good to locate adders towards late afternoon as sun and temperatures start to come down. Adders do not like it hot.....

They are nearly always found within 25 metres of a body of water be it running or still as in a pond. Though they rarely ever take to water their prey is usually not too far away.

June to August are the worst months for adder photography and encounters with males seem to be almost none existant on my local patch - best wait till September to October now IMHO when females give birth and like to bask and when adders gather around hibernation sites such as old tree tunks and rabbit burrows above water level are likely sites.

Best of luck and don't get bitten speaking from first hand expereince its not a pleasant experience

Regards

Geoff
Index

Allerthorpe Common in Yorkshire is something else when its comes to adder spotting.

Hoppingmad · #9 (**permalink**) 16-06-2009, 06:19 AM

Geoff

Many thanks for that information, it is really useful. I did not realise late afternoon was a good time to see adders. I thought by midday it was too late.

Debbie

aland · #10 (**permalink**) 16-06-2009, 08:23 PM

Hi, I am afraid i do not agree about snakes not takeing to water at all that is the reason i gave up fishing you are just sat there happy as larry then the next thing you know is there is a wopping great grass snake swimming towards you, I think that they have acquired a taste for maggots or some other feed that people are useing as bait, my wife and i have had as many as four at one time swim within three feet of our bank sticks, I have not plucked up the courage to go fishing since march 08+, it is silly as i am sixty eight years old and frit to death, we saw nothing below four feet long and a lot longer that is the real truth, aland.