common lizards? (or small mammals)

[wildsusy]

Hi there, as some of you may know I am desperate to see reptiles in the wild near me. So today (fairly sunny here) I walked up onto Epsom Common onto the heathy area. There were lots of thick tussock-y clusters of srubby vegetation with hawthorn and gorse, so I investigated. It was on a sunny slope with lots of dead wood around and the place was alive with invertebrates, so many different crickets, grasshoppers, spiders, moths and flies. Every so often, walking past these bit of vegetation, I could see movement in them, and almost feel something running away, and a very fast rustling sound like something fast making an escape. I kept a close eye on these thickets and walked around slowly to try and flush whatever it was, and i could just see the vegetation moving about in there quickly, like quick darts of movement each time I moved! Then I stopped still and likewise, it stopped. Couldn't see any small mammals in there or evidence of them having burrowed around, so I dunno.

Lizards? Pleeeeaaase? lol (or field vole or common shrew?)

[pressld2]

Very hard to say Susy, sorry!

If you want to join us all at Thursley Common (see Thursley Common 25/26 June 2011 - 5th Year) we can guarantee common lizards - you'll be tripping over them. And we can taunt you with the possibility of sand lizards, slow worms (we saw one last year), grass snakes and adders too.

Thursley is in Surrey so not too far from London, although it does rather depend on which part of London. It's an awfully big place these days!

Dave P.

[wildsusy]

If you saw what I described would you reckon it was lizards? I will definitely come to Thursley, and benefit from other peoples' field skills I have visited Thursley and Frensham commons during winter and vowed to go back to both places in the summer in search of reptiles.

Reptiles are very much a group of animals I want to study and learn a lot more about. I am joining Surrey ARG too, so hopefully they can help me too

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by wildsusy

If you saw what I described would you reckon it was lizards?

Well, we can never be certain of course, but on balance I'd say it probably was. The habitat sounds good and lizards, being cold-blooded, are active in the day whereas most small mammals are nocturnal.

Originally Posted by wildsusy

I will definitely come to Thursley, and benefit from other peoples' field skills I have visited Thursley and Frensham commons during winter and vowed to go back to both places in the summer in search of reptiles.

Great - we'll see you there. Maybe you'll bring us luck and we'll get sand lizards, too!

Dave P.

[wildsusy]

sounds silly but they sounded 'lizardy' the way they scuttled.. lol
and they were scuttling inwards, i could see movement going from the edges inwards, whenever I walked by.. I was so excited!!

Can't wait to go to Thursley! Hope we see sandies and smoothies too! It's very exciting and quite an honour to see such secretive creatures in the wild.