Today I spent the morning with a film crew from BBC Autumnwatch. The main subject was supposed to be wild boar and although I found them a fantastic location (filming tonight), I couldn't resist taking them to one of my adder hot-spots!
It wasn't long before I found a lovely "big" female for them to film and although she was quite shy, hopefully they captured enough decent footage to be included in the programme.
I also found them some hornets building a nest! This was something I really didn't expect to find as this species dies off during the winter months, so this is not really the best time to start building a nest. We are seeing some unusually hot weather at the moment and this is probably the reason for this unusual activity.
Will be on TV next Friday, so get tuned in!
Rob
Saturday, 1 October 2011
Thursday, 8 September 2011
Snake Found in Bedroom!
I was contacted by the Cheltenham Echo yesterday to identify a snake that a local resident had found in his home. At first I thought I was going to see a pet corn snake or a young python, but I was shocked to see that it was an adder. Britain's only venomous snake!
Click link below for full article.
Snake Article
Rob
Click link below for full article.
Snake Article
Rob
Friday, 2 September 2011
Cobra in the Forest!
The grass snake (Natrix natrix) may not be venomous like the adder (Vipera berus), but they do posses some other unique ways of fending off a possible threat.
1. If you startle a grass snake and it feels like it has no means of a quick escape, it will sometimes rear up like a cobra. The female grass snake in the photograph below did just that and at around 120cm in length, with approx 1/3 of her body raised in the air, she was quite intimidating.
2. If a grass snake is attacked, or if it feels like its life is in danger, it will sometimes feign death. Basically it will squirm around and come to rest upside down with its mouth gaping and tongue hanging out.
I do not have any photographs of this as I have never put a grass snake in this situation, where it feels threatened to this degree. I cringe when I see photographs on the internet of grass snakes doing this, as I know that they have been, or are enduring immense stress!
3. To accompany the death throws and if disturbed, the grass snake will sometimes squirt a "foul" smelling liquid from its anal gland. If this doesn't sound bad enough, just imagine what rotten fish and anal secretions must smell like and you are almost there. If you get this on your clothes or skin, it is very hard to wash away and the smell makes you feel sick!
A grass snake of 120cm pretending to be a cobra. I was lying on the ground for this shot and her head was higher than mine. Awesome encounter with a truly beautiful snake.
I still see her today on occasions, 4 years later and she looks a lot bigger.
Rob
1. If you startle a grass snake and it feels like it has no means of a quick escape, it will sometimes rear up like a cobra. The female grass snake in the photograph below did just that and at around 120cm in length, with approx 1/3 of her body raised in the air, she was quite intimidating.
2. If a grass snake is attacked, or if it feels like its life is in danger, it will sometimes feign death. Basically it will squirm around and come to rest upside down with its mouth gaping and tongue hanging out.
I do not have any photographs of this as I have never put a grass snake in this situation, where it feels threatened to this degree. I cringe when I see photographs on the internet of grass snakes doing this, as I know that they have been, or are enduring immense stress!
3. To accompany the death throws and if disturbed, the grass snake will sometimes squirt a "foul" smelling liquid from its anal gland. If this doesn't sound bad enough, just imagine what rotten fish and anal secretions must smell like and you are almost there. If you get this on your clothes or skin, it is very hard to wash away and the smell makes you feel sick!
A grass snake of 120cm pretending to be a cobra. I was lying on the ground for this shot and her head was higher than mine. Awesome encounter with a truly beautiful snake.
I still see her today on occasions, 4 years later and she looks a lot bigger.
Rob
Thursday, 4 August 2011
Success!
You may remember my post earlier this year when I, along with a friend carried some heavy corrugated tin, on our heads to a location in the Forest of Dean.
This tin was to give the adders some artificial refuge and help with the decline in their numbers in this area.
After giving the reptiles time to get used to the change in their habitat and explore it, I went back for the first time yesterday evening. Although the tin was nearly covered by bracken I managed to take a look underneath and success as the first piece had two slow worms underneath. This was great to see as adders share the same basking spots as the slow worm, so I moved on to the next piece hoping to see one taking advantage of it!
Nothing under the second piece except a large ant nest, so I re-positioned it in a different location.
I dug my way in through the bracken to the third piece and lifted it up. There she was, a lovely female adder, coiled up right in the centre.
I was over the moon and this just shows what a little hard work and determination can achieve!
No pics of the adder I'm afraid, for a couple of reasons.
1. I didn't want to disturb her, so the tin was carefully placed back down straight away.
2. It would have been hard taking a photograph one handed!
A massive thank you to my friend Mark Dando for his help and an equal amount of credit is due to him for helping a species in decline, in the Forest of Dean!
Rob
This tin was to give the adders some artificial refuge and help with the decline in their numbers in this area.
After giving the reptiles time to get used to the change in their habitat and explore it, I went back for the first time yesterday evening. Although the tin was nearly covered by bracken I managed to take a look underneath and success as the first piece had two slow worms underneath. This was great to see as adders share the same basking spots as the slow worm, so I moved on to the next piece hoping to see one taking advantage of it!
Nothing under the second piece except a large ant nest, so I re-positioned it in a different location.
I dug my way in through the bracken to the third piece and lifted it up. There she was, a lovely female adder, coiled up right in the centre.
I was over the moon and this just shows what a little hard work and determination can achieve!
No pics of the adder I'm afraid, for a couple of reasons.
1. I didn't want to disturb her, so the tin was carefully placed back down straight away.
2. It would have been hard taking a photograph one handed!
A massive thank you to my friend Mark Dando for his help and an equal amount of credit is due to him for helping a species in decline, in the Forest of Dean!
Rob
Friday, 1 July 2011
An Hour With the Adders!
Had a good day with the adders this morning. Found 5 in total and all of them were females ranging from a tiny juvenile to a fully grown lady!
I was bitten by some nasties and got bramble scars all over my legs, but it was my own fault for lying in them while wearing shorts!
The tiny one. Around 9 inches long and a feisty girl. She wasn't too bothered and was quite inquisitive.
And here is mum basking just around the corner.
Same female except this time uncoiled and stretched out!
Another female under a gorse bush. I don't push to get too close to the larger adders as they are more timid than the little ones and it would only disturb them. Anyway, it's nice to see them in their natural habitat.
Rob
I was bitten by some nasties and got bramble scars all over my legs, but it was my own fault for lying in them while wearing shorts!
The tiny one. Around 9 inches long and a feisty girl. She wasn't too bothered and was quite inquisitive.
And here is mum basking just around the corner.
Same female except this time uncoiled and stretched out!
Another female under a gorse bush. I don't push to get too close to the larger adders as they are more timid than the little ones and it would only disturb them. Anyway, it's nice to see them in their natural habitat.
Rob
Thursday, 30 June 2011
Male Adder!
Not a great pic I know, but this male adder was in a gorse bush (they usually are) and it was tricky to get a decent angle.
Unless I can get down to their level, I don't get too close because this just disturbs them and I would rather walk away with a crappy shot than disturb this reptile just for the sake of a photograph!
Will hopefully be getting out tomorrow weather permitting!
Rob
Unless I can get down to their level, I don't get too close because this just disturbs them and I would rather walk away with a crappy shot than disturb this reptile just for the sake of a photograph!
Will hopefully be getting out tomorrow weather permitting!
Rob
Saturday, 7 May 2011
Nine Year Old Girl Bitten by Adder in New Forest!
It happens quite a lot, but when it happens to a young child it is a worrying time. The adder's bite is not that serious, unless you get a allergic reaction called anaphylactic shock, or Anaphylaxis and then it can be very serious, even fatal if untreated!
Unfortunately, nine year old Tylar Butcher was recently bitten while holidaying with her family in the New Forest and suffered an allergic reaction, which required hospital treatment. Thankfully she is making an excellent recovery and has even shown an interest in the adder. This is great news as it will have a very positive impact on the way certain people think and react towards this snake.
The adder has been persecuted for years, for just being able to defend itself and as humans we see it as a threat, so we kill it. Thankfully we are not all like this and some of us want to protect them. I hope Tylar will grow up wanting to help protect them too!
Read Tylar's STORY HERE
Rob
Unfortunately, nine year old Tylar Butcher was recently bitten while holidaying with her family in the New Forest and suffered an allergic reaction, which required hospital treatment. Thankfully she is making an excellent recovery and has even shown an interest in the adder. This is great news as it will have a very positive impact on the way certain people think and react towards this snake.
The adder has been persecuted for years, for just being able to defend itself and as humans we see it as a threat, so we kill it. Thankfully we are not all like this and some of us want to protect them. I hope Tylar will grow up wanting to help protect them too!
Read Tylar's STORY HERE
Rob
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