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Posts by clarkie: |
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21  View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 04 Oct 2004
Topic: scotland
Just registered here and was wondering if anyone on here was from scotland and possibly the north east? Where i live isn't very good for any sort of creatures but just south of here is not bad and even just this weekend past i went with a friend and we both found lots of toads and frogs but what i was wondering was if anybody knew of how to spot adders or grass snakes or even slow worms as i know there are some as other people have told us and i can remember seeing a grass snake when i was litlle but i have no idea how to spot them these days, alot of people on here talk about "tins" and how they use them but thwta exactly do these do? any help would be appreciated. |
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 04 Oct 2004
Topic: scotland
Thanks for the info, i'm up in aberdeen but it's good close by for woodland and lots of heather etc.. and i know of alot of people who have spotted snakes at sometime, i thought that's what you all meant by tins but didnt want to sound stupid if i was wrong, there is a quarry, well more of a dump with lots of old tat and dumped materials that is quite deep into the country and with heather surrounding it and only a few people know of it and theres lots of corrogated iron lying about and we have seen rodent running about under it sometime so i suspect if there was any it would be here. One more question, when would be the latest in the year to spot them and would they be using these tins in the autumn/winter motnhs? |
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 10 Oct 2004
Topic: Froglets in your house?
No offence but that just goes to show how destructive cats are, thats four different types of bird your cat has killed and goodness only knows how many more and that only 1 cat now imagine how many other birds are killed by the millions of cats in britain. Something should be done, i know i take measures to stop cats uin my garden.
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 10 Jan 2007
Topic: Slime?? type of thing
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 11 Jan 2007
Topic: Slime?? type of thing
Ok well i contacted the aberdeen university zoology department and they have indentified this "slime" as being the ovaries of a frog or a toad most likely left by a predator such as a heron or an otter. |
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 12 Jan 2007
Topic: Young Newts
 Well a friend of mine handed me 4 young newts today as he has just recently moved into a new house and he's filling in the old pond which i think is criminal. He didn't want to just let the young newts die so he gave them to me. I am just holding them til i get the chance to release them. I think they're just common newts, can anyone confirm this for me? |
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 13 Jan 2007
Topic: Young Newts
Thanks for that jon, i have kept newts before but never this small, i always fed my last ones earth worms and they went mental for them but these are too small for that so i will have to get out there and buy some food for them as you advised. Thanks again. |
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 10 Mar 2007
Topic: frogs spawning
I was out looking in a nice hidden pond that only a select few know of and there was plenty of action going on, dozens of adult frogs just laying the spawn aswell as a few sightings of smooth newts swimming about. Only got a few photos as my batteries died on camera but here you go nonetheless.
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 10 Mar 2007
Topic: Clumps of Black Eggs
I also found this as you can see in another thread i started http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1829 &PN=2 , i took pictures and e-mailed them to aberdeen university zoology department and they were identified as the ovaries of a frog or toad that were left by a predater i.e a heron or otter. |
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 12 Mar 2007
Topic: Pond building, what size?
Well i've finally decided to build a pond instead of getting a larger shed. I don't have a huge garden and the space i'm building the pond on isn't large either but i know even the smallest of ponds is better than none at all. ANyone able to help me out regarding info on what may be attracted to a small pond? i live on the outskirts of a city so don't think i'll be getting frogs/newts/toads really. I was a gardner and have built a few ponds so construction shouldn't be a problem really. Any help or pictures of members ponds would be greatly appreciated. |
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 12 Mar 2007
Topic: Pond building, what size?
I live on the edge of Aberdeen and theres plenty of wildife i.e deer and foxes that kinda thing and i'm close to the river dee which also has alot of frogs and toads along the banks so it might not be totally out of the question. Would it be best for the pond to be in full sunlight? where i have planned it to go is sun most of the day but after about 4 pm it'll be shaded. |
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 12 Mar 2007
Topic: Pond building, what size?
Well i think i'll maybe just stick with the site i have planned then, it's not in full sun all day but i think it should be fine, really dont have alot of options as far as pond siting goes as i said i limited to space but i'll investigate tomorrow if the weather is still as nice as it was today. I would like to get frogs and toads visiting but if i have to make do with insects then thats fine aswell. |
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 12 Mar 2007
Topic: Pond building, what size?
I would love to just get rid of all the plants and paths and dig the biggest pond ever but i don't think the neighbours or my family would be chuffed. I also need somewhere to keep my vespa and it's already had to make way for this pond and so i'd feel bad for it if i bumped it outside again.  |
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 13 Mar 2007
Topic: Faces to Names
i'll give it a bump start then.... heres me in my hammock in december when out camping, not much of a face pic though so heres me and my girlfriend when out on one of many random wanders.
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 13 Mar 2007
Topic: Faces to Names
Cheers Al, i go camping atleast once a month when i can all year round with some friends just to the forests we have up here in the North East of Scotland, the hammock camping is a new caper but boy is it fun. Even managed to go the other week in the snow which is not to be repeated as it was wet, wet and wet again. |
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 29 Mar 2007
Topic: So what are your other interests?
I have budgies and sometimes i wish i could feed the nattering little things to the hawks On a lighter note though i am into my scooters and have a couple of Vespas and my father is well into his british bikes and has a Triumph thunderbird, an old bonneville and an original honda monkeybike amongst many others. Also Darlington, you say your into kayaking, well thats something i've always fancied but due to my lack of swimming ability i've always been cautious about that, how easy is it for someone like me with little experince in the water to actually manage to go and handle a kayak?
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 29 Mar 2007
Topic: New pond gardener with early success
Hi jake, i am in the process of building a small pond. Anychance of a pic of your new pond? |
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 30 Mar 2007
Topic: So what are your other interests?
i think i'll go cry now, nah i wont really. I have been out on kayaks and alot of time spent on canadian canoes when camping along the coast but as you wisely said there are few people who would take someone like me out. Luckily i have friends who obviously don't care much for my safety and wellbeing  so until i learn to swim i will stick to my two wheels and land. |
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 29 Apr 2008
Topic: Common Lizard in Scotland
well it's been a while since i was last on here due to pending fatherhood and getting engaged. I managed to get out for a walk in my local favourite forest here in Aberdeenshire at the weekend and check on this years frogspwawn and other pond life numbers. I also for the first time saw a common lizard, i've only ever seen this once before a few years ago and that was nowhere near this site. I was wondering if anybody could give me any tips on how i could go about trying to find this elusive creature again for example using tins etc... Any help is greatly appreciated as usual. |
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clarkie Member Joined: 04 Oct 2004 No. of posts: 21 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 02 May 2008
Topic: Common Lizard in Scotland
Thanks for the help Tim, i have a roll of roofing felt kicking about so i'll use that i think to aid my spotting. I couldn't believe it when i saw the Lizard, just goes to show what is about and nobody has no idea about them as they're so fast and well hidden. I've spoken to alot people about this and so far nobody else knew they're was lizards in this area. Oh yeah and the baby is due in September, i can't wait. I'll have a little buddy to go on camping trips and the likes with. |
- Posts by clarkie |
Was out a wandering today and came upon this slime type stuff whilst looking in a small pond. I have no idea what it is but it had the consistency of jelly and what appeared to be eggs or something through some of it. Can anyone help with identifying what it could be? And if it helps any there was also a single toads leg nearby and had been there for some time. 
