 |
|
|
Adders in Yorkshire: |
| Author | Message |
|
Leigh Member Joined: 15 Jul 2003 No. of posts: 16  View other posts by Leigh |
Posted: 15 Jul 2003 Hi everyone Just registered tonight...after finding the site through Google. Was initially looking for info on North American Bullfrogs ,(which I may have come across), but the word 'Adder' distracted me. Will post pics of 'suspect' bullfrogs on relative forum. I have had a lot of success this year in photographing Adders. Found a spot local to me, Allerthorpe Common, Pocklington, East Yorks, which is a favorite dog-walking area (14 dogs bitten last year). Back in March came across 7 Male Adders in one area. This has been the only occaision that I have seen the males. I have now only ever seen female Adders...varying in colours from chocolate brown to black. Last week, paid another visit, and in the first 10 minutes counted 11 female Adders, 3 of which were hatchlings. Largest adult seen was approx 20 - 22 inches. It has taken me 3 years to find a site like this!! Just thought you would like to know! Leigh Posted a couple of pics of the adders (both male) onto my website. Photo and Digital Imaging http://www.leightovey.com |
|
Matt Wilson Member Joined: 25 May 2003 No. of posts: 38 View other posts by Matt Wilson |
Posted: 15 Jul 2003 Leigh, I live near Rochdale, i normally go to Dorset to conduct my field work. I didn't know Yorkshire had many good adder sites. I would be interested in any additional information that you can give. Certainly in my area no reptiles are present. Although i once read that a BHS member saw 13 grass snakes within the Rochdale district in 1993. If you could contact me by e-mail at:matt.wilsob02@btopenworld.com i would be very interested to look at the area as i am quite nearby. Not that i doubt you, just that i have not heard of such a population existing within the area. However i am not entirely certain where the area is in Yorkshire. Do you record common lizard, slow-worm or grass snake in same area? If so it could be a very important area for reptile conservation within the county. Cheers, Matthew Wilson |
|
Leigh Member Joined: 15 Jul 2003 No. of posts: 16 View other posts by Leigh |
Posted: 16 Jul 2003 Hi Matt Just finished completing a map to show you how to get to the area. Will email it to you later (hope file size is small enough!!) Yes, I have also noted common lizards in the same area as the adders as well as one slow-worm. Not too sure if this is the normal characterisitic behaviour of adders, but I only seem to find them in pockets in the bracken. Currently approx quarter-mile between two sites. Apparently, according to other people, Dalby Forest (West of Scarborough) is supposed to have a few adders, but I have been on a few occaisions and haven't seen anything! Hope you can read my directions ok...when I eventually send them. Leigh Photo and Digital Imaging http://www.leightovey.com |
|
Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps |
Posted: 16 Jul 2003 Hi Leigh, Your berus site sounds typical; adders are never evenly distributed over an area; although many will be dispersed foraging at this time. You may well find, if like my sites, that each subpopulation are autonomous and if you watch them in spring you will see that males will not wander from their particular foci. What you have now is gregarious behaviour of females, most of which will be gravid. If you want to study this site further you will have to ID individual snakes, passive photography of head markings should be OK. Tony |
|
Leigh Member Joined: 15 Jul 2003 No. of posts: 16 View other posts by Leigh |
Posted: 18 Jul 2003 Hi Tony Thanks for your input and advice. Carried out a flying visit to the site at dinnertime today and spotted six. One was definitely gravid. Also beginning to identify same snakes with same rodent holes that they seem to be using. Do they tend to stay in the same burrow/hole? Or do they go visiting their neighbours?? Leigh Photo and Digital Imaging http://www.leightovey.com |
|
Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps |
Posted: 18 Jul 2003 Hi Leigh, Gravid females are remarkably sedentary but others will be foraging perhaps local or wider dispersed. Tony |
|
kayakingdiddle Member Joined: 25 Jun 2003 No. of posts: 3  View other posts by kayakingdiddle |
Posted: 13 Aug 2003 Hi Leigh, As a third year student, am currently trying to research my honours project, but without much success, as i need to find some local adders populations in my area, which isnt proving easy. I live north of manchester, in bury. Did u say there are some local populations in yorkshire? Can u give me any locations anywhere else, and if so how to get there and find them? Cheers, Alix. Alix |
|
Leigh Member Joined: 15 Jul 2003 No. of posts: 16 View other posts by Leigh |
Posted: 15 Aug 2003 Hi Alix I have sorted out some dirctions for you (in jpeg format). If you wish to email me direct (info@leightovey.com) then I shall post them on to you. Leigh Photo and Digital Imaging http://www.leightovey.com |
|
j gaughan Senior Member Joined: 04 May 2003 No. of posts: 57 View other posts by j gaughan |
Posted: 28 Aug 2003 hello all i'm reliably informed that they occur at 'hamsterley forest' in the yorkshire dales, further north john |
|
Caleb Forum Coordinator Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 448 View other posts by Caleb |
Posted: 29 Aug 2003 John- I don't know if there's another one, but the Hamsterley Forest that I know of is quite a bit further north, in County Durham rather than Yorkshire. Adders do occur there- common lizards and slow worms as well. |
|
j gaughan Senior Member Joined: 04 May 2003 No. of posts: 57 View other posts by j gaughan |
Posted: 16 Sep 2003 thanks caleb for that _just reporting 'as informed' and still chasing the precise 6-fig. OS grid ref. on this one, as it was on a designated cycle route (complete with leaflet) john |
- Adders in Yorkshire |