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First grass snake in back garden!: |
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Andy_B Member Joined: 07 Jan 2006 No. of posts: 19  View other posts by Andy_B |
Posted: 21 Jul 2008 I was over the moon yesterday to see a small grass snake in the garden, first time ive ever seen one here and we have lived here for about 20 years! Have resident slow worms and common lizards as we back on to a railway bank, ive always wondered if id see one but thought it very unlikely to happen as its in an urban setting. Just thought id share the news unfortunately too fast for me 2 get a photo, hopefully ill see it again and its not just a passer-by. |
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tim hamlett Senior Member Joined: 17 Dec 2006 No. of posts: 572  View other posts by tim hamlett |
Posted: 21 Jul 2008 grass snakes, common lizards and slowworms in the garden! i'm not at all envious would enjoy seeing a picture or two if you're quick enough. where abouts are you btw. tim |
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Andy_B Member Joined: 07 Jan 2006 No. of posts: 19 View other posts by Andy_B |
Posted: 22 Jul 2008 I have pictures of the latter two but the grass snake was too fast 2 get a photo, no sign again since it must hav just been passing through  . Im in south bucks by the way. |
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Suzi Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 No. of posts: 860 View other posts by Suzi |
Posted: 23 Jul 2008 You could set up some stuff to encourage grass snakes. Put some covers down for them to go under. Some years I get one in my compost heap - do you have one? Mine is a large heap that is covered in black plastic and upwards of 20 slow worms live there. Suz |
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Andy_B Member Joined: 07 Jan 2006 No. of posts: 19 View other posts by Andy_B |
Posted: 23 Jul 2008 I have around 4 tins/covers that are regularly used by the slow worms and it was under one of these i saw the grass snake. We have a good sized compost heap, a small pond and quite a few rough/scrubby areas so i think its a fairly herp friendly garden. I will have a good look this weekend in the morning as the day warms up, at the moment i leave for work when its too cold, so fingers crossed for the weekend. |
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armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928 View other posts by armata |
Posted: 23 Jul 2008 Where in south Bucks are you? 'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
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Suzi Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 No. of posts: 860 View other posts by Suzi |
Posted: 23 Jul 2008 Ah so you have all the right things for grass snakes. I discovered from grass snakes I occasionally have in the compost heap that they are on the move in there very early - before the sun hits it. Now I know heaps are warm by nature of decomposing material but the slow worms were much later than the grass snake in getting going. Or is this to do with grass snakes holding their residual body heat overnight in warm weather? Suz |
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Andy_B Member Joined: 07 Jan 2006 No. of posts: 19 View other posts by Andy_B |
Posted: 28 Jul 2008 Well its been a week now and no sign of the grass snake, im pretty sure i wont be seeing one again for a long time. Shame i never had a chance to get a picture but heres a few photos of the other visitors all taken in the garden. 
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armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928 View other posts by armata |
Posted: 28 Jul 2008 If you tell me where you live I can probably tell you where your closest grass snake population is; that is if you don't already know. 'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
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tim hamlett Senior Member Joined: 17 Dec 2006 No. of posts: 572 View other posts by tim hamlett |
Posted: 28 Jul 2008 some lovely photos there andy. are the reptiles in your garden always either nuzzling or looking up to the heavens? tim |
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Andy_B Member Joined: 07 Jan 2006 No. of posts: 19 View other posts by Andy_B |
Posted: 28 Jul 2008 yes I have them well trained! |
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Andy_B Member Joined: 07 Jan 2006 No. of posts: 19 View other posts by Andy_B |
Posted: 20 Jul 2009 Well almost a year to the day, after not seeing it again. This Turned up! Seen it over the past few days and managed to get a picture this time!  |
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Ophiuchus Member Joined: 04 Jan 2007 No. of posts: 44 View other posts by Ophiuchus |
Posted: 20 Jul 2009 Nice Grassy, and to have it come into your own back garden is extra cool, looks like you have a nice reptile sanctuary there, I see you have a gravid slow worm and a juvenile slowwie there as well! Ophiuchus *~*the serpent bearer*~* |
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Andy_B Member Joined: 07 Jan 2006 No. of posts: 19 View other posts by Andy_B |
Posted: 21 Jul 2009 Yep seems to hang out in the same places as that slow worm. Its been around since saturday and fingers crossed it will stay, and not eat 2 many of my fish! It really is true that they can turn up anywhere, such a privilege to have. |
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Suzi Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 No. of posts: 860 View other posts by Suzi |
Posted: 22 Jul 2009 I have had them in my compost heap a few years. It is always about this time of year. One stayed for over three weeks. This was a reasonable sized one but not fully gown. Another was a one year old I'd say. The larger one seemed to have some patterns to its behaviour. It would disappear for 2 days and then be present on the third day and then it would be off again. I wondered if it went off feeding and then rested for a day or two. I got so that I could predict when it would be there under the plastic amongst the slow worms. It always lay in exactly the same spot and in fact seemed to make itself a little depression to fit its body exactly. When it first arrived it would disappear as soon as I lifted the plastic but after a short time it didn't shoot off at all but just lay there. I thought this rather neat as in the wild they are pretty quick off the mark. The gardens here back onto a sunken stream with lots of herbage and we know there are grass snakes there as others see them. The stream runs in from the fields 200-300yds away. I hope your grass snake is around for a while. I haven't had any for over 5 years now. Suz |
- First grass snake in back garden! |
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