Notice: Undefined index: forum_id in /home/sites/herpetofauna.org.uk/public_html/forum_archive/forum_posts.php on line 69 Deprecated: mysql_connect(): The mysql extension is deprecated and will be removed in the future: use mysqli or PDO instead in /home/sites/herpetofauna.org.uk/public_html/forum_archive/forum_posts.php on line 73

RAUK - Archived Forum - More of my Adders at Hindhead

This contains the Forum posts up until the end of March, 2011. Posts may be viewed but cannot be edited or replied to - nor can new posts be made. More recent posts can be seen on the new Forum at http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/forum/

Forum Home

More of my Adders at Hindhead:

Author Message
Gemma Fairchild
Krag Committee
Joined: 14 Feb 2003
No. of posts: 193


View other posts by Gemma Fairchild
Posted: 08 Jul 2003

Hi All,

Managed to find time for a trip to Hindhead today. As Tony predicted earlier in the year the site is now a forest of standing green bracken. Fortunately I remembered my paths through it and though I was being eaten alive by horseflies and couldn't see a thing over the bracken that was in places over 7ft high now, had one of my best days this year. I tend to list my sightings in groups as I move around the site, so it's possible that some are repeat sightings of the same animal, though I do note this if I know that this is the case.

1 Grass Snake at pond around 10:00 am
3 Grass Snakes on slope
2 Female Adders (new to me)
1 Common Lizard

second sighting of female berus at first basking site
1 Grass Snake
2 Common Lizards
third sighting of female berus at first basking site

1 Grass Snake
1 Common Lizard

2 Grass Snakes
1 Male Adder
1 neonate slow-worm (first of year)
fourth sighting of female berus at first basking site

The site is now very overgrown with bracken but again as predicted by Tony the snakes were still about in the clear areas I could find. Interestingly the areas still open enough for basking coincide with those chosen earlier in the year, which at the time I couldn't understand, as it all looked just as viable. I'm not sure if this is significant or if it was a case that I just managed to find the old basking sites more easily in the forest of bracken.

Tried out my new telephoto lens today, need a bit more practice, but I doubt if I'd have got anything without it!



Above is the female adder spotted 4 times, spent most of the day watching her but she wouldn't keep still for a picture, so best I got!







The forest of bracken

administrator37811.4304166667
----RAUK e-Forum----

Tony Phelps
Forum Specialist
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
No. of posts: 575


View other posts by Tony Phelps
Posted: 10 Jul 2003
Nice one Gemma; why oh why do EN think that Bracken is rubbish, its wonderful stuff ain't it?, jus hard work in summer.
I have been monitoring areas wher Enhave totally eradicated bracken and all is still, nothing moves, no reptiles, no nightjars, roll on South Africa have really had it up to the eyes and beyond. Its not just me is it, just a miserable grumbling old fool, I think EN would just like me to go away. But keep at it Gemma, never mind the bites and scratches and those hidden brambles that put you flat on your face now and then.
Am doing two TV programmes on British snakes, bits with Michaela Strachan and another with Nick Baker, wonder what I can say about EN without being too Libeleous.

Cheers

Tony
-LAF
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2003
No. of posts: 317


View other posts by -LAF
Posted: 10 Jul 2003
I thought it wasn't Libel if it's true. Maybe you could propose a Really Wild Show special on environmental politics Then again...

Cheers, Lee.
Lee Fairclough
Mike
Senior Member
Joined: 15 Feb 2003
No. of posts: 74


View other posts by Mike
Posted: 11 Jul 2003

That view of bracken looks familiar Gemma, can't remember the name of the area, at the top of the slope is there a wide mown path ?, no, not the same place then but must be close.

When are the progs airing ?, at least we should watch this "Libeleous" action , and I'll get to see what Tony looks like Big smile.

"Environmental politics", planning depts, EN - dispair, Nuke'em I say.

Mike.

Mike37813.4045023148
Brickfields Park FREE 25th Anniversary Funday, 4th July 2010.
Wildlife, Farm Animals, games, quizzes, refreshments and more. Fun for all.
See - http://www.brickfieldspark.org/dates.htm
Wolfgang Wuster
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Apr 2003
No. of posts: 326


View other posts by Wolfgang Wuster
Posted: 11 Jul 2003
Now there's a nice emoticon I hadn't seen before!

Cheers,

WolfgangWolfgang Wuster37813.4114583333
Wolfgang Wüster
School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor
http://sbsweb.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/
Tony Phelps
Forum Specialist
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
No. of posts: 575


View other posts by Tony Phelps
Posted: 11 Jul 2003
For Mike

Tony Phelps ID

Body - stout/robust noticeable thickening at mid-body
       Max length 1.80m
       Habits - mainly diurnal but known to lie up     for long periods during extremely hot weather.
Diet - variable, avoids fatty food.
Reproduction - All done with
Temperament - normally placid but can easily be provoked by EN.
Distribution - Dorset, Hants, Surrey, and known to migrate further afield i.e. Africa, Italy, etc.       
GemmaJF
Admin Group
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
No. of posts: 2090


View other posts by GemmaJF
Posted: 11 Jul 2003

Tony, you forgot falling up to your waist in dried bracken when you stray off the paths , and the hidden rabbit holes... all in all though I found it can be worked to advantage, so long as a map is kept earlier in the year of where the solid ground is, the bracken provides good cover for observation.

I remember you said earlier in the year about why do EN bother removing bracken to encourage heather - and trying to put it back 150 years, I couldn't agree more, heaths then were much much larger and wildlife had a chance to recover from grazing and clearance, now it's the undisturbed bracken forests that harbour the largest numbers of the more common species of reptiles. I can think of a few areas of Hindhead now grazed for management that are totally desolate, where snakes were common 20 years ago

(now I have your ID I'll watch out for you on Hindhead )


Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant
Tony Phelps
Forum Specialist
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
No. of posts: 575


View other posts by Tony Phelps
Posted: 11 Jul 2003
Hi Gemma,
Please get in touch with EN at Slepe and express the virtues of bracken areas. I am just doing that yet again using a Chobham site as an example.

Cheers

Tony
Alan Hyde
Senior Member
Joined: 17 Apr 2003
No. of posts: 1416


View other posts by Alan Hyde
Posted: 11 Jul 2003
Alan Hyde37813.9591550926
O-> O+>
David Bird
Forum Specialist
Joined: 17 Feb 2003
No. of posts: 515


View other posts by David Bird
Posted: 11 Jul 2003
I am putting a post on Bracken in the Conservation methods plus a few pictures if I can find them and scan them in. I am a Bracken Sprayer determined to keep this menace down to small amount on the heathland.

British Herpetological Society Librarian and member of B.H.S Conservation Committee. Self employed Herpetological Consultant and Field Worker.
Gemma Fairchild
Krag Committee
Joined: 14 Feb 2003
No. of posts: 193


View other posts by Gemma Fairchild
Posted: 11 Jul 2003
Tony,

I will contact them with a collection of photographs and sightings from the Hindhead bracken site and my observations of its effectiveness as outlined in my reply to David in the Method thread.
----RAUK e-Forum----

GemmaJF
Admin Group
Joined: 25 Jan 2003
No. of posts: 2090


View other posts by GemmaJF
Posted: 13 Jul 2003
Sightings today, 1 grass snake and common lizard between 9:00 and 10:00 am, not much moving due to the heat but the female adder I was watching the other day put in an appearance at 11.45, presumably back from a foraging trip, she entered her bracken pile but wasn't seen out basking till 4:15 pm when she and a grass snake were both out in the open, but in shaded areas. 1 female adder fatality found on road on way home, see thread on body bits.administrator37815.9646296296
Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant
Gemma Fairchild
Krag Committee
Joined: 14 Feb 2003
No. of posts: 193


View other posts by Gemma Fairchild
Posted: 19 Jul 2003
Back again today, found the gravid female I've been watching recently out at 1355, one other known female adder at 1550 and a common lizard.

Gemma Fairchild37821.9069212963
----RAUK e-Forum----

- More of my Adders at Hindhead

Content here