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RAUK - Archived Forum - Sand Lizard Identification and Sightings

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Sand Lizard Identification and Sightings:

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INFORMATION
Member
Joined: 17 Feb 2003
No. of posts: 16


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Posted: 10 Mar 2003

A description and images of the Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis may be found at:

 

http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/sand_lizard.htm

 

® Tony Phelps Reptile research and Imagery

 

 

administrator37898.9855439815
Tony Phelps
Forum Specialist
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
No. of posts: 575


View other posts by Tony Phelps
Posted: 28 Mar 2003

 

27 March  Adult Male sand lizard now very much in evidence.

                Some 'greener' than others but nowhere as intense as breeding green. Some Males have hardly any green showing, so look carefully if you are in sand lizard country - females are also out in good numbers. Male has much more 'chunky' head.

Also last years young - in Dorset obvious size difference between early (normal) broods and young from second clutches.

Total sand lizards seen today.

Studland NNR 12 males 4 females 5 immature

Hartland Moor NNR 8 males 2 immature

Matchams Nr Bournemouth 13 males 2 females 5 immature

Others-smooth snake - 9 adders - grass snake- 8 slow worms 6 common liz


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


View other posts by Tony Phelps
Posted: 08 Apr 2003

Was watching male sand lizard mate-searching today, 1500, NrWareham.

An immature common lizard turned up and the sand lizard chased it and seized it by the tail, the tail was cast, and the sand lizard ate it. Just shows they do have more than sex on their mind at this time of year.

Tony  


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


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Posted: 24 Apr 2003

Anyone have any idea why the sand lizard vanished from chobham common in the late 70's?

Thanks,

Alan


O-> O+>
Tony Phelps
Forum Specialist
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
No. of posts: 575


View other posts by Tony Phelps
Posted: 24 Apr 2003

Sand lizard exit Chobham

Sand lizard were for sdale in per shops in Surrey in late 60s early 70s and Chobham was a collectors magnet at that time.

Since then, bad fires, bad management.

Having said that - talking to HCT, there has been no proper survey for some years so who knows?

 

Tony


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


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Posted: 25 Apr 2003

Thanks Tony ,

Now you mention it I seem to remember seeing our UK herps for sale in a Staines pet shop during the 70's

Alan


O-> O+>
Tony Phelps
Forum Specialist
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
No. of posts: 575


View other posts by Tony Phelps
Posted: 05 May 2003

Bank Holiday Mon - Purbeck

Had to euthanise a female sand lizard at Hartland, hit by car. Five dead reptiles on this small section of road this year so far.

1 fem sand liz. 2 male adders, 1 female adder, 1 female slow worm

The male adders here criss cross the road mate-searching, always casualties each year.

 

Tony


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


View other posts by Tony Phelps
Posted: 28 May 2003

If you are near sand lizard country it would be useful to have records of early nest excavation. Had two females digging this morning, going out in about half an hour to see how they are getting on, plus others hopefully. Last year quite a number of females were actively digging last week in May some even earlier - definitely nest chambers - behaviour, type of burrow, one can tell. They seem so vulnerable at this time, heads down, oblivious sort of thing, but most make it OK. Some females on one of my sites are now over eight years of age - thats good going. If this warm weather continues, and it is said to be going to reach 27Deg+ then they will be excavating at dusk or even later.

 

Tony

 


j gaughan
Senior Member
Joined: 04 May 2003
No. of posts: 57


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Posted: 30 May 2003
Hello Tony, i'm John _Mike Preston's Assistant in the Weald (HCT). The earliest 'laid' female in our large outdoor viv near Guildfofd, was on May 22nd with another yesterday (29th), plus one digging a nest chamber _an early year. I photographed one, that i nearly stood on, years ago while surveying the cliffs at Poole, and agree with you as to their vunerability at this time of year _it makes you wonder what the dive-bombing Kestrels are actually picking off the Bournemouth cliffs.
Tony Phelps
Forum Specialist
Joined: 09 Mar 2003
No. of posts: 575


View other posts by Tony Phelps
Posted: 30 May 2003

Thanks John,

Give Mike my love and tell him to join the forum.

More digging today in Purbeck. A total of eight females nesting includes two in Wareham Forest. Also some of last years juvs are still very small, I know these are second clutches but one would have thought they would be a bit more chunky by now. Also, sand lizards, adult males and imms and juvs in Molinea today one adult male in water. Plus two juv02 adders same area.

Any grass snakes nesting yet anybody? I have not seen any and have checked regular sites.

Tony


Iowarth
Admin Group
Joined: 12 Apr 2004
No. of posts: 222


View other posts by Iowarth
Posted: 02 Jul 2004

Conversely, Merseyside animals seem to lay later even when translocated to a South Coast vivarium. My earliest in "normal" years (whatever they are!) is 26 May but was on 4 June this year. These correlate with first laying dates in Merseyside. My last first clutch (so to speak) was on 20 June - again, fairly typical for these in the wild as well. It seems that the typical wild delay of about a fortnight behind the southerners persists even in the southern climate.


Chris Davis, Site Administrator
Co-ordinator, Sand Lizard Captive Breeding Programme
-LAF
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2003
No. of posts: 317


View other posts by -LAF
Posted: 31 May 2005
Just a quickie to ask how I should record negative recordings for site visit as:

A) No species were found and,
B) The area covered was rather large.

On Saturday May 7th me and my partner took a walk across St Georges golf course, nr Sandwich, to the beach then followed the dune system north to the area restricted for Little Tern breeding (roughly TR 359 586 to TR 351 615). The weather was somewhat schizopherenic, being very bright and warm punctuated by heavy showers for most of the day. Normally I find this weather very productive. Despite this, not a single species of any herpetofauna was discovered. The actual links of St Georges (and the adjoining Prince's Links) looked like they would once have been excellent habitat, providing ample shelterd basking site and egg laying sites. However, suitable habitat on the links is now highly fragmented. A lack of silly trousers prohibited and snooping around the course. The thin strip of coastal dune, on the other hand, was low and offered little shelter. Invertibrate fauna was good with excellent populations of Arctosa perita (a rather large, localised and funky spider) and the nationally scarce dune tiger beetle Cicindela maritima. Certainly though, the habitat didn't look a patch as viable as that north of the Stour, around the Pegwell area. Our search lasted about 5hrs.

Lee.
Lee Fairclough
Vicar
Senior Member
Joined: 02 Sep 2004
No. of posts: 1181


View other posts by Vicar
Posted: 31 May 2005

I guess everybody has their own system;

I include an anotated map and aerial pic of the area covered, (together with usual Met. info & time on/off etc) and record it as a Nil return.

I'm getting used to those at Ash


Steve Langham - Chairman    
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG).
calumma
Senior Member
Joined: 27 Jun 2003
No. of posts: 351


View other posts by calumma
Posted: 03 Jun 2005
For large sites I record 'no observations' either as the centre of the area that is being searched (six figure grid ref), or (if I have been wandering across what could be described as mutiple sites) the 1 km squares within which the survey took place.

For what it's worth slow-worm, viviparous lizard and grass snake have previously been recorded in your area of search (around the bird observatory).

If you get chance try looking further to the south (~TR 37 54). Eric Philp considers that this is where natterjacks were formally recorded in Kent (as referenced in the Victoria County Survey "near Dover").
Lee Brady
Kent Herpetofauna Recorder | Independent Ecological Consultant

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st rick
Senior Member
Joined: 26 Apr 2006
No. of posts: 141


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Posted: 06 Apr 2007

I found a sand lizard today at a site on private land close to Hankley Common in Surrey.  Trouble is, looks as if the landowner has begun excavating this superb reptile bank for sand, although these excavations were at the other end from where I spotted the sand lizard. 

I'd like to know if the conservation status of sand lizards and smooth snakes offers them special protection from the activities of landowners even if they are on private land.

In addition, I also came across 4 slow worms and a grass snake on this site and the rustlings in the reeds indicated the presence of two more, though these weren't spotted.

st rick39178.7240972222
Vicar
Senior Member
Joined: 02 Sep 2004
No. of posts: 1181


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Posted: 06 Apr 2007
Rick, I'll chat about this with you tomorrow ! I'd like to know the site location.
Steve Langham - Chairman    
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG).
SteveA
Member
Joined: 30 Aug 2007
No. of posts: 15


View other posts by SteveA
Posted: 09 Mar 2010

Hello,

Spring sprung?

Had first Sand Lizard of year today in bright sun but rather chill easterly wind.

I think a large adult male, no colour but big head! Took a short vid and will try and post a still.

Had first common lizard yesterday.

Better get those surveying shorts out of the wardrobe!

Steve

 

 


Suzi
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
No. of posts: 860


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Posted: 10 Mar 2010
Surveying shorts but maybe tights underneath.....?

Suz
mikebrown
Senior Member
Joined: 30 Jun 2005
No. of posts: 95


View other posts by mikebrown
Posted: 21 Mar 2010

Saw the first Sandy of the year on Merseyside today - an adult male. Unfortunately, he was too nervous for any photos.

Mike

 

 


Mike Brown
Merseyside ARG
SteveA
Member
Joined: 30 Aug 2007
No. of posts: 15


View other posts by SteveA
Posted: 05 Apr 2010

As promised pics of early L. agilis

Adult individual seen on 9th and imm was seen on 21st, I was surprised quite how small he/she was only about 3" in total I assume a late hatcher? (I've had to compress them a bit for web page but hopefully still clear)


- Sand Lizard Identification and Sightings

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