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Smooth Snake: |
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Mark Slade Member Joined: 18 May 2004 No. of posts: 2  View other posts by Mark Slade |
Posted: 18 May 2004 I have just sited a smooth snake in our garden in North Dorset. Is this rare for this area? |
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Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps |
Posted: 19 May 2004 Very if not impossible where exactly? got description, size colour, scalation, markings, photo? Tony |
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Mark Slade Member Joined: 18 May 2004 No. of posts: 2 View other posts by Mark Slade |
Posted: 20 May 2004 Tony, It definitely was a smooth snake. A female, greyish, with distinctive parallel lines of dots along its tail. We are in Sturminster Newton. I could not get a photo by the time I went back in the house to get my camera it had gone. Typical. Regards Mark |
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Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps |
Posted: 20 May 2004 Hi Mark Hope you find it again, if it is a smooth snake then this will be really interesting and the area would need to be surveyed; get in touch with HCT, there is a link on the forum, talk to Chris Gleed-Owen, bet he's read this anyway. Cheers Tony |
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LadyPenelope Member Joined: 12 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 2 View other posts by LadyPenelope |
Posted: 12 Jun 2004 Yes, it would be great if this magnificent, yet sadly dissapearing creature began popping up all over Britain again!! I surely hope it was a smooth snake and not a slow worm which also has a resemblance to this creature, but your descirption certainly suggests that Coronella austriaca was indeed what you saw and fingers crossed it may come back again! Good luck, Liz C. P.S Tony, Is the smooth snake greatly distributed throughout Hampshire, or only in certain parts of it?
www.freewebs.com/ladypenelope (Nothing to do with reptiles but your teenage daughter might like it!!!) |
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Chris G-O Member Joined: 14 May 2003 No. of posts: 36 View other posts by Chris G-O |
Posted: 23 Jul 2004 Please please get a photo or tell us the details. God knows how many times i get people writing/phoning in with excited records from unlikely places - i write back asking for details or photo and never hear anything again. If this is a heavily marked slow-worm (we have all-over 'pin-striped' ones here!) it would be nice to know so no-one goes up there on a wild goose chase. If it may still be a smooth snake, we really ought to know. Does anyone know how to contact Martin Slade??? cheers Chris Chris Gleed-Owen, Research & Monitoring Officer, The HCT & BHS Research Committee Chair |
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David Bird Forum Specialist Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 515 View other posts by David Bird |
Posted: 27 Jul 2004 Why is that Mark Slade's brother Chis ? On a more serious note I do know Sturminster Newton well being in my neck of the woods and there is no habitat that would be remotely suitable for Smooth Snakes as far as I know. I think it may be an abberant colour form of a Grass Snake perhaps one shedding where the body marks can sometimes not be seen in some specimens. I have been to Stur. several times on hunts for rare animals such as Mole Cricket which I have been informed of and have always drawn a blank. British Herpetological Society Librarian and member of B.H.S Conservation Committee. Self employed Herpetological Consultant and Field Worker. |
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