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Smooth snake extinct??: |
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armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928  View other posts by armata |
Posted: 06 Sep 2007 Hey guys have not heard much about smooth snakes anybody been doing anything??? 'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
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arvensis Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2006 No. of posts: 445 View other posts by arvensis |
Posted: 06 Sep 2007 I was at my Woolmer sites last week 1 sandie but no smoothies. Last time I saw one was in Purbeck in june and saw 4. Mark Hampshire Amphibian and Reptile Group. |
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st rick Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 141  View other posts by st rick |
Posted: 07 Sep 2007 The Smooth Snakes are alive and well in Surrey, more reliably found under tins than any other snake species I find. In fact, I have taken a couple of non-herping buddies out with me a couple of times just recently and, due to this predictability under tin, they are under the impression Smoothies are thicker on the ground than Slow Worms My main Smooth Snake news of the summer was the discovery of a juvenile at Lightwater. I know that the presence of Smoothies at this location is a controversial matter for some but, all I can say, is that they are there. I was without a camera at the time, and did not tell the Ranger as he couldn't be located. I have submitted other reports. I have had a lot of luck finding Smooth Snakes at a forest location near Peaslake, Surrey. I even discovered what I believed to be a melanistic individual. I did not get a shot of this either as I lost my camera chasing grassies in Watford a while back.
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st rick Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 141 View other posts by st rick |
Posted: 07 Sep 2007 Tony, could you be more specific as to what exactly I have here? It was tiny and found basking openly at Crooksbury last Sunday.
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armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928 View other posts by armata |
Posted: 07 Sep 2007 Thats this years neo pre moult. I bet if you scratched around you would have found more; they appear to stick together before moulting which is usualy about a week after birth. 'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
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st rick Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 141 View other posts by st rick |
Posted: 07 Sep 2007 Thanks Tony. I have never seen a Smoothie away from a tin before and never at this location. |
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arvensis Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2006 No. of posts: 445 View other posts by arvensis |
Posted: 18 Sep 2007 Thursday yielded 5 at a site in Surrey and 2 on Saturday in Purbeck. Mark Hampshire Amphibian and Reptile Group. |
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Vicar Senior Member Joined: 02 Sep 2004 No. of posts: 1181 View other posts by Vicar |
Posted: 25 Sep 2007 Mostly for Tony.... They're still about in Surrey! When might we expect them to start hibernating ? (in a usual weathered year).   Steve Langham - Chairman 
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG). |
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416 View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 26 Sep 2007 No Smoothies for me so far this year. I've checked my new smooth snake site 3 times recently and nothing. O-> O+> |
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armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928 View other posts by armata |
Posted: 26 Sep 2007 Thanks Steve = appreciated 'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
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herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369  View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 14 Oct 2007 Hi St Rick Where did you find the young smoothie at Lightwater? where abouts did you see it? Could you send a sketch map at all through pm at all? People have been surveying down there for several years with tins in suitable locations but with no sightings of smooth snakes I have also heard of a photograph of a basking smooth snake from the rangers (I have yet to see this). I hope to see this next time I am up there The main news I have from Light water is that sandies were out on the breeding sites - all juveniles but they were on each sandy area, I also found baby sandies on Chobham Common the same day I am going out this coming week to Chobham and light water I will be looking out for smooth snakes at Light water Jon
Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
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armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928 View other posts by armata |
Posted: 14 Oct 2007 Hi Jon Alan and I will be in Chobham area next Thurs. I think I am free on friday as well but thenm off to wales before I fly back to SA. I have that ID dorsal head photo of that SS from Lightwater on digi now will post it when I come back. 'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
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armata Forum Specialist Joined: 05 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 928 View other posts by armata |
Posted: 14 Oct 2007 Jon - Lightwater SS 
'I get my kicks on Route 62' |
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herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369 View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 15 Oct 2007 Hi Tony thats great - I have some photos of other snakes reported to be from Lightwater/M3 though only a few photos and not very good quality maybe they might match...... What were the stats for that one Tony? and when was it found 2003 wasnt it? I may be able to do mid Thursday Morning but I can definitely be there for Friday during the day. I will be heading to Lightwater after Chobham Common - Jon Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
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st rick Senior Member Joined: 26 Apr 2006 No. of posts: 141 View other posts by st rick |
Posted: 15 Oct 2007 Hi Jon I will PM you with a description of where I found the Lightwater Smooothie, which was a juvenile. It wasn't on the M3 verge, but it wasn't a million miles away either. Unfortunately, I don't have GPS. I have no idea of numbers of Lightwater Smoothies, though it isn't a site I visit all the time, so I was surprised to discover one after only a few visits. Rick
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herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369 View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 17 Oct 2007 Yeah its annoying when I have visited the site over 20 times (including the road verge) with hundreds of felts and a few tins I think you are the third person to have found a smooth snake there grrrrr lol
J Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
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arvensis Senior Member Joined: 15 Mar 2006 No. of posts: 445 View other posts by arvensis |
Posted: 17 Oct 2007 Jon, Can go up there on Saturday if you're free. Mark Hampshire Amphibian and Reptile Group. |
- Smooth snake extinct?? |
