Native reptiles
There are six species of native British reptiles and three of them are resident in the reserve: we have European adders (Vipera berus), grass snakes (Natrix natrix), and slow worms (Anguis fragilis).
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Reptilia
Our lists include three species of reptile: slow worm (Anguis fragilis), grass snake (Natrix helvetia) and adder (Vipera berus).
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As the weather finally warms up, keep a look out for our grass snakes. A youngster, no more than 20cm long, was seen swimming in the pond last week: probably one of last autumn’s hatchlings.
Continue readingSlow worm
In the spring of 2013, some 500 slow worms were translocated from a development site in Holbrook Lane, Trowbridge, to three sites in Southwick Country Park. Leo Wirtz, the then-leader of the Countryside Team, and his deputy Ali Rasey, set up the move with Windrush Ecology, who were the environmental consultants at the Holbrook Lane site.
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Hibernacula
Build a hibernaculum to help the amphibians and reptiles in your garden through the winter.
National Reptile Awareness Day
Yesterday was National Reptile Awareness Day and we missed it!
We make a habit of missing these National and International celebratory days. Sorry; we will try to do better.
Continue reading “National Reptile Awareness Day”Grass snake
A young grass snake swimming in the Dog Pond yesterday, seen and photographed by Ian Bushell, who said:
“Definitely a youngster – most probably from last years hatch – about a foot or so long and perhaps a little finger’s thickness, but the yellow collar was obvious. Good news as it means that the snakes are breeding here. It swam from the Village Green side to the reed sanctuary below the hedge on the other side.”
A grass snake (Natrix natrix) in the set-aside at the top of Kestrel Field.
Continue readingSlow worm
Mail from DKG
“At the end of the last work party we made our first check of the year on the slow worm mats . The small coppice in Kestrel Field, and the Arboretum were checked; not expecting to see any this early in the year, we were pleasantly surprised to find a solitary slow worm warming itself under one of the mats. This was the same mat where we found the grass snakes in 2017. Hopefully more will be found as the summer approaches.”
Pictures by DKG and Suzanne Humphries
Click here for more about our slow wormsAdder factoid
An adder used to be called a nadder!
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The slow worm survey produced a young grass snake, probably one of last year’s hatchlings. It was tucked under a survey mat in Brunts Field, in the warm and dry. It vanished fairly fast after we lifted the mat, but not before DKG took its picture.
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Photograph: DKG
More reptiles:
Slow worm survey
The Friends, on a wet and squelchy day last week, prepared to survey the park’s slow worm population. Here is DKG’s report:
…cut…
…and numbered…
“Mats were cut and numbered for the slow worm survey with 40 mats laid in 4 areas (10 per area). These will be monitored in the coming weeks once we have some warmth and hopefully some dry weather. Areas covered included Brunts Field, Kestrel Field and Ash copse in Sheep field. The Village Green mats will be laid out during the next work party as the area was too sodden to reach.”
Photographs: DKG
If you are a slow worm fan, you might like this:
Slow Worms
In the spring of 2013, some 500 slow worms were translocated from a development site in Holbrook Lane, Trowbridge, to three sites in Southwick Country Park. Leo Wirtz, the then-leader of the Countryside Team, and his deputy Ali Rasey, set up the move with Windrush Ecology, who were the environmental consultants at the Holbrook Lane site.
Southwick Country Park Nature Reserve 