Grass snakes

[gone up the hill]

Not seen any in years.

But cutting a 2nd cut high clover ley today I counted about 24/25 of them in about 90 minutes of mowing! all in different parts of the field/ along the road beside the field.

Anyone else seeing a lot more snakes than normal?

And why so many this year?

 

[robs1]

Not seen any in years.

But cutting a 2nd cut high clover ley today I counted about 24/25 of them in about 90 minutes of mowing! all in different parts of the field/ along the road beside the field.

Anyone else seeing a lot more snakes than normal?

And why so many this year?

Enjoyed last summer perhaps and bred more, not seen any this year but I expect when we cut some corn we will, surprising the number we get here and a few adders too

 

[gone up the hill]

Enjoyed last summer perhaps and bred more, not seen any this year but I expect when we cut some corn we will, surprising the number we get here and a few adders too

Not much bothers me but snakes are another matter

 

[DrWazzock]

We have adders here as well. Saw a rabbit come out from under a sheet of corrugated iron and fall over paralysed and died. Bitten by an adder.

 

[robs1]

The cat in my avatar died after adder bite and lost a lovely heifers many years ago whose skin reacted to a bite

 

[DrWazzock]

The cat in my avatar died after adder bite and lost a lovely heifers many years ago whose skin reacted to a bite

They are barstewards, like hornets and wasps which abound here now. People want all these natural creatures but they aren't the ones who have to live with them!

 

[RhysT]

Customer of ours used our stallion last year. Had to put down a lovely 3 week old foal due to suspected snake bite.

 

[Skimmer]

First time I've seen one here yesterday.

 

[Martin Holden]

Not much bothers me but snakes are another matter

Yup, there’s something about them that just makes yer hair stand on end. Probably due to some that can kill with their venom and others squeeze the life out of you. Don’t think grass snakes would do either though

 

[primmiemoo]

Whopping great grass snakes here this year. 4ft down to about 1ft long basking in sunny places.

Would it be the mild winter allowing more to survive from hatching? I thought the 1ft ones were this year's hatching, but have been informed by a snake-geek that the eggs hatch in Autumn, and little snakes are pencil sized. It will be interesting to find sloughed skins and see how long the longest get.

They won't hurt anyone, and aren't venomous. More scared of us than we of them. They eat frogs and other amphibians, and are good swimmers.

I've only seen one adder this year. She was coiled in a west facing hedge, sunning herself ... next to the ripe wild strawberries that I was hoping to pick

 

[David.]

Advise against handling them, unless you enjoy the smell on your hands..

 

[Hooby Farmer]

Yup, there’s something about them that just makes yer hair stand on end. Probably due to some that can kill with their venom and others squeeze the life out of you. Don’t think grass snakes would do either though

Agreed, just never liked their creepiness. When I lived in Namibia often you would have seen the lads running about chasing snakes and killing them for what I thought was no good reason. They said. They often end up in their wood piles and can strike the kids if they were not paying attention. These were the same kids in our garden who were grabbing a boomslang by the tail and toying with it.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Never ever seen one up here

 

[Av Gorritt]

Never ever seen one up here

Me neither nor indeed slow worms , which I'm told are totally different creatures . Not sorry either ! We do have a tawny(?) owl that makes good use of our workshop , coming in through a broken sheet , and making itself at home perched at the highest part of the eaves , right over the power saw . Never see it come , and never see it go , and fortunately there are only a couple of muck stains left behind . Pretty good mannered at that . I keep thinking to put a box up there , but it might risk a breeding pair , and if they did , they might be like the swallows that make such a mess , and presumably , owls will be much bigger bore ! Not grumbling mind , I really do enjoy the wildlife , and consider the bit of mess they leave to be well worth it for the pleasure they bring .

 

[gone up the hill]

Me neither nor indeed slow worms , which I'm told are totally different creatures . Not sorry either ! We do have a tawny(?) owl that makes good use of our workshop , coming in through a broken sheet , and making itself at home perched at the highest part of the eaves , right over the power saw . Never see it come , and never see it go , and fortunately there are only a couple of muck stains left behind . Pretty good mannered at that . I keep thinking to put a box up there , but it might risk a breeding pair , and if they did , they might be like the swallows that make such a mess , and presumably , owls will be much bigger bore ! Not grumbling mind , I really do enjoy the wildlife , and consider the bit of mess they leave to be well worth it for the pleasure they bring .

Get an Owl box, they are basically struggling to survive and if more isn't done for them the chances are numbers will dwindle to the point they are classed as in danger of dying out.

You are very lucky to have that Owl coming into your workshop.

As for snakes, if you want some I have plenty to spare

 

[Av Gorritt]

Yes GUTH , thanks , but no thanks !

 

[ridger]

Thank goodness for St Patrick

 

[deleted user 837354]

Funnily enough was moving the compost heap to its final resting place today using the wheelbarrow and nearly decorated my pants when a part of it began moving. Bloody great slow worm near 12 inches long and as fat as my ring finger. Have not seen one in a while. Obviously quite pleased with the hot and steamy compost as a residence he seemed quite bemused to have woken up in my wheelbarrow. I was pleased I had not hurt him with my prong so got the wife to relocate him in the new location which he quickly buried back into.

Quite rare I thought these days?

 

[wrenbird]

We often find slow worms in our compost heap when it comes time to move it. A great addition to garden wildlife as they eat a lot of slugs. Fascinating creatures,lizards that give birth to live young that are actually incubated in eggs inside the female.

 

[Exfarmer]

Yes GUTH , thanks , but no thanks !

Put your box up outside if you dont want it in, hopefully they will find it. Think I am correct it should be on the north side