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Adder 2007!

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Peter Vaughan View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peter Vaughan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Mar 2007 at 12:43pm

Thanks for the encouragement Gemma.  Since this morning again had clear blue skies I followed your implicit advice to get out earlier and was at my local site by 10:15.  I was rewarded by my first Adder sighting of the year.  Readings from a local weather station were 9C and 70% humidity, the Adder was in one of the usual basking spots, sheltered from the light wind.   It gave me an opportunity to try out by new Nikon D80 SLR and Sigma 105mm macro lens.  I'll need some time to learn to get the best out of the new kit, but at least today I had a subject who was prepared to let me photograph him at a distance of less than 1 meter (kneeling in mud - we suffer for our art!). 

Peter



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herpetologic2 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote herpetologic2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Mar 2007 at 1:20pm

Hi Gemma

Yeah I recognise that individual aswell - Gemma can I ask a favour could you send me your counts over the last three years - I have got such data from several sites in Essex and I would like to compare this data with the data from your local site.

We will be organising a walk around the site in a few weeks - we have also spoken to the management team (well Barry) and the piles of stuff are picked up by hand and onto the burning area which you recorded before - so they should not be setting fire to the piles rather they pick this up piece by piece onto the fire - legally we cannot stop them from doing this as they are technically being careful (I hope) to avoid any injury or death to the adders

I am thinking of turning up to any work parties so that I can supervise the burn if they will be burning - we are still working on getting into the WT good books - we still havent been granted a license to capture animals but we can survey for adders by just walking around the permission paths - as it is common land we can walk pretty much anywhere and we can record numbers without a license - so adult counts are fine.

If you could send in your counts that would be great I have counts for several sites over 3 to 4 years - all credit will be acknowledged to you in any publication - no locations will be highlighted just general site descriptions etc

 

Jon

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote herpetologic2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Mar 2007 at 1:22pm

Great Peter

Keep a count of the adders you see - I havent forgotten I have some tins for you ready and waiting perhaps we could meet up soon?

I haven't seen my first adder yet of the year - it would be good to see the ones at your local site

Cheers

 

Jon

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Peter Vaughan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Mar 2007 at 1:37pm

Thanks Jon. 

Re the tins I'd be happy to come to you to collect if that would be convenient. 

I would of course be happy to meet up at my local site - it would need to be at the weekend (I'm free tomorrow but I gather the weather forecast is not good).  If I'm not around then the Adder was in the area I pointed out when we met up last year.

Just the one animal today - I managed a reasonable back of the head shot (photograph that is!) so with luck will be able to recognise the individual again. 

I appreciate the help and encouragement.

Peter

 

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote administrator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Mar 2007 at 1:44pm

Wow superb photo Peter, I was in mud and brambles to get my shot yesterday also

Jon burning this material in close proximity to the main hibernation bank is insane.

Further the material could be deployed usefully on the site, less than 20m away as a brash pile. Can we see this happen? There are snakes literally sat beside these piles and I find this approach by the management team extremely short sighted.

This will be the third year in succession that they have had a bonfire close to the adder hibernation bank during spring emergence. It is ridiculous.

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote administrator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Mar 2007 at 2:28pm

Jon take a look at this photograph from yesterday. To the right is the 'bonfire' pile. Spot what is sitting right next to it arrowed.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote herpetologic2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Mar 2007 at 2:40pm

 

Okay Gemma

We will see what we can do

 

Jon

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote administrator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Mar 2007 at 2:43pm

Jon, If we can move this material rather than burn it, I would be more than happy to turn up and do my share building the habitat pile. I know exactly where it would be best placed.

There needs to be some compensation at this site, this way it costs nothing and protects the snakes from being caught up in the bonfire at the same time.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote herpetologic2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Mar 2007 at 2:51pm

Hi Gemma

I agree I think that we can arrange one weekend to put the brash pile in.... didnt the National Trust suggest that there was no burning on the site....

The pile you photographed will be hand fed onto the bonfire could that be controlled or is this too much heat?

Jon

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote administrator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Mar 2007 at 2:59pm

Jon, what they do is make a main pile, then torch it adding stuff from the surrounding area. What you are looking at in the picture is part of the main pile. The actual burn spot is already heaped high ready.

BW is a good sized reserve, why on earth do they need to light a fire within a few meters of the main adder hibernation bank? They shouldn't be burning useful resources on the site in any case.

The smoke and heat could be damaging, but what we have is a perfect brash pile immediately adjacent to an adder hibernation bank during emergence. The individual photographed above has mostly likely dispersed from the bank and set up his surface den directly next to the pile. God knows how many others might be using it. It is exactly the same situation we try to create when brash piles are constructed.

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