Adders 2011
Printed From: Reptiles and Amphibians of the UK
Category: Herpetofauna Native to the UK
Forum Name: Adder
Forum Description: Forum for all issues concerning Vipera berus
URL: http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3496
Printed Date: 19 Apr 2024 at 7:49am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.06 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Adders 2011
Posted By: clare
Subject: Adders 2011
Date Posted: 16 Feb 2011 at 10:00pm
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Hi All Saw our first 2 Adders of the year at Pulborough Brooks RSPB in West Sussex today. Pic by Julzz. Clare & Julzz |
Replies:
Posted By: Mark_b
Date Posted: 17 Feb 2011 at 2:16pm
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Gower, Wales
------------- http://www.wgarg.co.uk/"> 
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Posted By: longcrippler
Date Posted: 23 Feb 2011 at 1:34pm
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First two of the year on Aylesbeare Common, East Devon,
Saurday 19th Feb. |
Posted By: ST24
Date Posted: 07 Mar 2011 at 4:27pm
Glad to say that "my" Cannock Chase pair have made it through the Winter and a third, smaller female was also spotted today enjoying the sunshine during a quick hour or so I managed to grab...
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Posted By: arvensis
Date Posted: 07 Mar 2011 at 7:52pm
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First 2 for me this year this afternoon, along with several Zv's. Mark |
Posted By: dave fixx
Date Posted: 22 Mar 2011 at 7:58pm
Found my first of last years juvs today ,might even be its first day out looking at the dirt on it.A few milky eyes around today as well.  
------------- Dave Williams davewilliamsphotography.co.uk |
Posted By: tim hamlett
Date Posted: 15 May 2011 at 12:31pm
haven't been out much this spring but have managed the odd brief excursion. this is one of only two adders seen this spring . tim
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Posted By: dave fixx
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2011 at 5:25pm
A couple of cuties from today.
------------- Dave Williams davewilliamsphotography.co.uk |
Posted By: GemmaJF
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2011 at 7:58pm
Lovely Dave, preparing to tuck-up for the winter no doubt, still it won't be long before the forum springs back to life (sorry for very poor play on the word 'spring') with 2012 sightings  PS Tim, somehow missed your picky before, shame on the low number of sightings but I love the arty piccy
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Posted By: dave fixx
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2011 at 8:03pm
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its a sad time of year Gemma,think I might take a leaf out of your book and do some plane spotting and photographing over the winter months.
------------- Dave Williams davewilliamsphotography.co.uk |
Posted By: GemmaJF
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2011 at 8:28pm
| Aww I don't know, I like this time of year Dave, it's November that gets to me. Nothing wrong with today, warm, working in the wildlife garden being watched by the lizards, sat down this evening to watch a huge flock of Canadian Geese arrive at the local farm with the backdrop of a huge full Harvest moon, Barn Swallows now fledged in the garage and life feels pretty good.. Come mid-November though I'll be very depressed and counting the days until mid-Feb! |
Posted By: flywaver
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2011 at 9:14pm
| On Saturday i was at my favourite reptile mecca and saw 4 Adults and two Babies. Had to watch where i stepped as there was bound to be more. Under a metal sheet was an average length Natrix Natrix and i was surprised it wasnt thinking about making a meal of the baby Berus. Is that known? |
Posted By: dave fixx
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2011 at 9:18pm
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Agreed Gemma ,immediate times are exciting but like you November does me in.I still remember well the first adder of this year ,new site for me about 5 degrees damp and no sun.Great feeling. ------------- Dave Williams davewilliamsphotography.co.uk |
Posted By: Suzy
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2011 at 10:10pm
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I'm not so badly affected herp-wise by winter but as a kid we had a family joke about the end of Feb. that our dorsal fins started to twitch as we anticipated the start of the fishing season on Lake Windermere (brown trout). We would be on the bank casting in on the first day we could, which was I think March 6th. It was sometimes actually snowing but we had to be there. God it was cold! ------------- Suz |
Posted By: GemmaJF
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2011 at 10:17pm
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Valentine's Day has been the cue for me Suz, 14th Feb and I'm watching the weather forecasts as if my life depended on it, then it comes, the first day for months when I can feel warmth from the sun again and my little friends start to stir! I might try earlier in 2012 though, as this year I think there were a handful of days in early Feb that may well have seen adder on the surface here in Essex, I'm fairly sure I only caught the tail end of things this year with some males already dispersed. I know there have been reports from Kent in recent years during January.
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Posted By: Suzy
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2011 at 12:10am
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I've tried many years to see adders in Feb. but no luck. I did think maybe here in East Devon we weren't an optimum place from a weather/temp angle but I don't think that can be the whole reason. ------------- Suz |
Posted By: Caleb
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2011 at 10:41am
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Adders are occasionally out in February up here in Co. Durham- my earliest is 9th Feb, but I think other people have seen them even earlier. |
Posted By: GemmaJF
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2011 at 11:34am
| My mid-Feb adders always come from known hibernacula, that may be a factor Suz as they are animals that have only moved a few feet from their winter dens to the surface and I know exactly where to look. Target survey time is late morning/midday in mid-Feb, so quite out-of-line with what we normally expect to be a good time to take a look. |
Posted By: Suzy
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2011 at 1:20pm
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Yes Gemma I think doing the rounds of the spring/summer basking spots is not what I should be doing in Feb. I'm not sure of any hibernacula sites so I guess that is why I'm unlucky, as I read on here of people in the north seeing them early on, I guess near hibernacula.
------------- Suz |
Posted By: GemmaJF
Date Posted: 14 Sep 2011 at 7:43pm
| Probably directly on top of hibernacula Suz, there is approximately a two week period whilst the male adders will sit directly on top of the hibernation site or very very nearby, returning to their winter quarters at night. Once you get an eye for hibernacula it isn't too difficult to pin them down. I've often walked onto a site and made a mental note of likely spots to be well rewarded the following spring. It's a bit like spotting reptiles, once you have seen a few they get easier to spot. |
Posted By: Caleb
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2011 at 12:00pm
Oddly, my earliest adder was sat in the middle of a gravel track, about 10m from its hibernaculum. I haven't the faintest idea what it was up to, but it protested quite strongly when I moved it off the track (as it's used by quite a few Forestry Commission vehicles, also cyclists and walkers). |
Posted By: kithara
Date Posted: 21 Sep 2011 at 9:26am
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amazing animals.. am very exited i found this forum
------------- http://about-snakes.com - About Snakes |
Posted By: Mark_b
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2011 at 5:48pm
Last adders of the year? (28/10/11) 3 females, 2 males and one juv seen. ------------- http://www.wgarg.co.uk/">
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Posted By: will
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2011 at 9:42pm
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well done Mark - great late spot, especially given that she's an adult female. Which part of the country? Cheers Will |
Posted By: Mark_b
Date Posted: 29 Oct 2011 at 10:12pm
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Gower, South Wales
------------- http://www.wgarg.co.uk/">
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