Grass Snake Identification & Sightings

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AGILIS

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Topic: Grass Snake Identification & Sightings
Posted: 04 Aug 2009 at 6:31am

see two nats at 8am Sunday after heavy rain both stretched out on a concrete sluice river wall drying out keith

Edited by AGILIS

LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID

Peter

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Posted: 03 Jun 2008 at 1:58pm

I saw two grass snakes today, one in particular was a prolonged view. Both were assumed female as they were large with broad heads. It was at a site that I had never before visited, I was there to survey Odonata (Damselflies and Dragonflies), the two grassies were a bonus. They were both at the west end of a square shaped fishing lake in Neath, West Glamorgan. Grid reference available to the right people.

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Posted: 02 Oct 2007 at 12:11pm

Hey Jpr,

Your Grassie appears to have 4 post ocular scales - very unusual. I've not seen 4 before.

Rob

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Posted: 12 Sep 2007 at 9:46am

A couple of nice closeups taken of a grassie in Yeovil - see garden sightings for full post!

A nice macro shot of the head!

A preys eye view!

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Posted: 21 Aug 2006 at 3:31am

For amatuers info really: here are typical examples of head shape. The wider one being a typical female, the more slender one being the male. I stress that this is a general rule only to give people some idea as to what sex they have seen. BUT, in about the second, third years ie young adults, it can be hard to distinguish and you can only really be sure by the Snout to vent / tail length calculation. Sexing with probes should NEVER be carried out/attempted by amateurs as it can damage the sexual reproductive organs, so if you find one and want to report your findings then by all means use this "rough" guide.

Cheers

robert

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Posted: 17 Jun 2006 at 7:50am

yeah, lovely stuff. how on earth you spotted that I'll never know. I have enough trouble finding them on the ground! 'My' grassie didn't seem to be hunting but I didn't really watch for too long.

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Posted: 13 Jun 2006 at 6:06pm

Robs piccy,

excellent stuff! Hope you don't mind me adding another arrow to show where he was in the first image Rob.

I remember falling asleep at Hindhead commons, when I awoke apart from being surrounded by adders there were two grassies foraging in low bushes.. glad I'm not the only one to see them in trees and bushes

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Posted: 13 Jun 2006 at 5:20pm

Gemma/Lily/yellowhammer,

you'll be pleased to know that Grass snakes do frequent trees and Ive seen it on several occasions and maybe thats another reason why they are missed by people searching. In the pics Ive sent you for the post, this adult was barely visible 15ft up in a rotten trunk. There was an old nest in the top so maybe it was after baby birds. I only spotted it by sheer fluke, but now I know to always look up! Sorry the quality is not great but no tripod that day. Cheers

Rob

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Posted: 13 Jun 2006 at 2:18pm

I've only seen grass snake enter low bushes a handful of times, each time they were foraging, clearly examining different aspects of the bushes - this also was near to ponds, perhaps a diet of frogs gets tedious after a while! I would be interested to hear from anyone else who has seen grass snakes in trees and bushes and the behavior observed also Yellowhammer.

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Posted: 13 Jun 2006 at 9:17am

Spot on, we found her at 18.30, after a particuarly hot day. air temperature at the time was about 20 degrees with no breeze so I don't think the snake was basking. This is the second grassie I've found up a tree, and both of them were next to water bodies containing large populations of marsh frogs (north Kent marshes) so food supplies aren't short.

Has anybody else come across this before?

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
AGILIS Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1689	Post Options Post Reply Quote AGILIS Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Grass Snake Identification & Sightings Posted: 04 Aug 2009 at 6:31am
	see two nats at 8am Sunday after heavy rain both stretched out on a concrete sluice river wall drying out keith Edited by AGILIS
	LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID

Peter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 17 Jan 2008 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 310	Post Options Post Reply Quote Peter Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 03 Jun 2008 at 1:58pm
	I saw two grass snakes today, one in particular was a prolonged view. Both were assumed female as they were large with broad heads. It was at a site that I had never before visited, I was there to survey Odonata (Damselflies and Dragonflies), the two grassies were a bonus. They were both at the west end of a square shaped fishing lake in Neath, West Glamorgan. Grid reference available to the right people.

Robert V Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Aug 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1264	Post Options Post Reply Quote Robert V Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 02 Oct 2007 at 12:11pm
	Hey Jpr, Your Grassie appears to have 4 post ocular scales - very unusual. I've not seen 4 before. Rob
	RobV

jpr1981 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 10 Apr 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 5	Post Options Post Reply Quote jpr1981 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 Sep 2007 at 9:46am
	A couple of nice closeups taken of a grassie in Yeovil - see garden sightings for full post! A nice macro shot of the head! A preys eye view!

Robert V Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Aug 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1264	Post Options Post Reply Quote Robert V Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 Aug 2006 at 3:31am
	For amatuers info really: here are typical examples of head shape. The wider one being a typical female, the more slender one being the male. I stress that this is a general rule only to give people some idea as to what sex they have seen. BUT, in about the second, third years ie young adults, it can be hard to distinguish and you can only really be sure by the Snout to vent / tail length calculation. Sexing with probes should NEVER be carried out/attempted by amateurs as it can damage the sexual reproductive organs, so if you find one and want to report your findings then by all means use this "rough" guide. Cheers robert
	RobV

yellowhammer Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 13 Jun 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 22	Post Options Post Reply Quote yellowhammer Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 Jun 2006 at 7:50am
	yeah, lovely stuff. how on earth you spotted that I'll never know. I have enough trouble finding them on the ground! 'My' grassie didn't seem to be hunting but I didn't really watch for too long.

administrator Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Status: Offline Points: 10	Post Options Post Reply Quote administrator Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 Jun 2006 at 6:06pm
	Robs piccy, excellent stuff! Hope you don't mind me adding another arrow to show where he was in the first image Rob. I remember falling asleep at Hindhead commons, when I awoke apart from being surrounded by adders there were two grassies foraging in low bushes.. glad I'm not the only one to see them in trees and bushes

Robert V Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Aug 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 1264	Post Options Post Reply Quote Robert V Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 Jun 2006 at 5:20pm
	Gemma/Lily/yellowhammer, you'll be pleased to know that Grass snakes do frequent trees and Ive seen it on several occasions and maybe thats another reason why they are missed by people searching. In the pics Ive sent you for the post, this adult was barely visible 15ft up in a rotten trunk. There was an old nest in the top so maybe it was after baby birds. I only spotted it by sheer fluke, but now I know to always look up! Sorry the quality is not great but no tripod that day. Cheers Rob
	RobV

administrator Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Status: Offline Points: 10	Post Options Post Reply Quote administrator Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 Jun 2006 at 2:18pm
	I've only seen grass snake enter low bushes a handful of times, each time they were foraging, clearly examining different aspects of the bushes - this also was near to ponds, perhaps a diet of frogs gets tedious after a while! I would be interested to hear from anyone else who has seen grass snakes in trees and bushes and the behavior observed also Yellowhammer.

yellowhammer Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 13 Jun 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 22	Post Options Post Reply Quote yellowhammer Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 Jun 2006 at 9:17am
	Spot on, we found her at 18.30, after a particuarly hot day. air temperature at the time was about 20 degrees with no breeze so I don't think the snake was basking. This is the second grassie I've found up a tree, and both of them were next to water bodies containing large populations of marsh frogs (north Kent marshes) so food supplies aren't short. Has anybody else come across this before?