Where I work, it is normal at this time of year for me to see at least 2 or 3 grass snakes every day when walking round the grounds. In good years I have often had 6 or 7 a day. But my most recent sighting was October last year - nothing at all this year. Has anyone else noticed a similar drop in numbers? I can't see that the habitat has changed significantly, so I am wondering what has happened to them.
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Bad year for grass snakes? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter meles
- Start date
Phil Carter
Well-known member
Not seen any myself this year but have had three non-naturalist friends, none of whom have seen Grass Snakes before, ask me to ID pictures they've taken in the last week. So they are out there.
Phil
Nigel Davies
Well-known member
Last week saw a large female on Tuesday and sadly a young dead one on Wednesday
Nigel
Nigel
Mike Richardson
Formerly known as Skink1978
Plenty about at my local sites in East Yorkshire. Perhaps they are spending less time out basking in this warm weather?
ta brandreth
Well-known member
Plenty on traditional Cheshire sites too - late season?
rockfowl
Mark Andrews
Yes, last year I was seeing them almost daily, often two or three individuals. Despite doing the patch daily, I've yet to see one this summer. I also asked friends locally, and they've seen none either. We had two very prolonged periods of heavy flooding across the patch during the winter, which appears to have affected the dragonflies, some regular species absent this year. I wondered if the rather adverse conditions had affected the snakes also?
Farnboro John
Well-known member
Seem to be plenty in the Farnborough area, if anything I've seen more than usual.
John
John
davewalters
Well-known member
Best year ever on my local sites in Cheshire. Well it was before the undergrowth got too dense.
dampflippers
Well-known member
Meles- could they have done something to their hibernation places or egg laying places?
Gounds maintenance, new buildings or roads, general tidyup, filling in of a pond?
Gounds maintenance, new buildings or roads, general tidyup, filling in of a pond?
