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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Seeing British Species Native and Introduced. (1 Viewer)

Gomphus

Gomphus

Well-known member
Bit cheeky, but I'm told if you don't ask you don't get! :-O:-O I'm sat here on a cold, snowy, windy afternoon pondering a project for the summer months...neally finished seeing and photographing (well trying too!) all the UK butterflies and dragon/damselflies, so was thinking of a new challenge.

After finding out recently that Wall and Green Lizards are well established in the UK along with Midwife Toad etc, and with my husband and a friend both also interested, I am debating whether to try seeing as many native and non-native introduced reptiles and amphibians in the UK....Now its not easy to find out good sites for these creatures but I was hoping some people out there may know sites to see these great creatures at places where there is general access and no danger of disturbence or effecting the animals. I have places to see resident stuff (apart from perhaps smooth snake) but the exotica (eg Midwife Toad) will prove more difficult. If the info is not for the public forum I would welcome pm's too!

If anyone can help please do! B :)B :)

Cheers and all the best
 
Hi Gomphus

An interesting question. As someone who has only seen our common reptiles (Grass Snake, Adder, Slow-worm, Common Lizard). I'm afraid I can't help you with sites for Smooth Snakes and Sand Lizards. However, I will be very interested in any replies you get as I hope to see these species myself before long.

Good luck with your search, I'm sure several other forum members will be able to help.

PS. Rainham Marshes (Essex) is good for Marsh Frog if you need that.
 
Hi there, i know where to find all three native newts in my area (not sure how far away Shropshire is from you??). I've sent you a PM. Newts are good to start with as they are often the first herps to be found in the year, i've heard of Great crested newts breedinhg already in Cheshire.
 
Wall lizards are pretty easy to see at La Falaise car park in Ventnor (Isle of Wight) which is just above the bay on the side of the cliff. Theres also a very handy pub just down the road with a good sea view as well.
 
Cool, thanks all for the info. Begining to look like this may be a go'er after all. After seeing Marks site there are more to go at than I thought, its going to be interesting to see whether I can get exact directions to places as it could be hard with some species!!

If I go with this I'll keep this updated....mind you I think I'm going to need a new camera too for this job, got to move into the digital age and away from the slides I 've taken before......

Cheers

Steph'
 
Steph

The Dorset heathlands are a good place to start especially the Arne penisula (RSPB) and various Dorset wildlife trust sites. For exact locations I suspect your best option will be get down there and talk to the staff and volunteers based on site.
 
MarkHows said:
go to my webpage

http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/birds.htm

click on the exotics link and there is loads of info


Mark
Click to expand...

Good site Mark, I'm interested in introduced species as well and there were some that I wasn't aware of - eg azure winged magpie

one question - do you really think there are about 50 pairs of eagle owls in the UK? I am aware that there are probably a fair few individuals out there, but I thought only two breeding pairs had been recorded.
 
Dear Gomphus ,
For Midwife Toad try the village pond in Biddenham just west of Bedford and I have heard someone found them near the car park in Priory Country Park on the east side of Bedford. The pipping calls of this species are quite distinct and can be heard in the evenings from May onwards throughout the Summer.

Brian Laney Northamptonshire County Recorder For Reptiles and Amphibians
 
Dear Gomphus ,
Just to let you know I am leading two courses on reptiles this year around the 12th and 13th April for Northants and Leicestershire Wildlife Trusts. If you are interested contact the Northants Trust as the Leics course is already fully booked. On the day we hope to get Slow worm , Common Lizard , Grass Snake and Adder.

Brian Laney Northamptonshire County Recorder For Reptiles and Amphibians
 
Well I started off this weekend! Whether we get very far remains to be seen as I still only have a very few sites....

Went to see friends in Cambridgeshire this weekend and visited their reserve at night to try to count Common Newts in a small pond, what fun! We lost count at 25+. However we did catch a couple to rule out the remote possibility of Palmate! Also encounted a very fat female Common Frog ready to spawn! Got a couple of photo's of the newts in the hand...will try to get better in natural surroundings later!

Well we shall see if I can get anymore info on things like Alpine Newt etc...

Also does anyone have any info on the Norfolk Pool Frog reintroduction, how its going etc?

Cheers
 

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i've got the alpine newt site sorted.

PM me nearer the time, and i can show you all three natives plus the alpine. (i'm currently applying for a couple of defra licenses to handle both crested newts and alpine newts which may be of help to you.
 
I'm also trying to photograph the remainder of the UK butterflies having seen the last one I needed last yr. I've seen most of the aliens you mention - you might try Boscombe Cliffs, Dorset for wall & green lizard (former easy, latter hard), any pond in Bedford Town centre for midwife toad, Walthamstow Marsh for edible frog and Dungeness (amongst many sites) for marsh frog.

I'm planning a trip to Regent's Park soon for aesculapian snake (they also occur at a the Welsh Mountain Zoo, Colwyn Bay) and have a site in Surrey (Newdigate) for Italian crested and alpine newt. I also need to go back and photograph marsh and edible frog. I've no sites for bullfrog, which I've always wanted to see but never wanted to see get established. Have never seen pool frog either.

PM me if you want to join me visiting any of these. I'm especially keen to have another pair of eyes to seek out the snakes which I reckon might be difficult to find.

James




Gomphus said:
Bit cheeky, but I'm told if you don't ask you don't get! :-O:-O I'm sat here on a cold, snowy, windy afternoon pondering a project for the summer months...neally finished seeing and photographing (well trying too!) all the UK butterflies and dragon/damselflies, so was thinking of a new challenge.

After finding out recently that Wall and Green Lizards are well established in the UK along with Midwife Toad etc, and with my husband and a friend both also interested, I am debating whether to try seeing as many native and non-native introduced reptiles and amphibians in the UK....Now its not easy to find out good sites for these creatures but I was hoping some people out there may know sites to see these great creatures at places where there is general access and no danger of disturbence or effecting the animals. I have places to see resident stuff (apart from perhaps smooth snake) but the exotica (eg Midwife Toad) will prove more difficult. If the info is not for the public forum I would welcome pm's too!

If anyone can help please do! B :)B :)

Cheers and all the best
Click to expand...
 
Jhanlon said:
I'm planning a trip to Regent's Park soon for aesculapian snake (they also occur at a the Welsh Mountain Zoo, Colwyn Bay)
Click to expand...

Eh!?! Regent's Park in London? How long have they been there? That may change my plans for my forthcoming day in London waiting for connecting flights somewhat.
 
About 20 yrs apparently. But they've only come to light within the last couple to my knowledge. There's lots of info on the RAUK forum on 2 or 3 threads incl one headed The Camden Creature. Lots of good piccies too.

I don't think they're easy particularly if there's only one pair of eyes looking but some people have found them within 10 mins!



Isurus said:
Eh!?! Regent's Park in London? How long have they been there? That may change my plans for my forthcoming day in London waiting for connecting flights somewhat.
Click to expand...
 
What's your plan, James? Going to the zoo or being cheap and wandering up and down the canal? By the sound of it a group might be better in the latter case especially if everyone will have expensive cameras etc!

John
 
thanks for the info JAmes. Some of those look to be pretty big snakes - I bet the odd Londoner gets a bit of a shock when they're out and about.
 
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