New site for British Reptile ID (1 Viewer)

LAF

Registered Member

• Sep 30, 2004

• #1

Just a cheeky call to ask for some feedback on my, as yet still developmental, site on British reptiles.

www.onewildworld.co.uk/reptiles

Any feedback, especially regarding content, is much appreciated. Don't worry, I'm pretty thick skinned... do your worst!

Many Thanks, Lee.

 

Andrew-Bede

Well-known member

• Sep 30, 2004

• #2

Hi Lee,

As one who knows nothing about reptiles I love your site—it tells me enough to get me interested! Keep up the good work.

Andrew-Bede

 

V

very boring banned member

New member

• Sep 30, 2004

• #3

Your website is very well designed, clear and good informative pictures - thanks for a good job. (Although I would not locate Aves under Reptilia). Interesting note is the one about "adder sign" on the Conservation section: here in Finland, protecting Anemone patens, we have had similar experience.

 

LAF

Registered Member

• Sep 30, 2004

• #4

Thanks for the feedback, it's much appreciated...

Karwin, that the Aves belonging in the reptilia gets a lot of people! It's simply a mater of systematics, i.e. that's where the aves evolved. They share their most recent comon ancestor (although long extinct) with the crocodilians. This is interesting as it shows endothermy to have evolved at least twice, independently, in birds and mammals (and again in the Leatherback turtle, but in a different way).

From a study point of view though, it's far more sensible to give birds their own branch of science as they're such a large and diverse group. Whilest I maintain that birds form part of the reptilia, they're no longer reptiles. If that makes any sense?

Lee.

 

V

very boring banned member

New member

• Sep 30, 2004

• #5

LAF said:

It's simply a mater of systematics,

Click to expand...

I know - the only taxon which can be clearly defined is species. (Do not bring herring gulls here ).

LAF said:

i.e. that's where the aves evolved.

Click to expand...

Didn't mammals evolve from amphibians...

LAF said:

Whilest I maintain that birds form part of the reptilia, they're no longer reptiles. If that makes any sense?

Click to expand...

Uhh... You don't want to hear my opinion
Anyway, as said, great pages.

 

Nina P

Nina

• Sep 30, 2004

• #6

I am one of those very fortunate to have this delightful heathland cover right on my doorstep, the pleasure of seeing one smoothsnake in my garden, just like the lower picture on your site, slowworms bask on the bank at the bottom of my garden, and I also have newts and other amphibians. I am an organic gardener so the species is safe in that respect, but how severe is the threat from hedgehogs, as I have seen one take out an Adder in a friends waste water covered hole? It struck me as it was a delicacy the hedgehog couldn't resist, as it ran so fast to the drain and got this unaware Adder in seconds, having scented it on the air.

 

LAF

Registered Member

• Sep 30, 2004

• #7

LOL Karwin, your opinion is valued. I'm still on the lookout for a Red-Herring gull.

Nina, hedgehogs will frequently pery upon reptiles (and frogs) when they get the chance. As will stoats, weasels, polecat, martens, badgers etc. I don't doubt either that otter will munch grass snake they happen upon. Where the Hedgehog plays its ace is that it is pretty well armoured from snake bite allowing it to take adders with relative impunity. That said, I don't beleive hedgehogs in their right place (i.e. not introduced to island seabird colonies) pose any major threat to our other native fauna, reptiles included. If they were that effective as predators there wouldn't be about 3 million slugs on my patio at this moment! Seriously though, the only animals that are posing a threat to out reptile fauna are us and our domestic cats.

Lee.

 

ivewalmer

Well-known member

• Oct 1, 2004

• #8

Great site Lee. Paticularly as I was able to show the Slow Worm pics to my 3 y.o. son just after showing himhis first "real" one this afternoon!

 

Nina P

Nina

• Oct 1, 2004

• #9

Lee thanks for the info, I did wonder if what I saw was usual, but very interesting is the fact that stoats and weasels will do likewise, as I have loads of them hereabouts! Many nests get wrecked during the night, and I had the awful time when a weasel got into a martins nest and wiped out the whole family all three broods and parents, only for our tom cat to kill it the next day, but no cat now, as he died from cancer, just the tripod who is now 16years old she sits by the pond but sleeps most of the day, and all night indoors. Too old to bother the wildlife now, thank goodness, but I never allowed any of my cats out after dusk, nor before the sun was well up in the day, to give nature its biggest chance. I am also one to ensure the cats were not allowed out at fledging time, unless on a leash, but she didn't really mind not going out, especially when it rained.

 

P

Paul_Gower

Well-known member

• Oct 2, 2004

• #10

I think the site is great, Lee.

One question: you say that the expansion of caravans sites etc. led to the extinction of the sand lizard in Wales. My wife and I were walking on a sandy cliff top near Rhossili, on the gower, the other weekend when she saw a lizard. She only had a brief glimpse, but was sure it was a lizard. The area is sand dunes and marram grass - "the burrows" - so I imagine a sand lizard is the most likely diagnosis? Have they recovered or was this unusual?

Cheers,

Paul

 

LAF

Registered Member

• Oct 2, 2004

• #11

Paul, this is an interesting matter.

Despite their name Sand lizards aren't restricted to sandy areas, and likewise common lizards can be exceptionally abudant in coastal areas (some of the biggest colonies I know are on dune systems).

However...

1) I'm not even remotely convinced that the Sand Lizard went extinct in Wales. That's the official tag though. I just beleive they dissappeared from places where there were enough people to see them. Wales a is big place with an awful lot of bugger-all (I lived in Gwynedd for 4 years! ) so to speak. There is a LOT of uncompromised habitat potential.

2) Sand lizards have been re-introduced to about half a dozen sites in Wales and are doing rather nicely. Don't think the Gower was one such place though.

3) Every herpetologist I know has it on there list to go and check out the Gower, there are a LOT of interesting sighting coming in from there (not just Sand lizards either!). It REALLY needs checking out. I'm heading over next Spring for as long as I can spare from work.

My suggestion would be that it was MOST PROBABLY a common lizard. But from the evidence I've seen I would not say that it was certainly a common. Definately worth keeping a camera handy!

Lee.

 

P

Paul_Gower

Well-known member

• Oct 2, 2004

• #12

Many thanks - your version of "extinction" sounds very plausible, and it certainly is a sparsely populated country! We will keep looking.

Don't know if you saw my other post in the grass snake thread - we have babies in our compost! We have had a few grass snakes and slow worms, and I have seen adder a couple of hundred yards away. No lizards (apart from slow worms) so far tho! When I was a kid in Bournemouth we had them on the rockery in our garden.

If you make it to Gower in the spring let me know - I'll buy you a pint or two in the local if you'll show me some interesting animals!

Paul

 

pauco

Старлин&

• Oct 3, 2004

• #13

Hi Lee, feedback on your site, brill it can only get better with time. Keep up the good work you have started.
bert.

 

W

WCA

Well-known member

• May 16, 2005

• #14

LAF said:

Just a cheeky call to ask for some feedback on my, as yet still developmental, site on British reptiles.

www.onewildworld.co.uk/reptiles

Any feedback, especially regarding content, is much appreciated. Don't worry, I'm pretty thick skinned... do your worst!

Many Thanks, Lee.

Click to expand...

Hi Lee,

I saw my first ever (live) Adders yesterday in my native county of Lancashire. Knowing very little about Snakes, your excellent website has helped provide answers to most of the questions i was asking myself about the species. I believe the individuals in the photo to be a pair. Amazingly, only 25ft away from the Adders was my first ever Slow Worm (!)

regards,

Bill Aspin.

 

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