While fishing my local water in the Kilpatricks on a particulalry dreich day, this little guy at 2 and half foot long was all coiled up on a wee path.
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h274/badgergrod/adder3.jpg)
Quite angry when I tried to get closer for a pic, so after a few snaps I left him to it. Fantastic wee guy. I'm really chuffed to bits to know that the adders are still here in the Kilpatricks, the last recorded sighting was 5 years ago.
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h274/badgergrod/Aug09adder1.jpg)
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h274/badgergrod/Aug09adder2.jpg)
If anyone has seen any adders past or present, then can I ask you to take the trouble to add your records here please? There's a national survey going on and any records old or new would be a great help.
http://www.adder.org.uk/
Cheers
WS
Seen a few on out travels in Islay and Jura. This one taken at Loch Laingeadail. It was none too pleased to be disturbed. Also a few this year back here in East Lothian whilst walking at Woodhall Dean.
Brian
Nice photos Gordon.
I've only ever seen them in Galloway.
cheers
Paul
Can tell you lot are fishermen,Adders are usually about 18 inches long and never more than 2 foot :lol:
3 foot is big for a grass snake,which is our biggest snake(apart from my old boss,he was about 5 foot 2)
Came across one while fishing the upper borgue a few years ago,my brother in his wisdom thought it`d be a good idea to annoy it with the tip of his rod,the result? 2 grown men,running off down the track,arms flailing and lots of girly screaming!
interestingly,came across this site,all about adders,by snake fanciers.....seems they can indeed grow to impressive sizes,75cm is about 2`9" !!.........i can feel the girly fear rising from my desk!!!
http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/adder.htm
Hoolet.
Quote from: burnie on August 10, 2009, 10:18:28 AM
Can tell you lot are fishermen,Adders are usually about 18 inches long and never more than 2 foot :lol:
3 foot is big for a grass snake,which is our biggest snake(apart from my old boss,he was about 5 foot 2)
I think you need to check your field guides again and check your herpetofauna workers manual again . :makefun I'm no expert fisherman but wildlife is my first passion and I've seen a fair few adders in my time and adders do indeed grow quite large as previously pointed out but most as are you say much smaller or appear larger. Put it this way this snake was longer than my two feet in walking boots end to end which is over two feet in length :makefun. Anyway as my wife keeps reminding me size doesn't matter :lol: pmsl
An interesting factoid for you...young adders depend on the young of the common lizard as a food source
in their first few months after birth and there is a good chance that if you spot lizards there may well be adders in the vicinity or have had a previous history of their presence.
The only snake we have in Scotland is the adder. There are no substantiated records of grass snakes in Scotland other than the odd one released after being a pet. I've got a few records and they are all from gardens in the burbs.
So Paul...watch your feet the next time you are up at the Loch! :lol:
Quote from: woodsmoke on August 10, 2009, 02:25:07 PM
The only snake we have in Scotland is the adder. There are no substantiated records of grass snakes in Scotland other than the odd one released after being a pet.
You mean that snake I picked up on a frisby while on a school trip in the '70s was an adder and not the grass snake I told my mates it was? :shock:
Quote from: woodsmoke on August 10, 2009, 02:25:07 PM
An interesting factoid for you...young adders depend on the young of the common lizard as a food source
in their first few months after birth and there is a good chance that if you spot lizards there may well be adders in the vicinity or have had a previous history of their presence.
So Paul...watch your feet the next time you are up at the Loch! :lol:
Saw a big common lizard up there today Gordon
Fantastic Paul! I'm up there again on Wednesday, during the day. Might see you up there if you are around. The other night I was up there and saw baitfishers on the North West corner, I walked in from the north for a half hours fishing and two guys were round the point 50 meters from me and didn't see me. But I heard their beep beep from their bite indicators and snuk a look. :lol:
WS
Loch Lee today,about 18 inches,looks like a skinny male,mind where you let your dug run as one was bitten up there today.
Very nice. Loch Lee area is famous for them esp the far end on the track. Nice pic.
I've only seen one once, when I was a lad and I forget where it was.
Always watch where i'm putting my hands though in snakey looking places.
What's the craich if you get bitten by one (unlikely I know), seek immediate assistance or is it no that bad?
Quote from: Harpo on August 17, 2009, 08:50:59 PM
I've only seen one once, when I was a lad and I forget where it was.
Always watch where i'm putting my hands though in snakey looking places.
What's the craich if you get bitten by one (unlikely I know), seek immediate assistance or is it no that bad?
There were a couple of lads somewhere on the Moray coast recently,who picked one up "to get a better picture",after the one holding it was bitten, he did nothing.He was in hospital the next day,think it's a good idea to get medical attention asap,just in case.Some people can go into anaphalactic shock,whick can be fatal.