Lizard

[paulr]

Found this wee guy up the Clyde on Saturday. Got pretty excited as it though it might be a Sand Lizard, which are very rare and only found in the south of england.However after checking I'm fairly sure it's just a common lizard with very green colouration.
That was the only thing I caught!
Also saw an Osprey flying low above the river holding a decent trout.

[River Chatter]

Wow very cool. I knew about the English ones, but I didn't think we had lizards in Scotland!  :shock:

[.D.]

............ see them basking on a hot day............

....for about two seconds . I saw a couple yesterday, with a camera in my hands. No chance of getting a picture though. Well done.


.D.

[paulr]

This wee guy was pretty friendly.He walked on to my hand and everything.
Usually common lizards are browny-gold coloured. I've never see one such a vivid green before.

[.D.]

Nor I.

From the HCT, or Froglife as they now seem to be known :?.

"Typical adult size is approx 15cm (including its tail) and coloration is commonly some shade of brown with patterns of spots or stripes.  Unusual colour variations are not uncommon, everything from yellow through various shades of green to jet black are encountered."

I've seen them  approaching black. I think I'd remember a yellow one :banana.


.D.

[tam]

Good pic, ive never seen one of those myself , what sort of habitat u find them in?

[paulr]

Hi Tam,
Normally you get them around moorland and woodland, but this one was just running around a grassy field next to the Clyde.
Cheers
Paul

[Clan Ford]

Stacks of them on Islay.  They like to sun themselves on the road :shock:  Probably not got the biggest brain :lol:

Norm

[harelug]

Wow very cool. I knew about the English ones, but I didn't think we had lizards in Scotland! 

There are actually two species of lizards native to Scotland, the legless Slow worm,  Anguis fragilis and the common or viviparous lizard, Lacerta Vivipara, so called because it's one of the few lizards which gives birth to live young rather than laying eggs.

Paul
Where on the Clyde did you see this lizard? It does seen unusually coloured for a common lizard. I've always been fascinated by reptiles, seen lizards in various places in Scotland but no where as far south as the Clyde. I'm sure they're present in other areas of southern Scotland but the Clyde valley seems the wrong type of habitat and if they were there in any numbers I would have spotted them, I'm tuned in to lizard spotting.
John

[paulr]

Hi John,
aye I love reptiles too. I found this lizard right next to the river in a grassy field between Abington and Crawford.Thought it was unusual habitat for him too.I suppose there is moorland not too far away.
I've seen plenty of common lizards in the Galloway hills,along the coast near Ballantrae and on Arran.
The only places i've found slow worms are around Aberfoyle, and on the Isle of Bute.One of my ambitions is to visit Ailsa Craig as it's supposedly hoaching with them.
cheers
Paul