Seen an adder lately?

[661-Pete]

Sorry to all the ophidiophobes on here, but our native adders really are in big trouble it seems:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9405000/9405801.stm

I'm trying to recall when I last definitely saw one in the wild, must be a few years ago now. Grass snakes I've seen more frequently, but not adders. I can definitely recall nearly treading on one in Ashdown Forest, but that was several years ago.

It occurs to me that many CycleChatters are in an admirable position to do some adder-spotting. We are an observant lot. Many of us are out on quiet country lanes in the early morning, when the road is warming up and a good place for snakes to bask and soak up the morning sunshine. And in a few weeks time they will be starting to appear - if there are any!

There's a site here where you can report adder sightings. I'll be keeping a lookout.

Oh, and please don't get bitten! Once you're sure you've spotted one, leave it alone: they won't attack unless provoked. Adder bites are not nice, so I'm told, I knew a guy who lost a finger to one...

 

[buggi]

saw a very flat one in the road once.

 

[rusky]

Having grown up on the south downs & spent alot of my childhood playing in the country, I can honestly say I've never seen one!

 

[661-Pete]

saw a very flat one in the road once.

Some motorist must have 'ad 'er (or 'im)...

IGMC.

 

[661-Pete]

Having grown up on the south downs & spent alot of my childhood playing in the country, I can honestly say I've never seen one!

I definitely nearly put my hand on one, going up Ditchling Beacon (in the 1980s). I was stopping to take a breather, and stretched my hand out to steady myself on the bank. And it was a genuine Black Adder (yes they do exist!).

 

[ColinJ]

Sorry, I've never seen a wild snake in the UK.

 

[Wigsie]

Having grown up on the edge of a heathland golf course next to the Ashdown Forest they were common place growing up...

Now I have moved to Kent we only ever seem to see slow worms and grass snakes in the garden/on walks.

 

[ufkacbln]

I have a problem with my garden!

We inherited a pond, and am lucky enough to have Toads, frogs and Newts.

However it needs some work on doing and I would love to change it for a easier to maintain water feature, but I can't because of the tenants

 

[Wigsie]

[QUOTE 1332767"]
Sloe worms are much more plentiful though, loads of them fellas slithering around.
[/quote]

Is that how you make Sloe Gin? pop a Sloe worm in your tanqueray?

 

[krushavik]

Love to say I've seen one , but unfortuately I never have, but my daughter had a wonderful experiance last week, she was washing up and when she looked out into her back garden there was a buzzard eating a dead bird on her lawn. Her house is in a town not in the country. She took photos to show the kids.

 

[Fnaar]

I thought I saw one on my car... but it was a Vindscreen Viper...

 

[Panter]

I saw my first ever one on a MTB ride in the New Forest last summer.
Stunningly beautiful thing

 

[the_mikey]

I've last seen one near Priddy on the Mendips / Somerset two years ago.

 

[asterix]

Our garden has some snakes - grass snakes, adders and a western whip snake. I also find toads and frogs and a strange kind of green newt. The nearest pond is about 400 metres away down the hill. Slow worms have disappeard now possibly because of the snakes.

The last adder I saw was a female at the end of last summer. Some people think they are a different species because they are a browny colour. She was under some old tiles I was shifting and quite annoyed but slithered away asap. Snakes are very shy and retiring IME.

 

[GordonB]

In my bookcase I have the complete shed skin of an adder, including the scales over the eyes, picked it up years ago on heathland in Suffolk. I've seen about a dozen or so in total but I haven't for some time, probably because I don't get onto the heathland so often these days.

Gordon