berus & vivipara, mid-summer

[Daniel Kane]

I managed around an hour up at my study site today and saw two snakes - F12 and M13 (who I haven't seen since April the 4th). No neonates yet. Very windy day and not much sun, so hopefully it will brighten up later in the week and I can finally take the photo which I want for the competition!!

F12

[Daniel Bohle]

Very windy day and not much sun, ...

best weather for babys, maybe not the wind, but no sun and cold is perfect for finding babys!
at this time of the year bad weather days are the days I go out to find babys...

for example:
saturday - ugly weather I found 5 babys at spot kk
on sunday - full sunshine - I found not a single one and I was cutting wood close to the spots so that I was able to look several times.

[Daniel Kane]

no sun and cold is perfect for finding babys!

You were right! I had a few hours up at the wood today and saw 8 snakes in total. Sunny on and off around 2pm, but quite warm with the sun out. The first snake of the day was an orange juvenile, probably one of last years neos. Next were 3 adults basking together; two males (M6 & uni'd, but looks like a new one from upper labial markings) and a female (F11). M6 I last saw in March so it was good to see him alive and well.

the two males - the female was just to the lower right but I couldn't see her until I was stood up properly

At about 3pm I moved to the other part of the wood where I often find snakes; it is the part where I found my first Adders at this location back in 2009. By now it had gone cloudy and quite cool but didn't take long to find a male (M13) coiled up near where I saw him on the 17th. He is another who I hadn't seen for a while - before the 17th, not since early April this year.

M13

Shortly after seeing him I saw F12 at her usual place - only a few metres from where M13 appears to have a hibernacula. I had hoped to see the other snake she was seen basking with at the beginning of the month but this time she was by herself. I just took a photo for records and moved on to find some more snakes. It took a while to find the next, and I was contemplating going home as it had started to rain a bit. As has happened a few times before though, I just looked down at my feet and there was one.. The first neonate of the year

N3

Nice colours of a newborn

About 10 minutes after this the rain had stopped and the sun came out so I went for a last look at F12's location before going home;

F12 &.. F3

For my university study I need to identify individuals, which requires a clear shot of the top of the head; I had no idea who this girl was when I saw her but when I had a look at snakes from previous years I got a match - she is F3, the third female snake I saw here. Last encounter was August 12th 2010. She seemed very healthy - I don't think she was gravid, just a bit fat. Maybe she will be breeding next year.. Just as I saw these two basking the sun went in again, then it poured down so I went home. I'm hoping to have one last trip up there this year before I move back to university at the weekend.

I also saw quite a few Viviparous lizards, neonates and adults, and some more dragonflies.

Male Vivi

Common hawkers - landed right next to me as I was taking a photo of the first snake of the day

[Daniel Kane]

Last trip of the year this afternoon in nice, sunny warm weather. Too hot for the snakes to be out in full sun. 3 or 4 snakes seen - an orange juvenile in the same place as the one the other day, M7 basking in the shade, then about an hour later F11 and an orange juvenile next to her in the same place. I never got ID shots of the juvenile but I think it was probably the same one, just that it had moved 10m. Had 3 buzzards flying quite close to the ground too which was a nice way to finish the season (apart from the snakes).

M7

F11 - juvenile just out of the photo to the bottom right - I didn't see it until I was above the bushes

And thus concludes my Adder study here. It ha s been enjoyable, and nice to be able to use the 4 years of data I have for something other than a reference for myself. I now have all winter to write it up for submission to university.

I imagine the next time I see any of these snakes or lizards will be next March or April, depending on term dates and when I can come home. 161 days (23 weeks) until 1/3/13 as Jürgen would say!

[Jürgen Gebhart]

Congrats, Daniel!
Isn`t that a great feeling to find a neonate Vipera?
Had the luck this year in two different areas!

You start the countdown! Very funny!
I will do it after I came home from the last trip this season at the 28th of October.

[Sandra Panienka]

The neonate is very cute, nice find. You have some really nice documentary shots and info in your thread. Thanks for sharing.