More Records for 2007


Hot on the heels of my post regarding early records, Kevin Johnson has sent me his observations together with some excellent photos.

Kevin is a very active KRAG recorder and helps to monitor a number of sites. Kevin will also be leading a survey day at Bredhurst on Saturday 14th April. More about that here.

In anticipation of the Bredhurst survey day, Kevin has been looking for early emerging adders around Bredhurst. On the 3rd March Kevin observed two adders basking - one of which was black.




Melanistic adders are not uncommon, with some populations containing a high proportion of black individuals. Howard Inns has reported on observations of melanistic adder and other reptiles in one of his British Wildlife amphibians and reptiles wildlife reports. In the article, Howard also comments on an very interestingly patterned viviparous lizard that was captured as part of a commercial mitigation project in Sittingbourne - I do wish consultants working in Kent would send their records to KRAG!

Inns, H. (2005) Wildlife reports: amphibians and reptiles. British Wildlife, Vol 16, No 4, 276 - 277

On 10th March Kevin was back at Bredhurst when he again saw the same black adder. At a different location in the same area, Kevin didn't see any reptiles but decided to go back after an hour for a second look. Low and behold a large adult male adder was observed basking on top of a bank. As Kevin writes:

"I walked the valley an hour earlier and saw nothing....shows the benefits of a 2nd look."




Kevin had less success with adder at a site he has been monitoring for many years at Dover. However, on 11th March Kevin did see a grass snake - the first reported Natrix for 2007!




If you have any records of amphibians or reptiles in Kent, please do send them in - either by email or using the KRAG online reporting form.

Lee Brady

Posted: Tue - March 13, 2007 at 08:39 am        

©