First 2008 Adder Record from Kent?


Kent has had a few spring like days recently. I was up on the downs at Trosley in the middle of last week with Bill Whitaker and Diasy Truckle and was getting positively hot in the bright sunshine, but despite it being a good reptile site we found nothing. Anyhow, we did at least arrange the refuges for this year’s monitoring. Daisy will be including reptiles when she does her butterfly survey.



Daisy (KCC) and Bill (KRAG) planning a refuge survey for the reptiles at Trosley Country Park

But better luck today. I was on the downs behind Otford with Richard Jones and on a south facing, and very sunny, slope there was large male adder. This was basking on a grassland/woodland margin and made off into the woods at speed; but not before I managed to get a photo. You will see that it has the typical muddy appearance of an adder that has just emerged from hibernation.



A large male adder just out of hibernation with a typically muddy skin.

Adders also look a bit like this before they are about to slough but such adders can be told apart as they have milky rather than clear bright eyes. If the weather turns cold again then this adder would be expected to recommence hibernation.


Rick Hodges

Posted: Tue - February 12, 2008 at 10:01 am        

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