A short search for Natrix natrix
03/04-2010 - Odsherred Denmark
Today the weather was really nice and sunny so I could not spare myself a trip into the wild. Unfortunately I had no transportation opportunities, so I had to use public transportation to get to the basking spots. Due to weekend bus timetables I only had 2 hours to search for herps when i got to the location. I was uncertain where to go, but I chose to look for Natrix natrix along the coastline. Fortunately a Natrix-trip proved to be a good choice indeed. It's the first time this year I have taken pictures of common grass snakes in Denmark.
I started searching the location 13:25 pm. and I went home again at 15:30 pm. The temperature was 9-10 degrees. The wind was very strong - the wind speed was at least over ten meters per second. So it was a cool trip though the sun was shining. I found 6 Natrix natrix, 8 Vipera berus and 1 Anguis fragilis. I found no lizards which was a disappointment. I haven’t found any Natix natrix who shedded their skin yet, all of the Natrix natrix i found was very dirty. (There where many tourists on the location and I met another field herpetologist).
I believe that the condition of the grass snakes was a little bad this year. It was easy to see that the harsh winter had left a clear mark on the animals, at least at this area. It is a shame no lizards can be found on the location yet. I hope the rodents, (and the slow worms), are thriving so the snakes get something to eat. (There are no amphibians native to the location). Most of the grass snakes I found was thin and depleted after the hibernation period. Furthermore the Natrix natrix was not as "feisty" as they where at the same time last year, they threw themselves into thanatosis before i could even touch them. I think the snakes made it through last winter much better than this year's hibernation. I gotta reminisce way back before I remember having seen as thin snakes like those I saw today. The Anguis fragilis i found was well nourished and fat, but I only found one so i cant judge their situation on behalf of that. The Vipera berus in the area is found in large numbers and thrive perfectly, all of them are well nourished, so hopefully the grass snakes will follow.
Something about bush clearing:
I don't like the municipality's desire to mow the grass, (bush clearing), on the paths at the coastline. I know it's with a good intention and that they want the paths to appear neat and tidy, but most of the snakes I find are located on issolated heather dunes and grassy tufts along the paths at the coastline. Near the place i visited today there is a huge area for parking and picnic located in the middle of snakehabitat. Here they continually cut the grass even though the place is a hotspot for the local snakes. The place is very secluded and issolated, so i don't doubt that it affects the snakes. It reduces the herpetofauna's habitat in such a small invironment considerably. The "lawn" is placed right where I have observed a lot of matings the previous year! Today this herpspot was crowed with tourists, dogs and caravans. The Danish forest and nature agency has information signs placed along the coastline at the public parking spaces. At these information signs they describe the flora in the area and which types of fauna that can be found along coastlines. The odd thing is; the signs only describe fish, birds and mammals - there is not a single line on the Danish reptiles and amphibians? This frequently surprises me – because reptiles and amphibians are encountered more often than other animals in these areas. Never have I encountered live common shrews or some of the birds /fish they describe in these areas. Whether it is good the puplic knowledge of reptiles are kept at a minimum, is debatable. But it is still a mystery to me that no one recognizes them? Approx. 80% of the tourists, pedestrians and visitors I met had no idea that adders can be found throughout the area. I see people who sit and eat food directly on the basking spots, while their dogs run around in adder habitat. Luckily the snakes are used to visitors and incidents where bites occur is very rare among humans. It is rather a paradox that the government does not inform about the herpetofauna when they are simultaneously destroying their habitats with bush clearing. Many times I thought about complaining to the municipality on behalf of their harsh way to cut down the wild. Many of these places should be preserved, (by my opinion), instead of attracting more tourists by making a picnic-lawn.
Natural habitat | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Natrix natrix | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Natrix natrix, in need to shed after winter hibernation | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
As you can see the snakes are rather dirty after hibernation, this one was a bit malnourished as well.
The hars winter had clearly left its mark on the snakes.
The hars winter had clearly left its mark on the snakes.
Natrix natrix | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Natrix natrix, basking on a very steep hillside | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Natrix natrix | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Natrix natrix, a bit timid and confused about my approach | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Natrix natrix | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Natrix natrix | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Natrix natrix with three ladybug-passengers | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Natrix natrix | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Natrix natrix, very depleted and skinny | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Vipera berus - Today i saw 8 common adders.
All of them where well nourished males. I did not mannage to take pictures of all of them.
All of them where well nourished males. I did not mannage to take pictures of all of them.
Vipera berus, female | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Vipera berus, female | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Vipera berus, females | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Vipera berus, A beautiful male adder. These are the undisputed kings of the habitat | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Anguis fragilis, male - A single slowworm crossed my path, I found it under a flat piece of wood while searching for Vipera berus | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Anguis fragilis, male | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Anguis fragilis, A thoughtful glance | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Rodents? - An entrance to a hole could be food for snakes. These rodent holes was found everywhere thrughout the area.
Natural habitat, rodent-hole | © Mikkel Frederiksen 2010
Responses:
http://www.nhf.dk/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=37517
http://www.designer-reptiles.com/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4596
http://fieldherping.eu/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=361&p=2237#p2237