BIRD BOXES AND REPTILES AGAIN

I was only able to do some of my bird box checks in the afternoon of Wens 12th. This is usually not a good time to check on reptiles but, as it had been overcast for some of the time, I did have a quick look in the same area as last week. There was nothing near, or under, the first two tins but the third had my first Grass Snake of the year, along with two male Slowworms. The next tin was even better, with two more juvenile Grass Snakes and three Slowworms. Two slowworms were mating, the male holding the female behind her head. This female had a stumpy tail, where she had lost the tip previously. You can see the stripe along her body.

The Grass Snakes move away very quickly as they have no defence and this made all the slowworms move except for the mating pair.

This area is not far from gravel pits and the river and there were quite a lot of Damselflies newly emerged, including my first Banded Demoiselle.

On Friday 14th I checked the boxes at Blackwater Park, which leads into Hawley Meadows.

Here I have six boxes and I have put pictures of five of the nests here. These are doing very well with from five to ten young. The ugly ones are the Nuthatches.

I did not photograph the first nest as I had to try and photograph the strange fly that was on the lid. It was a Snake Fly which I had never seen before. I only had my little camera so it is not a good picture but I have added another from the internet, to show what it really looks like. It is quite small and the one I saw had a deformed wing which is why I could get any picture at all.

I will be doing my small mammal survey at Moor Green Lakes in the next couple of weeks and can have a few along with me. If you want to come out early morning one day just get in touch.

Best wishes

Bernard