.. "The sound of hoof beats 'cross the glade, Good folk, lock up your son and daughter. Beware the deadly flashing blade, unless you want to end up shorter."

Lyrics above ^^ from BBC Blackadder S1 eps 1-5 .. 'nuff said.

Reptiles on the West Sussex chalk

Returning to a favorite chalk grassland site in West Sussex to survey the local reptile population, I was rewarded with the finding of an adder (Vipera berus) slough - just a few inches away from the spanking bright and shiny male adder from which it had recently sloughed. I was later able to collect the skin, to add to my cabinet of curiosities.

adder

slow worm (Anguis fragilis)

common lizard (Zootoca vivipara)

common lizard

adder

adder - recently sloughed

adder slough

adder slough - collected

Hazleton Common

Vipera berus and Anguis fragilis

Vipera berus

Vipera berus

Anguis fragilis

Lissotriton helveticus

Andrena (Adrena) clarkella

Polygonia c-album

Out and about this week, on the West Sussex chalk

♂ Slow Worm (Anguis fragilis), Sparsholt College "shelterbelt"

Not a Bird ? Sparsholt College reptile sp.

Anguis fragilis

Anguis fragilis

Taking a short (and much needed?) break from blogging recent avifauna spp. sightings, it is time to include the photo record of a slow worm Anguis fragilis found under felt in the shelter-belt at Sparsholt College on 22nd September 2009 Given the size and colouration of the slow worm (iridescent gold, with black / brown sides and a central dorsal stripe), I would identify it as a juvenile. This slow worm was not the only specimen to be found. However, the first was to swift (!) to be caught when the tin was lifted. The juv. reptile showed its contempt for disturbance by defecating in the hand.

ARKive provides a brief guide to the biology of this reptile, along with some stunning video footage of the sp. http://www.arkive.org/slow-worm/anguis-fragilis/biology.html Although any information the website provides regarding the slow worms legal status needs to be double-checked against both Natural England and UK Biodiversity Action Plan websites.

The slow worm is protected under Schedule 9 Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981).