Snakes and Lizards

Not before time, Skye has recently enjoyed some springtime sunshine which, combined with a lessening of the seemingly ever present wind, has resulted in moderate warmth. But even when the wind has been blowing, there have been sheltered spots acting as mini suntraps. The result was the first day this year that I've held any real hopes of finding early awakening reptiles. I nipped down to Leitir Fura, a reliable site for Adders, but the clouds arrived pretty much the same time as I did and the breeze picked up again. So no reptiles on that occasion. A couple of days later I had better luck at Ard Hill, just a few miles across the Skye Bridge into Lochalsh. I still needed my jacket, but not my jumper beneath it. At the car park I swiped an oddly patterned hoverfly that I didn't recognise (subject of next blogpost), missed a calliphorid on a tree trunk, ignored the handful of small anthomyids settled on posts and then found myself looking at a pair of Common Lizards warming themselves on a sunlit log. Sweet!

Common Lizard Zootoca vivipara

Neither of these lizards were bothered (or warmed up enough) to be skittish and none of the above images are cropped, all taken with my phone too. As you can see, the second individual is in the process of regenerating its tail after presumably losing it to a would be predator. In the top image you can see how the lizard has flattened its body into the log, the increased surface area will help it to speed up the warming process.  

Yesterday afternoon was cloudy and cold, but today it was sunny once more, though the wind was decidedly chilly. I decided to try my luck at Leitir Fura once more. In a bizarre repeat of my last attempt here, the blazing sunshine disappeared as clouds rolled in almost the instant I arrived. Sod it, I decided to have a look around anyway. Almost at the point of giving up, I found myself looking at a Slow Worm, coiled almost vertically amongst dead bracken stems. I had my coat zipped up in the cold wind, but I guess it was a little more sheltered down at ground level. 

Slow Worm Anguis fragilis desperately trying to find some warmth

It was whilst kneeling down taking the images above that I suddenly noticed a male Adder coiled up no more than four feet to my left. Blimey, quite a sizeable one too! I tried to sneak over to position myself a little better for a nice piccie, but it was more active than I expected and soon slithered off into cover. 

Adder Vipera berus

I've seen Adders at this spot before, usually the males early in the season. The females should be emerging in the next week or two, so there's a chance I could witness male adders fighting. I think I'll pop back regularly over the coming weeks, see if I strike lucky. Now that my car's suspension has been fixed I feel a little safer tackling the severely pot-hole ridden access track. Some of the clonks and bangs were becoming more than a tad worrisome!  

Of course, I've saved the best for last. Canada Geese don't breed on Skye. They are infrequent at best, though last year saw an unprecedented influx to the area which saw a pair successfully nest in Lochalsh, the first known breeding attempt anywhere remotely close to Skye. Anyway, they all buggered off elsewhere after about midsummer and haven't been seen since, apart from a handful that were found on a WeBS count last month. Yesterday there were two groups of three in Lochalsh and five at Isleornsay here on Skye. Today there were an additional two up the north end of Skye and yesterday's five at Isleornsay have now increased to seven, as I discovered when I pulled up to see if I could yeartick 'em. Could this be the year that Canada Goose breeds on Skye for the first time ever? 

Some of the Canada Geese in with a bunch of plastic Greylags

And if you don't find Canada Geese exciting, well just try living on Skye! Footnote: aside from the two Common Lizards, I also found a Jay in Ard Hill Woods two days ago. That's just a couple of miles away from the nearest bit of Skye coastline. Will this be the year I see one on Skye? Again, if you don't find the concept of Jays exciting, just try living here.