Walking up to the shed this morning I came across the most beautiful grass snake sunning itself on the warm concrete. A deep olive green with bright yellow V behind it's head. It was at least 2 1/2 foot (75cm) long. Slipping away as quiet as I could to get the camera, I got back as fast as was possible without too much noise, but alas it was gone.
Back to digging out compost from the heap, I found yet more evidence of grass snakes in the garden, egg shells from previously hatched youngsters.
Grass snake egg shells
All in all there were thirty two shells, so there should be a good few survive to adulthood.
Our garden certainly suits them with its wild and uncultivated areas, which Grass snakes love. Along with large slow compost heaps that make the ideal place to lay eggs with the gentle warmth from this type of heap.
Principle food are amphibians, which means the toads and the frogs have to watch out, but as we see quite a number of these around, the snake population are not making too many inroads into the numbers.
We feel proud though to have Britain's largest reptile living around us, marvellous.
Neil we have grass snakes here, but it's a job to stop them committin suicide by sunbathing in the middle of the lane! I found a two foot one only last week, such a shame, I only hope they lay a similar amount of eggs here, so there should be enough survivors. kathy
ReplyDeleteKathy, that is a shame. The warm weather means they are attracted by the heated road, then they play dead when threatened so they don't move out of the way when they hear cars.
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