Glorious Snakes

As if by magic, the heath ecosystem is changing. The stonechats have vanished with their newly fledged young and male dartford warblers are singing actively from the tops of gorse bushes. The nightjars have switched their timings too. Instead of beginning to sing at 9.33pm every night, they now begin to churr loudly and continuosly at 7.33 pm. This is a phenomenon occuring on several heaths locally so the nightjars must have changed their timings for a reason. Snakes are basking in some numbers and I have been lucky enough to encounter several smooth snakes together recently. I even found a baby one, barely six inches long!

Carolina Wood Duck and Mandarin Duck - Living wild in Surrey

These two marvellous ducks are living wild in Surrey!!! Although they are closely related they occur in different parts of the world. The wood duck is from the USA and the mandarin duck is from Japan, where it is highly endangered. Thankfully there are large numbers of mandarins living wild in the Uk. They are like beautiful swift ghosts when seen at dusk flying down a forest stream. The River Dart in Devon has a breeding population nesting in tree holes high above the rushing torrent. The wood duck is much rarer in the Uk but still common in the USA.

Lovely roe deer, stonechat and smooth snakes on a local heath

Here is one of our most endangered reptiles. These snakes are so elusive and fossorial that almost nothing is known about them. They are thought to be constrictors that feed mainly on other reptiles, especially lizards. Who knows. Other snakes certainly don't seem to fear them greatly.....I wonder what you think. They are often found in the same places as stonechats and roe deer are found.

A smart white egret

These lovely white egrets are a recent colonist in Southern England and are a lovely sight. There is an all black form in West Africa and the two are often seen together hunting in the shallows. In England only the white form exists. They are found on the Pagham marshes where they dash through the water spearing fish.

What a marvellous little stone chat and a roe doe

What a beautiful little bird this is. Look out for them now, as they tap out their alarm calls over the heath.

Beautiful Grey Plovers, ringed plover, oyster catcher and redshank

I think you'll like these lovely grey plovers and friends on the shore line at Pagham harbour.

Two adders together on Crooksbury Common

I found these two gorgeous adders together yesterday on Crooksbury Common. One of them is especially beautifully marked. What a splendid snake. The female adders need lots of warmth now as they prepare to give birth so they sun themselves as much as possible. Look out for them on the edges of paths and in bracken and heather....