Uk spring

[Kevin Byrnes]

Despite night temperatures of -6 degrees C the afternoons warm up to 12 degrees C and so a few herps are starting to show. I recently saw my first Adder V berus of the year at a local cemetery and I have been back a couple of times to check for any others.A couple of days ago I saw the same snake in the same basking location and managed to get a few more photographs of it.




Today I went back but there was a dog running loose at the basking spot so I walked around looking for Common lizards Zootoca vivipara, I did hear one rustle through the leaves but did not see it. However, when I flipped a small flat stone I soon found out where they were. Obviously still too early for them.

[Jürgen Gebhart]

The berus is a very nice one!
I never saw that many Zootocas before on one place!!

In my area the temperatures last night were minus 10 Degrees C, expecting day temperatures about minus 5 Degrees C.
I takes a few more weeks for me until I found the first herps.

[Peter Oefinger]

The weather in UK is better than on the continent - that's the real climate crisis!
Anyhow: interesting pictures - also the Zootocas.
@Jürgen: I relied on your countdown to 1.3. - what a disappointment!

[Wolfram Schurig]

The Zootoca-pic is just amazing!!

Wolfram

[Mourits Løvholt]

Wow. Thats a lot of viviparous lizards. Really nice picture

[Tony Palmer]

Excellent zootoca pic Kev and a rare find indeed!!

Things are starting to move here in east Yorkshire,
Rana temporaria are making there way to the spawning grounds
And V.berus has been seen out in north and south Yorkshire.
I took some pic’s today of Triturus vulgaris and T.helveticus

T.helveticus male

T.helveticus female

T.vulgaris male

T.vulgaris female

T.vulgaris male



Tony

[Ilias Strachinis]

Hello Tony
nice shots!
What was the light source for your photos? Is it sunlight, flash, all together?
regards
Ilias

[Ilian Velikov]

Tony,nice photos! Here in London newts are still on land under stones and logs! No frogs,as well! I was wondering what takes them so long since tempreatures were not that bad recently!?

[Tony Palmer]

Hi Ilias,
I have only used natural light, some times it was sunny like in the first pic and in the last pic it was dull and raining. I set a small tank up in my garden three week ago with an internal filter to keep the water clear.

Ilian I live about 200+ miles north of London and palmate and smooth newts are in the ponds not sure if they have started breeding though, haven’t seen any crested newts out or common toads.
over the past few days I have seen lots of common frogs in amplexus in local ponds but they haven’t stated to spawn yet!
I’m surprised you haven’t seen any action in London its 1-2 degrees warmer than were I live !:?



Tony

[Ilian Velikov]

Today I went to the spot where I know there are a lot of newts. Most of them are still on land but I saw 4-5 in the water plus just one ball of R.temporaria eggs and no frogs! I don't know what's the reason for that!? It was 12 C today ! Maybe there's something to do with the fact that it's a public park and there's quite a lot human activity there..with dogs and all..lots of birds,too!