British Reptilia

Of all the Groups of different living things found in the British isles, Reptiles are one of my favourite. I have seen and photographed 6 of the Reptile species in the UK. I am still yet to see Grass snake, Green lizard or any of the Marine turtles.

From the Lizard family i have encountered many Common Lizards, a good few (about 20) Slow worms (although my first ever was only last year), 1 Wall lizard and 2 Sand lizards.

Common lizards can be found in a variety of habitats all around the Country although best chances of seeing them are in Southern, more warmer areas. I have had my most numerous and best views around the Westmorland mosses in South Cumbria where on a Sunny day i have seen up to 50 at once.

Common lizard - Cumbria 2012

I saw my first Slow worm last year and was amazed how Snake-like they are, i couldn't believe they are technically 'legless' Lizards. Found in suitable habitat similar to Common lizards, they like to bask and hide in sheltered warm areas of grassland. The most i have seen was down South in Dorset out on the Heathlands. Slow worms are my favourite of the British Reptiles because they are the easiest to safely capture and hold and are so soft in the hand.

Slow worm - Dorset 2012

After a good 1 hour search of suitable Wall lizard habitat down on the Bournemouth coastline i only managed to find one and this was a Juvenile, but it was nice enough. Wall lizards are introduced but have naturally colonised sheltered South-facing grassy cliffs on the South coast over time.

Wall lizard - Dorset 2012

Like wall lizard i've only seen Sand lizard at one place, at a very good heathland habitat in Dorset. I saw 2 individuals on the day, both a male and a female. The male was bright green on it's flanks, it was beautiful. Sand lizards are a rare Lizard that live in Sandy heaths (hence the name) or Sand dunes, there are a few up north in the Lancashire coastal dunes but they are very rare.

Sand lizard - Dorset 2012

Of the Snake family i have seen one Adder and had the great pleasure of seeing 3 Smooth snakes.

I saw the one Adder in 2011 at a Raised peatbog habitat in South Cumbria, they are such nice Snakes and i was so glad to have found one, however it ended up biting my mate who i was with and he had such a severe reaction to it he had to go to hospital for a week. That was an eventful day...

Adder - Cumbria 2011

Smooth snakes are the rarest and most endangered native Reptile in the UK and are only found on Sandy Heathlands on the South coast. I saw my first and only Smooth snakes last year on the South coast, they were pretty amazing.

Smooth snake - Dorset 2012

So they were the Reptiles i have seen in the UK. Obviously i have tonnes more pictures than just one each of them, and i also have various pictures of some of them in the hand, but they shall be kept for a later date...