13/05/22

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Cloudy at first today though increasingly sunny as the morning wore on.

Plant growth in PV has greatly increased since my last visit, hence it is becoming more difficult to find any reptiles. Despite this I found the melanistic female Adder in the same place as before, and on the opposite side track a large male, estimated 0.6 metre in length. The male had a distinctive heart shaped marking behind the head, very similar to the individual seen on 24th April.

No Adders seen elsewhere, though four Slow-worms were found, all in TF.

The sunnier conditions encouraged more butterfly activity, with my first of year Small Heath and Common Blue. Also one Green Hairstreak in PV and a fair number of Green-veined White.

Melanistic Adder (female)

Melanistic Adder

Large male Adder

Male Adder (as above) with distinctive heart-shaped marking behind the head

Slow-worm (male)

Small Copper

Common Blue (male)

Small Heath

Green-veined White

Green-veined White (male)

Orange-tip (male)







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