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Post by toneman on Aug 16, 2017 19:38:52 GMT
Saw a reptile swimming today. Snake like with bright orange eyes ! Any ideas,?
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Tone
Aug 17, 2017 0:26:37 GMT
Post by dbl on Aug 17, 2017 0:26:37 GMT
Almost certainly a grass snake. "Natrix natrix ★★★★ This timid, non-venomous creature is a beautiful sight if you're lucky enough to spot one. It is a striking grey-green with a blue-black forked tongue. It also has a yellow or orange collar, bordered in black. Male grass snakes can grow to one metre in length - females even longer. Both have large golden eyes from which a black stripe runs to their top lip, and a white or pale yellow underside chequered with blue-black markings. Although this snake has nine sub-species, only the largest, helvetica, occurs in the UK, and only in England and Wales, where there is an estimated breeding population of 320,000. Where they live Close to water to support their diet of toads, newts, frogs, water voles and small fish. They tend to live in well-vegetated areas such as river banks, ditches, and compost and grass heaps. Grass snakes are good swimmers; they swim with their head above water so can be spotted in ponds - especially in the south of England. (Unfortunately, if disturbed they can also stay under water for up to an hour.)" source www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/jun/07/wildlife.grass.snake
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