Slow worm search just outside the Fylde

See here for news of a recent trip to look for Slow Worms just over the FARG border

Sand lizard captive breeding report 2012

FARG member Ray has given the following report about his captive breeding colony from which he raises young animals for reintroduction schemes around the country.

By the end of October 2011 all six animals had gone down for hibernation, the older animals going down first, a couple re-appeared on warmer days but none were seen after 27th
The winter weather was generally mild and wet and started to warm up at the end of February. On 25th Feb the young male was out basking, he looked healthy but this was really too early, the temperature was 12 degrees in hazy sunshine. This was about 4 weeks earlier than expected, I assume the warm weather woke him up. The remaining animals started getting up from 25th March with the other older male a young female getting up first, all six animals were up by 2nd April. 

I had not seen the young male eat anything since he got up and was looking a little thin, the weather had been good up until this point but had now become cold and wet.  
By mid April all the animals were feeding apart from the young male, he was now very thin and I thought he would not last much longer, but by the end of April he started feeding and he soon put on his lost body weight.
By mid May all four females had been mated, but progress was very slow with the weather still being cold and wet.  
The weather was good for the last week of May and the 2 older females were showing egg bulges, however the 2 younger females were not showing any signs of being gravid. 
The weather returned to being cold and wet during June, I put the 2 older females in the outside egg laying compartment in the second week of June, the first laid on 18th, the second did not lay until 30th. I had to put additional light and heating in the outside compartment to move things along as the weather was so poor.
The 2 younger females again did not produce any eggs, I am sure as a consequence of the poor weather. Due to the delay in the first clutches being laid there was no chance of a second clutch. 
In total 15 eggs were laid, these hatched on 6th and 16th August.
These behaviours were similar to the animals in the vivariums at Penrith and Sheffield, the Penrith vivarium only producing 8 young.

These were all released at Ynyslas along with animals from Chester zoo, this release site is now complete.

The animals continued to feed when the weather allowed and their behaviour patterns leading up to hibernation were similar as in 2011, the older male went down at the end of August and all animals were down by mid/late October. Up to present we have continued to have very heavy rains hopefully this will not affect their hibernation.

 

The very poor summer we have had has also affected the animals on the Sefton dunes. Sightings of animals have been down on previous years especially on the inland sites and the emergence of hatchlings has not only been less than previous years but also very late, some sightings not being until mid October. This is likely to have a negative impact on population sizes in the years to come, only time will tell.  

Blackpool chainsaw massacre

Today saw members of FARG joined by members from the Amphibian & Reptile Group of South Lancashire to do some pond management work on one of the best ponds along the North Blackpool Pond Trail.

Several volunteers had turned up to help, and very nice to see JT again and discover she's doing really well in her new Cumbrian home.

ARGSL member DO had brought his chainsaw and set too only multitude of Willows that are threatening to overrun the pond and significantly reduce it's biological interest and importance.

It wasn't long before the vols with loppers had removed all the small stuff at the water's edge allowing bigger boughs to be brought out.

Amphibian-wise only a couple of frogs were disturbed but the work has seriously opened up one side of the pond allowing more light in and therefore more aquatic vegetation which will help the invertebrates and newts that live there.

A big big thank you to all who turned up.

Not long after the start of the day

No one stayed dry

Take your picture quickly this is flippin heavy

Four man lift

A sterling effort from the man with the saw

It looks like devastation but that's habitat management for you

Just one of the three piles of brash!

In the right hands and for the right reasons the chainsaw is one of the most useful tools on the planet - unfortunately it's used for thre wrong reasons 99% of the time.

What will we discover on our amphibian surveys next spring? Join us to find out!

Odd Great Crested Newt records

FARG has recently received news of a frog rescue - from down a deep hole which was about to be filled in - of about 20 frogs and a newt, which turned out to be a Great Crest.

Both pictures by Dave Barker

Following a conversation another member told us of another Great Crest find he'd recently heard of that had somehow found its way inside a window frame or wall cavity around the frame. When the window was  'ripped out a 'lizard' fell to the floor and walked away...the builders pic revealed it as a Great Crest...nice but now we need to establish where this one originated from as it is in a 'new' part of town for them - detective work will have to wait until the spring!

If you have any autumn records of Fylde's amphibians or reptiles please let us know in the comments box below or use the new simple recording page on our website.

Dune's lizard update

The Lizard Walk on Thursday at St Anne's dunes was spoiled by unseasonably cold weather. At the start of the walk the group gathered in the adjacent car park dressed in waterproofs, woolly hats and thick gloves  - not the most appropriate attire to inspire confidence for watching reptiles.

Needless to say no lizards were seen by the dozen would-be spotters.

However with better weather today I went back and was lucky enough to find this small juvenile Common Lizard basking in amongst the Marram Grass tumbling over the edge of the track.

A bit of a lucky find but welcome all the same.

Our next events are amphibian orientated with daylight and torchlight searching, please see previous post for locations and booking details.

Fancy some amphibian surveying practice/training?

See below for some events/training days on the North Blackpool Pond Trail

Date	Time	Pond	Activity
22/4/12	1pm	Kincraig Lake	Visual / Netting
24/4/12	8.30pm	Kincraig Lake	Torching
1/5/12	1pm	Ashfield Road Robin’s Lane 1	Visual / Netting
1/5/12	8.30pm	Ashfield Road Robin’s Lane 1	Torching
6/5/12	1pm	Carleton Crem 1 and 7	Visual / Netting
8/5/12	9pm	Carleton Crem 1 and 7	Torching
15/5/12	1pm	Linden and Carleton Crem 5	Visual / Netting
15/5/12	9pm	Linden and Carleton Crem 5	Torching
22/5/12	1pm	Carleton Crem 8 and 9	Visual / Netting
22/5/12	9pm	Carleton Crem 8 and 9	Torching
3/6/12	9am – 5pm	Linden Pond	Visual / Netting during BioBlitz
3/6/12	9pm	Linden Pond	Torching

Please confirm your place and meeting place with Pauline Taylor, North Blackpool Pond Trail Community Development Officer 

Tel. 01253 622222 Mob. 07810123988. Fax. 01253 752672

Pauline.Taylor@groundwork.org.uk

 

Fylde dunes lizard walk - Saturday 14th April

Fylde Amphibian and Reptile Group and the Lancashire Dunes Project went out to look for Common Lizards amongst the dunes at Lytham St Annes. The event was well attended and 15 members of the public helped seek out the lizards hidden amongst the dune grasses. Unfortunately the weather was slightly cool resulting in little lizard activity however a few were spotted by those with sharp eyes. After a talk and walk the group headed back to the car park to look at a couple of captive common lizards which are similar to those found on the dunes and a pair of rare sand lizards which are part of a captive breeding programme. Many thanks to Ray Lynch for his reptile expertise and showing us the lizards up close and personal.

Next walk: Thursday 19^th April, 9am at North Beach Car Park