Here be Serpents!

OK, Heads up for those that don't like Snakes, there will be pictures of Snakes and Slow Worms on this page after the Lizard's, you have been warned! :)

 OK, Lets start with Lizards. I was surprised to find that we have Lizards in this country, in fact the wildlife area opposite Our flat is teeming with them as well as Slow Worms and Snakes. Until recently I had associated Lizards just with warmer climes.

                                                                Common Lizard

 They are very skittish and can usually be seen sunning themselves on logs and stones. I have had many a pleasant time just sitting and watching them scurry about, sometimes fighting over the best spot to sunbathe.

Another Lizard we have here is the Slow Worm, Most people wrongly call them snakes, but they are in fact legless Lizard's (Kinda like me on a night out! lol) The area opposite me has been recognised as one of the most important breeding grounds for Slow Worms in Suffolk.
                         
                                 This picture gives a reasonable idea of the general size of them

Here are a couple of close ups,

                                                  How many can you count in this picture?

 Did you know that we have three types of snake native to the UK?  They are the Grass Snake, Adder and Smooth Snake. The Grass Snake can be found all over the UK as can the Adder, but the less well known Smooth Snake is limited to very few areas of heathland in southern England.

 The Grass Snake is harmless and if caught will wriggle like mad to get free, if that fails it will squirt a really foul smelling scent from it's anal glands and if all that fails it will feign death by going limp with it's tongue hanging out until you place it back on the ground, when it suddenly rises from the dead and slithers away.
 The Adder is venomous and can kill, however a fatal bite is rare and usually happens when the victim either already has underlying heart problems, is young, or is old and frail. However I have no intention of ever picking one up to find out!
 The Smooth Snake kills by Constriction and is harmless to humans, other than that I know nothing more about them.

                                                  This is a Grass Snake sunning itself.

 I nearly trod on this one which is probably why it has adopted a 'Striking' pose ready to defend itself.

 As yet the Grass Snake is the only Snake that I have managed to find and Photograph close up, although I did manage to Get this shot of an Adder.

It may look harmless, but I don't believe in taking chances so I kept well clear of it!