Adders sunning themselves in a Cornish hedge. 6th April 2023.

 

Spent several hours down in West Cornwall photographing Adders, our only venomous snake in the UK.

It was quite cold in the wind but sunny and they seemed to have tucked themselves into warm patches out of the wind in an overgrown Cornish hedge.

Initially we found about 8 separate sites but on checking closer realised that there were often 2 and sometimes 3 snakes intertwined. So if you look at the photos check how many heads are showing!

Several showed blue eyes which I understand is what happens before they slough their skin as their eyes are normally red. Sexing them was difficult and none showed the true bright grey of males but I think several were males and just ready to slough and show that fresh colour in the next few days.

Such a treat to see these as I've not found many other than under galvanized sheets in the past few years.

Here are a few more pics.....

3 heads in this one!

Adders at Windmill Farm reserve on the Lizard, Cornwall 25th Aug 2019.

Female Adder

Pair of adders at Windmill Farm yesterday on our Cornwall Wildlife Trust Photographic Group field trip to the reserve on the Lizard.

The female is the brown one & she looks pregnant, male is the darker black one. Thanks Dougy!

#cornwallwildlifetrust #cbwps #wildCornwall

Male Adder

Adders on the Cornish coast 26th April 2016

Despite the very strong and bitterly cold North westerly gale blowing today there were a few adders sunning themselves on the south facing slopes in the sunshine.

Most of these pics are of a small juvenile about 10 inches long.

Adult female

Adult male

Snakes alive! Adders and Grass snakes.

Adder

 

What a great place Poland was for our common European snakes, the grass snake and the adder.

Here are a few examples of both species taken in a sandy area of forest glade with some derelict buildings which the snakes had taken advantage of, and were there in good numbers.

Many times as I was lying on the ground with the macro lens just inches from the adders was I aware that there may well be another one about to take a bite out of my ankle (or worse)!

Adder

Adder

 

Grass snake

Grass snake

Grass snake

Grass snake

Adder

A couple shots of a female Adder taken on the North Cornish coast yesterday morning.

Female Adder

Female Adder