Legless but not a problem

It is always said that reptiles often lurk under bits of corrugated metal and metal sheets that have be left on the ground. Over the years I've lifted up lots of suitable discarded bits of metal but have never been lucky in finding anything, that is until this afternoon.

Slow worm (Anguis fragilis)

As I walked along one of the paths leading to the cliffs I saw an old metal notice on the ground. As usual I picked it up and there was one of the largest, most beautiful Slow Worms underneath. Being a cold blooded animal it benefits from the warmth it gets from the suns rays on the metal.

Slow worms look superficially like snakes, but are actually legless lizards. One way to identify them is that unlike snakes, lizards (and therefore slow worms) have eyelids. Slow-worms are protected by law in Great Britain against being killed, injured or sold or traded in any way.

I didn't check whether this a male or female, but judging by the paleness of the flanks and lack of a thin dark line running down the back it is a male. Slow Worms are probably the most commonly encountered reptiles in the country and are often found in compost heaps, where they find both warmth and a good source of food. They are a friend to the gardener feeding on slow moving prey such as small slugs.

Both sexes, but more commonly males, sometimes have blue spots on the body. This blue colouration is more common in coastal or island populations, and may vary over the year. It does not usually occur until an animal is at least three years old.

Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis is a process that has inspired various works in different fields of the Arts. Franz Kafka wrote a short story, Salvador Dali painted his Metamorphosis of Narcissus in 1937 and Hilary Duff sung about it in 2003. What's happening in my pond is much lower key but just as impressive.

This year the cold weather didn't arrive at the critical time in the development of the frog spawn and consequently the tadpoles arrived in good numbers. They are now getting larger, although as far as I can see none are developing legs yet.

As tadpoles develop they quickly loose their external gills and develop internal gills that are used to extract oxygen from the water. They graze on algae and, depending on the temperature of the water they slowly change. At the early stages they form groups, like small fish, and can appear in masses at the edges of ponds in good years. They become omnivorous and start to develop lungs after a few weeks.

As they grow older they eyes become more prominent, but as yet there is little in their appearance to suggest the animal that they will develop into.

Toad time.

The roadside bank along Upper Road just before the NT Car Park is a favourite place for wild flowers.

I must admit that I'm not 100% sure that the Cowslips are truly wild, and that they haven't had the seed distributed there by human intervention.

I wasn't sure if this group indicated the direction of the sun or of the prevailing wind, and it was pretty windy today. I tried to take my pictures in the lulls so that the flowers were at least half sharp.

Common Toad - Bufo bufo

Every year, at about this time Pam comes across a few Toads as she is gardening. We are both big fans of Toads, so she always tells me and I take yet another set of Toad pictures.

Just looking at this Toad reminds me of the performance of Toad of Toad Hall we saw at the National Theatre:
Badger: Do you mean to say you don't promise never to touch a motorcar again?
Toad: On the contrary! I faithfully promise that the first motor car I see...
[puts on his driving goggles]
Toad: Poop poop!
Can you imagine this Toad in driving goggles...............well try harder!

This evening was the AGM of the Parish Council. Above Councillor Brenda Paul, chair, gives her report of the years activities of the council. It was an informative evening and a little disappointing that so few parishioners attended. I had the honour of showing a few photos at the end of the meeting, to try and show why St Margaret's is such a special place to live in. I enjoyed the experience, probably because I like the sound of my own voice too much!

The Eyes have it.

After a small burst of activity around the 10th of April mothing has been very slow, probably because the nights have been cold here, despite the mainly fine days.

Last night was no different, with very few moths, but there was this beautiful Eyed Hawk-moth. When you first see one at rest it isn't very striking, although the velvety quality of the top of the head is striking.

But if you tickle it's antennae so that it thinks it is being threatened it immediately spreads it's wings to show the prominent eye pattern on each wing. I'm not sure but I think this has two functions. First it looks almost like the face of a small owl and this in itself might be enough to frighten off a potential adversary and secondly it it is still attacked the lightlyhood is that it is these false eyed that will be attacked and the vulnerable body will be left untouched. As tonight is again forecast to be cold I doubt if there will be many moths tomorrow.

Seal with a Roman Nose

The cliffs near the monument are pretty high, somewhere in the region of 300 feet, so taking pictures of things on the sea just below has two draw backs. First is a long way off and second, I hate heights so much that holding the camera steady is a problem.

When I took a look over to day I could see some thing in the water with a couple of Herring Gulls in attendance, when I looks through binoculars it was obviously a seal with a large fish. By the time it resurfaced for it's picture the fish had gone.

I was pretty sure at first glance that it was a Grey Seal, Halichoerus grypus. The best way to distinguish Grey Seals from Common Seals is by the profile. The straight line from the top of the head to the nose in the Grey compared to a more dog like shape in the Common seal.

The new house on Granville Road that arrived in sections in August now looks pretty much complete. It certainly has a prominent position and must have great views over the channel.

In January I showed some of the areas in the South Foreland Valley, where the scrub had been cleared to allow the chalk grasland habitat to be developed. At the time I said that it would need considerable management to prevent it quickly reverting to scrub. It looks to me that it is in need of some urgent attention, it is isn't to quickly become an area of thistles and other invasive species.

There are six ducklings on the village pond. This one seemed to have ideas beyond his age, as he flapped his tiny wings. I hope that Mrs Duck manages to bring some or even all of them through to fledging this year, and that she doesn't bring them up to my garden and loose some of them, for me to round up and return to her, as she did last year.

An Italian job - Pam's Pictures

Pam got back from a couple of weeks in Italy so I've pinched a few of her pictures that I found interesting (she took loads of great pictures but here are a few).

Back in March I took a look at the Martello towers in Kent. At the time I said the idea was brought to the UK from Mortella Point in Corsica. We obviously weren't the only country to borrow this cunning plan, above is one Pam photoed in Capri.

Pompeii was destroyed in AD 79 by a two day eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Pam says the locals believe that Vesuvius is ready to go again soon!

Pam normally brings back a mystery bird photo from her holidays, but this one is easier than most. I'm still hoping that we'll get a Serin in the garden one spring, and it might still be this year. This must be one that escaped being caged or eaten!

This is the view of Mount Vesuvius from Pam's hotel, it looks quite benign at this distance, but it was the end for the two Roman towns of Herculaneum and Pompeii nearly 2000 years ago.

Sunset across the Bay of Napes to the islands of d'Ischia and di Procida