Adur Lizards & Snakes & Amphibians

Adur Lizards & Snakes
includes Snakes & Slow Worms (mostly from August 2016 only)
& Amphibians
from 2017


2023




2022
Wall Lizard
Shoreham Fort
2021
Report by Helen Swyer on Adur Valley & Downs facebook

2020
Mill Hill Report

9 April 2020
An adult Common Lizard skittered over the short vegetation on the lower slopes of Mill Hill.

Two large Slow Worms, a small slim Adder and a Common LIzard were all firsts of the year reptiles amongst some old logs deliberately placed on the southern part of Mill Hill.


29 January 2020
My first reptile of the year was an adult Wall Lizard, Podarcis muralis, near the carnot wall of Shoreham Fort in the chilly breeze.


2019


Seventeen Wall Lizards, Podarcis muralis, were easily seen on and around the carnot wall of Shoreham Fort in the calm sunshine. All but three were large adult lizards and I expect there were many more in hiding.

16 September 2019


Mill Hill

I visited the area around the Reservoir on Mill Hill to try and get a better picture of the Adder but there were dark low clouds and it was breezy as well, proving conditions difficult to focus for photography and inimical for butterflies. There was half a dozen large Slow Worms and a smaller juvenile Adder south of the Reservoir.

Mill Hill

30 August 2019


Mill Hill

A Common Lizard skitted over the undergrowth on the lower slopes of Mill Hill. There was half a dozen large (to 20 cm) fat Slow Worms in their usual place. They were all intertwined and I nearly missed a well camouflaged smaller slim juvenile Adder, my first snake this year. It was all coiled up, but slithered off before I could get a decent photograph in the badly fading light.

A Kestrel hung in the breeze over Mill Hill where a Common Lizard skitted over the low-lying vegetation into the shelter of the scrub close to (west of) the upper car park.

23 April 2019
28 March 2019
My first reptiles of the year were 14 Wall Lizards, Podarcis muralis, on and around the carnot wall of Shoreham Fort in the intermittent sunshine.


On dry land under the noon sun, only two Wall Lizards were seen, one quickly skitting in amongst the undergrowth and the second one clambering all over the carnot wall, before disappearing into a hole very near the top. The one lizard seen clearly for a few minutes showed remarkable agility on the vertical flint walls (which were brick at the top).

6 June 2015
Common Lizard

Such were the frustrations of the wind, that I was about to leave Buckingham Cutting (south) when I glimpsed the gentle fluttering of my first Small Blue Butterfly of the year. I chased it around and when it settled on the patch of Cotoneaster, I noted my first two Common Lizards of the year scrambling around the red berries and green leaves. I had never seen them amongst Cotoneaster before.
Easter brought a spell of weak sunshine and an Adder, Vipera berus, basked in air temperatures at 8.6 °C in the afternoon. It was curled up on a bed of grass by the steps going down to the lower slopes of Mill Hill. It stuck its forked tongue out and slithered off under the thorn. The coiled up snake was my first reptile of the year. I had only fifteen seconds before it sensed me and quickly disappeared. This one seemed nearly as big as a Grass Snake, at least 60 cm long. The opaque blue eye is perfectly normal and happens just before the animal sheds its skin.

17 May 2015
On the southern carnot wall of Shoreham Fort I spotted my first two Wall Lizards this year.


On the southern carnot wall of Shoreham Fort, two adult Wall Lizards, Podarcis muralis, skittered rapidly over the flint.

18 September 2014
I spotted half a dozen stumpy Common Lizards, Lacerta vivipara, on the chestnut fencing at the top of the Pixie Path that had all lost part of or for two of them, almost all of their tails. These were the first I have seen this year.

14 September 2014
I noted just one young Wall Lizard,Podarcis muralis, skitting over the shingle near the flint walls of Shoreham Fort in the early afternoon.

9 September 2014
I noted just one small Wall Lizard, Podarcis muralis, on the southern flint wall of Shoreham Fort in the early afternoon but the day was cloudy and breezy.
I noted just two Wall Lizards, Podarcis muralis, on the flint walls of Shoreham Fort in the early afternoon and the large one had typically lost part of its tail.

On the southern carnot wall of Shoreham Fort, two adult Wall Lizards, Podarcis muralis, skittered rapidly into large holes. There were another three adults and a brown juvenile on the walls of gardens backing on to the shingle beach.
On the southern carnot wall of Shoreham Fort, I spotted my first reptiles of the year with six Wall Lizards, Podarcis muralis, basking in or near the holes in the flint work. The lizard in the picture skittered into the grass below, dislodging the Undulate Ray egg case as it did so. It seemed to have a partner lizard seen in an adjacent hole. Wall Lizards lay eggs (oviparous) and are not viviparous like the Common Lizard Lacerta vivipara.


Bathed by a weak sunshine and the welcome signs of a long awaited spring: two adult Wall Lizards, Podarcis muralis, poked their heads of the carnot wall of the O ld Fort, Shoreham Beach.. They were a bit tentative and skittered back into their holes in the wall when they got nervous, but the second lizard popped back out again about ten seconds later. The west facing wall was heated by the sun (at 13.0 °C)
I spotted by first reptile of the year: a single sandy coloured Wall Lizard, Podarcis muralis, skittered over the south facing wall of the O ld Fort, Shoreham Beach.


31 August 2012

Wall Lizard
On the Old Fort, Shoreham Beach, the fleeting glimpse of a Wall Lizard, Podarcis muralis, skitting into the undergrowth next to the sun baked south-facing flint surround wall was the first of the year.

1 February 2008

Common Lizard (Photograph by Ray Hamblett)

Credit is due to Ray Hamblett for discovering a buried hibernating Common Lizard, Lacerta vivipara, under a rotten log at the top of McIntyre's Field, north Lancing. It was very difficult to see amongst the earth.

This must be a small Common Lizard, judging by the toes not being webbed. Note it is missing the end of its tail.

ID & Comments by Ray Hamblett on flickr Lancing Ring Pool

11 September 2007

In the warmth (20.4 ºC) of the midday sun, the six Wall Lizards, Podarcis muralis, seen on the Old Fort on Shoreham Beach were particularly lively clambering much further up the wall on two occasions than I had ever seen them do before, with behaviour uncharacteristic of the Common Lizard. One Wall Lizard basked on a ledge right near the top of the wall and another skittered that high before disappearing around to the shady side and out of view.
Adur Coastal Reports 2007

10 September 2007
A Common Lizard Lacerta vivipara, skittered across the towpath by Shoreham Airport at the end near Old Shoreham Toll Bridge. The Common Lizard is always associated with the grassy undergrowth and is not found skittering up walls.

9 September 2007
A Common Lizard Lacerta vivipara, skittered across the chalk path near the Reservoir on Mill Hill.

7 September 2007
Immediately I descended down the steps to the lower slopes of Mill Hill, a Common Lizard, Lacerta vivipara, skittered from the white chalk path to under the Brambles. This was rare sight on the bank, although they were known to occur there.

24 & 29 July 2007
The Common Lizard was seen under a piece of roofing felt on Mill Hill. This time it was not so plump. At the second sighting it was seen to have lost a large part of its tail by autonomy.

4 July 2007
A Common Lizard was seen under a piece of roofing felt deliberately laid down in the central mixed scrub and grass area (north of the Triangle) near the northern perimeter of Mill Hill. Its middle was plump, presumably with its viviparous young.

23 May 2007
A bright green lizard skittered out from a clump of Sea Kale on the shingle part of Shoreham Beach south of Shingle Road. Apparently, they are often seen in this area and in the gardens of the houses and the school grounds in the same road. The lizard appeared to be a lime green colour without obvious markings. It looks like a Wall Lizard, Podarcis muralis.
Report by Stephen Savage

NB: I have also received past reports from two separate reliable sources of a green lizard brought in by a cat and lots of unidentified lizards in a garden (by a visitor not the owner) from the same area.
It was an exceptionally green and heavily gravid female Wall Lizard, Podarcis muralis.
Identification confirmed by Chris Davis (Herpetological Conservation Trust)

24 April 2007
Sensationally, I disturbed the largest Grass Snake, Natrix natrix, I had ever seen basking on the lower slopes of Mill Hill. I got a good look at the coiled up reptile before it slithered off rapidly into the scrub on the western side. I would estimate its length at well over one metre long and it circumference of its body in its thickest place at 6+ cm. I have downsized the original size estimate but it was still twice the size of the usual Grass Snakes seen.

27 March 2007
In the late afternoon the earlier sunshine had brought out the first Common Lizards, Lacerta vivipara, of the year on lichen covered chestnut fencing on the Pixie Path to Mill Hill. Fred had seen Common Lizards earlier this year on the Riverbank by the houseboats and he spotted a flurry of movement about midday.

11 March 2007
At least 21 adult Wall Lizards, Podarcis muralis, were spotted on the flint wall of the Old Fort, Shoreham Beach, basking in the sunshine and displaying far more energy that I had ever seen before with one lizard skittering right up to the top of the wall.

About five of the lizards were smaller juveniles. All the lizards had intact tails. The numbers were thought of as less lizards than there were because of continual human disturbance.
With an air temperature of 14.4 ºC at 1:53 pm it was the warmest day of the year so far.

3 May 2006
At least ten adult Wall Lizards, Podarcis muralis, were spotted on the Old Fort, Shoreham Beach, and they were very skittish, none of them appearing much larger than Common Lizards, Lacerta vivipara, and nine of them a fairly bright green in colour. They seem to move in a more upright fashion less skulking and serpentine than the native lizards. All their tails were seen to be intact as they skittered rapidly over the flint wall or pebbles to the crevice holes. The lizards were widespread along the west and south facing flint walls. A colony of Meadow Ants was noted and I thought I heard the rustle of another lizard nearby.

I made the following observations about the Wall Lizards:

(1) Although I could not discern the longer legs by observation I discerned a different mode of skittering around with the body held higher off the ground and capable of the the position in the picture on the left which I have never seen in a Common Lizard.

(2) The green colouring was no help. Both species of local lizard could be equally green.

(3) Habitat was no help. Both species could be found on the frequent flint walls locally. The Wall Lizard has not yet been discovered in grassy habitats, although it was found more often with at least some vegetation on Shoreham Beach.

(4) The preference for running along walls (even along the foot of the walls) has not been seen in the Common Lizard.

(5) There must be instant ways of recognizing the two lizards, but I have not mastered them yet. The heads and faces may be slightly different.


"Wall" Lizard from the Old Fort, Shoreham Beach Photograph by Andy Horton	"Common" Lizard from Lancing Ring Photograph by Brenda Collins
Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis	Common (or Viviparous) Lizard, Lacerta vivipara

Identifications by Chris Davis
(Co-ordinator, Sand Lizard Captive Breeding Programme
Webmaster, the Herpetological Conservation Trust)


Lizard from the Pixie Path near Mill Hill	The identical lizard: it may have lost part of its tail and regrown it by a process called autotomy.

cf. Wall Wizard from Portland Bill (image)

1. Wall Lizards have slightly larger heads and longer legs than Common Lizards
2. They often have very thin bands with alternating black and white sections on their tails (like rings around the tail but only apparent down the sides of the tail, not all round)
3. The Lizards in this (Shoreham Beach) colony seem to have come from Northern Italy and have the bright green backs of the sub-species found there.
4. While Common Lizards prefer dense grassy or healthy habitat the Wall Lizard is strongly associated with dry stony habitat with a vertical component, and is often found basking high up on its wall (sometimes up on roof tops)
5. Finally, the scales on the Wall Lizard are smaller than those on a Common Lizard giving a smoother skinned effect (I don't know how noticeable this is!)

Wall Lizard notes by Ralph Hollins

Ralph Hollins' Nature Notes

Notes:

1. They appear the same size in all respects.
2. This seems to apply to the "Wall" Lizard but not the Common Lizard and the line down the centre is much more clearly pronounced.
3. When seen in the wild the "Wall" Lizards have a hardly discernible green tinge, or some of them do.
4. The "Wall" Lizards occupy the habitat referred to, but they only occupy the lower levels and show a complete absence of basking on the higher levels usually within 30 cm on the grass below, and exceptionally one metre from the bottom of the wall, where a crevice is available.
5. The photographs are not good enough to tell, but the Common Lizard does look much smoother.

Lizards have always inhabited the old Fort, or in my memory for over forty years. They were there in 1963.
If they are foreign lizards they have been there longer than the accidental release in 1975 and may have come from the adjacent wharves.

Back to Shoreham Coastal 2004

Adur Coastal 2009

26 April 2006

A pair of Peacock Butterflies settled on the discarded Chestnut fence paling, where a pair of Common Lizards, large adults with intact tails were spotted.

The lizards hid amongst the undergrowth making photography difficult, but they did not skit away as quickly as expected.

9 October 2005
A dark Common Lizard, Lacerta vivipara, was seen on a wooden pallet next to where the Water Shrew (? ID) was seen before on the Slonk Hill Cutting. This lizard was not quite fully grown.

30 March 2004
Two lizards rapidly skittered into cover at the base of the flint walls south-east of the Toll Bridge amongst the grass on the river sunny side in mid-afternoon. These lizards appear to be a different species found at the Old Fort (Shoreham Beach) and I have penned these as the the Common (or Viviparous) Lizard, Lacerta vivipara. There were probably many more lizards but the old flint sea wall was a ruin with innumerable hiding places for small reptiles.
Adur Levels 2004

30 March 2004
Locally, they are known as Wall Lizards because of their frequency of inhabiting old flint walls, and under the blue cloudless sky, over fifty (counted 38 avoiding duplicates and then estimated) lizards skittered up the extensive crumbling south and west facing flint walls of the Old Fort (Shoreham Beach) (TQ 234 046) with dexterity, very quickly (too quickly to photograph) after basking in the warmth of the morning sun.
There was one particularly large lizard and I would estimate its length (excluding its long tail) at 60 mm. Most were much smaller appearing about half the size at 40 mm.
All these lizards would drop into the grass or hide in a crevice if disturbed. They were only to be found near tufts of grass. Although they skittered over the vertical walls with ease, they only occupied the lower flint levels. All the lizards seen had their full tails.
Old Fort Photographs (More Lizard Images)

Postscript: these lizards have now been definitely identified as the Wall Lizard, Podarcis muralis.

Identifications by Chris Davis (Herpetological Conservation Trust)

These are only a small selection of the local lizard reports.

31 August 2003

A Grass Snake, Natrix natrix, was found trapped in nylon netting on Lancing Manor Allotment and was freed from its accidental entrapment.

Report by Ray Hamblett (Lancing Nature) on the Lancing Nature Smart Group

15 August 2000
The Grass Snake, Natrix natrix, can turn up in slightly unexpected places: I nearly stumbled over one on the towpath adjacent to the airport a few years ago. But they rarely appear far from water. David Sadler showed us a juvenile Grass Snake from underneath a piece of corrugated iron in the wildlife area known as Larkfield Paddocks, south Lancing. * It was a darker green than the olive green of the adults.

Pond at Larkfield Paddocks

Historic:

Lizards were present on the walls of the Old Fort in the 1960s.