Not Lepidoptera - Reptiles

[Padfield]

Congratulations on catching that brief moment! All the pictures on this page (apart from mine, which was pure luck! ) must be the fruits of great patience and skill.

Guy

[Pete Eeles]

I have to agree with Guy, Jerry. I've only ever seen this once in my life, a few years ago in Pamber Forest in Hampshire, while I was watching a female adder ... next thing I know, two male adders start their "dance" and head toward me at high speed! I must have leapt 2 feet in the air!

But to photograph this spectacle is really quite something - well done!

Cheers,

- Pete

[geniculata]

hi all,
just 1 pic of a female adder at martin down yesterday, one of several seen along with eight slow worms and many common lizard.

regards gary.

[eccles]

Excellent pics Jerry. Can we get back to hunting butterflies soon?

[Sylvie_h]

I've been going to the same site for the last 3 years on Gower where I have discovered a good number of adders and recently grass snakes. Every year I found the same specimens sunbathing in the same spots. However, I've never seen 2 males in combat (FYI, the larger male always wins!) or a male and female in their dance although I have been there regularly!! Something I wish to witness one day!!
What kind of lens have you used Fishee ? Your pics are really good ! Do you use a telephoto lens and then crop your picture on the computer?
Sylvie

[Sylvie_h]

Sorry Fishee, I have read your comments again and the reply is already in there.
Excellent pics in this thread !!
Sylvie

[FISHiEE]

Hi Sylvie,

All the posted images in this thread are with the sigma 150 macro lens and are in most cases pretty much the whole image. I get quite close

I should post some more from last weekend where as well as the macro lens (I got even closer this time!) I also found my canon 100-400 + a 25mm extension tube was quite effective. Image stabalised closeup

[Sylvie_h]

Hi Fishee,

I would be interested in knowing how close you can get with your 150mm macro. Adders are quite difficult to approach if you get too close, they tend to disappear very quickly.
I have a 300mm telephoto and the closest I can get is 1 meter from the subject without losing the focusing point.
I have recently coupled this with a TC x2 and I get a better frame especially of the adder's head which I really like. However I lose 2 stops of light and have to compensate by using 400isa film ( I still haven't got digital yet). It works quite well though.
Sylvie

[FISHiEE]

Hi Sylvie. I guess I can get within 50cm. maybe less. I can fill the majority of the frame with the head. Some are more approachable than others. Some I can't get within 3-4m of...

[geniculata]

found a very tame common lizard warming up on a bronze commemorative plate at martin down yesterday.

gary.

[romansnumber7]

Not one for the faint hearted this one. Think its a grass snake but not 100%. It was about 3 feet long at a guess. I watched it for 10 minutes and it still hadn't finished swallowing the frog/toad.

[eccles]

This male adder, probably close to full grown at around 18-20" long was straddling a footpath on Blackdown, Somerset, while I was looking for dark green fritillaries. I happened to glance down and just managed to checked my step to avoid stepping on it. Not only didn't it dash for cover, but it calmly turned its head to watch as I snapped away with the macro lens.

[geniculata]

no butterflies today,
as i only made a fleeting visit to a pond in the forest to check on the local toad population.
things were jumping! many hundreds of things!

gary

[A Ramsay]

Since I've still not seen a butterfly this year, up here in the North, having to make do with taking pictures like those attached!
The adder pictures were taken yesterday at allerthorpe common, near York, and the palmate newt was taken last weekend near Otley.
Andrew