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Image-of-the-Day by Subject
Plants Page 35
Image Taken on 05 Jul 2021
at 09:48 Image of day on 10 Aug 2021
Checking under the corrugated iron sheet we discover the Grass Snake
coiled about as neatly can be. Here is a moment while his forked tongue is visible.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20210810_df3_20210705_0948_004 grass snake coiled under corrugated iron escapes down hole 01 of 22 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 05 Jul 2021
at 09:48 Image of day on 10 Aug 2021
A few seconds later the Grass Snake makes a rather leisurely exit down the
hole.
Once we have disturbed the snake on a particular day we leave the
corrugated iron untouched for the rest of the day.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20210810_df3_20210705_0948_007-025 grass snake coiled under corrugated iron escapes down hole 02+06+07+10+17+20 of 22 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 07 Jul 2021
at 14:34 Image of day on 10 Aug 2021
Two days later the Grass Snake almost looks as if tied in a knot, but
then slithered away so fast we was the only decent pic we got.
.jpg)
Ref: 20210810_d73_20210707_1434_489 grass snake coiled under corrugated orin(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 15 Jun 2021
at 12:39 Image of day on 08 Jul 2021
The next day we see probably the same Grass Snake at the same place. This time
the corrugated iron was thrown right back, not providing a surface route to
escape, so the snake makes for the nearest Mouse hole and the whole snake
(probably almost 1 metre long) pours into the hole and vanishes!
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20210708_d73_20210615_1239_093-105 grass snake found under corrugated iron sheet escapes into mouse hole 1-5 of 5 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 13 Sep 2016
at 11:18 Image of day on 01 Nov 2016
From another frame we caught this moment with tongue out collecting tastes from
the air (actually detected when they pull the tongue in - hence the
characteristic flicking tongue).
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20161101_df3_20160913_1118_145 grass snake juvenile about 30cm long on surface of main pond (crop for head and tongue detail)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 13 Sep 2016
at 11:18 Image of day on 01 Nov 2016
After 2 years without a sighting, movement in the water turned out to be this immaculate juvenile
Grass Snake (about 30cm = 1ft long) swimming over the surface.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20161101_df3_20160913_1118_149 grass snake juvenile about 30cm long on surface of main pond (adjusted crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 03 Oct 2009
at 15:57 Image of day on 02 Nov 2009
The fragments of this Grass snake skin add up to about 0.5 metres.
The head end is intact though the top of the head is dented or was pulled down
as the snake extracted itself.
It may not be obvious that the top and bottom jaws are separate and can be
'opened' as when attached to the snake.
The amazing part-spheres of the eyes are intact and appear perfectly formed.
Judging from size this snake is probably the one Shown Here
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20091102_d12_20091003_1557_022 grass snake skin head detail (web crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 22 Aug 2010
at 18:03 Image of day on 05 Oct 2010
A larger grass snake basking in the sunshine at the end of the day in the
sedge at the back of 'Duck pond'. It stayed for several minutes apparently
completely still while we watched and captured a few images.
The insert was 3 minutes after the main image and you can see it has
barely moved relative to the plant stems. This is the first time we have
noticed a grass snake basking in this manner.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20101005_p02_20100822_1803_375+1805_393 grass snake sunbathing in hop sedge at duck pond (montage of head detail)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 21 Jun 2018
at 15:54 Image of day on 08 Aug 2018
Continuing the saga of the Grass snake under the Corrugated Iron sheet, here it
is uncurling to escape our disturbance by going down a nearby Mousehole. But the
surprise was that is promptly re-appeared half a metre away at another mousehole
while the tail end was still entering this hole.
But unfortunately total failure at getting the 'hole' event on camera :-(
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20180808_df3_20180621_1554_004 grass snake uncoils to escape down mouse hole only to reappear at hole half metre away (off frame)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 16 Jul 2021
at 15:07 Image of day on 25 Aug 2021
'Our' grass snake now hears us coming and we rarely take him/her by surprise.
This stealthy approach catches the snake almost fully stretched out - estimated
length is just under 1 metre.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20210825_d73_20210716_1507_055 grass snake under corrugated iron (id only)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 07 Aug 2009
at 14:26 Image of day on 25 Sep 2009
Our first close up sighting of a grass snake under one of a
several sheets of corrugated iron. A quick image grabbed before
it gave us a filthy look (if a snake can) and prompt slide off
under the matted dead grass. Saw it again later at the same place
later in the day & a few days subsequently.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20090925_db1_20090807_1426_008 grass snake under corrugated iron 30m wsw of duck pond (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 13 Sep 2009
at 08:54 Image of day on 28 Oct 2009
We have several corrugated iron reptile warmers but only one gets
any snakes and then only one at a time. This one was a little
more tolerant than usual and we managed a head portrait without
it slithering off. A day or so later we found a nearly intact
snake skin (well it WAS intact until we had to extract it tangled
in bramble thorns) under the same cover. See image for 2 Nov 2009.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20091028_db1_20090913_0854_043 grass snake under corrugated iron 30m wsw of duck pond (head crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 23 Aug 2009
at 09:09 Image of day on 05 Oct 2009
One or more grass snakes like to warm up on cooler days under
corrugated iron sheets put down for just this purpose. We limit
ourselves to one disturbance a day. This snake seemed to us
bigger than the last and had concertinaed itself into the shaping
of the corrugations.
.jpg)
Ref: 20091005_db1_20090823_0909_023 grass snake under corrugated iron 30m wsw of duck pond in serpentine shape(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 24 Aug 2010
at 09:36 Image of day on 05 Oct 2010
A young grass snake was under the corrugated iron to warm up.
It panicked when we lifted the cover and then the back edge of the metal
blocked his normal exit, but it stopped for a moment, and found a another route.
It didn't use the hole in the ground used by the larger snake - maybe it was 'occupied'.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20101005_df1_20100824_0936_134 young grass snake under corrugated iron sheet 30m wsw of duck pond (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 14 Jun 2021
at 10:02 Image of day on 08 Jul 2021
Almost 2 weeks after the first Grass Snake sighting, we lift the corrugated iron
sheet and in the first time for years find this Grass snake warming itself under
the sun warmed corrugated iron. The snake wasn't too happy with this
interruption of it's sauna, found a break in the up-ended iron, and made a swift exit.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20210708_d73_20210614_1002_002+016 grass snake under corrugated iron sheet exits under edge of lifted sheet 1+2 of 2 (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 30 Jun 2021
at 15:41 Image of day on 03 Aug 2021
On lifting the corrugated iron sheet we are delighted to get another sighting of
our well grown Grass Snake. In this pic you can see the Snake's forked tongue
flicking in the air.
Why do snakes do this? The Snakes olfactory organ is back inside the head -
the tongue picks up the molecules to transfer them to it. So to 'sniff out' the
world you have to keep flicking your tongue.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20210803_d73_20210630_1541_066 grass snake with tongue extended exposed under corrugated iron sheet 1 of 5 (crop)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 30 Jun 2021
at 15:41 Image of day on 03 Aug 2021
We may be enchanted by the snake, but the snake is not at all enchanted by being rudely uncovered,
and promptly slithers down the adjacent (mouse?) hole to completely disappear.
Here you see the 'uncoiling' process in action over a few seconds
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20210803_d73_20210630_1541_066-074 grass snake with tongue extended exposed under corrugated iron sheet 1-5 of 5 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 15 Aug 2010
at 10:46 Image of day on 16 Sep 2010
Our grass snake is not as 'reliable' as last year, but last year
he/she didn't show off the forked tongue so clearly.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20100916_df1_20100815_1046_034 grass snake with tongue out (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 17 Jun 2025
at 17:55 Image of day on 01 Aug 2025
Our 2 acre patch came to us as cattle pasture.
At that time we identified 7 different grass species growing (undoubtedly from a commercial mix)
but we haven't kept track of the grass species.
Here in a sunny patch we identify 'Yorkshire Fog' still being about.
Buttercups provide some scale as well as being a pretty adjunct.
 and buttercups(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20250801_d72_20250617_1755_134 grass yorkshire fog (holcus lanatus) and buttercups(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 29 Aug 2011
at 17:54 Image of day on 19 Oct 2011
We know this because 15 minutes later we spotted this bird on the
pole near site one having a peck at the pine cone, and within the
same minute a hazelnut. Yes, there are 2 holes, and she chose
different holes for the two items. We have montaged 2 of the
images together (trying our best to match the exposures). We are
sure it is the same bird as the ground level image from examining
the head detail in the originals..
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20111019_df1_20110829_1754_005+010 great spotted juvenile woodpecker with pine cone then hazel nut in cracks of pole (montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg
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