# Today's outing.......



## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

Took my lad out today and he proved to be better at spotting stuff than me................








I'd walked straight past this Grassie when he found it
Got the "sod off, I'm dead" ploy








Shame you can't do scratch and sniff on the pics!!

His first Adder!
























The first person to comment on the "middle aged spread" get's a midwest hook up the ar*e!!!
















This one has a blurry patch on account of the snake giving the lens a good bite and getting venom on it!


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## chondro13 (Aug 18, 2008)

:censor: your kids better with a hook than me!

:lol2: great shots!! im loving the belly on the grass snake :flrt:


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## Richcymru (Nov 21, 2008)

Nice pics! Think I may go herping this weekend now


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## Repta (Jul 29, 2008)

I totally love how much your nipper is enjoying that! Excellent!

Also - me and the OH are dying to know what you keep in your utility belt?


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

Repta said:


> I totally love how much your nipper is enjoying that! Excellent!
> 
> *Also - me and the OH are dying to know what you keep in your utility belt*?


Camera, compass, GPS, insect repellant, Leatherman, torch and old habits die hard, but my survival tin from my Forces days which always comes with me when I'm out in places like that.


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## Repta (Jul 29, 2008)

Wow. You're like Batman.


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## pythondave82 (Nov 14, 2007)

These are threads I l ike to see.

Cheers

Dave


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## Darth_Vandal87 (Mar 2, 2008)

*wow*

Great pics and nice to see people out and about lookin for herps rather than in shops, i always look wenever im out and have only ever seen a grassie and a slowworm!

Altho i have seen an adder wen i was walking in cornwall.

Thanks for sharin. Dan :2thumb:


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## Justtds (Aug 12, 2008)

I would of loved trips out like that as a kid all i had to contend with was stories of life in the jungle.


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## Optikal (Feb 4, 2009)

I'd love to go out herping but I don't think I'd find anything but fly tipping and dog mess up here in Leeds


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## Moshpitviper (Oct 21, 2005)

Blimey Stuart you are keen! i need to go see what our local adders are up too. however i have yet to find a Natrix in our area, although i hear there are lots. Great pics BTW


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

Go to Brigstock Country Park there's loads there, but go before all the bloody day trippers go with their snot nosed brats and out of control dogs!


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## xxsassyminxxx (Jan 3, 2008)

what a fab thread and pics. 

i want a utility belt with stuff in it!:Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## rigsby (Jan 11, 2008)

Why would anyone mention the middle age spread .......................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................
you know that belly thing hanging over your belt.......................................
........................................................................................................
.......................................................comes to us all, big bellies hanging over our belts.....................................................................................
..............................................................white fleshy belli...
ahem hope you had a nice day....fishing was it??
yes its althziemers next


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

rigsby said:


> Why would anyone mention the middle age spread .......................................................................................................
> .......................................................................................................
> .......................................................................................................
> you know that belly thing hanging over your belt.......................................
> ...


It was a padded T-Shirt you git!!!


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## Serious D (Apr 12, 2008)

Great pics mate, I used to love searching and observing adders and grass snakes when i lived in Cardiff but now i live in Manchester i aint got the first clue where to go to find adders or grass snakes, id really love to take my step son out to look, We have tryed Blackley forest Only thing we found there that was of intrest was frogs, toads and a scorpian, whitch was a realy weierd thing to find.


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## sugarbunny891 (Feb 10, 2009)

Wonderful photos there, brings back so many memories of me and my dad when we lived in cyprus. I used to get taken herp hunting after school nearly everyday.

I have no idea what they are called - but we used to regulary catch what i only remeber as whip snakes!! (all black) and lizards which everyone called chit chats up on the bondoo!!

It still shocks me to think at 8 i could easily not only pick up but CATCH a wild lizard!! 

Anyway off down memory lane there a bit lol....But your photos are great its just a subtle reminder that british wildlife is out there and its beautiful! :2thumb:


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## MSL (Jul 30, 2007)

Great pics. looks like you had a great time,
you should do a 'Beginners Guide' Thread....i wouldn't know where to start or where to go...and I would love to take my eldest out to look for native snakes.

I for one would love to have a read and try it myself.


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## Draven (Mar 7, 2009)

haha loving this thread! great pictures too! looks like you had an awesome time.


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## Q-Tip (Feb 13, 2009)

Fantastic stuart! Where abouts are you to find those kind of things? I never thought about going herp hunting in England, I live out in the sticks aswell so might be worthwhile!


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## Speeple (Feb 12, 2009)

Serious D said:


> Great pics mate, I used to love searching and observing adders and grass snakes when i lived in Cardiff but now i live in Manchester i aint got the first clue where to go to find adders or grass snakes, id really love to take my step son out to look, We have tryed Blackley forest Only thing we found there that was of intrest was frogs, toads and a scorpian, whitch was a realy weierd thing to find.


Same here, there are no locations in Manchester I know of, but tons of suitable heath moorland habitat on the Pennines, never seen one there tho. I've only ever seen a Adder in Scotland... which is ironic as I think it's the only native snake species there.

Going down Devon / Cornwall in May tho so might be in for some look to see these beauties.


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## Serious D (Apr 12, 2008)

> Same here, there are no locations in Manchester I know of, but tons of suitable heath moorland habitat on the Pennines, never seen one there tho. I've only ever seen a Adder in Scotland... which is ironic as I think it's the only native snake species there.
> 
> Going down Devon / Cornwall in May tho so might be in for some look to see these beauties.


 
you should defo see some down in devon, im jus gutted as no one seems to know of anwhere in mancheter where i can see some adders, In cardiff i used to go to Caphilly mountain to see adders loads of em there, and for grass snakes there is a resivwaur where there are loads of grass snakes its suposed to be the best place in the uk to find em, also there is a lake not to far from there with loads of terrepins, I miss Cardiff somtimes.


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## Jennifer23 (Oct 7, 2008)

Awesome pics


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## kenneally1 (Feb 17, 2009)

Come down to devon ( north devon) , you'll have a good chance of seeing adders and grassies. They're apart of growing up down here!


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## billsy (Nov 29, 2008)

Serious D said:


> Great pics mate, I used to love searching and observing adders and grass snakes when i lived in Cardiff but now i live in Manchester i aint got the first clue where to go to find adders or grass snakes, id really love to take my step son out to look, We have tryed Blackley forest Only thing we found there that was of intrest was frogs, toads and a scorpian, whitch was a realy weierd thing to find.


where to around cardiff did you go looking? if you dont mind me asking


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## Donz (Jan 8, 2009)

Serious D said:


> you should defo see some down in devon, im jus gutted as no one seems to know of anwhere in mancheter where i can see some adders, *In cardiff i used to go to Caphilly mountain to see adders loads of em there, and for grass snakes there is a resivwaur where there are loads of grass snakes its suposed to be the best place in the uk to find em, also there is a lake not to far from there with loads of terrepins, I miss Cardiff somtimes*.


 
I used to live in Canton and loved nothing more than taking myself off for long walks that often meant me out for the whole day, I used to take a train into the valleys and just walk, went up Caerphilly mountain a few times saw loads of snakes on there. I loved the fact that despite it being a city the countryside was just a short journey away!! 

I miss it too I want to go back but my OH won't go!


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## antmac (Jan 28, 2009)

Serious D said:


> Great pics mate, I used to love searching and observing adders and grass snakes when i lived in Cardiff but now i live in Manchester i aint got the first clue where to go to find adders or grass snakes, id really love to take my step son out to look, We have tryed Blackley forest Only thing we found there that was of intrest was frogs, toads and a scorpian, whitch was a realy weierd thing to find.


man your lucky i would love to find a english scorpion but cant find 1 eny were:lol2:

do u no eny places nere oxford?


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## Serious D (Apr 12, 2008)

> where to around cardiff did you go looking? if you dont mind me asking


I used to golooking around llanishen Resivwhar its awsome there, loads of grass snakes, may find the ocasinal adder too in the woodland near by, a great day out.



> I used to live in Canton and loved nothing more than taking myself off for long walks that often meant me out for the whole day, I used to take a train into the valleys and just walk, went up Caerphilly mountain a few times saw loads of snakes on there. I loved the fact that despite it being a city the countryside was just a short journey away!!
> 
> I miss it too I want to go back but my OH won't go!


Yup some happy memorys walking around Caerphilly mountain.




> man your lucky i would love to find a english scorpion but cant find 1 eny were:lol2:
> 
> do u no eny places nere oxford?


 
Lucky are you joking, I almost had a heart atack lol, I'm not an isect guy, give me a big snake or lizard but i dont do spiders or insects, dont mint trantulars but lil housespiders shit me up big time lol.


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## reptismail (Nov 15, 2008)

hi very gd pics :2thumb: im going to go on sunday morning for acouple of hours to look for some adders and apparently on the other side of thedunes theres a marshy place were there are quite a fewgrass snakes. didnt look that sunny ? do adders prefer it not as sunny but warm? itsounds stupid but last year i was " studying " common lizards and found that they prefer it warm but cloudy and dolike there to be a slight breeze.
Ismail


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

I've tended to find Adders on South facing banks and edges of paths, both on sunny and not so sunny days


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## phoenixxx (Jan 18, 2009)

Optikal said:


> I'd love to go out herping but I don't think I'd find anything but fly tipping and dog mess up here in Leeds


Same in Bedford. Although there are also a lot of chavs to be seen in their natural habitat.


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## wayakinwolf (Oct 6, 2006)

phoenixxx said:


> Same in Bedford. Although there are also a lot of chavs to be seen in their natural habitat.


:lol2::lol2:


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## wayakinwolf (Oct 6, 2006)

Wow! what a great day out for a youngster to start getting into herping, the younger the better within reason. Awesome pics too, just wish i had my health so i could go out herping.:2thumb:


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## xXFooFooLaFluffXx (Aug 4, 2007)

has someone already asked where are you when you were takin these pics? if so i apologise, have only skimmed through the thread, very good pics though i must say


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

They were taken at a site on Kirkby Moor in Lincolnshire


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## Mirf (May 22, 2008)

How chuffed does your lad look stupot?? Great pics!!!

You're looking very 'cuddly' these days, can I start stalking you again?:flrt:


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## scaleylover (Mar 10, 2009)

Great pictures 
what camera do you use?

hmmm u giving me ideas 
am going to have to go away do some research 
my life in cold blood poster tells me that generally native reps hibernate till March so should be starting to come out 

any important tips for someone thinking about going herping for the first time?


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## VoodooViper (Jan 25, 2009)

Walked all through the new forest today and didnt see a bloody thing...anyone know any good spots?


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## Viperkeeper (Aug 23, 2007)

Fantastic shots mate :no1:


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## stuartdouglas (Mar 5, 2008)

scaleylover said:


> Great pictures
> what camera do you use?
> 
> hmmm u giving me ideas
> ...


 It's just a Fuji Finepix E550 digital compact.

Look on the Forestry commision website

Forestry Commission - Insects and Reptiles

and English nature sites for areas where you would be likely to find reptiles


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## t-bo (Jan 26, 2005)

Great pictures! Makes me want to go herping  I think i'll take a walk in the New Forest this coming weekend, see what I can find.


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## retic lover (Sep 23, 2008)

All i can say is wow, and nice to see a young herper enjoying a good day out:2thumb:


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

yeah man... this is the stuff i like... keep the outings and pics coming!!:2thumb:


... i keep dropping by these threads... just in case a new pic is posted!:mf_dribble:: victory:


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