This time last year I was living in Spain seeing all kinds of reptile and amphibian species. This year, back at home in the North- West there are still a few herps to be found. Some recent nice weather allowed me, mostly in the company of my girlfriend, to photograph some emerging species close to home, such as Common Toads (Bufo bufo), Common Frogs (Rana temporaria), Smooth Newts (Triturus vulgaris), Viviparous Lizards (Zootoca vivipara) and Adders (Vipera berus). There may not be alot in the UK, but they still provide a nice distraction from uni exams 🙂 Getting out to my local sites in early spring is always a nice warm up for me before my trips abroad which usually start in April. But also this time, as I was not here last year, means that I can see how my local populations are doing in comparison to the last time I visited them in spring 2007.