After a nice sunny week, the temperature dropped down again by the weekend, but myself and Carl had planned to try to find some male Alpine newts (Ichytosaura alpestris) at the same area we visited in September last year. Before that however, we visited a different spot for Adders (Vipera berus), together with Andrew Gray. The area of suitable habitat for the snakes here is very small, but with some intermittent sunshine we managed to spot 3 males out basking.

Male Adder (Vipera berus) specimen 1 (C) Matt Wilson

Male Adder (Vipera berus) specimen 2, about to shed its skin (C) Matt Wilson

Male Adder (Vipera berus) specimen 3 (C) Matt Wilson

Male Adder (Vipera berus) specimen 3 (C) Matt Wilson

In addition, Carl saw and photographed the first Common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) of the year last week close to his place.

Male Common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) (C) Carl Corbidge

After our reptile search we drove north to the Alpine newt introduction spot. At the first pond we failed to find any newts, although we would surely have seen some if we were searching at night with our torches. However at a smaller, covered ditch, we spotted a single Palmate newt (Lissotriton helveticus), two Common toads (Bufo bufo) and a male Alpine newt!

Alpine newt (Ichtoysaura alpestris) (C) Matt Wilson

Alpine newt (Ichtoysaura alpestris) (C) Matt Wilson

Alpine newt (Ichtoysaura alpestris) (C) Matt Wilson