View Full Version : Reptile Cold Case - Blood Warning -
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 11:50
Okey dokey, fresh kill. Who dunnit?
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/darkcrown_1969/SWKill.jpg
Siberianfury
03-07-2010, 12:12
im betting a rat or weasle.
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 12:20
From the puncture marks I would have said weasel too, they are spot on for a weasel bite. In this case the perpetrator was seen and disturbed, it wasn't weasel or rat.
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 13:09
Nope, not a shnufty-pig.
Davey569
03-07-2010, 13:54
It wasnt that pesky heron again was it? Hmmmm Im thinking some kind of bird?
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 14:07
It wasnt that pesky heron again was it? Hmmmm Im thinking some kind of bird?
You're right about the bird. Not a heron though.
Mesquite
03-07-2010, 14:24
Corvid... ?
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 14:36
Corvid... ?
Nope, none of the corvid family.
Davey569
03-07-2010, 14:50
Buzzard maybe?
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 14:59
Buzzard maybe?
Nope, although there are plenty about and do take them quite regularly.
_scorpio_
03-07-2010, 16:19
that must have been a kestrel to have spotted that...?
_scorpio_
03-07-2010, 16:19
you must have scared the attacker off though or surely it would have eaten it??
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 16:49
Not a kestrel. No doubt it would have eaten it if it wasn't scared off. Probably came back to finish it off later.
_scorpio_
03-07-2010, 16:56
who is close then? i cant think of much else that would have bothered...egret? herring gull??? not a corvid...
_scorpio_
03-07-2010, 16:57
is it something really unguessably odd... like a duck or a sparrow or something?
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 16:57
Nope, none of them. There is one bird that is responsible for eating most of our native reptiles. Never seen one tackle something this big before though.
_scorpio_
03-07-2010, 16:59
adders arent birds...
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 16:59
Not a adder ?????????
Nope, it was a bird.
_scorpio_
03-07-2010, 17:00
eh...?? slowworms arent that big....
_scorpio_
03-07-2010, 17:01
am i likely to go "oh! of course!" or "never heard of one before"
sorry been to pub i ll get a taxi ! ("taxi for lab72" )
_scorpio_
03-07-2010, 17:02
moorhen? coot? swan? owl???
_scorpio_
03-07-2010, 17:03
pigeon?? kingfisher!?!
Sherwood
03-07-2010, 17:04
Magpie? ??
sorry magpies are Corvids..
perhaps I should have gone to pub...:lmao:
_scorpio_
03-07-2010, 17:05
magpies are corvids
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 17:08
eh...?? slowworms arent that big....
I've only ever seen them kill and eat juveniles before. Never adults.
No one has it yet.
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 17:08
am i likely to go "oh! of course!" or "never heard of one before"
The first one.
Sherwood
03-07-2010, 17:09
Yes, I realised and was editing my post,:o
Davey569
03-07-2010, 17:19
pheasant ....?
Sherwood
03-07-2010, 17:23
pheasant ....?
beat me to it I was going to say that or partridge?
Davey569
03-07-2010, 17:23
Or a goshhawk. Im thinking its something of that size as Im pretty sure I can see tallon marks just below the head.
Davey569
03-07-2010, 17:24
Hobbie? kestrel? merlin?
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 17:26
Hold on, hold on. You got it in your first post you loon.
pheasant ....?
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 17:27
beat me to it I was going to say that or partridge?
Yeah, it was pheasant. Pesky non natives that they are.
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 17:28
Or a goshhawk. Im thinking its something of that size as Im pretty sure I can see tallon marks just below the head.
The marks on it's head are old scars. Quite a few older slow-worms have these.
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 17:29
spwrrow hawk ?
https://rcwanc.com/images/pheasant-1_ltws.jpg
Davey569
03-07-2010, 17:29
Aha! I think I got a bit carried away there. :)
Ive only heard rumoures that they went after them, I didnt know it was true.
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 17:35
Aha! I think I got a bit carried away there. :)
Ive only heard rumoures that they went after them, I didnt know it was true.
Yeah, they are a nightmare in September/October when the young are born. They take adders, grass and smooth snakes and all the lizards.
Davey569
03-07-2010, 17:36
Ouch. Im guessing they mistake them for worms?
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 17:39
Ouch. Im guessing they mistake them for worms?
They seem to know what they are, they attack the neonate adders by pinning the body and neck and pecking the head to prevent them biting. I guess in their native country that the instinct to do this would be there from the many venomous snakes they have to deal with.
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 17:39
one of these
Dave got it at the top of the page.
_scorpio_
03-07-2010, 17:40
pretty sure that humans are a worse threat to them, but thats a surprise to me.
i was going to start listing things like phesants, partridges and grouse but he got there first.
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 17:51
pretty sure that humans are a worse threat to them, but thats a surprise to me.
i was going to start listing things like phesants, partridges and grouse but he got there first.
Humans are the biggest threat as they collect them to sell, kill them on sight or destroy their habitat. Next would be cats, corvids, pheasants. Followed by the mammals and birds of prey. Corvids are the biggest natural killer, including cats.
They seem to know what they are, they attack the neonate adders by pinning the body and neck and pecking the head to prevent them biting. I guess in their native country that the instinct to do this would be there from the many venomous snakes they have to deal with.
I never new that pheasants did that! I am enjoying these 'cold cases' a lot. Cheers, Jonathan for posting these.
-Emile
British Red
03-07-2010, 23:03
Far tooo slow here...
Blimey - didn'y know a pheasant would do that....
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 23:12
Far tooo slow here...
Blimey - didn'y know a pheasant would do that....
Red, out of all the animals I've seen take neonate adders, pheasants I've seen take the most. With them and cats, it's the only time I intervene.
British Red
03-07-2010, 23:17
Not seen an adder in twenty years Jon - pheasants aplenty though - gaudy dumbasses that they are. I do like watching the males scrap at mating time when they rear up at each other but can take em or leave em to be honest - mind you thers 6,000 of em on this farm and the novelty wears off.
Would like to see an adder again though.....
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 23:24
Not seen an adder in twenty years Jon - pheasants aplenty though - gaudy dumbasses that they are. I do like watching the males scrap at mating time when they rear up at each other but can take em or leave em to be honest - mind you thers 6,000 of em on this farm and the novelty wears off.
Would like to see an adder again though.....
Red, you are in prime reptile country. In fact, the best in the country. I've worked your area intensively, especially Studland.
British Red
03-07-2010, 23:27
I probably make too much noise :)
JonathanD
03-07-2010, 23:34
I probably make too much noise :)
You couldn't possibly make as much noise as this:
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/darkcrown_1969/01May2010EmmaCo30.jpg
_scorpio_
03-07-2010, 23:36
Not seen an adder in twenty years
mind you thers 6,000 of em on this farm
i see a correlation here...
Cyclingrelf
04-07-2010, 07:32
Wow, I didn't know pheasants took snakes. Thanks Jonathan for the info :)
Where are you in the UK, Jonathan?
The reason I ask is that I worked from March until September in Dorset many years ago and became fascinated by the Hobbies which were seen hunting regularly in the area. On one or two occassions I witnessed them lifting what I thought was a snake, although too far away to identify, which surprised me as I had read that they were exclusively aerial feeders (and what aerial feeders they are, that can take a swallow on the wing!).
I was also surprised to discover adders in the area, but believe the said prey to be either slow worms or grass snakes.
The Hobby spent minimum time on the ground, however and I can't see them being caught unawares.
A Hobby?
Sorry folks, somehow missed the last half dozen posts... :banghead:
JonathanD
10-07-2010, 11:01
Where are you in the UK, Jonathan?
The reason I ask is that I worked from March until September in Dorset many years ago and became fascinated by the Hobbies which were seen hunting regularly in the area. On one or two occassions I witnessed them lifting what I thought was a snake, although too far away to identify, which surprised me as I had read that they were exclusively aerial feeders (and what aerial feeders they are, that can take a swallow on the wing!).
I was also surprised to discover adders in the area, but believe the said prey to be either slow worms or grass snakes.
The Hobby spent minimum time on the ground, however and I can't see them being caught unawares.
A Hobby?
Hi, I'm on the West Mids, South Staffs, Worcs border. Dorset used to be my old herping grounds and you are lucky enough to have all our six species (plus some foreigners) in your county. Hobbys are known to take slow-worms and juvenile snakes.