Based on what we know about the life style of these animals it is possible to draw some conclusions on how best to find and watch these attractive fascinating creatures:
- Find the right habitat. Most of these creatures have pretty specific requirements that determine where they live and that will limit the likely places you can find them. Finding a known site where they occur is an obviously good starting point!
- Look early in the season. When they first emerge from hibernation (around March in most years) the weather is colder and they are lacking in warmth and strength and so are less able to be active. At this time of year they spend much more time basking in the sun gaining warmth.
- Look early in the day or on days when the weather is cool and cloudy. To keep active they need to keep warm and so look looking for them on a warm, sunny afternoon is probably not going to very succesful. In bad weather they shelter in the safety of cover so do not look if the conditions are totally unfavourable.
- Tread carefully. These animals can detect ground vibration from your footsteps from some distance away and if they are warm they will move away long before you get to them. Even snakes can move quickly despite having no legs!
- Look for sunny spots. South facing slopes are good for lizards and snakes. Look also on fallen tree trunks, log piles, posts in the ground, any prominent feature in the sun. On cooler days look for things like tyres, tin or tiles, anything made of a material that absorbs heat as these creatures will often use them to absorb heat from.
Look in damp or dark, cool places for frogs, toads and newts. They do not like to get too hot or their skin can dry out. In really hot weather look for them in ponds, pools in ditches. This is also where you will possibly find them in spring when they are breeding.
- Reptiles in particular are creatures of habit. Once they find a warming spot that suits them they will continue to use it unless it proves to be dangerous! If you see a lizard or snake but it detects you coming and slips away, move off for a while and come back slowly later, it may well have returned to its favoured spot again by then.
Exercise extreme care, these creatures have legal protection and you must not harm them nor should you handle them. If you encounter a sheet of corrugated iron on a nature reserve it will be part of a survey project and must not lift them to look underneath. Remember too that adders can bite and whilst an adder bite is rarely fatal to human beings I understand it can be quite unpleasant! Do not take a dog with you when looking for snakes and lizards.
Just to emphasize that last point again. ALWAYS put nature first, do not do anything to harm or unduly distress any creature, even for a better view and especially for a better photograph. Do not take specimens unless you are engaged in scientific research for the benefit of the conservation of these species. If you hurt yourself it is your fault but there is no excuse for hurting a helpless or harmless creature!
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