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Nature thread??


craftycarper

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. Or just the control of an alien invasive species, shooting and fishing are also country sports, and as such will come up from time to time, be nice to have a section were people were talking about things they love about our wonderful countryside, not were people are fishing for a quarrel, don't you think, ?

yeah but ........ you started it by suggesting we should kill fluffy rodents, which is bound to be controversial. If that ain't fishing for a quarrel I can't think what is. argue.gif

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yeah but ........ you started it by suggesting we should kill fluffy rodents, which is bound to be controversial. If that ain't fishing for a quarrel I can't think what is. argue.gif

What is a fluffy rodent?....Long haired rat?

Fluffy bunnies not rodents are they?

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What is a fluffy rodent?....Long haired rat?

Fluffy bunnies not rodents are they?

No they aren't rodents. I think they are what are known as Lagoporphs. They are totally vegetarian while Rodents will eat meat. They also if I remember correctly have 4 incisor teeth against a rodents 2.

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I was wondering this too. Since when were squirrels rodents?

Squirrels are Family Rodents. However rats are in the sub family muroidea while squirrels are in sub family scurinaetree.

 

Humans and chimps are both Hominids just as Squirrels and Rats are both Rodents but you wouldn't dream of calling a chimp a human

 

I suppose comparing a Chimp and Orang Utan would have been better as somebody is likely to claim humans are higher than mere animals.

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A grass snake tried to climb on board the boat from the water in Banbury a couple of weeks ag0 - at least a metre long.

We had a similar experience on the Erewash Canal last year. We were on tick over passing some fishermen, when we spotted a large (but perhaps not a metre long) snake making its way mid canal towards us. Just as it passed by our stern, it seemed to rear up as if to make an attempt to get on the deck. To say I was not too happy at the time was an understatement. A few miles later and we reached Langley Mill. Talking to a fisherman there, he said that grass snakes came out from just below the lock at dusk each night to swim in the canal. However we did not see any ourselves that evening. Talking of Grass Snakes, anyone heard of the Romanian Grass Snake population on the Leeds Liverpool Canal close to the Esholt sewage treatment plant in West Yorkshire?

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Talking of Grass Snakes, anyone heard of the Romanian Grass Snake population on the Leeds Liverpool Canal close to the Esholt sewage treatment plant in West Yorkshire?

Probably another example of some clown releasing an alien species laying up god knows what problems for the future.

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Talking of Grass Snakes, anyone heard of the Romanian Grass Snake population on the Leeds Liverpool Canal close to the Esholt sewage treatment plant in West Yorkshire?

I haven't heard about Romanian grass snakes, but I know there are quite a lot of adders on the section that your talking about.

Regards kris

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I haven't heard about Romanian grass snakes, but I know there are quite a lot of adders on the section that your talking about.

Regards kris

For the record it appears to be proven that they are there and of Rumanian origin. It isn't known if they somehow arrived with some imported grass (unlikely I feel) or are a deliberate release of captive bred animals.

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I'm talking about the section of the L&L past esholt sewage works,up to field lock mentioned by the poster. Where are you talking about? For the record.

For clarity there have been lots of sightings of adders on the section in question.

Regards kris

Edited by kris88
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I am not sure that the Romanian Grass Snakes and Adders both frequenting the area around on the L&L past Asholt Lock up to Field Lock are mutually exclusive. Do they co-habit quite happily? The story I heard was that the sewage works were experimenting with natural filtration and had imported large quantities of grasses and reeds from Romania. It was just after this that the distinctive Romanian Grass Snakes were spotted in the area and the population seems to be growing. About four years ago we were waiting on the lockkeeper at Field Lock (top side) so went for a short walk along the bank to the disused railway bridge. On the steps of the bridge we spotted about a dozen snake hatchlings. We assumed they were grass snakes at the time, but had not heard the story of the Romanian Grass Snakes back then, so didn't think much about it.

Edited by Derek Porteous
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I'm talking about the section of the L&L past esholt sewage works,up to field lock mentioned by the poster. Where are you talking about? For the record.

For clarity there have been lots of sightings of adders on the section in question.

Regards kris

Mitocondrial examination has shown snakes round the Esholt Sewage Treatment works are of Romanian origin. There may also have been a lot of adder sightings or were they mistaken identity - who knows. However it is difficult to argue with tests at cell structure level.

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Most adders I,ve seen have all been on Heath type land, on the mendips, exmoor and places like that, were as all the grass snakes I,ve seen are in or around water in lowland type environments,though I have heard of loads of claims of people seeing adders even killing them, only to find out it was just grass snakes, sadly for the grass snake they are a much more impressive looking snake than adders, and regularly fall victim to misidentification, shortly followed by a whack with a broom or shovel,

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We are moored at Castle Gardens Leicester.

 

Each night at about the same time, just after midnight out they come.

 

The intoxicated extended chested student male. Closely followed by the easily impressed gigglybird. Their call is on maximum to attract as much attention as possible.

 

They have a preference to climb man made obstructions to allow them access to the quieter reaches of Castle Park Nature Reserve where they spend the next 80 minutes or so, performing a ritual similar to that of the juvenile lessedukatied thrush in mating season.

Upon cessation of this behaviour off they go, once again conquering the obstructions, ensure maximum exposure of whereabouts.

 

Peace returns to the nest of the marinerclan speices who hope they will find more suitable nesting areas when they migrate further north for the winter.

  • Greenie 1
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I'm not saying there aren't Romanian grass snakes near esholt, I've seen pictures of adders taken there, so they must cohabitate.

There do seem to be unusual numbers of snakes near the sewage works. Wonder why?

Regards kris

From the grass snake point of view the habitat is probably ideal preferring wet land but is also found in pasture and gardens. Their diet in the early part of the year is fish and newts and later in the season moving on to frogs and toads. Mice and voles are occasionally taken as well.

 

Adders habitat is more commonly rough pasture, open country and woodland edge. Their diet is mainly small mammals, however they have been seen to take lizards, frogs and even nestlings of ground nesting birds.

 

Incidentally Grass snakes are frequently misidentified as Adders. I am not saying this is what has happened but I am stating what many authorities say.

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The romanian grass snake has a diet similar to adders (and slightly different to our native species) and tend to be the cross-over in terms of preferred habitat.

 

When I get a chance I will e-mail a colleague of mine who was involved in the survey (mentioned earlier) of the area concerned for more exact details but I have seen photos from it of both native and romanian grass-snakes and adders.

 

I'm pretty sure that the Esholt survey results were on-line at some point but I can't find them

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