Please do, you take fantastic pics! What's the Latin name for the British adder, btw? I'm just wondering if it's the same kind of snake we have, looks similar. (Edit: probably not, ours is Vipera berus, so I guess it would be a viper rather than adder. Though they both translate to "kyy" in Finnish.)
Yup, ours is V. berus as well, the northern viper. Adder is an English name, from (if I remember correctly) the Old English 'a naedre' or 'a creeping thing'. It's also the source of the name 'natterjack', as in the toad. And that's the Useless Fact Of The Day for the first of July. I can probably identify your lovely fly as it looks quite familiar, but I'm in the process of moving at the moment and my books are all packed up.
Ok, here are some lizards. Around here we only get two types, my partner's favourite is the slow worm Anguis fragilis. Slow worm by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr They are legless and fossorial, and can be found in large numbers under cover. I have some old tin laid out that produces a lot; slow worms by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr Slow worms by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr Males are golden, females are darker, with a vertebral stripe and dark flanks; Slow worms by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr Juveniles are gold with a solid, glossy black belly; neonate slow worm by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr The other species is the common- or viviparous lizard Zootoca vivipara (formerly Lacerta vivipara); Common lizard by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr I like these. They always look slightly sceptical. Common lizards by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr As the name suggests they give birth to live young, and get immensely fat in the process; Common lizard by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr Interestingly (to me at least), in the south of Europe they actually lay eggs. Their claim to fame is that they are found further north than any other reptile, well in to the Arctic Circle. Some other lizards from Italy, where they have a much better selection. Green lizard (very cool); 172/366 by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr Wall lizard; 171/366 by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr And another wall lizard from an introduced population in southern England; Wall lizard by yellowhammer_01, on Flickr
Thanks, I like useless linguistic facts. I looked up all two and half species of Finnish snakes and looks like they all also live in the UK. The aforementioned V. berus is the most common, but rantakäärme (Natrix natrix) also lives in some regions and then the "half" is vaskitsa (Anguis fragilis), which is called a snake, even if it's actually a lizard. In return, I'll give you another useless linguistic fact for the day: our name for A. fragilis, "vaskitsa" is shortened from "vaskikäärme". Käärme = snake, but "vaski" is a very, very old word for metal. Originally it referred to copper, then bronze and sometimes brass as well. Occasionally it also refers to iron or steel (also in Hungarian, I think, vas = iron). In this case, it refers to the copperish-brown color of the lizard.
I never knew there were any snakes in the UK! (Yeah, and I live here...) I've only ever seen Viviparous lizards (common lizard) over here in Northern Ireland but apparently we have slow worms too, no snakes though
This Dove knows how you beat the heat when it's a hundred and eight! and having a cool drink at the same time! This Dove was standing under the sprinkler, enjoying the day!
On vacation with the family spotted this about sixty feet away eating a elk. The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.
Queen: "It's stuffy in here, we feel like getting some fresh air." Chorus: "23rd airborne ready for action, ma'am!" Queen: "We shall go then." Chorus: "LET'S SWARM!"
Found a smaller critter, again while I was mowing. Good thing I watch before I go. This makes 2 animals I didn't kill, on purpose that is . Little fellow hopped right away happy and free.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.
Good thing it wasn't my wife on that mower. She hates bunnies. Would you believe she laughed all the way through Watership Down? Remember, big brother is watching
A lunar moth, when I was little used to see them a lot. Just don't see as many around here anymore. Very cool. The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.
Rescued a couple baby birds. Mama had laid the eggs inside of a boat trailer that someone had pawned at the shop. Seeing how mama was now miles away and babies would die without her, myself and a coworker took the birds out. Keep your fingers crossed they survive, I've raised baby birds before it isn't an easy task.
