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Species spotted along the Genome Path this year so far

I've been keeping a list of wild animals I've seen along the Genome Path this year, for no better reason that I wondered if I might reach ten species by the end of the year. I reckon 21 before the end of August is pretty decent!

I haven't included small birds (the kinds birdwatchers call LBJs - little brown jobs) because they tend to move fast and they all look pretty much the same to me. I also haven't included insects because I don't know enough about them to recognise many species, but I've seen some impressive moths down there (and nearly swallowed one on my way back into town the other night. Yum.) and a devil's coach horse beetle which, when I swerved to avoid running it over, span around to face me with its jaws wide open in the pose that regardless of species unmistakably means "GO ON THEN - I FACKIN' DARE YA YER CAAAHHHHNNNNTTTT!"

Hares
Rabbits
Barn Owl
Tawny Owl
Mallard Ducks
Lapwings
Kingfisher
Crows
Jackdaws
Rooks
Kestrels
Heron
Pipistrelle Bats
Stoat
Weasel
Fox
Common Lizard
Muntjac
Shrew
Wood Mouse
Mole(hills)

Published by John Techno at 3:25pm on Fri 14th August 2015. Viewed 3,951 times.
This topic has been edited, last edit at 8:57pm on Sat 22nd August 2015.

Common Lizard

Any pictures? I hardly ever see lizards round 'ere.

Published by Wrongfellow at 3:54pm on Fri 14th August 2015.

Image111

Yup. Not a very good one because A; it was taken with my cheap tablet rather than a proper camera and B; the lizard had been run over - the cycle track probably seemed like a pretty good to bask until that happened. The body was fine, but the head was a bit squashed so it was probably a quick death at least.

One of my online mates who knows a bit about reptiles reckons it's a female which probably gave birth recently. I put it on a fencepost so the crows could find it, and now I know there are lizards along there I'll go back one morning with a better camera.

Published by John Techno at 4:48pm on Fri 14th August 2015.
This reply has been edited, last edit at 4:49pm on Fri 14th August 2015.

If it suits lizards, it makes me wonder if there might be adders too - especially with the mice (and probably lizards) for them to eat. I haven't seen a wild adder in yeeeeears.

Published by John Techno at 4:54pm on Fri 14th August 2015.

There are definitely grass snakes in Cambridge, and I'm told there are adders too, though I've never seen one. Apparently the towpath between Cambridge and Waterbeach used to be a good place to spot them, but they haven't been so numerous since it was 'improved'.

Published by sam i at 4:32pm on Mon 17th August 2015.

Adders are very common; if there weren't a few populations around Cambridge I'd be very surprised.

Published by John Techno at 10:46pm on Mon 17th August 2015.

Last year one of my collegues was bitten by an adder when visiting a site in Cambridgeshire with work. So there are definitely adders near Cambridge.

I was quite jealous. While being bitten by an adder was probably quite unpleasant, I think that it would be almost worth it to fill out the accident reporting form at work. "Reason for time off - bitten by poisonous snake".

Published by Silent Rob at 9:04am on Tue 18th August 2015.

Wow. I thought it was quite hard to get bitten by adders, don't they usually steer well clear of humans?

Published by sam i at 9:35am on Tue 18th August 2015.

I don't know the circumstances of the incident but, yes, I thought it was surprising too.

Published by Silent Rob at 10:44am on Tue 18th August 2015.

It usually happens when people disturb an adder, by treading on it, picking it up thinking it's a stick or, too often, trying to kill it because "OMG it's a snake" (in those cases, it's a pity adders aren't a bit more venomous). So assuming SR's friend was working in planning, it's likely they surprised one somewhere.

Published by John Techno at 12:25pm on Tue 18th August 2015.

Genome Path= is that the one from Addenbrookes to Shelford?
You missed off that sub species of humans, 'the gormless commuter', they stare at you from the train.

Published by Priority 23 at 12:36pm on Tue 18th August 2015.

Very occasionally I walk instead of cycle. If I notice gormless commuters look at me, sometimes I stop and pull faces at them.

Published by John Techno at 2:17am on Wed 19th August 2015.

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