Polly Pullar takes a lighthearted look at rural life
Renowned nature writer Polly Pullar takes a lighthearted look at rural life.
UNLIKE some other parts of Europe, we do not have numerous species of reptiles and amphibians in Scotland. Here, there are two types of lizard, the viviparous or common lizard, and the slowworm.
The latter is classified as a legless lizard, not a snake. Both are totally harmless. Even our only poisonous snake, the adder, or viper, is not aggressive unless disturbed.
The common lizard is widespread around the British Isles, though not in Orkney or Shetland.
Lizards are beautiful creatures, yet we seldom have the chance to see them up close.
Shy and secretive, they normally melt away into the long grasses when they are disturbed. They frequent dry heathery moorland as well as sandy places where there is plenty of humidity.
There used to be a large area of old railway sleepers and rocks propping up the road above the farm.
Over the years it began to collapse – the rotting timbers had been there for over 40 years.
One day I was having a closer look at the area and a damp, soft chunk of wood fell away, revealing a dozen or more tiny lizards hibernating in this ideal place. It gave me a wonderful opportunity to study the perfect little reptiles.
Some had bright orange bellies – these are the males. I had clearly stumbled upon a hibernaculum where an entire family was snoozing in safety.
There was a chill wind so I was concerned they would come to harm, and once I had had a close look I quickly packed the hole with the fallen wood, adding moss and some earth to hold it together until they moved on.
Eventually it all had to be taken down and rebuilt with a wonderful armour wall of massive rocks.
This has provided an even better habitat for creatures such as lizards and toads and small mammals, particularly as it is colonised by many different types of plants.
Though lizards are often hard to see, during periods of warm sunny weather they frequently come out to bask, and it is often possible to creep up on them if your shadow is behind you.
One such day, I was at the lovely Flanders Moss near Stirling. This is a perfect habitat for reptiles and amphibians.
Flanders Moss is a National Nature Reserve of important raised bog. This rare habitat supports an impressive variety of life both great and small.
In spring it is alive with the passionate activity of frogs and toads that come here annually to spawn.
Soon after this frog fest, the cuckoo arrives together with a host of other avian migrants including the gorgeous redstart.
In summer, dragonflies emerge from the peaty pools, flitting across the patchwork of red, gold and emerald green, adding their own flashes of brilliant sparkle glinting in the sun.
As we wandered across the scene, we noticed dozens of tiny lizards all sunning themselves on the edges of the boardwalk.
When pregnant, female lizards become less active and spend much more time basking as this helps with the growth of their young.
A lizard’s gestation period is entirely dependent on the weather and can be between six and 13 weeks, depending on the amount of sunshine.
Sometimes they may have up to 10 young. Unlike some other species of lizard, the common lizard gives birth to live young encased in a membrane from which they swiftly emerge, and not in an egg.
I thought about the lizards as I looked at my pictures revealing all their minute details.
I also breathed a sigh of relief that gone are the days of lizard and snakeskin shoes, gloves and bags.
These creatures are losing their habitat across the country and need all the help we can give them. n We’ll take another “Breath Of Country Air” in our July 29 issue.