Dorset Reptiles & Durlston Country Park 13th April

Went to Dorset today to do a bit of a Reptile ramble. We arrived at a reserve about 9.00 a.m and it wasn't long before we found a cracking male Sand Lizard basking on a Gorze stem. Around 5 Sand Lizards were seen at the site. We also had a couple of Common Lizards and 3 Slow Worms.
After walking around for a while we met up with Gary Powell from the Reptile and Amphibian Conservation trust who we had gone on a walk with a few years ago. He was checking a few tins in the area as he had heard of a melanistic Smooth Snake around and kindly asked us if we would like to join him and check the tin where it had been seen. We arrived at the tin and when he lifted it, there it was a Melanstic Smooth Snake with 3 normal one's. Rare as you like and a first for me! :-)

 Male Sand Lizard

 Male Sand Lizard

 Young Sand Lizard

 Smooth Snake

 Melanistic Smooth Snake

 Melanistic Smooth Snake

When we had finished here we set off for Durlston Country Park for the Early Spider orchids.
Quite a few were in flower along the pathways.

 Early Spider Orchid

 Early Spider Orchid