{"id":3947,"date":"2017-07-27T21:07:43","date_gmt":"2017-07-27T21:07:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/?p=3947"},"modified":"2018-01-11T21:21:02","modified_gmt":"2018-01-11T21:21:02","slug":"sand-lizards-at-higher-hyde-heath","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/?p=3947","title":{"rendered":"Sand Lizards at Higher Hyde Heath"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_4990\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4990\" class=\"wp-image-4990 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4482.jpg\" alt=\"Sand Lizard (male) enjoying a few rays of spring sunshine at Higher Hyde Heath.\" width=\"840\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4482.jpg 840w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4482-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4482-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4482-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4482-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4482-385x257.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4990\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sand Lizard (male) enjoying a few rays of spring sunshine at Higher Hyde Heath.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Great to see the Sand Lizards especially when the males are bright green during Spring and early Summer. Hard to believe they&#8217;re native to the UK.\u00a0 In total over a couple of hours we were fortunate to see 5 males and 2 females. Somewhat surprisingly not a single Common Lizard however the sound of a Turtle Dove calling from a nearby tree was an unexpected bonus.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; left: 0;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gZz-a-7aaek?ecver=2\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>A\u00a0 few highlights edited to show the occasional bit of action. <\/p>\n<p>In general whilst they&#8217;re basking in the sunshine Sand Lizards have little reason to move unless they feel threatened. Although the footage gives the impression I was relatively close it was recorded from a considerable distance on the equivalent of a 420mm lens (approx. 8x magnification).<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4991\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4991\" class=\"wp-image-4991 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4506.jpg\" alt=\"Open wide !\" width=\"840\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4506.jpg 840w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4506-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4506-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4506-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4506-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4506-385x257.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4991\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Open wide !<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_4994\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4994\" class=\"wp-image-4994 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4571.jpg\" alt=\"Stumpy - not your average tail\" width=\"840\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4571.jpg 840w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4571-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4571-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4571-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4571-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4571-385x257.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4994\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stumpy &#8211; not your average tail<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Note the relatively short stumpy tail on this particular lizard. At some point in its past the lizard has been forced to discard its tail in response to a predator. In the Dorset heaths the Sand Lizard&#8217;s main adversaries are Smooth Snakes and Kestrels<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4992\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4992\" class=\"wp-image-4992 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4545.jpg\" alt=\"Male Sand Lizard \" width=\"840\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4545.jpg 840w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4545-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4545-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4545-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4545-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4545-385x257.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4992\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Male Sand Lizard<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Another male Sand Lizard complete with a full tail. Again, quite content to relax in the sunshine.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; left: 0;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-s4cbCtYyNI?ecver=2\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>Another short video.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4993\" src=\"http:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4569.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"840\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4569.jpg 840w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4569-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4569-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4569-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4569-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/DSC_4569-385x257.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Finally a Sand Lizard stretching its legs as it moves closer towards a female hiding under a pantile. Unfortunately on this occasion it was impossible to photograph the female without causing any disturbance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Great to see the Sand Lizards especially when the males are bright green during Spring and early Summer. Hard to believe they&#8217;re native to the UK.\u00a0 In total over a couple of hours we were fortunate to see 5 males and 2 females. Somewhat surprisingly <span class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"more-link btn btn-transparent\" href=\"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/?p=3947\">Read More &#8230;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4992,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[159,95,720],"class_list":["post-3947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reptiles","tag-higher-hyde-heath","tag-sand-lizard","tag-sand-lizard-male"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3947","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3947"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3947\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4996,"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3947\/revisions\/4996"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4992"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3947"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3947"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naturalbornblogger.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3947"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}