Wall Lizards...

It's been a couple of years since I last saw the Ventnor Wall Lizards Podarcis muralis. You really have to see them on a warm sunny day to see them at their best and today reached the dizzy high of 15 degrees with clear blue skies, so it was time to take another look.

I was surprised to see so many males, at least 9 and only a couple of females - it's always been the other way around on previous visits. They showed very well indeed, these green-backed individuals are of the race P. m. nigriventris with their ancestral roots in northern Italy.

Common Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis nigriventris, male

Common Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis nigriventris, male

Common Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis nigriventris, male

Common Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis nigriventris, male

Common Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis nigriventris, male

Also had another large female Adder Vipera berus soaking up the sun this morning.

Adder Vipera berus, female 

Common Adder Vipera berus, female 

Common Adder Vipera berus, female 

With a couple of days of our holiday left, I wonder if there are anymore adders to be seen? I've also been running the bat detector at our holiday cottage and had four species on the wing this week: Common pipistrelle, Soprano pipistrelle, Brown long-eared and Serotine! I just love the Isle-of-Wight.