Grass Snake
Natrix natrix
Our back field in particular is full of grass snakes. They were undoubtedly there when we bought the fields but a number of things that we’ve done will have increased the numbers.
Firstly, the large numbers of new ponds – grass snakes are aquatic.
We have also increased the amount of wet ground and cover and so now have more prey species – frogs and voles in particular.
Grass snakes use decaying vegetation to breed in so we brought in bales and brash to create “compost heaps”.
We also now have some “tins” for them to warm up under.
Rubble and brash piles also give them cover and the areas poached by the cattle give them places to bask in.