THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE

THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

THE CISSBURY ADDERS

Printed in Sussex Local in July 2009

To get us started here is an extract from a Sussex County Magazine dated 1935...... click on extracts to enlarge...

Adders are rampant on Cissbury Ring.... so watch out. My Shetland Sheepdog, Katie, found this young lady on a wide open track on the summit of Cissbury Ring. She took objection at being sniffed and lunged at Katie .......but thankfully missed as I shouted "wait". Otherwise this could have meant an overnight stay at the vet's surgery and more bills to pay.

This particular reptile was just over a foot long.... so not particularly large..... perhaps a young one setting forth into the world.

Adders are seen from March to October but I know they've been noticed on Cissbury in February perhaps due to climate change. During the winter months they are supposed to hibernate ........underground. I guess this one was waiting for some unsuspecting mouse or lizard to walk passed when Katie rudely interrupted her and she made a hasty retreat to cover.

23rd July 2004

Dear Valerie.

That Adder!!!

I read with great interest the article on the Adder/Viper? Also viewed the photo
on you Web Site.

To me it looks like an Adder, called Deaf or Death Adder in Australia. They are in large numbers in the Northern sectors of New South Wales in Aussie.

I grew Bananas on the Mountain slopes in my early years. In one Summer recorded scoring 14 in one week.

Their bite was fatal if medical aid was not received within 30 Minutes. I was hours away from the nearest Doctor or Medical aid of any decription.

I had several very close encounters with these Adders and on two occasions was bitten on the toe of my footwear, the bite penetrated the leather and injected the Venom into the sock.
They were not vicious unless disturbed. They could strike with lightning speed and differ in their strike from other species because they strike sideways.

I am still a regular visitor to your lovely site. Keep up the good work.

Kind Regards. Lloyd Connolly.

Lloyd Connolly, Kingscliff, New South Wales, Australia.

25th July 2004

Hello Valerie,

Adders

Despite Lloyd Connolly's dire warnings about the "adders" in Australia the venom from adders found in Findon is not normally lethal !

Of course certain persons who are highly allergic, or persons suffering from some other serious medical condition are more vulnerable.

In addition an adder will not normally strike at a human being unless it feels seriously threatened.

When I worked in the gardens around Windlesham, particularly on the grassy banks near the school, I would see many on a daily basis and just used to work around them !

Lawrie May

Lawrie May, Antigua, West Indies.

Remember the vet's bill for an overnight stay if a dog is bitten by an adder.

A bit later on another morning in a sunny spot on the southern slopes of Cissbury Ring, what do you think I found? Yes, another of Britain’s only venomous reptiles. Another adder. This time a blackish coloured one.... perhaps I should call it charcoal coloured and if it had any markings they were very faint. It was quite a length, about 18 in. It waved its head to and fro and then slid off into a bush in disgust at being stared at.

I was so startled and surprised at my find that I didn't at first think to get out my camera. When I did, it was too late. I have since learned that it was a melanistic adder. As they get older apparently they darken up and eventually become black. It seems to have been a rare sight.

Female adders can give birth to between 5 and 20 live young, although usually the number is between 6 and 10. The young remain close to their mother for a few days, before going off in search of food. An interesting fact is that female adders do not breed on consecutive years, as they do not have time to build up sufficient fat reserves to produce another set of young from one breeding season to the next.

Adders are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 from being killed, injured or sold.
It was March when I got my next good shot of an adder at Cissbury. This was a sleepy young one asleep.....

click on images to enlarge.

A week later, young Miss Adder was still around.....

In May 2008, Terry Walls in Canberra emailed an interesting question to my website ― "Valerie….. This is a serious question - how do you 'sex' a snake? Especially without getting bitten."

I know next to nothing about adders but as far as I know, it is a question of size and difference in colour. This is comparatively easy to see when a number of snakes are together.
Males seem to be grey, creamy white or steely grey and are easily distinguished from the girls.
Females range from browns and yellows through to rather brick red. Females are larger than their protective males.

More Findon wildlife now...... introducing Mr. Toad.....

click on images of him to enlarge

You will all have come across Mr. Toad of Toad Hall.

Here is an adventuresome Mr Toad that I came across at Cissbury Ring in October 2005.

He was really nice to feel and quite fearless.

A delightful little fella.

Perhaps I will find Ratty and Mole next!

On to a slightly different subject. Have you ever wondered where the boundaries of Cissbury Ring start and finish?

I learned a little more from Vic Oliver, guardian of Cissbury Ring (warden).

For instance, the National Trust northern boundary ends in the centre of the track going down to Canada Barn.

The Western Escarpment (that's my own name for the western side) is not part of the National Trust's Cissbury Ring..... it belongs to the Wyatt family of the Cissbury Estate in Nepcote.

The small wedge of land with room for one vehicle to be parked precariously between the gate into the Cissbury Estate (where I usually leave my car and I say is reserved for me) belongs to the National Trust.

The rough main area of car park (very rough and rutted these days) is leased to the National Trust by someone called Brian Harris (who I've yet to run across).

Correct at the time of going to press. July 2004.

Now you know as much as I do!

Continue if you would like to see The First Snow of the Winter in 2005.

Back to Cissbury Ring Index

Back to Main Index

This is Findon Village — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.

E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com