Surrey Amphibian and Reptile Group (SARG)

1. Surrey Amphibian and Reptile Group (SARG) Methods & Protocols

2. 6. Do your survey, repeat as necessary. 7. Send in your results ! 2. Check out grid for good reptile areas 5. Select a transect (path) between your tins. 3. Identify areas where you may want to lay refugia. 4. Get permission to enter property & lay tins. NARRS Process • Receive or choose allocated grid

3. National Reptile Survey: Methods & Protocols This presentation aims to give a beginner enough fieldcraft knowledge to begin a reptile survey on their own. The presentation also describes the survey protocols and other considerations.

4. How to survey for reptiles • Reptiles warm up by basking or lying under • warm objects • They may bask for several hours every day • This is the best time to find them • Reptile survey should (ideally) combine two techniques: • Visual search • Artificial refugia • All species can be found using visual search • But artificial refugia greatly increase chances of • detection (for some species)

5. How to survey for reptiles • Refugia are an important tool for surveying reptiles. Some species use refugia more than others: • Slow-worms, smooth snakes – surveys must involve refugia (rarely seen otherwise) • Adders, grass snakes – refugia helpful (but can be found by visual search) • Common lizards, sand lizards – refugia can be useful (but must use visual search as well – otherwise miss lots) • Always search when walking between refugia (Transect) • Fieldcraft comes with practice, but good pointers will get you started

6. When to survey for reptiles – best time of year Best time is the spring (especially April/May) Reptiles most active and visible Getting into breeding condition Cool weather – need to bask for longer at this time of year As the spring becomes summer, survey only possible in short periods As cooler autumn arrives - survey conditions improve again

7. When to survey for reptiles – best time of year Bad Variable/ Poor Good Bad Best

8. When to survey for reptiles – best time of year Sand lizard sightings per month Definite spring peak Number of survey visits per month Similar no. of visits in autumn, fewer in summer, but clear dips in no. of sightings

9. When to survey for reptiles – best time of day Early spring middle hours of the day (c.11am-3pm) Late spring mid morning (c.9-11am) and late afternoon (c.4-6pm) Summer short periods in morning (c.7-9am) and evening (6-8pm); hot weather can produce totally negative results Autumn similar to spring timings However, time of day varies with weather too

10. When to survey for reptiles – best weather conditions • No clear-cut way of defining right/wrong weather • Strong wind/heavy rain not good • Any other conditions can be good • Depending on the time of year & time of day • Early spring/late autumn – sunny or partial cloud • Air temperature 10-20°C • Late spring/early autumn – sun/cloud and bright overcast • Forces reptiles to bask longer • Sunshine after rain is ideal • First sunshine after dull overcast weather • Extended periods of hot dry weather - not good

11. Weather vs time of day vs season… 1900 1700 1500 1300 1100 0900 0700 Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sept Oct

12. Visual search - where and how to spot reptiles • Walk slowly, scanning sunny sides of vegetation • Keep sun behind you or to your side • Tune your eye in to vegetation interfaces • Scan edges, where reptiles are likely to be basking • Seldom far from dense cover for protection

13. Visual search - where and how to spot reptiles Walk slowly, scanning the ground as you go

14. Visual search - where and how to spot reptiles Look for sheltered spots that act as suntraps

15. Visual search - where and how to spot reptiles Junction between vegetation types/heights

16. Visual search - where and how to spot reptiles Varied height structure – look in short patches

17. Visual search - where and how to spot reptiles Edge of gorse scrub, meeting rough grass

18. Visual search - where and how to spot reptiles Moss or lichen patches among taller vegetation

19. Artificial refugia • Corrugated metal – best • Roofing material/felt – good • Rubber car mats, plastic sheeting, carpet – ok • Size approx half a square metre (70 x 70cm) • Choose sunny locations • Away from public view and livestock • Press down close to the ground • Deep cover or edge of dense vegetation • Not on bare ground/sparse cover • Lift and replace refugia carefully • Taking care not to squash retreating animals • Use a stick or adder-proof glove if necessary to • ensure safety

20. Artificial refugia Corrugated metal sheets ‘tins’ – cut to size

21. Artificial refugia Old rusty tins often more effective

22. Artificial refugia Corrugated bitumen-based roofing material

23. Artificial refugia Roofing felt

24. Artificial refugia Shed felt – weight light materials with stone/brick

25. Artificial refugia Roofing slate

26. Pre-existing objects acting as refugia Rusty old bits of tin

27. Pre-existing objects acting as refugia Wooden board

28. Pre-existing objects acting as refugia Scraps of wood

29. Pre-existing objects acting as refugia Discarded wheels, tyres, scrap etc

30. Pre-existing objects acting as refugia Discarded clothing, plastic, rubber etc

31. Pre-existing objects acting as refugia Discarded road signs (if in deep grass)

32. National Reptile Survey: Protocols This section gives the instructions needed to participate in the National Reptile Survey as part of NARRS. It covers: Survey protocol Licensing Health & safety Landowner permissions NB: all materials are in your survey pack

33. Preliminary square assessment • Use the SARG/NARRS helper website: • (www.surrey-arg.org.uk/SARG/SARG.asp?Page=NARRS) • Identify areas most likely to support reptiles • (see Reptile Habitat Guide) • Walk your square and choose key areas to survey • (representative of best habitat, and surveyable in 2-3 hrs) • Seek access permissions if no public Rights of Way • (see Landowner Intro Letter & Advice) • Plan a walking route that takes in all key areas • (called a Transect) • Seek permission to survey key areas • (if permission not granted for enough areas, request another square) • Lay artificial refugia • (if suitable places, safe, permitted by landowners)

34. Preliminary square assessment Looking up your square on SARGWEB

35. Preliminary square assessment Using the zoom function

36. Mark KEY AREAS Looking up your square on SARGWEB

37. Mark KEY AREAS Print page, use felt tip pens

38. Survey visits • Between March-June, ideally April-May: • Choose suitable conditions • (time of day, weather) • Carry out a survey lasting no more than 3 hours • (cover all key areas) • Visual search and check refugia • (see Reptile Survey Guide) • Fill in your survey form • (visit details, survey effort, reptiles seen - use ID Guide if needed) • Repeat a 2nd and 3rd time • (ideally final visit should be at least 4 weeks after refugia were laid) • More visits if you like…

39. Refugia You do not NEED to use refugia. But, Slow worms and Smooth snakes (rare) are very difficult to find without using ‘tins’. Refugia make good waypoints for a transect You can use 2ft X 2ft (70cm) squares cut from a roll of roofing felt (about £10 in B&Q) Recommend no more than 10 refuges per square. Do not use refugia in areas grazed by cattle.

40. Refugia Refugia as waypoints along a transect

41. Planning the time & date for Survey www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/uk_forecast_weather.html

42. Completion/data submission • As soon as possible after survey visits: • Submit your results online at • www.narrs.org.uk • or send your survey form to the HCT • Remove refugia after survey season • Feedback to landowners if interested

43. Licensing • A licence is required to survey sand lizards or smooth snakes. • Your trainer will tell you if they are likely be encountered in your area. • If so, you can be covered by the HCT’s survey licence, subject to training or experience. • (see your trainer to sign a Licence and Data Agreement).

44. Sand Lizards & Smooth Snakes

45. Landowner permissions • Always seek permission from landowners/ tenants before entering private land • Always seek permissions to survey, whether public or private land • Even if Public Rights of Way • As a courtesy, even seek permission to survey on Open Access land • See the guidance sheet for advice on permissions • Use the introduction letter if it helps

46. Good luck with your survey! For specific advice concerning reptile survey, email: Steve@surrey-arg.org.uk More information can be found at: www.surrey-arg.org.uk Useful Links…..

47. Featured Links SARG Website www.surrey-arg.org.uk SARG NARRS helper www.surrey-arg.org.uk/SARG/SARG.asp?Page=NARRS Met Office Forecasts www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/uk_forecast_weather.html NARRS website www.narrs.org.uk

48. Surrey Amphibian and Reptile Group (SARG) www.Surrey-ARG.org.uk