Sand Lizard Sunday

 

A week ago I was privileged to attend the final instalment in a three year project bringing a special coldblood back to the Fylde Coast. Just a short walk from the Golden Mile and the Illuminations, Lytham St Annes Nature Reserve is a haven of rich sand dune and dune slack habitat and home to a range of coastal specialists. Up until the 1960s that included the spectacular sand lizard, but as has sadly been the case across much of the country this endangered beauty died out as the habitat became more fragmented. With the improvement and protection of this beautiful site, a partnership of Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Fylde Dunes Project, Fylde and Blackpool Councils, Natural England, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation and Fylde and North Merseyside Amphibian & Reptile Groups has worked over recent years to reintroduce around 100 captive-bred sand lizards onto the reserve, with successful breeding evidenced in the last two years.

 

Today marked the final release of 2020 with fifty youngsters due to be released. An ominous forecast had given way to bright and pleasant conditions as a small band of us, led by Ray from the Amphibian and Reptile Group and Andy and Jess of the Dunes Project, made our way up the steeper dunes towards the release site, a sandy hollow nicely warmed up in the morning sun. Already Ray had forayed around the site and spotted one female sand lizard and a couple of common lizards. Whilst media duties were completed we watched a female sparrowhawk sweep past and an oystercatcher piped its way overhead. Although the main flowering season was fading there were still some electric-blue spikes of sea holly poking through the marram whilst a rich carpet of pink-purple bloody cranesbill formed a striking contrast to the yellows and greens.

 

The main focus though was the lizards, two boxloads of youngsters which had been raised from stock on the nearby Sefton coast. Ray had reared the youngsters in conditions replicating the habitat they were to be released into and the little creatures appeared to take the whole experience in the nonchalant way lizards always seem to behave, nimbly climbing up hands, sleeves and arms before they could be ushered off into the cover of the marram grass. Notoriously difficult to spot once in the wild, it was a rare treat to be able to enjoy this encounter with these regal reptiles.