Saturday October 10th: Smooth Newt
On returning along the bridleway I almost stepped on what I assume is a juvenile Common lizard. However, on closer inspection it turned out to be a newt, probably a smooth newt. It was no more than 1.5 inches long and was completely motionless in the middle of the path. Suspect the sudden drop in temperature when the sun went in caught it out. Anyway, I moved it into the nearby vegetation and when the sun momentarily popped out it seemed to spark it into life & it promptly scuttled away.
Jonathan Crouch
A smooth newt © Jonathan Crouch
Jonathan Crouch
A smooth newt © Jonathan Crouch