One of this week’s wildlife highlights happened last Tuesday evening …
I had been in the office volunteering all day and had been too lazy (and the weather had been too hot) to walk home, so I had an early tea then went out for a 90-minute walk. And I am SO glad I did because …
I was walking down an old railway line that’s now a foot- and cycle path when I spotted a cat intently watching something in the long grass at the edge of the path. It was tapping then jumping back, tapping then jumping back. As I approached, the cat slunk off, not pleased it had been interrupted but I’m so glad I scared it off because …
What I found in the grass was a Slow-worm (Anguis fragilis) – a young one, I think, from the colour. I only had my point-and-click camera so couldn’t get very good photos and, of course, it wouldn’t stay still. It obviously wanted to escape the cat’s attention so decided to slither across the path but it was having trouble with the asphalt and wasn’t making any headway so …
I picked it up and carried it across to the other side and let it go in the long grass on that side. Good deed done and such a special moment!
earthstar 
What a treat! I haven’t seen one for ages. They used to breed in my compost heap in S Wales and one of the worst moments of my life was cutting the tail off one with the lawn mower… think I still have PTSD from that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Theresa. It was a magical moment. I’ve since seen another one but, sadly, it was dead.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s sad. Maybe it was caught by a cat; my son’s cat went through a phase of catching them and leaving them on the back doormat as presents. Fortunately it hasn’t killed any.
LikeLike
I’ve heard from other people that cats often catch them. Much as I love cats, they can be a problem for wildlife.
LikeLike
I was foster-mum to a slow worm when I was a kid – a friend had one as a pet. Unfortunately it was a slower than usual slow worm as it was shedding its skin and taking an age to do so. Well done for rescuing this one!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh how cool! I never thought of them as being pets.
LikeLiked by 1 person