This morning, I had another spring visit to Benfleet and Hadleigh Downs after previous trips on 3rd May 2023, 22nd March 2022 and 17th April 2020.
This large hilly area comprising a mosaic of grassland, scrub and light woodland runs down to grazing marsh and the seawall and saltmarsh alongside Benfleet Creek. There are spectacular views of the Thames estuary down to Southend and across to Kent.
The main purpose of my visit was to hopefully see and photograph Adders again. I have previously been successful at this site before but not on my visit during 2022.
Firstly, a bit about Adders ….
Adders have an ill-deserved reputation. Yes, they are the UK's only venomous reptile but they are very wary of any disturbance and invariably sense our presence and slither away long before we see them. They are very timid and they will only bite in self-defence (for example during attempted capture and handling or when antagonised) or through accidental encounters such as being inadvertently stepped on.
Whilst Adders bite hundreds of people every year in the UK causing some nasty side effects, only 14 fatalities have been recorded since 1876 and none since 1975. Therefore deaths from Adder bites are significantly rarer than deaths as a result of wasp or bee stings. Dogs are much more vulnerable to a very serious health reaction or death arising from a bite although fortunately, unlike on some of my other visits to Benfleet and Hadleigh Downs, I saw no dogs at all, let alone any let off the lead by their irresponsible owners.
Adders demonstrate obvious sexual dimorphism. Males typically have black markings against an off-white or silver-grey background with a steel-grey underside. In the breeding season, males can show an almost bluish tinge. Females typically have dark brown markings against a light brown or straw-coloured background with a dull brown underside. Females are considerably larger (50cm to 70cm in length) than males (40cm to 55cm in length).
However, both sexes are variable in appearance and individuals of various shades of brown, grey and brick-red plus wholly black melanistic individuals have been recorded. Both sexes also show the characteristic and diagnostic dorsal zig-zag pattern along the length of the upper body (black in males and brown in females) and red eyes with a vertical pupil.
Benfleet and Hadleigh Downs covers a large area so I deliberately focused on a location where I had seen Adders before. During my slow and quiet walk along that location, I had several very brief sightings of an Adder moving through the dense undergrowth. I also had extended views of 2 different female Adders basking in the sun to warm up. Unlike on my last visit on 3rd May 2023, when I got some excellent photos to include the head and eye, on this occasion I only managed record photos of the Adders curled up.
With regard to birds, my visit to Benfleet and Hadleigh Downs was relatively disappointing, especially compared with my recent visit to RSPB Canvey Wick on 9th April 2024. However, I did record Chiffchaff (5 singing males heard including 2 seen), Blackcap (male and female seen plus another singing male heard), Cetti's Warbler (singing male heard), Mediterranean Gull (several heard calling distantly but unseen), Little Egret (1 flew over)
I also recorded my first Orange Tip of 2024 (2 males) plus Peacock (2) and Red Admiral (1).
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