Adult male Adder.
This boldly patterned male Adder fresh from hibernation, basks in the March morning sun. Within a few weeks of emerging from hibernation the males shed their skin to reveal their high-contrast mating colours ready to compete with each other for mating rights as the females emerge from hibernation usually four weeks after the males.
Adult male Adder.
Adult male Adder.
Adult male Adder.
Adult male Adder.
Adult male Adder.
Adult male Adder.
Adult male Adder.
Adult male Adder.
Adult male Adder.
Adult female Adder.
Adult female Adder.
Adult male Adder.
During the Spring the male Adders take on their 'mating colours' and are normally seen in light grey / silver with highly contrasting black zig-zag markings.
Adult male Adder.
Adult male Adder.
Adult male Adder.
Adult male Adder.
This Adder is showing the typical blue colouring of the transparent scale that covers the eye shortly before the snake sloughs its skin. This scale is sometimes shed first and then the rest of the skin is shed as one complete slough.
These snake photos were taken using the Canon 40D Camera and Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM lens