By: Blonde Two
Back in the days when fish tanks were all the rage, I had a newt, he was called Tiny because he was minute (do you get it?)
When the little fella pictured above scampered across my Dartmoor path yesterday, I assumed that he too was a newt. I was a bit confused though, by the lack of pond, bog or puddle for him to swim in. He, on the other hand didn’t appear to be at all confused and headed off very purposely once he had said, “Hello.”
A bit of research upon my return produced some interesting news; not only do we have common newts on Dartmoor, but we also have common lizards (as well as common ponies, common sheep and common cows, but let’s not over-complicate the issue).
My problem is that I can’t decide whether my four-legged friend was a newt, a lizard or some new-fangled type of mini-dinosaur. He had the right stripes for a lizard and was about 12 cm long. As I am not sure, for now I am going to call him New Lizzy. Any experts out there?
Can’t see the pic 🙁 but yes we have stripeyish common lizards on the moor – last one I found was between Littaford and Longaford Tors, on a filthy wet freezing day (snow patches about, and inch deep hail fell whilst we walked). He was a bit sluggish to say the least!
Poor lizard – this one was very chirpy! Have put the pic into the post as well now, hope that is better.
And also common folk. Luckily you are far from common, quite uncommon in fact. Born to dominate, but in a nice sort of way. Not so much Attila The Hun, more like Attila-Who’s-Good-At-Soufflés.
I get the feeling you went to the stylist recently. Opted for a more emphatic arrangement of your crowning glory. I know your face must be forever a mystery but why not a shot of the back of your head? Give your readers gold in profusion. A metaphorical treat.
Hmm, we will consider your application. Just don’t complain if our hair turns out to be green!
Definitely Common Lizard – colour and size. Common Newts are yellower, a couple of centimetres smaller at ten cms. and mostly hide under stones or logs during the day. They are more nocturnal. The warm weather we have been having has kept this little chap out and about longer than usual, but lizards like grassy banks and heathland, and he was probably hoping for a nice spider to eat. When it gets colder he will disappear into a crack in a rock, or vanish under a stone. Not usually around in November. Length about 15 cms fully grown.
He was lovely and very quick. He didn’t look like he was ready to slow down for winter yet!
Surely this isn’t the first lizard you’ve ever seen on Dartmoor??? I remember walking between Laughter Tor and Bellever Tor and the swathes of long yellowish grass seemed to be a haven for lizards. Must’ve seen about 20!!!! Love the little fellas!!!
It is definitely my first. I must have been walking around with my eyes shut! He was very cute.
The Artic Circle..wow, its on my bucket list, look forward to reading all about it.
The Artic Circle, wow, its on my bucket list look forward to reading all about it
If it scampered, it wasn’t a newt.
Do you have a preferred verb for newt movement?