mask of fear

...on our way back from Devon, we stopped at Stoborough Heath, between Wareham and Corfe Castle, to survey the damage that was inflicted by mindless vandals last weekend. We are used to the ravaging effects of heath fires in our part of the country, but these usually occur in summer. Several hectares of Stoborough's nature reserve were burned by, what the police believe was, a fire that was started deliberately.

Suddenly, the recent snap of very cold weather appears to have been a blessing, because we would usually expect the heaths to be more active in March than they are this season. Hopefully, most of the hibernating fauna was still sufficiently burrowed as to be protected against the flames. Similarly, the cool weather had checked the germination of much of the heathland flora, so there is a good chance that regeneration will be swift.

This perfectly healthy female slow worm, Anguis fragilis, was under a rock and had, perhaps been brought out of her sleep by the sudden warmth from above...