21 April 2017

Lizards and Pollen


photo by Jeremy Taylor
I went down to the potager earlier to inspect the strawberry beds and spotted a rather large lizard tail sticking out from behind the water butt. 


I peered around the corner and was very pleased to see our elusive and shy Big Greenie.  The beautiful green lizard (Lacerta Viridis) is much larger than our common wall lizards and a wonderful iridescent green.  Whilst the wall lizards are abundant and inquisitive and love the sunshine, Big Greenie prefers the shady, green areas and will scuttle away and hide as soon as he sees you.  I tried to get a photo but the auto focus on the camera refused to behave.  This was the best shot I could get before he ran away.

fuzzy photo by Susan

Yesterday we rode in the afternoon when the day had warmed up and the wind had dropped.  As soon as we got home I started sneezing, my nose and eyes were streaming and I’ve been like that ever since.  I haven’t been affected at all by the recent clouds of pine pollen but apparently the grass pollen levels are very high right now so I guess that’s the culprit.  I took some  Clarityn and the symptoms have eased off a bit now.


14 comments:

  1. What a beautiful creature! Our most commonly seen lizards are little green anoles. I like them, too.

    Sorry about your allergies. As a fellow sufferer, I sympathize.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Some years the pollen doesn't affect me at all. No such luck this year.

      Delete
  2. Sorry to hear about the pollen allergy. Try wearing a goldfish bowl next time you go for a bike ride. As for that shy green lizard - thanks for sharing Sue.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Space suit - that's what I need. (A goldfish bowl might break easily.)

      Delete
  3. That looks like a very long tail for a lizard.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was certainly too long for one of our wall lizards, sort of gave the game away.

      Delete
  4. He's very beautiful, for a lizard. -Jenn

    ReplyDelete
  5. I haven't 'seen' any big green lizards yet, but I've heard them as they dart away to safety; an unmistakable sound.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Pretty thing; hope it eats mosquitoes.
    Greetings Maria x

    ReplyDelete
  7. http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39643528
    I have never tried to copy/link before but this lizard looked huge...and would eat big dogs perhaps.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He wasn't that big, I don't think he could eat a dog, maybe just a large grasshopper.

      Delete