Snake, toad and woodpecker

There was a rustling noise in some leaves yesterday and when I went to investigate I caught sight of the the last foot or so of a grass snake slithering behind the garden shed. It was slithering along the bottom of the wall again today but again I only saw the tail end of it. I'm not sure how it and the chickens will get on when they meet... I discovered today that the term herpetology, the study of reptiles and amphibians, comes from the greek word herpeton 'to creep'.

The toad was also out again last night and seems to be sharing the area by the shed with the grass snake. I have a feeling the toad might not be around too much longer with the snake being there!

The other visitor over the last couple of days has been a green woodpecker on the lawn. The way it moves seems to be strikingly similar to Professor Yaffle the woodpecker from Bagpuss.