In April 2010 the countryfile team visited Mersea Island in search of the elusive adder. Dougal Urghart the country park warden helped Matt Baker to find a lone adder in sub optimal conditions. A further piece on how the country park was helping the adder population by creating a suitable overwintering habitat. 

The hibernacula was created by hand and consisted of a large pit of approx metre deep, 2 metres wide and 5 metres long. The pit was then lined with shingle/pebbles and then was built up with logs, brash and wood chips. Plastic pipes were positioned into the new bank and was then covered in the soil created from the digging (thanks Dougal)

Check out Dougal's Blog for the story on the Adder Hibernacula

http://merseawildlife.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html

Dougal has reported through the Make the Adder Count Project that he has seen one adder basking on the new bank and at least 4 adders have been using the bank during the spring in 2011.

The hibernacula was spotted by a RAUK member in July 2010. The Essex ARG will be visiting the bank in the spring 2012 as part of the Make the Adder Count Project which will be relaunched at the Herpetofauna Workers' Meeting 2012