On 22 September my wife and I were on the shingle beach at Dunwich in Suffolk, UK, when we spotted a snake wriggling along the water鈥檚 edge. It was about 50 centimetres long and light olive-brown. Behind its head was a bright yellow, delta-shaped marking which pointed forwards. As we watched, it entered the water and swam strongly out to sea. Is this how a grass snake might behave 鈥� albeit one with atypical markings 鈥� or has climate change brought a sea snake north of its usual habitat? The weather was windy and it was neither warm nor sunny. Is it relevant that this occurred about 2 kilometres north of the warm water outlets of the Sizewell B nuclear power station?
Dave Parker, Bishop鈥檚 Stortford, Hertfordshire, UK