I Searched for Britain's COLOUR CHANGING LIZARDS

Added: 2026-05-18

[00:00:00]Meet the UK's rarest lizard that turns vividly green once a year. I've only ever caught a glimpse of one. So, let's rectify that, shall we?

[00:00:33]This is amazing.

[00:00:40]So, I'm on the boardwalk now and this will be good practice for reptile spotting. I don't expect to see a sand lizard here, but could definitely get vipperous lizards along here. It is a little bit early still, so it might be a bit nippy for them. Might have to wait a little while. But what a gorgeous morning. You're having a laugh. For those of you that don't know, I'm finding every animal in the UK, capturing photos of each one, and turning them into custom cards for my quest to complete a real life Pokédex.

[00:01:08]Sand lizards are so rare that they count as a legendary species, which is always extra exciting. But there's also a bunch of other creatures that I could see here that I need for the binder. So, I'll show you some of them along the way.

[00:01:20]Starting with this chiff chaff, which is my 64th entry into the Pokédex.

[00:01:37]So, I've only ever seen sand lizards two times, so I would absolutely love to see him again. And I've also never had a clear sighting of a bright green male.

[00:01:45]So, that's really what I'm after today.

[00:01:46]And a photo of one of those would just be oh, so good. get it on the card. And funnily enough, the first time I ever saw one was in my first ever video. It was nuts. My first video had some luck in it. You know, if you want to see how this journey all started, feel free to go and check out the very first one. Bit of a blast from the past now. And then the other time I saw one was probably only in about my sixth or seventh video.

[00:02:08]So, it's been nearly 2 years since I last saw one. And on that occasion, I only got some shots of a female, which is still very nice, but I would like one of the bright green ones. Like I say, somewhere over here is another willow wobbler just been confirmed on Merlin.

[00:02:26]Where is the pesky little bugger? Need a clear shot.

[00:02:30]H sounds close, but I cannot see it.

[00:02:33]Wait, is that it?

[00:02:43]I'm super happy with that. That's literally the second willow warbler that I've ever seen. The first one was in my very first video, which is kind of crazy. I haven't seen one since then. No way. Right now, I think I messed up. I think this is a tree pippet, which is actually even more exciting. This would be the first one I've ever seen. There's multiple birds singing, so it's hard to tell what's what on Merlin, but looking at it, it does look a lot more like a pippet. I'm a bit of an idiot thinking it was a warbler, I think. But that's so cool. Brand new species. Never seen it before.

[00:03:26]And I think we're getting into a better area for them now because it's some nice juicy sand. So, unfortunately, I just missed an opportunity to film the first reptile of the day. There was quite a big fiferous lizard sat just down there, but scured away as I started getting my camera up.

[00:03:42]That's good. It means it's warm enough.

[00:03:43]Now, I have found this little bit of a hill. So, just on the other side, we should have a slope facing the sun. So, I'm going to have a little look around there for sandy areas and see if we can't spot a lizard. Very well-dressed.

[00:03:58]I think I just got my best ever photo of a woodlock as well. So, oh, today is going swimmingly. The bird action is popping off. Now, we just need some reptiles.

[00:04:20]I tell you what, what an absolute day for it today. It is gorgeous. I am feeling so good now. Spring is here. So many more creatures to find. It's very exciting times. Let's hope there's some scy folk that want to be filmed today.

[00:04:35]These look like quite odd tracks to me.

[00:04:37]If any of you know what this could be, please let me know. So, that looks quite interesting. I actually can't believe it. I just got shots of a red star as well. That is the second species today that I've never seen before in my life.

[00:04:49]And I can't tell you how rare that is nowadays. Even to get one, but to get two in a single morning is just nuts.

[00:04:56]I'm going to get these sand lizards as well. It's going to be one of those videos where everything connects. I reckon you watch All right, this literally looks like a beach. This should be perfect.

[00:05:23]Come on. This is going to be the one surely. Finally. I refuse to believe that this path isn't where they would be if they are here somewhere. This is another prime stretch here, I reckon.

[00:05:36]Show me a little lizard. Goodness snakes. I can see another not so sandy path down there that I'm heading towards. But I just think this is some of the best habitat I've seen so far.

[00:05:47]Surely they're going to be on the siest bits. So, I think I'm going to stick with this. I'm going to find a little spot to perch up down here and just see if sitting and waiting a little while has any different results. Maybe one will just sort of scurry along and I'll notice something move or hear one. So yeah, let's give that a go. I think here's as good as anywhere. Lots of thick brush behind for them to scurry off into and be safe. I see no good reason this couldn't host some lizards.

[00:06:20]After several hours of searching without any luck, I decided to visit the boardwalk again to look for viperous lizards just to try and get something scaly on camera. And luckily, I found this guy.

[00:06:36]Viperus means to have live young. So, unlike most reptiles, this species doesn't lay eggs. Instead, they typically have between 3 and 11 live babies in July that are born within a transparent membrane. It was great to see one, but it wasn't the lizard I was after. So, I continued the search. I found some cool creatures on this day, but sadly sand lizards weren't one of them. So, I went back a few days later and had one of the most magical mornings I've ever had.

[00:07:07]Heat. Heat.

[00:07:31]Oh, heat, heat.

[00:08:06]I am at a bit of a loss for words. I nearly didn't get up this morning. Got up at quart to 5 to get down here.

[00:08:13]But look at this. This is actually unbelievable.

[00:08:18]What a start to a day.

[00:08:20]So, as I'm here so nice and early today, I'm also hoping that I might be able to spot some snakes this morning. Now, there's definitely going to be a lot of adders here, but I have shown you adders a lot recently, but there's also the teeny tiny chance of a smooth snake, which would be unbelievable. I've never seen one of them. They are the rarest reptile in the UK, but that's I don't know, one in a million. Probably not going to happen. I'm kind of coming out of the main foggy area now. It's a bit clearer over this side. So, yeah, I'm going to start the reptile hunt now. It is pretty cold, but they might be slithering out to get the first bit of sun. It's a really weird sound coming from over here.

[00:08:58]Like a woodpecker, but a different tempo.

[00:09:02]Don't know what it is.

[00:09:13]Yeah, it was a woodpecker. Can you see all of these? These are all little cobwebs.

[00:09:20]Oh, it's so beautiful.

[00:09:25]So, it's about 8:00 now and all the fog's cleared up. So, now it's proper reptile time. So, I definitely got off to a really good start yesterday. I did get a lot of nice photos. I checked through them last night and I'm really happy with a few of them. So, that's always good. Few more cars for the binder, but obviously no Sam lizards just yet. Did get really nice photos of the common lizard. I'm glad with how those turned out, especially that was a really cool angle. But I've got a long day ahead of me today. So, I'm going to do many, many miles, keep my eyes to the floor, and see if I can't get something.

[00:09:55]Please. Surely a lizard lives on this nice little hill.

[00:09:59]>> Please. There's no way the lizards don't live here. Look at it. It's got their name written all over it. Okay, I'm calling it now that perfectly sandy little corner. I honestly think that's where I'm going to get one.

[00:10:16]I really believe that surely here is then look at it. It's so nice for him. Use it.

[00:10:29]W usually you pay money for that sort of thing. I'm up the top of this hill now.

[00:10:33]So now I'm going to check this side over here facing the sun. And if there's not reptiles on it, I just don't know what's going on. It's not fair.

[00:10:42]Surely that could be a sand lizard burrow.

[00:10:47]Surely nice little sandy mound. Too small for a VO, I would say.

[00:10:54]Exciting. Maybe we're on the right track. No reptiles on the sunny side of the hill. I'm actually a bit perplexed.

[00:11:01]Where is everyone? The sun. It shines.

[00:11:04]Yet the snakes are not here. As the reptile hunt wasn't going particularly well, I made a quick trip back to the pond to try and get some photos of this gorgeous malard that I saw when I first arrived. This female is lucistic, which is why it has much more white coloration than usual. So, she counts as a shiny for my real life Pokédex quest. What a find.

[00:11:35]As I was heading back to the reptile zone, I captured probably the most awkward mating footage of all time.

[00:12:01]I got this hilarious snap of their saucy session, which has instantly become one of my favorite photos ever and a great new card for the binder.

[00:12:15]As I continued searching, I found another sandy path that seemed like ideal habitat. But to be honest, I was slowly beginning to think that they might just be too tricky to find. And then this happened.

[00:12:29]That was a sand lizard.

[00:12:31]I can't believe it.

[00:12:35]Unless he's moved, he's just in this shrub here.

[00:12:40]Please.

[00:12:42]Please.

[00:12:44]Sadly, I don't think it's going to happen. It's been quite a while now. Oh, I can't believe that. I wish I got it on camera at least just to have another glimpse to show you guys, but very exciting to see. Don't get me wrong.

[00:12:57]Awesome. But little bit disappointing.

[00:13:00]Obviously, uh would like to get a photo or some footage, but now I know that this path has one on. I'm going up and down this bad boy until I see something else. So, I started walking up and down the same path over and over as sneakily as my little feet would carry me. And after some time doing that, I finally had my first proper encounter.

[00:13:20]>> I have actually just found one. That is the most beautiful lizard I've ever seen. Look, that thing is amazing. That is so beautiful. It's so much greener than I thought it was going to be. Well, I knew it would be green, but it's vivid green.

[00:13:47]Oh, so it just scured back in. But that was so cool. That was one of the best encounters I've ever had. That thing was amazing. I got loads of footage and photos before it scurryed off, though.

[00:13:57]Don't you worry. So, I'll show you all of that. But that was amazing. I think I finally found a perfect little patch, this nice little sandy path facing the sun. Oh, hopefully I can get even more footage. Hopefully get um some of one moving cuz he was just kind of basking when I was filming him then. But man, I finally got one. That is so good.

[00:14:14]>> And now, without further ado, I give you some juicy, crispy sand lizards.

[00:14:49]Sand lizards are sadly very threatened in the UK and heavily protected by law.

[00:14:53]So, please make sure that if you do go searching for them, you do everything you can to disturb them as little as possible or I'll be visiting you in reptile jail.

[00:15:04]That means I've now found all three of the UK's native reptiles, and I think they look pretty awesome snuggled up together in the binder. This was definitely one of my favorite videos that I've made so far. I really hope you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for watching and I'll see you in the next