Return of the Black Adder

The black adder was back again last night.  I saw a sudden movement on the step where the path down from the back of the croft crosses an old wall, in exactly the same place as I saw him last time.  He'd hidden himself but, with the last of the sunlight on the stone, there was a good chance he'd show himself again, so I waited.

He must have known I was there but perhaps he's getting used to being disturbed and to my standing watching him, because he reappeared, coiling himself in the protection of the stonework but with as much as possible of his body in the late afternoon sun.  He kept moving - here he looks as if he's about to slide back into the stones - but he stayed for several minutes.

I was close enough to be able to see his tongue flickering in and out, sensing the air.

He finally retreated when I moved to get a better angle for a picture.  He didn't hurry, slowly sliding himself into the stonework.