LOCAL OBSERVATIONS 2007 - July

Monday 30th July 2007

Conditions: Scattered clouds, very windy.
Temperature : around 35 C
Time of observations: 18h00

During my daily dog walk I came across a nice wall where in spring offers the chance to observe many lizard species, at the base of the wall are many large stones directly in the sun and under would be good for and reptile to keep warm and safe, under one stone was a female (gravide?) Moorish gecko (Tarentola mauritanica), a little further away was proof that a population had started here.

Female Moorish gecko (Tarentola mauritanica)

One of two eggs of the Moorish gecko (Tarentola mauritanica)

Habitat

Thursday 19th July 2007

Conditions: Blue sky, no wind.
Temperature : around 27 C
Time of observations: 18h30

Turning over a metal sheet near a stony wall and found a juvenile and very feisty Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus).

Juvenile Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus)

Sunday 1st July 2007

Conditions: Heavy clouds, short rain shower.
Temperature : around 21 C
Time of observations: 17h00 to 19h00

A heavily clouded yet warm period of the day made me come out and start searching for snakes, I had seen a dead juvenile Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) and juvenile Ladder snake (Rhinechis scalaris) in the morning. All I saw this afternoon were lizards, mainly Large psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus) but some Iberian wall lizards (Podarcis hispanica). When it started to rain, I was near a canal where there were a few objects to overturn, under one metallic sheet was a Viperine snake (Natrix maura).

Large psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus).

Viperine snake (Natrix maura)

Stormy ending.