LOCAL OBSERVATIONS 2007 - May

Sunday 27th May 2007

Conditions: Clear skies.
Temperature : around 20 C
Time of observations : 13h30 to 14h00

I went to a place where I thought I might find some Montpellier snakes (Malpolon monspessulanus), on my way out of the village on my bike I came across a sunbathing Viperine snake (Natrix maura) that was on the main road, I returned it to a close by pond where it could be safe. I arrived at the spot and saw many Large psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus). I was out looking with no luck for the Montpellier snakes (Malpolon monspessulanus), but I was at a spot where I recently saw one, I squatted down looking down a tunnel in the vines when I heard movement in the vegetation. I stayed still hoping for the snake to become visible, but in the end I got up, moved a rock and under this stone was many cut vines, and the head of a wonderful Ladder snake (Rhinechis scalaris), as it saw me it began to retreat, but I held onto it's neck with the tips of my fingers and with the other hand I dug out the rest of the snake what was entangled in the vegetation:

Female Ladder snake (Rhinechis scalaris), this specimen was carrying eggs.

Same, note the quite large posterior of the snake, evidently she has eggs.

Portrait of the same specimen.

Sunday 20th May 2007

PART 1

Conditions: Scattered clouds.
Temperature : around 23 C
Time of observations : 12h00 to 13h30

My destination was my wild garden, on the way there through a forest track, I saw slither into a pond an adult Viperine snake (Natrix maura), as I rejoined the road, I saw a few Large psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus). At the garden by the river many tens of Pelophylax frogs (green frogs) jumped into the water, I searched for an adult Grass snake (Natrix natrix), but only found a juvenile specimen, however this specimen had a rather different collar then what I usually see, the dark part was divided into 3 small markings.

Grass snake (Natrix natrix)

Same

Same

On the way back home, going through the forest, at the same pond as earlier, an adult Painted frog (Discoglossus pictus) was observed at the edge in the vegetation. Not far from there was seen an almost adult sub-adult specimen of Western green lizard (Lacerta bilineata):

Painted frog (Discoglossus pictus)

PART 2

Conditions: light clouds.
Temperature : around 19 C
Time of observations : 18h30 to 19h30

Walking the dog. I started turning over stones and such like, I found a large metallic container object and so I tippled that over to see scurry under some wood a large Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus), after the photos I look under a small piece of wood in the middle of a field and to my luck a juvenile Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus):

Male adult Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus)

Same

Juvenile Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus)

Saturday 12th May 2007

Conditions : Clear sky, light winds.
Temperature : around 25 C
Time of observations : 18h30

Walking the dog and for a change I decided to try my luck at turning over stones, as this proved a more then successful way of finding snakes in Alsace recently (see trip report - 2 pages). And so I was turning over stones and then found a young Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus), great!

Juvenile Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus), measured around 40 cm long.