Conditions: Cloudy.
Temperature : around 22 C
Time of observations: 11h00 to 16h00
The second day of the all british field herping. We set off in a mild temperature and cloudy conditions. We went to the ponds in the middle of the valley, to find that it was dried out, all we found there was a juvenile Grass snake (Natrix natrix) shed and a Juvenile Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus).
We then set off on a very long walk coming across what was surely an Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus), we passed at one point the Malpolon hot-spot, and we saw the same specimen of Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) as yesterday retreating into the wall, and Matt spotted another dart into a hole.
We then walked up and down a canal way in hope to find some Viperine snakes (Natrix maura) but we still didn't see any. Along the way we heard some Stripeless Tree frogs (Hyla meridionalis). To my surprise we stumbled upon a male Painted frog (Discoglossus pictus) and then we found a nice typical 80 cm long Grass snake (Natrix natrix), at this point we were close to a Common Midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans) colony, and I found a tadpole which I think is of the same species.
Juvenile Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus) - © Daniel Phillips
Male Painted frog (Discoglossus pictus) - © Daniel Phillips
Same - © Daniel Phillips
Matt Wilson photographing the impossible to calm Grass snake (Natrix natrix) - © Daniel Phillips
Grass snake (Natrix natrix) - © Daniel Phillips
Portrait of the Grass snake (Natrix natrix) - © Daniel Phillips
Feignting death, this specimen was really into that ! - © Matt Wilson
Grass snake (Natrix natrix) swimming away - © Matt Wilson
Tadpole of the Common Midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans) - © Daniel Phillips
Conditions: Clear sky to scattered clouds.
Temperature : around 21 C
Time of observations: 14h00 to 18h00
I welcomed british herpetologist Matt Wilson to my home. We went out on bicycle to try and find some late herps, and as soon as we left the village, Matt saved from the road a tiny Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus), measuring only around 17 cm long. Straight after we spotted a sub-adult Grass snake (Natrix natrix) eating a Common toad (Bufo bufo), this specimen of Grass snake had an amazing pattern on it's body, unlike most Grass snakes of the local area, it was very well marked and also had an irregular head and collar (see photos).
We then went to a canal where I hoped to find some Viperine snakes (Natrix maura) for Matt, however none were to be found, although we did find two Common toads (Bufo bufo), one of which was a huge female. We also heard Stripeless Tree frogs (Hyla meridionalis). Walking along a path with a very favourable snake wall, I spotted a snake dive into the thick grass, but we were unable to find it.
We went back to get our bicycles to find that they had been stolen !
We then WALKED to a Montpellier snake hot-spot, along the way we found a shed of a Ladder snake (Rhinechis scalaris), followed by a "chopped" in half Montpellier snake. Straight afterwards, we arrived on the hot-spot and found a male Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) which seemed to have eaten an Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus).
Juvenile Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) - © Daniel Phillips
Grass snake (Natrix natrix) eating a Common toad (Bufo bufo) - © Matt Wilson
Grass snake (Natrix natrix) - © Matt Wilson
Detail of the Grass snakes head, this specimen had a very unusual head colouring - © Daniel Phillips
Very large female Common toad (Bufo bufo) - © Daniel Phillips
Ladder snake (Rhinechis scalaris) skin shed - © Matt Wilson
Detail of the body pattern of a DOR? (or killed !) Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) - © Daniel Phillips
The DOR (or voluntarily chopped) female Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) - © Daniel Phillips
Male Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus), 106 cm long - © Daniel Phillips
Same - © Daniel Phillips
Detail of the head of the male Montpellier snake above, notice the unusual small scale between the temporal scales and the post-ocular scales -
© Daniel Phillips
Same specimen, notice the very long head of this particular specimen - © Matt Wilson
Me and my catch ! – © Matt Wilson
Matt Wilson trying out free handling the Montpellier snake - © Daniel Phillips
Size comparison and habitat view - © Daniel Phillips
Juvenile Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus) - © Matt Wilson
