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LOCAL OBSERVATIONS 2008 - April
Saturday 26th April 2008
Conditions: no clouds, no wind.
Temperature : around 23 C
Time of observations: 16h00 to 19h00Great weather ! So I went out, saw nothing at my hot spots, but did disturb what I thought to be a mating couple of Montpellier snakes (Malpolon monspessulanus) at a site that I don't go to much anymore, I couldn't catch it as it was already half way into the thorns and a good 10 metres in front of me, but when I returned to the spot an hour later, I thought I was lucky to see one re-appear, and then noticed once I was myself dangling in the thorn bush about a foot off the ground, and half a dozen needles dug into my skin, that it was an adult Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus), I saw it just walk off into the dense bush as if he knew I was pretty much stuck with no answer to catch him ! Cheeky ! So I reckon now I disturbed an ambush, as I ran after the snake, the other scurry noise I presumed was another snake for some reason.
I cycled around the roads, and check a lot of bushes with not much success, but disturbing numerous Large psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus) and Ocellated lizards (Timon lepidus), but on my final stretch of road home, I saw a DOR juvenile Ladder snake (Rhinechis scalaris), a very fresh death !
It would seem that this pretty much resumes this years luck, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, still waiting for the amphibians by the way !
Back home, I preserved the dead Ladder snake and thought, no ! I am going to find one, so I went back to that spot, where I had seen no more then 5 DOR specimens over the years and a shed late last year of Ladder snakes, and searched under stones, and various garden objects, result - no snakes ! But I did find 4 Slow worms (Anguis fragilis) including a huge, 47 cm long one, which is the largest one I have ever seen.
Second specimen of Slow worm (Anguis fragilis) - juvenile, the first specimen was ignored as I was in my "Let's turn over all the stones and find us a Ladder snake" frenzy - © Daniel Phillips
Third specimen, found under the same stone as the juvenile - © Daniel Phillips
The large and last Slow worm (Anguis fragilis), is he blind in this eye ? Reminds me of an alien eye - © Daniel Phillips
That other eye looks normal... - © Daniel Phillips
The DOR Ladder snake (Rhinechis scalaris) - © Daniel Phillips
Wednesday 23rd April 2008
Conditions: slight wind, no clouds.
Temperature : around 13 C
Time of observations: 23h00 to 00h00Fed up with the recent herping slump right in the middle of what should be an explosive time out in the field, the recent storms seem a distant memory as no ponds were wet and no amphibians heard, only one Painted frog (Discoglossus pictus) was seen just after exiting the village, I went to see what is regarded as the most water independent amphibian, the Common Midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans), and not a beep was heard ! Weird times out in the field, I hope thing pick up.
Female Painted frog (Discoglossus pictus) - © Daniel Phillips
Same - © Daniel Phillips
Wednesday 9th April 2008
Conditions: Cloudy, then Sunny, no windy.
Temperature : around 20 C
Time of observations: 14h00 to 17h30It looked like ideal conditions to search for the Southern Smooth snake (Coronella girondica), it was warm, yet cloudy and quite humid, far from being dry. I set off in direction of a rocky hill side to the east of Paziols, I basically searched under stones all day, I didn't find one Southern Smooth snake, however I did disturb 2 large Montpellier snakes (Malpolon monspessulanus), the first one must have measured around 1.4 m at least.
At an isolated holiday house (?) I found 7 Stripeless Tree frogs (Hyla meridionalis) in the swimming pool filter, the rest of the day I saw many Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus) and another large Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus), back at ground zero, I passed by the river and saw many Common toad (Bufo bufo) larva, and then saw another Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) at my hot spot site.
Stripeless Tree frog (Hyla meridionalis) - © Daniel Phillips
6 Stripeless Tree frogs (Hyla meridionalis) - try and spot them all - © Daniel Phillips
The garrigue, seemed like a good spot for Southern Smooth snake (Coronella girondica) - © Daniel Phillips
The garrigue, this is one of the few places left wild, I felt very isolated and at one with the environment - © Daniel Phillips
Common toad (Bufo bufo) larva - © Daniel Phillips
Sunday 6th April 2008
Conditions: Sunny, quite windy.
Temperature : around 17 C
Time of observations: 15h00 to 17h30It was quite windy again today, however knowing that it was my last chance before the weather was predicted to turn cloudy and cold again, I headed out, almost as soon as I left the village, I head some rustling and I looked closer and saw a very large male Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus) scurry into a hole, I didn't try to catch him.
Further down the road I searched a stone wall which had massive grass overgrown in front of it, and as the wind made it hard to distinguish anything from the sound of moving herps, it was very difficult, felt impossible even, but I did catch onto a snake slithering sound, that sound always makes my heart race, brilliant ! after a few scurries from one grass 'dome' of a cover to another, I managed to pin down the tail of this Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus), there were many large black ants, and they couldn't resist biting me !
I searched more around the same area and head a few more Ocellated lizards (Timon lepidus), after walking for about a mile, the habitat became very stony and made me think of Ladder snakes, however they were not to be seen, I did come across many Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), on my way home I saw a dead on road Timon lepidus.
Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) - © Daniel Phillips
Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) - © Daniel Phillips
Habitat, and in the hole in the middle, look under this photo... - © Daniel Phillips
Hello again ! Release specimen takes refuge in the stones - © Daniel Phillips
Stony habitat - © Daniel Phillips
Arid area, surprising not to have seen a Ladder snake - © Daniel Phillips
Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), specimen 1 - © Daniel Phillips
Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), specimen 2 - © Daniel Phillips
Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), specimen 3 - 25 cm long including tail - © Daniel Phillips
Same - © Daniel Phillips
Same - © Daniel Phillips
Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus) - © Daniel Phillips
Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus) - © Daniel Phillips
Saturday 5th April 2008
Conditions: Sunny, quite windy.
Temperature : around 18 C
Time of observations: 17h30 to 19h30It looked very attractive outside, and I got ready to head out, and then I realised the wind was quite strong, I put off going out and at 17h the wind had reduced and so I took my bicycle and headed to search for herps. There was nothing at my usual spots, I came across a new place, it looked like a typical reptile place, with stone piles, scattered dense vegetation, low trees, and there was a snake ! I am unsure of the id, as it was fast and in front of me, but I have a feeling it was a Ladder snake, but I won't confirm anything, otherwise it was a Montpellier snake.
I passed to check ut a few Ocellated Lizard sites with no luck, but I saw a very large Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), so large in fact that I made the mistake of miss identifying it as a Timon lepidus at the first sound of it's massive body rustling into the bush.
It was now starting to get a bit late and the sun was becoming very low, but as I cycled past a dried stream I saw another Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus) fleeing into some grass bush, and just after noticed a smaller more elegant lizard, their cousins the Spanish Psammodromus (Psammodromus hispanicus), a very rare lizard locally and this was to prove only to be the second site for them in my local area, there were up to three different specimens, and very hard to capture in the dense vegetation, but I succeeded.
I measured the tail's ratio to the body size and found that the tail was for this site, for the specimens i did measure, to be between 1.5 and 1.7 times longer the the snout to vent length.
Spanish Psammodromus (Psammodromus hispanicus) - © Daniel Phillips
Same - © Daniel Phillips
Same - © Daniel Phillips
Cheeky lizard came onto my hand whilst I was photographing him, in order to exploit my heat - © Daniel Phillips
As soon as released, he didn't flee, he just sat and heated up, these lizards are very unique - © Daniel Phillips
Notice the light green spots on the lower flanks and above the front legs - © Daniel Phillips
There's another one ! - © Daniel Phillips
Possibly gravid female Spanish Psammodromus (Psammodromus hispanicus) - © Daniel Phillips
Same - © Daniel Phillips
Text & images © Daniel Phillips