---

LOCAL OBSERVATIONS 2008 - May

Saturday 3rd May 2008

Conditions: no clouds, no wind.
Temperature : around 22 C
Time of observations: 15h30 to 17h30

Another great looking day, I headed off to try and photograph the big Montpellier snake I missed the other day, I sneaked up on it and could see it for a second in a coil before it dashed off, afterwards I saw another male Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) without any photos, but the species of the day was Ocellated lizards (Timon lepidus), the first specimen I saw run under some vine clippings, and was easily caught, the second one I was whilst cycling along a dirk track that runs parallel to a stream, it was running as fast as it could and for some reason did not dash into the grass, I cycled up close to it and jumped off my bike as it finally decided too go into the grass, it ran down a small hill and into the stream and back on ground the other side, where I finally caught it, this very funny one kept jumping up to try and bite me, see the video "Timon jumping". Afterwards I saw various specimens. As always I saw many Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus) at random areas.

First Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus) - © Daniel Phillips

Second Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus) - © Daniel Phillips

Second Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus) - © Daniel Phillips

Juvenile Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus) - © Daniel Phillips

---

Thursday 1st May 2008

Conditions: no clouds, no wind.
Temperature : around 23 C
Time of observations: 15h30 to 19h15

Great weather ! I was hopeful to see some snakes, and I got just what I needed, I went to the usual spots and found 2 large adult Montpellier snakes right away ! I went to another known site for Montpellier snakes where I failed to catch a pair last time out and I could feel one near I was just moving forward slowly and waiting for that wonderful sound of snake scales slithering through the vegetation and hope I was close enough to give myself a chance of catching it. And at one point I gave up and headed back to my bike before I sensed a slithering noise from the base of a mound. And surely enough after slipping and falling, I caught him, a nice 1.26 m long male Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus). After the photos I saw an even longer one but he was too into the vegetation and I couldn't catch him. I went to many other sites and saw 7 Ocellated lizards (Timon lepidus) in total, 2 DOR, I also saw many Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus), I also headed to a place where the Western Green lizard (Lacerta bilineata) lives, here may be the only spot where either Hierophis viridiflavus or Zamenis longissimus could live in the otherwise extreme arid valley. But nothing was found except a Common toad (Bufo bufo).

Male Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) - © Daniel Phillips

Male Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) - © Daniel Phillips

Male Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) - © Daniel Phillips

Male Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) - © Daniel Phillips

Male Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) - © Daniel Phillips

Male Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) - © Daniel Phillips

Scale detail on the saddle of the male Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) - © Daniel Phillips

DOR Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus) - © Daniel Phillips

Scale detail of the DOR Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus) - © Daniel Phillips

Common toad (Bufo bufo) - © Daniel Phillips

DOR Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus) - © Daniel Phillips

Possible Zamenis / Hierophis habitat - © Daniel Phillips

Possible Zamenis / Hierophis habitat - © Daniel Phillips

---