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RAUK - Archived Forum - Posts by Rupe:

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Posts by Rupe:

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Rupe
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Posted: 22 Sep 2007 Topic: The Camden Creature



new member
Made a couple of visits to the area over the past few weeks as well as earlier in the year but alas no sightings.Last visit 15/9/07 met two other very capable and experienced enthusiasts from south of the river with same quest.As i left before them can they contact me on PM of their results.


Rupe
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Posted: 22 Sep 2007 Topic: Crete Trip May 2007



Hi i am a new member to the site. Thought i would share some photos from my May visit to Crete.


Occelated Skink


Balkan Whip Snake


Head shot of Balkan Whip Snake


Young Marginated Tortoise


Moorish GeckoRupe39347.3619328704


Rupe
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Posted: 22 Sep 2007 Topic: Crete Trip May 2007



Hi;
Plenty of Balkan Green Lizards but did not find Erhards wall lizard which was odd as they are found in this area.


Rupe
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Posted: 22 Sep 2007 Topic: Camden



New member
Hi
Have made a couple of visits to the area this month but no sightings of Aesculapians,Met two other enthusiast on the same mission but left before them. Contact me if you were lucky.


Rupe
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Posted: 24 Sep 2007 Topic: Crete Trip May 2007



Hi Jeroen

I agree Marginated Tortoises have not been seen on Crete for many years and are presumed extinct.
However this one was found in the wild . As it was possibly less than a year old it may been born on
the island and not someones escaped pet. I believe Marginated are the only mediteranian tortoises
with the triangle shaped markings on the plastron.

Rupe39349.6016087963


Rupe
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Posted: 24 Sep 2007 Topic: Feigning death



Of all the grass snakes i have caught in the past this is the first to ever react in this way. Photograph taken May 2007.




Rupe
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Posted: 27 Sep 2007 Topic: Feigning death



Hi Chris
Yes ,which ever way it was turned it would keep rolling over into this position.


Rupe
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Posted: 27 Sep 2007 Topic: Tagged today



Know what you mean agilis.Just returned from the Aveyron region in France where every chemist had a Venom X extractor syringe promotion in the window with six or more pickled aspic vipers,whip snakes, grass snakes etc.   Sad . At least they could have labelled harmless on the non-venomous species


Rupe
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Posted: 16 Oct 2007 Topic: Aspic viper 2007



A recent visit to friends in the Aveyron region of France gave me the ideal opportunity to catch and photo the Asp or Aspic viper, a species i have never caught or seen before.We all know how important local knowledge can be when searching for reptiles but this time it went against me.A farmer told me that over the past few weeks he had killed fifteen or more vipers on or around his dry stone walls.Two visits ,no vipers.Local anglers informed that they often saw them basking along rock faces by the river.Three visits ,no vipers,only Viperine snakes.Mistaken identity ?Others told me that the scree around the ski areas in higher regions is where they can be found.One visit ,no vipers. Sixth and last day started with wet weather so our friends took us out sightseeing.On the return journey the weather improved and i noticed an area that to me was ideal habitat. We stopped for quick look only as it was getting late .Within five minutes i saw my fist Asp as it slithered under a huge boulder. Now what?? The car jack of course.Result =this 85cm Asp.





Moral to this story:- Don't always trust local info, use your own intuition and never, never give up.


Rupe
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Posted: 15 Dec 2007 Topic: Viperine Snakes 2007



Very common in the Aveyron/Tarn region of France. Snakes from large to small were found (see photos). All were found under rocks etc, along the edges of rivers. Strange that none were seen actually swimming or sunbathing? The viperines in this region were rather dull and sombre coloured with slender pointed heads. Perhaps an adaptation for the cold fast flowing rivers of the area?
P.S. Another species of snake was seen sunbathing near to the river but due to the head not being visible it was impossible to identify and unfortunately evaded capture. Approx 1 metre long, fairly thick bodied and was bluish green with small dark flecks. Grass snake colour variation is a possibility but certainly not like any that I have seen before.

Rupe






Rupe
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Posted: 15 Apr 2008 Topic: Spain Trip April 2008



Roquetas de mar(holiday).Cool galeforce winds made for bad herping and sadly no snakes were seen but the following species were.
Large Psammoromus
Spanish Psammodromus
Spiny footed lizard
Iberian Wall lizard
Bedriaga's Skink
Moorish Gecko
Chameleon
Iberian Water frog

Large Psammodromus

Spanish Psammodromus

Spiny Footed lizard

Iberian Wall lizard

Bedriaga's Skink

Chameleon

My sons taking the next photo



Rupe
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Posted: 13 Jun 2008 Topic: Ladder snake May 2008



Couple of photo's of a nice sized and well tempered Elaphe Scalaris found near Montpellier, France. On it's release, instead of going into a nearby stone wall it climbed to the top of a small tree were it remained until we left the area.








Rupe
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Posted: 13 Jun 2008 Topic: Common Toad



One picture showing a breeding pair of Common toads. Taken using a new camera (fujifilm S9600) so any comments would be useful.




Rupe
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Posted: 08 Jan 2009 Topic: Thinking of tripping to southern France



Hi Rob,
Visited a region near Montpellier in 2008 for just 24hrs.See ladder snake report.Good habitat (vineyards)to be found between E11 and E80 roads west of Pignan.Weather was very hot so lucky to find anything.A dead southern smooth snake was also found and i'm sure montpellier snakes would also be in this area.
Tip:-Although i wander everywhere when looking nearly all my finds are at roadside..Perhaps stumbling across the rocks etc. alarms them well before visual contact.?Lizards also seem to get use to seeing and hearing people passing by allowing close approach but fleeing if you stop.
Good luck         &n bsp;         &n bsp;         &n bsp; Rupe


Rupe
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Posted: 03 May 2009 Topic: Spain 2009 Trip



Just a few of our favourite photos from our three day visit to cabo de gata region. Unfortunately we had gale force winds followed by a period of rain limiting our chances. However, when the weather improved we found the following species:

Moorish gecko
Turkish gecko
Spiny footed lizard
Large Psammodromus
Ocellated Lizard
Iberian water frog
False smooth snake
Montpellier snake
Spanish terrapin
Viperine snake



Malpolon monspessulanus

Malpolon monspessulanus

Malpolon monspessulanus

Timon lepidus

Timon lepidus

Macroprotodon cucullatus

Macroprotodon cucullatus

Macroprotodon cucullatus

Hemidactylus turcicus

Identification required!


Rupe
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Posted: 24 Sep 2009 Topic: Natterjack, Norfolk



A couple of pictures of a Natterjack found at their breeding site in Norfolk in May 2009.
It was nice to see that more ponds have been constructed in the area for the toads to breed.
Well done to those involved!






Rupe
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Posted: 24 Sep 2009 Topic: Edible doormouse lives up to itos name!



On a short visit to Northern Italy, found this Aesculapian snake at the side
of a road eating a large Edible doormouse! To save the snake from being run over by numerous
construction vehicles we had to unfortunately disturb its feeding. Although it lost its meal
at least it did not end up as another DOR.












Rupe
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Posted: 07 Mar 2010 Topic: continental invader



Not sure if this is the right catagory for this thread but is anyone getting concerned about the Little Egret(Egretta garzetta invasion.Here in Essex they are becoming a very common sight.Ten years or more ago they were a rariety but now most streams,rivers,ponds or marshland have a pair or more of them.Now that the amphibian breeding season is starting will they be another threat to our native species.If they follow the Collered dove explosion im sure that they will be.I'm sure if a creature started killing thousands of native birds it would quickly have a price on it's head.However it is a natural visitor and not an introduced species so i suppose nothing can be done.
                                    Clive


Rupe
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Posted: 18 Mar 2010 Topic: continental invader



This is my concern.They are far more tolerant to human disturbence than herons.The ones i see rarely fly more than 50mtrs and land further down(or up)stream and continue to do this until doubling back.Herons on the otherhand often fly out of sight.As for the rest of europe i saw only a few in spain and none in south france or north italy. As england is an island i believe that although they may prefer estuaries that no parts of the country are unreachable by daily migration.This may not be the case for most of europe. Any comments from RSPB members ?
                                            Clive


Rupe
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Posted: 23 Apr 2010 Topic: pool frogs



Having photographed both Marsh and Edible frogs in thier habitats from various countries abroad the Pool frog has always eluded me.However i now learn that isolated colonies exist near to Colchester.As i live only a few miles from that town my quest may be easier than i first thought. Any help to enable me to get that elusive photo will be much appreciated.


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