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Posts by Rupe: |
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27  View other posts in this topic |
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. |
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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 Gecko |
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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. |
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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. |
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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.  |
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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.  |
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
Posted: 27 Sep 2007
Topic: Feigning death
Hi Chris Yes ,which ever way it was turned it would keep rolling over into this position. |
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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 |
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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. |
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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 
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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  |
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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. 
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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.  |
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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 |
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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! |
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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! 
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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. 
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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 |
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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 |
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Rupe Member Joined: 17 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 27 View other posts in this topic |
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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