adders near Salzburg

[Mario Schweiger]

After reading Pauls and Ilians posting on their vipers in the U.K., I had to look around here also
The last 3 or 4 days it got warmer (at least during the day hours) and the ground isnt frozen since 2 days now.
We had a very cold 2011 till now with only a little bit of snow. Therefore the cold could get deep into the ground.

But today the adders have been out (but not last weekend).
I found 3 males within two hours in the "IBM" peat bog.
Ibm is the real old name of the village - has nothing to do with IT.
Close nearby is the village "Fucking", where the the road signs get stolen more times a year
I had a look also to some ponds and ditches, but all are covered with a quite thick ice layer.

peat bog on march, 13th, 2010

male 1, in situ

male 1

male 2, in situ

male 3, in situ

I´ve never seen a black male there

Mario

[Andre Schmid]

Congrats Mario and yes, the rod sign "fucking" has style, I want one

[Ilian Velikov]

These are some 'Fucking' good looking adders Mario! Nice job!

[Mario Schweiger]

Now they have protected the signs against thiefs (2005) and since 2009 also with video observations.
Read this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fucking,_Austria

Mario

[Jürgen Gebhart]

Congrats Mario, I will try my luck during next week the frist time!!

[Paul Lambourne]

Mario,

Great to see everyone finally seeing some adders! Great habitat pictures, I have noticed that in Euroupe adders seem to be present in completely different habitat to the UK. Adders in Kent, and for most of the UK, seem most prolific on chalk downland, quite dry and scrublike. In Europe adders seem to favour much marshier wetter areas.

I have lots of trips planned this year so hopefully I can compare habitats for adders in a few countries

Berus habitat in Kent, chalk downland.

[Mario Schweiger]

Paul,

we here around Salzburg have also a few habitats, looking like yours posted here.
But most of our lowland (below 500 to 600 asl) adders live in peat bogs (but here in the more drier parts with Calluna, Erica and Vaccinium), where the (micro)climate is more humid.
We had a "dry, chalkland" habitat close hereby, but it seems it got destroyed, before a few years (intensification of agriculte: mowing). I haven´t seen one the last 2 years, but will try it again in spring.

Mario

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

In Wallonia (French speaking south of Belgium), adders are restricted to "UK style" habitat, as well as in the Boulonnais area in France (= facing the UK).

About the Austrian town =>
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zei ... 05,00.html

[Mario Schweiger]

This morning I´ve been again at "my" peat bog.
I arrived there at approx. 9:00 a.m. and stayed until 11:30 a.m.
Just after a few minutes walking, I spotted the first Vipera berus male - allready shed.
Winthin these 2 1/2 hours I spotted 7 males (two of them allready shed) and 2 females (my "black beauty: http://www.fieldherping.eu/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=450 and a "new" one, with allmost kaznakovi pattern).
All have been in the light shade, the last have been seen short after 11:00 a.m.
So some of the males are shed now and the females are out, mating season will start very soon here.

I´ve been out with my video camera, so here only some snapshots taken beside filming.

Vipera berus male 1

the "new" female

adder male 2

black beauty. nearly exact on the same spot like last autumn

Mario

[Mario Schweiger]

Yes, I´m sure - at least one of both allready shed!!
This male started with some mating behaviour, like rubbing his chin along a females body.

Mario