Polish lowlands

[Michal Szkudlarek]

once again i visited my friend to take pics of L. vulgaris vulgaris, i have not seen larvas or eggs though, the pond is full of algae now

tail-fanning
https://youtu.be/_e0kCZOpanQ


adult males








mating


female with eggs


heads- note 2 rows of spots extending from nostrils till back of eyes
anyone knows what is their function?

[Michal Szkudlarek]

Lacerta agilis argus, adult female found today in my garden

[Michal Szkudlarek]

Yesterday I joined group of students of Jagiellonian University in search for Lacerta viridis on Polish side of Polish-Germany border. We had with us PhD student which observed this species about 100km west, in Germany. Green lizard was reintroduced nearer but the action failed because of cats which were killing green lizards. We searched the exact site of their presence before 1st world war but nearby river got regulated so that plants on the slope were not destroyed by water and as a result the slope got more green and less xerothermic. We did not find any Lacerta viridis, only Lacerta agilis argus, juveniles of Bufotes viridis viridis and Anguis fragilis.




on the pics above you can see Quercus pubescens, this place is the only place you can see this species in wild in Poland













Then we went to another spot where L. viridis might dwell but found only Anguis fragilis with regrown tail and a female of Lacerta agilis argus






After that we visited deciduous forest which was to host some orchids but we did not find any, we were not looking for them intensively though. Bufo bufo bufo subadult and juveniles were observed.




Next to that forest Pelophylax kl. esculentus cf. lessonae were observed. Subadult below. In that habitat we found Sagittaria sagittifolia in big numbers, some of which were blooming.


habitat of Pelophylax kl. esulentus cf. lessonae

[Michal Szkudlarek]

all the animals below were rescued from drainage manholes

Bufo bufo adult and juvenile


juvenile Pelobates fuscus fuscus




juveniles of Pelobates fuscus fuscus and Bufo bufo

[Michal Szkudlarek]

habitat in which I found mating Triturus cristatus few years ago and flipped Lissotriton vulgaris vulgaris lately. Locals extract peat there.


time for flipping


result- beautiful adult smooth newt male

[Michal Szkudlarek]

most of Bufo bufo bufo from my garden ponds have already metamorphosed




the garden ponds

[Michal Szkudlarek]

Today I observed metamorphosing Green Frogs but also adults and tadpoles








habitat- shallow pond in an old quarry

[Michal Szkudlarek]

Today me with a friend went to alleged vipera site to find one and take photos of it. It is in sort of nature reserve and there are bunkers built by nazis and blown up probably by red army.
Information board by the entrance. Be careful- vipers!


unfortunately we did not find any, only smooth snake basking on a bunker
















climbing smooth snake


Then we proceeded looking for vipers and we found juvenile Rana arvalis.
Habitat of Rana arvalis


Having found no vipers we rescued many Bufo bufo and Rana temporaria, Rana arvalis + 1 Lissotriton vulgaris from the bunker photo of which is below.


Bufo bufo


some amphibians that were rescued by us

[Michal Szkudlarek]

Today I was in a forest with a friend and he found juvenile grass snake which probably clutched this year judging by its size.


It was near a swamp.


Then we drove to check drainage manholes and we found in them adult female Triturus cristatus cristatus, juvenile Bufo bufo bufo and juvenile Pelobates fuscus fuscus which were saved.

[Michal Szkudlarek]

I visited my family in another city and having found trapped B.b. bufo in their garden I took the photo below and rescued the toad.

But when I opened the photo on my computer I noticed that there are at least 3 other tailless amphibians. Since I was far away from that place I contacted with my family members who live there and it turned out that they managed to rescue circa 8 tailless amphibians from that place including 3 small B. viridis.