a new V. berus locality in Oberbayern (Bavaria, Germany)
Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2010 12:07 pmI have to start with a short story 
Last sunday afternoon I´ve got an information on a long nose viper, Vipera ammodytes, seen in upper Bavaria, just a few miles across the Austrian border.
The woman saw it while picking black berries.
Ok, I was sure, it wasn´t an ammodytes (but maybe an escaped or released one), but also Vipera berus was unknown from that area. There wasn´t even an (very) old record from there.
So what it could have been? A Coronella?
But the woman wrote, the snake had a very distinctive zig-zag band along the dorsal.
So we made an appointment for this morning (7:30) and went to that place.
After 5 minutes walk I was sure - it "smelled" extremely on berus.
a sunny forest with large open parts, overgrown with Calluna and black berries.
And short after, I found the first sign of herps occuring there.
unfortunately it was 80% or even a bit more cloudy and quite cool.
So I made a half hours rest, waiting for the sun to come out a bit more.
Around 9:00 a.m. I saw the first Zootocas between the bushes, but couldn´t grap one.
A few minutes later - there it was
A large, a bit more than 70 cm long Vipera berus female. But in full shedding stage.
Occasionally the sun came out for some minutes
and also the vipers. Shi...., I had missed another two
But again, a nice, freshly shed female was basking
One minute later the next one, an about one year old female
and again, I missed two vipers.
My way back I went on a forest road with ditches on each side.
I hope, you watched the road picture carefully
Close to my car there was this wood pile
At least 8 Zootoca have been basking on it, when I came close.
Two of them have been out again 3 minutes later
I left the area short after 11:00 a.m.
So a very good morning:
7 Vipera berus (all females) seen in a new unknown area, at least 25 kms north of the next known place (allready in the hills).
x Zootoca
x Pelophylax
5 Natrix natrix (all babies hatched this year).
I´m sure Coronella and Anguis will occur there too. So this place will be visited soon again
Mario
Last sunday afternoon I´ve got an information on a long nose viper, Vipera ammodytes, seen in upper Bavaria, just a few miles across the Austrian border.
The woman saw it while picking black berries.
Ok, I was sure, it wasn´t an ammodytes (but maybe an escaped or released one), but also Vipera berus was unknown from that area. There wasn´t even an (very) old record from there.
So what it could have been? A Coronella?
But the woman wrote, the snake had a very distinctive zig-zag band along the dorsal.
So we made an appointment for this morning (7:30) and went to that place.
After 5 minutes walk I was sure - it "smelled" extremely on berus.
- the area
a sunny forest with large open parts, overgrown with Calluna and black berries.
And short after, I found the first sign of herps occuring there.
- shedding of Zootoca vivipara
unfortunately it was 80% or even a bit more cloudy and quite cool.
So I made a half hours rest, waiting for the sun to come out a bit more.
Around 9:00 a.m. I saw the first Zootocas between the bushes, but couldn´t grap one.
A few minutes later - there it was
A large, a bit more than 70 cm long Vipera berus female. But in full shedding stage.
- Vipera berus female
Occasionally the sun came out for some minutes
- habitat in the sunlight
and also the vipers. Shi...., I had missed another two
But again, a nice, freshly shed female was basking
- V. berus female, approx. 45 to 50 cm
One minute later the next one, an about one year old female
and again, I missed two vipers.
My way back I went on a forest road with ditches on each side.
- forest road with small ditches beside
- baby Natrix natrix. look at the track on the Lemna carpet it left behind. There is another track from a 2nd baby, crossing the ditch one minute earlier.
I hope, you watched the road picture carefully
- Pelophylax sp.
Close to my car there was this wood pile
At least 8 Zootoca have been basking on it, when I came close.
Two of them have been out again 3 minutes later
- Zootoca vivipara
I left the area short after 11:00 a.m.
So a very good morning:
7 Vipera berus (all females) seen in a new unknown area, at least 25 kms north of the next known place (allready in the hills).
x Zootoca
x Pelophylax
5 Natrix natrix (all babies hatched this year).
I´m sure Coronella and Anguis will occur there too. So this place will be visited soon again
Mario
