Montenegro 2017 July
Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2017 7:19 pm
I was accommodated the whole week in Ulcinj. My main target for this trip was to take photos of Triturus macedonicus. I landed in Podgorica and then bus transfer to Ulcinj during which I saw Skadar Lake but unfortunately I had no chance to herp there and find Pelophylax shqipericus.
I arrived in afternoon, after leaving luggage in hotel I went to Port Milena. Water was salty there, some crabs and fish but no Natrix or sweetwater turtles were observed however other fieldherprs did see them there. When in coniferous little woods next to beach, I heard noise in a shrubs but I could not see any tortoise and all the more I could not grab it because the shrub was prickly. When I approached the noise died down.
Next day I went to Velika Plaza to snorkel. Near that place I found juvenile specimen of Natrix tessellata under trash on a bank of the river which links Salina with the sea.
habitat of Natrix tessellata
Natrix tessellata
[url=https://flic.kr/p/WwFEkP]
My hands smelt of stale fish after handling the snake.
Then I went into a sort of cliff where I found basking adult Balkan Whip Snake (Hierophis gemonensis)
in situ
Next day I was in the Bay of Kotor visiting Perast and Kotor.
Following day I visited Ada Bojana for a moment and found male (?) of Podarcis muralis muralis
habitat of Podarcis muralis muralis
Then snorkeling, visiting Sveti Stefan and Budva. In afternoon I was flipping stones in olive grove in Valdanos and found nothing
Next day I was taken by hotel bus to Copacabana beach. I went into mainland and found fleeing juvenile lizards and some ponds with fish and marsh frogs (Pelophylax ridibundus kurtmuelleri), no snakes or turtles! I thought that some of these might be Albanian Pool Frogs but Ana Vujović, Montenegrin herpetologist told me that this spcies is absent in Montenegro and one needs DNA data to determine the species.
The habitat
Pelophylax ridibundus kurtmuelleri
juvenile
specimen during metamorphosis
adults
Then near Copacabana beach I found female (?) of Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus
habitat of Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus
Rana esculenta in Montenegro?
In evening I found juvenile Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus near road next to my hotel.
habitat of juvenile Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus
Next day was dedicated to Ada Bojana known for high density population of brightly coloured swimming and tree climbing Horned Vipers. I went along Velika Plaza in direction of Ada Bojana and found dead Pseupodus apodus next to a road, it was not driven over so I have no idea why it died, maybe it died naturally?
dead Pseupodu apodus
Then thanks to protips from Tomaz Jagar I headed toward a wood with a pond in which newts were observed. On my way there I found DOR Anguis graeca.
DOR Anguis graeca
I started searching the ponds but I saw no water in the place where according to google maps it should be, moreover bush was dense and prickly. But I did hear a Testudo hermanni boettgeri and managed to take it from prickly bush to take few photos.
adult male Testudo hermanni boettgeri
note horny tip of a tail
habitat of adult Testudo hermanni boettgeri
In Ada Bojana I did not step deep into woods because I did not want to step on any viper. I was there in early afternoon walking a patch recommended by Clive Brignull and I flipped some flat trash and stones but found only juvenile natrix. These trash and stones to flip looked as if they were recently flipped. On my way I spotted almost completely dried up forest pond with 2 Natrix natrix persa, one, bigger one run away deeper into forest but second one, subadult stayed still so that I could take the photo below.
The island has dense vegetation so lizards were basking in places illuminated by light and these places were next to a road becauase there are no trees to make shade- but these trees on both sides of road were so big that they made some shade nevertheless.
I found Podarcis muralis muralis
adult males
and adult Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus
In afternoon I made a walk in Ulcinj and found floded meadow and I got to know very friendly Kosovian family which was on their vacation and was interested in me herping near their apartment. They even rented me wellingtons and told me about their observations of hedgehogs and invited me to visit the meadow at night to hear mating calls of the frogs.
habitat of juvenile and (probably) tadpoles of Rana dalmatina, juvenile of (probably) Pelophylax ridibundus kurtmuelleri, adult of this species and larvas and freshly metamorphosed Lissotriton vulgaris graecus
the tadpoles
recently metamorphosed juvenile of probably Pelophylax ridibundus kurtmuelleri
juveniles of Rana dalmatina
freshly metamorphosed Lissotriton vulgaris graecus
underside
larvas of Lissotriton vulgaris graecus
adult Pelophylax ridibundus kurtmuelleri
The next day I went to find Pseupodus apodus but I did not recognize it basking and it ran away fast when it heard me approaching. It was quarter past 9am.
The habitat in which I found adult living Pseupodus apodus- Ulcinj.
As to herptiles I just managed to take photo of a male of Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus in breeding colours
Next day I woke up at 6am because it was my last day in Montenegro and I was desperate to find Pseupodus apodus as I had no photo of alive specimen. When I was walking to the place where I found this species the day before I noticed subadult male of Lacerta viridis viridis cf. 'Adriatic' group.
subadult male of Lacerta viridis viridis cf. 'Adriatic' group
when i approached closer the lizard hid and then climbed a shrub
[url=https://flic.kr/p/VE859Z]
Few meters away I found another lizard of this species but with more pronounced blue .
adult male of Lacerta viridis viridis cf. 'Adriatic' group
Habitat of Lacerta viridis viridis cf. 'Adriatic' group
Then i proceeded uphill and observed juvenile Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus
juvenile Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus
Going further uphill I noticed a struggling tortoise on its back so I helped it and took few pics. I think it might be a female.
adult Testudo hermanni boettgeri
eating
its shell looked damaged, it was probably bitten by a dog or a jackal
habitat of Testudo hermanni boettgeri
After returning to the city I started looking for sweetwater turtles because I heard that they live in a canal despite the fact that water there is dirty. I observed 2 basking specimens of Emys orbicularis hellenica fleeing into water but I managed to take only one crappy photo
adult Emys orbicularis hellenica
habitat of Emys orbicularis hellenica
that's all folks
I arrived in afternoon, after leaving luggage in hotel I went to Port Milena. Water was salty there, some crabs and fish but no Natrix or sweetwater turtles were observed however other fieldherprs did see them there. When in coniferous little woods next to beach, I heard noise in a shrubs but I could not see any tortoise and all the more I could not grab it because the shrub was prickly. When I approached the noise died down.
Next day I went to Velika Plaza to snorkel. Near that place I found juvenile specimen of Natrix tessellata under trash on a bank of the river which links Salina with the sea.
habitat of Natrix tessellata
Natrix tessellata
[url=https://flic.kr/p/WwFEkP]
My hands smelt of stale fish after handling the snake.
Then I went into a sort of cliff where I found basking adult Balkan Whip Snake (Hierophis gemonensis)
in situ
Next day I was in the Bay of Kotor visiting Perast and Kotor.
Following day I visited Ada Bojana for a moment and found male (?) of Podarcis muralis muralis
habitat of Podarcis muralis muralis
Then snorkeling, visiting Sveti Stefan and Budva. In afternoon I was flipping stones in olive grove in Valdanos and found nothing
Next day I was taken by hotel bus to Copacabana beach. I went into mainland and found fleeing juvenile lizards and some ponds with fish and marsh frogs (Pelophylax ridibundus kurtmuelleri), no snakes or turtles! I thought that some of these might be Albanian Pool Frogs but Ana Vujović, Montenegrin herpetologist told me that this spcies is absent in Montenegro and one needs DNA data to determine the species.
The habitat
Pelophylax ridibundus kurtmuelleri
juvenile
specimen during metamorphosis
adults
Then near Copacabana beach I found female (?) of Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus
habitat of Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus
Rana esculenta in Montenegro?
In evening I found juvenile Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus near road next to my hotel.
habitat of juvenile Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus
Next day was dedicated to Ada Bojana known for high density population of brightly coloured swimming and tree climbing Horned Vipers. I went along Velika Plaza in direction of Ada Bojana and found dead Pseupodus apodus next to a road, it was not driven over so I have no idea why it died, maybe it died naturally?
dead Pseupodu apodus
Then thanks to protips from Tomaz Jagar I headed toward a wood with a pond in which newts were observed. On my way there I found DOR Anguis graeca.
DOR Anguis graeca
I started searching the ponds but I saw no water in the place where according to google maps it should be, moreover bush was dense and prickly. But I did hear a Testudo hermanni boettgeri and managed to take it from prickly bush to take few photos.
adult male Testudo hermanni boettgeri
note horny tip of a tail
habitat of adult Testudo hermanni boettgeri
In Ada Bojana I did not step deep into woods because I did not want to step on any viper. I was there in early afternoon walking a patch recommended by Clive Brignull and I flipped some flat trash and stones but found only juvenile natrix. These trash and stones to flip looked as if they were recently flipped. On my way I spotted almost completely dried up forest pond with 2 Natrix natrix persa, one, bigger one run away deeper into forest but second one, subadult stayed still so that I could take the photo below.
The island has dense vegetation so lizards were basking in places illuminated by light and these places were next to a road becauase there are no trees to make shade- but these trees on both sides of road were so big that they made some shade nevertheless.
I found Podarcis muralis muralis
adult males
and adult Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus
In afternoon I made a walk in Ulcinj and found floded meadow and I got to know very friendly Kosovian family which was on their vacation and was interested in me herping near their apartment. They even rented me wellingtons and told me about their observations of hedgehogs and invited me to visit the meadow at night to hear mating calls of the frogs.
habitat of juvenile and (probably) tadpoles of Rana dalmatina, juvenile of (probably) Pelophylax ridibundus kurtmuelleri, adult of this species and larvas and freshly metamorphosed Lissotriton vulgaris graecus
the tadpoles
recently metamorphosed juvenile of probably Pelophylax ridibundus kurtmuelleri
juveniles of Rana dalmatina
freshly metamorphosed Lissotriton vulgaris graecus
underside
larvas of Lissotriton vulgaris graecus
adult Pelophylax ridibundus kurtmuelleri
The next day I went to find Pseupodus apodus but I did not recognize it basking and it ran away fast when it heard me approaching. It was quarter past 9am.
The habitat in which I found adult living Pseupodus apodus- Ulcinj.
As to herptiles I just managed to take photo of a male of Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus in breeding colours
Next day I woke up at 6am because it was my last day in Montenegro and I was desperate to find Pseupodus apodus as I had no photo of alive specimen. When I was walking to the place where I found this species the day before I noticed subadult male of Lacerta viridis viridis cf. 'Adriatic' group.
subadult male of Lacerta viridis viridis cf. 'Adriatic' group
when i approached closer the lizard hid and then climbed a shrub
[url=https://flic.kr/p/VE859Z]
Few meters away I found another lizard of this species but with more pronounced blue .
adult male of Lacerta viridis viridis cf. 'Adriatic' group
Habitat of Lacerta viridis viridis cf. 'Adriatic' group
Then i proceeded uphill and observed juvenile Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus
juvenile Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus
Going further uphill I noticed a struggling tortoise on its back so I helped it and took few pics. I think it might be a female.
adult Testudo hermanni boettgeri
eating
its shell looked damaged, it was probably bitten by a dog or a jackal
habitat of Testudo hermanni boettgeri
After returning to the city I started looking for sweetwater turtles because I heard that they live in a canal despite the fact that water there is dirty. I observed 2 basking specimens of Emys orbicularis hellenica fleeing into water but I managed to take only one crappy photo
adult Emys orbicularis hellenica
habitat of Emys orbicularis hellenica
that's all folks