We left the little ones to terrorise their grandparents and got on a plane to Malaga early on the 22th of October.
First stop: stretching our legs at a small nature reserve at the river mouth very close to the airport.
It was only 10 in the morning so the ideal time for snakes to start basking. Already 50 meters from the car I spotted the first one. A juvenile Horseshoe Whip Snake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis) in a crack of a big boulder. And that prooved to be a difficulty, ideal habitat of inaccescible big boulders. I saw another subadult whip snake and two Montpellier Snakes (Malpolon monspessulanus) but wasn't able to catch or photograph any of them. We saw a lot of Moorish Geckos (Tarentola mauretanica) in the roofs of the bird hides and among the rocks and a few juvenile Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus).
Who there???
But in the end I found a wooden plate between the scrubs next to the river. And success!!! An adult Horseshoe whip snake underneath it.
In the afternoon we drove to the mountains above Marbella, Sierra de las nieves.
We found mostly juvenile lizards here.
Large Psammodromus
A tiny Western Spanish Psammodromus (Psammodromus occidentalis)
Spiny-footed Lizard (Acanthodactylus erythrurus) still in his pyjamas
and Vaucher's Wall Lizard (Podarcis vaucheri)
Also one adult
One amfibian: Common Toad (Bufo bufo)
View towards the mediterranian
The next morning we had a long drive ahead of us because we wanted to visit Doñana in the province of Huelva. We made a few detours to look for animals.
First spot was a known spot for Iberian Parsley Frog(Pelodytes ibericus). It was dry but I thought maybe I could find one underneath a stone or something. That didn't work out.
I missed a little snake that shot very fast into a hole deep in the ground when I lifted up a rock. It only could have been a False Smooth Snake (Macroprotodon brevis).
We spent the next hour turning stones in the hope to find another one. But in vain. We did find quite some Turkish Geckos (Hemidactylus turcicus) and saw both another wall lizard.
Another spot was a quite ugly dune landscape in a coastal town full of garbage but that was pointed out as a place with 100% chance on finding Mediterranean Chamaeleons (Chamaeleo chamaeleon). That was one of the main goals of the trip.
While looking for them, something shot past my feet. Another Horseshoe Whip Snake. Very nicely coulored individual.
We had to search hard to find a Chamaeleon. After about an hour Elfie finally spotted the first one. I was very proud of her but I just had to find one myself
, luckily I did a few bushes further. Both were subadults. So cute and yet so cool! Needless to say, they were Elfie's favourites of this trip.
By the time we got to Doñana, the park was almost closing, we made a little walk without seeing herps. Very quickly found a hostal in Matalascañas but it turned out to be a ghost town in this time of year. We had to walk for over an hour before we found something to eat at a hamburger shop. During our quest for food we saw Moorish and Turkish Geckos on the walls.
Juvenile Moorisch Gecko
So far the part of the trip with nice weather.
Next day we woke up with a grey sky. During our first walk of the day, some mild rain. By noon unbelievable amounts of water started pooring down. By the evening it got a bit dryer and we made another walk. At sunset we saw the first rays of sunlight that day. No stones to turn in Doñana, so no herps that day, no Carbonell's Wall Lizard (Podarcis carbonelli) for me
We found a hotel in El Rocio. Because most places in the nature reserve are inaccessible to the public, I decided to try my luck just outside town after dark and after the best meal of the week. Doñana in the rain
Hey fashion police, come and get me! At least I had dry shoes in the evening.
Marismas in El Rocio, starting to fill up
No paved roads in town
After dark, at the border of the Marismas only a single Iberian Water Frog (Pelophylax perezi) and two reptiles: Viperine Snake (Natrix maura)
Further out of town it took me a few hours to locate the calls of some tiny little toads in about 20 hectares of wet fields. Enjoyed myself whistling back and forward with these critters before I hit the jackpot: a male Iberian Midwife Toad (Alytes cisternasii) with eggs.
I considered venturing even further out of town (wanting to see Western Spadefoot (Pelobates cultripes)) but big lightning bulbs in the distance made me decide to join Elfie safely in bed.
Weather forecast didn't promise much good for the next days. We decided to stick to the original plan and headed for Sierra de Grazalema. There we visited a small pond. Turned some stones during a dryer moment but didn't find any herps.
Only interesting was this mantis:
I had some spots for terrapins and a good spot for Pelobates and Pelodytes but that was not so easy reach. So we decided to continue south towards Los Alcornocales. Again massive amounts of rain, creating streams of mud. But while searching a place for the night, I saw what I was hoping for with this weather: Fire Salamander (Salamandra (salamandra) longirostris). Sadly DOR, but a good motivation for another session of herping at night.
We found accomodation at a big tourist complex in Algar, where we were the only guests. Paid 50 euros for dinner, a room and breakfast for two. Muy economico!!!
Again it got dryer around sunset and we explored the complex. I found another subadult whip snake under a wooden plank.
After dinner: cruising the roads of Los Alcornocales. Numbers of amfibians weren't that high but we found Iberian Water Frog, Common Toad,
Stripeless Tree Frog (Hyla meridionalis),
East Iberian Painted Frog (Discoglossus galganoi jeanneae)
2 more DOR Fire Salamanders and 6 alive: all adult males. This really saved the day!
first one in situ
nr 2
nr 3
nr 4
nr 5
and nr 6
Last day: More greyness
Normally we had planned a nice big walk but instead we went to a pond that was just filling up. Turned the stones next to it. To my surprise next to the water edge: two juvenile Occellated Lizards (Timon lepidus)
In the cork oak woods surrounding it: an adult and juvenile Bedriaga's Skink (Chalcides bedriagai)
and another Fire Salamander. This time an adult female.
Habitat
Vultures don't like the rain either.
After that we passed by the Pelodytes place of the second day again. Very muddy here. Under a stone a new species: Western Iberian Worm Lizard (Blanus mariae)
Just when we wanted to leave I heard calls of Pelodytes further away. We stopped at some temporary puddles next to the road. Yes they were there but extremely shy. It would have taken me the rest of the day to catch one. While photographing a big Iberian Water Frog, I noticed one hiding under the vegetation. You can even see him in the next picture.
Here in the middle of the picture:
I also saw a Southern Marbled Newt (Triturus pygmaeus)) in the same pond coming up for a breath.
I really need to bring a descent net on my next trip.Not really satisfied, I had to leave with pain in the heart this beautiful place. Understandably Elfie couldn't really be bothered with sitting next to a road in the rain waiting for a little grey frog to show itself.
We ended our vacation with another walk at the river estuary in Malaga only seeing some more Moorish Geckos.
Only 5 days and seen the circumstances it was a good result. But I will return some day....
Special thanks to Ray, Wouter, Frank and Jeroen for their valuable and highly appreciated tips and ofcourse to my Elfie just for putting up with me
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