From 3 June untill 14 June I was on holiday with my girlfriend and kids in the south of France. Our base camp was a camping place in the town of Régusse, south of the Lac de Saint Croix (Verdon region). Although limited, ofcourse there was some herping involved.
The first week was not so special herpwise. The area around the camping was a dry open oak forest and I never observed much reptile activity there. There were no streams or ponds to be found, except for probably some ponds in private gardens.
The first herp we encountered was a big Common Toad (Bufo bufo)
Ben loves toads too.
Further more I only found Common Wall Lizard.
The swimming pool was (and remained) closed for repairs, so on Tuesday we went towards the coast. But first a stop in Plaine des Maures. A very nice region.
Goal was to find Edward's Psammodromus, maybe a Montpellier Snake and all the other stuff that lives there.
I saw Psammodromus, Occelated Lizard, Moorish Gecko and Pelophylax but couldn't get any descent pictures:
Timon lepidus in the distance
Call it after Edward's or Edwar's anus. I don't care. Here is a bit of it; a new species for me. Psammodromus edwarsianus
Paco at a temporary stream.
Wednesday we made a touristic drive to the "gorges du Verdon". A snake crossed the road in front of my car but I couldn't stop to go after it at that spot. Quite sure it was a subadult Montpellier Snake (Malpolon monspessulanus).
Podarcis muralis
Lac de Sainte-Croix
Thursday we kept it easy at the camping site and made a walk into town. I found a DOR juvenile Ladder Snake (Rhinechis scalaris) just outside the village center.
A lot of scorpions under stones in Régusse.
By now it got time for some real hardcore herping. So on Friday morning I got up at 6 and made a two hour drive to some mountain in the north in search of Meadow viper (Vipera ursinii).
Some say June is not the best time to look for this species and I think I have to agree with them but I gave it a shot. I searched between 8:30 am and noon. Temperatures from 11 to 16 °C. Sunny weather and no wind.
I only found some basking Wall Lizards. Podarcis muralis
When I was making my way back down to the car, in a part of the mountain where they seemed to have shaved of the vegetation and burned the remainders. Next to some trees a viper fled into the juniper bushes. It really took me by surprise so I missed it. Not a place where I would have expected it at all.
The habitat. Probably they destroyed it for skiing related reasons??? I saw the snake next to the trees on the left.
I waited about 20 minutes but it didn't came back. Hmmm, somewhat frustrating.
Saturday the whole family joined me again for a long drive to the south east this time. To an old bunker complex with some interesting tunnels.
Home of another new species for me: Strinati's Cave Salamander (Speleomantes strinatii). Paco loved to explore these tunnels with me and we found about 60 animals at two different entrances. Great experience.
First one: a baby
We lost Ben's shoe and I got plagued by a massive headache (Sinisitus that bothered me in Greece already, came back with a vengeance) but I didn't care. Things were looking up herpwise.
We saw also Western Green Lizard (Lacerta bilineata) there.
We visited some family that were on holiday in that region and relatively late in the evening we went back to Régusse.
On the way we met a young french woman. Très jolie mais aussi très fachée. She left us with a souvenir.
I didn't feel like discussing with her, so called the police. In the mean time she must have realised the whole collision was her fault and she fled the scene. This stupid fool ofcourse didn't write down her number plate...
So sunday stuck at the camping with a crooked wheel and bad weather. Found a dead Slow worm (Anguis fragilis) though.
Monday perfect weather for another try on ursinii after the thunder storms from the previous day. But no, I had to go and find a garage to fix my wheel and check the car out.
The afternoon brought relief. On a nice walk to some waterfalls, a snake crossed my path in an olive orchard.
Yeah Ladder Snake. Impossible to get laying still but a beautiful animal.
habitat
Tuesday: Fuck it, I'm going back for ursinii. This time up at 5:30, searching between 08:00 and 11:30 am. Temperatures between 8 and 13 °C now because of a quite strong eastern wind. Also quite sunny weather.
I saw Viviparous Lizard (Zootoca vivipara) and Western Green Lizard basking.
No vipers out. When I passed the place where I saw the one the previous week, I again heard a snake moving in the bush but couldn't see it. Kept searching better looking habitat and returned an hour later. This time I could just see a little head sticking out:
So here it is: in need of a shed and desperately in need of a juicy grasshopper who weren't around yet.
Close up of the "habitat"
It was very skinny. Probably it's home was destroyed, it moved to the wrong side where trees block the afternoon sun and that's why it had to come out to catch extra energy. Too bad but maybe a bit my luck.
I tried but couldn't find more specimens. The afternoon I spent at the police station (it is getting a bad habit
). This time not as a suspected human trafficer but as a victim to file a complaint. Waste of time ofcourse.Wednesday. Back towards the coast with a small stop at Plaine des Maures. Again Timon and pelophylax and also several juvenile Natterjacks (Bufo calamita)
Size comparison
Pelophylax spec
Between the plaine and coast, a snake on the road but couldn't find it in the tall grass. Probably Malpolon again.
Thursday we visited Le Muy and made a nice walk there partly along the river Endre.
Timon again in a habitat comparable with Plaine des Maures.
Also white monkeys here.
At the river: a european pond terrapin? (correct me if I'm wrong) Emys orbicularis
and a dead Viperine Snake (Natrix maura).
Then the last day. I got up early for a final visit on my own of Plaine des Maures. I still wanted better pictures of Timon and Psammodromus and a last try to find Malpolon.
I got the pictures
but no malpi.
A final snake basking on the track: Viperine Snake
That was it.
I'm happy. Some bad luck but any holiday with Vipera ursinii is a good holiday for me
