fieldherping.eu

by **Heiko Wehner** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:22 pm

Hello there!

I registered here nearly a year ago (2 days are missing) and told about how I wanted to search for V. aspis in Ticino. Well, what can I say. I made the trip and didn't find even one little snake.
I think it was lack of experience plus bad luck with the weather.
Despite not finding what I was looking for I didn't lose interest in searching for amphibians and reptiles.

By now I have set a goal for myself to find all reptiles and amphibians that dwell in Germany. When it comes to rare species like V. apsis I'll go to switzerland though.

Here is a one-photo-per-species list of what I've found so far, hope you enjoy:

Triturus cristatus (Kammmolch) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr

Lissotriton vulgaris (Teichmolch) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr

Ichthyosaura alpestris (Bergmolch) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr

Hyla arborea (Laubfrosch) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr

Bombina variegata (Gelbbauchunke) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr

Rana temporaria (Grasfrosch) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr

Pelophylax sp. (Wasserfrosch) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr
(don't know the species)

Alystes obstetricans (Geburtshelferkröte) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr

Bufo calamita (Kreuzkröte) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr

Bufo bufo (Erdkröte) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr

Salamandra salamandra terrestris (Feuersalamander) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr

Anguis fragilis (Blindschleiche) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr

Zootoca vivipara (Waldeidechse) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr
(from last year)

Podarcis muralis (Mauereidechse) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr
(from Ticino last year)

Lacerta agilis (Zauneidechse) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr

Coronella austriaca (Schlingnatter) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr

Natrix natrix (Ringelnatter) von Heiko Wehner auf Flickr

Except for the Coronella, which was found in Bavaria, and the Podarcis from Ticino, all pictures where taken in Hesse.

As you can see, I'm still missing quite some species, but I'm more than motivated to keep working on this project.
Tomorrow I'll leave for a one week hiking trip to the black forest, hopefully I'll see some V. berus there. Since Vipera spp. are my favorite snakes I hope to be more successfull than with the V. aspis in Ticino

Regards,

Heiko

by **Stéphane Aubry** » Mon Jul 02, 2012 10:14 pm

Absolutely stunning pics ! :shock:

Congratulations

by **Vlad Cioflec** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 5:09 am

Great camera skills man and a nice variety of herps too!
Your Pelophhylax kinda looks like a juvenile ridibundus to me, but i would like to hear some other opinions.

by **Jürgen Gebhart** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 7:31 am

Great Collection, fantastic pics!!

Ticino is a very nice area with a lot of beautiful places, always worth to visit, but I will never ever look for Vipera aspis there again!

by **Bobby Bok** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 4:59 pm

I like the vulgaris best, stunning shots!

by **GertJan Verspui** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:35 pm

Great use of depth of field, I also think Ticino is great, incl aspis.

by **Daniel Kane** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 6:42 pm

Great photos Heiko - the Bombina and Anguis are my favourites! Good luck for your future asp searching, I'm sure with some perseverance you will find them!

by **Sandra Panienka** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 10:43 am

Wow, awesome pics. I love the Pelophylax and the B. calamita. :O)

by **Heiko Wehner** » Sun Jul 08, 2012 6:31 pm

Thanks for all your nice comments!

Jürgen, why wouldn't you look for V. aspis in Ticino anymore?

Next year, I'll try another spot anyways, way more in the north. Not as far to drive, so it's not as bad if I don't find any aspis on the first try.

Regards,

Heiko