With some friends, Jérôme and me decided to spend few days in north-west of Spain. No specifics goals, just hope to have fun and take good pictures.
First day – north of Castilla y Leon:
The first surprise was the weather, which was too hot for good herping. Neverless, we found some interesting reptiles. Overall, we saw Chalcides striatus, Podarcis liolepis, Lacerta schreiberi, Timon lepidus, Coronella girondica, Vipera aspis zinnikeri, but also Pelophylax perezi and Triturus marmoratus, but, unfortunately, only a skin of Vipera latastei.
Empusa pennata
Chalcides striatus
The first picnic!
Aricia morronensis
Orbaneja del Castillo
Orbaneja del Castillo
Man versus wild
Orbaneja del Castillo
Great landscape of Castilla y Leon
Triturus marmoratus
Triturus marmoratus
No luck so far…
Please, stay here!
A private joke for french naturalist!
Adeline in the latastei’s habitat
The latastei was here!
Laurent like the wide angle lens
Vipera aspis zinnikeri, dead on road
Preparation of the bed
Another method…
Now it’s time to eat
French fashion
Coronella girondica, DOR
Vipera aspis zinnikeri, DOR too
2nd day – road to Picos de Europa:
After high temperatures, lot of rain ! On arrival, the weather deteriorated rapidly… We just have had few minutes to see Salamandra s. bernardezi, Anguis fragilis and three Vipera seoanei. We spent the night in the mountains and saw lot of amphibians : S. s. bernardezi, Lissotriton helveticus alonsoi, Ichthyosaura alpestris cyreni and Rana temporaria parvipalmata.
The beautiful view since « El Mirador del Fito »
Picos de Europa since el Mirador del Fito
It’s time!
Small salamandra versus big lenses
Salamandra salamandra bernardezi
Anguis fragilis
Vipera seoanei taking sun
Photo shoot for V.seoanei
Second photo shoot
For sure!
A last one
Mmm… Bad weather on Picos de Europa…
Back to Costa Rica?
Humid kitchen
.. but only for the chef!
Always humid…
Ichthyosaura alpestris cyreni
Lissotriton helveticus alonsoi
Salamandra salamandra bernardezi
Hard to make good picture…
Ichthyosaura alpestris cyreni
Salamandra salamandra bernardezi
Salamandra salamandra bernardezi
Rana temporaria parvipalmata
Rana temporaria parvipalmata
Yes, the weather will be good tomorrow!
3rd day – center of Asturias:
Because of bad weather, we decided to run to the south, in goal to find the sun. It will’nt for this day, and it was very hard to see one lizard !! Overall we found this day : S. s. bernardezi, S. s. alfredschmidti, Lissotriton helveticus alonsoi, Chioglossa lusitanica longipes, Rana temporaria parvipalmata, Alytes obstetricans, Anguis fragilis, Podarcis muralis brongniardii, and just before the night, Vipera seoanei (probably V. s. seoanei). To cold, to windy, to wet, we finished the night in a small hotel…
Ghost herpers
Lago de Enol
No sun, but hot chocolate!
Shooting of Alytes obstetricans
A flying Prunella modularis
Our new colleague
Chiglossa lusitanica longipes
![I'm [shooting] in the rain](http://www.herpetofocus.fr/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/NWSpain2012-043.jpg "I'm [shooting] in the rain")
I’m [shooting] in the rain
Salamandra salamandra alfredschmidti
Rana temporaria parvipalmata
Mike is fall in love with this cow
Here was a bird
How try to find V. seoanei
So ?
Yes! Vipera seoanei
Vipera seoanei, Melanic one
Vipera seoanei, Melanic one
Vipera seoanei, Melanic one
Vipera seoanei, Melanic one
Hard to make good picture…
Vipera seoanei, Melanic one
Vipera seoanei, Melanic one
Pink Anguis fragilis
Our unique hotel!
And our restaurant.
What is the menu?
Hungry herpetos
Important health!
Good night…
Part two is here : Field Report – One week in North-West of Spain – September 2012 – Part 2/2
3 Commentaires
Hello ! de bien belles découvertes, de chouettes photos aussi…
pour les identifications vous êtes sûr pour A. morronensis ?
Merci du commentaire 😉
La photo de A. morronensis n’est pas demoi, mais les lépido ne sont pas notre domaine de prédilection !
Sugegorria Articles récents…Suivi population amphibien – Tarn
oui mais vous excellez en herpeto et en photo alors il faut bien que vous en laissiez pour les autres ! 😀
Donc si vous avez vu A. morronensis, ce n’est pas cette photo qui correspond, les Aricia sont brun sur le dessus. Ici ça m’a l’air plutot d’être un Polyommatus bellargus (point cellulaire et frange des ailes rayées blanches et noires).