Field Report – One week in North-West of Spain – September 2012 – Part 2/2

Second part !

The first part is here : Field Report – One week in North-West of Spain – September 2012 – Part 1/2

4th day – in road to extreme west of Castilla y Leon:

During the morning, the sun came, very, very slowly. The conditions was good during about 2 hours, and allowed us to see lot of specimens of V. seoanei, but also Bufo bufo spinosus, Rana temporaria parvipalmata, Podarcis muralis brongniardii, Zootoca vivipara louislantzi and Anguis fragilis.

We finished the day on a Iberolacerta galani spot, but it was too late to see lot of adults.

 

 

5th day – At the border of Portugal:

Down the galani spot, we spent few hours taking pictures of Podarcis bocagei. We also missed a small Vipera latastei taking the sun in a wall… No luck!

The landscape have changed in the south, and we found some more mediterranean species : Pelophylax perezi, Timon lepidus, Natrix maura, Malpolon monspessulanus (unfortunatly dead on road). By the merest chance, we met a very nice Belgians who give us a wolf spot. We tried to see the so excepted animal during the evening, but it never appeared. However, we found a species that we don’t excepted more… A beautiful Vipera lastastei!!

Before sleeping, we saw Hyla molleri, Pelophylax perezi and Natrix maura in a pond.

 

 

6th day – Go back Asturias!

This saturday, we decided to change our plan to see the brown bear.

Before starting, we stopped near a dam where we found Pelophylax perezi, Podarcis hispanica (type 1A), Chalcides striatus, Timon lepidus, Natrix maura, Malpolon monspessulanus (skin only).

Arrived on the bear’s spot, we waited on the good place, taking pictures of numerous Iberolacerta monticola cantabrica and Lacerta schreiberi.

And… finally… we saw the Brown bear! Great animal, great moment.

Very late, we started come back France, and found one the road a DOR Natrix natrix astreptophora, and a beautiful Coronella austriaca acutirostris.

 

 

7th day – A last morning before going back to France!

Finally, this last morning was too short to finish filling our memory cards. We saw in this last spot Zootoca vivipara louislantzi, Podarcis muralis brongniardii, Iberolacerta monticola cantabrica and Vipera seoanei seoanei.

Conclusion:

NW Spain is one of the best places for european herpetofauna. Not always good weather, only one week, but what a great trip !

 

 

Amphibiens (10)

Salamandra salamandra bernardezi
Salamandra salamandra alfredschmidti
Lissotriton helveticus alonsoi
Ichthyosaura alpestris cyreni
Triturus marmoratus
Chioglossa lusitanica longipes
Alytes obstetricans obstetricans
Bufo bufo spinosus
Rana temporaria parvipalmata
Pelophylax perezi
Hyla molleri

 

Reptiles (18)

Anguis fragilis
Podarcis muralis brongniardii
Podarcis bocagei
Podarcis liolepis liolepis
Podarcis hispanica type 1A
Iberolacerta monticola cantabrica
Iberolacerta galani
Zootoca vivipara louislantzi
Lacerta schreiberi
Timon lepidus lepidus
Malpolon monspessulanus (skin & DOR)
Natrix maura
Natrix natrix astreptophora
Coronella girondica
Coronella austriaca acutirostris
Vipera aspis zinnikeri (DOR)
Vipera seoanei seoanei (and cantabrica ?)
Vipera latastei latastei

 

… and Mammals (10)!

Apodemus… sylvaticus ?
Talpa occidentalis
Oryctolagus cuniculus
Mustela herminea
Lutra lutra
Vulpes vulpes
Capreolus capreolus
Cervus elaphus
Sus scrofa
Ursus arctos