European Field Herping Forum :: Around the Pyrenees 2011

Around the Pyrenees 2011

by GertJan Verspui - 10/8/2011 18h17

This summer we planned to go to the Pyrenees with our old campervan, we left the 16th of July.
About 60 km North of Paris the camper lost power and before we knew it we were standing still...

After a lot of phonecalls and 2 hotel nights, I picked up a rental car south of Paris, to have a good time from here we needed everything that is wish full to have on a vacation with a tent, bought everything at a big supermarket...

20th untill the 23rd of July.

The first area was Aude, a way too expensive campsite on the coast provided the first herps.

In the dunes I found Psammodromus hispanicus, Podarcis liolepis, Tarentola mauritanica and a shed of a Malpolon monspessulanus, Timon lepidus was also supposed to be there, but none was seen this day, during the next I saw 2 who were to fast for the camera(Im getting slow...)

Psammodromus hispanicus

Podarcis liolepis

Tarentola mauritanica

The next day I drove around in the area and found many reasons to smile...

An almost black Chalcides striatus

Rhinechis scalaris

Psammodromus algirus

Discoglossus pictus

Hyla meridionalis

A few Hyla meridionalis...

Malpolon monspessulanus

Natrix maura surrounded by baby treefrogs.

Natrix maura

Green frogs and juvenile Lissotriton helveticus were also seen.

In the evening I visited the dunes again.

24th untill the 29th of July.

In these days we went into the pyrenees and I tried to find the Iberolacerta's.
First stop was in an area where Lacerta agilis lives, only one was seen by me, Podarcis muralis, Rana temporaria, Vipera aspis were also there.

Podarcis muralis

Vipera aspis zinnikeri

The next day I went into a valley to find Iberolacerta aurelioi, it was a bit raining, but I was sure it would change......during the walk I saw many Rana temporaria, Calotriton asper and 1 dead Anguis fragilis.
The weather didnt change, the only thing that changed was my jacket into a gore-tex...

Calotriton asper

Rana temporaria

A little frustrated I returned and told the boss that we had to stay so I could return when the weather was improving, meanwhile she had heard a weather forcast and new nothing would change.
Staying was not an option.., so I offered a plan to go to Andorra and take a campsite in one of the valleys there because it's a little more to the south(better weather)...

We did some shopping in Andorra and from that valley it was also possible to go to the Iberolacerta aurelioi site, so I woke up early in the morning and guess what, no cloudes....

I drove to the place where my hike started, this hike was more intensive then the first one, untill I reached the ridge were I went over the mountain, the sky was still almst cloud-free, when I went down on the other site I walked straight into a big rainproducing cloud......

When I reached the site it was still raining, I stayed there for 3 hours and the sun came ones for half a minute.....
On the Andorra side the weather was perfect again.

Perfect spot where an Iberolacerta aurelioi could have been!

Next we went to the Aran valley, during a walk with my doughter we found a huge Bufo bufo, Podarcis muralis and Zootoca vivipara.

Zootoca vivipara

Bufo bufo

Iberolacerta aranica

From here back to France to see Iberolacerta bonnali, what I also saw in that area were 2 Vipera aspis, Zootoca vivipara, Podarcis muralis.

Iberolacerta bonnali

Vipera aspis zinnikeri

Juvenile Vipera aspis zinnikeri

30th of July untill the 1st of August.

These days were spent in the area around Huesca, on the road towards there we stopped at a creek that was almost dry, lots of Alytes obstetricans tadpoles were seen there.

Tiny Alytes obstetricans

Habitat

Around the campsite were Pelophylax perezi, Natrix maura and Podarcis liolepis.

Pelophylax perezi

Natrix maura

Podarcis liolepis

The next 2 days were spent in the Pyrenees again, close to St Jean Pied de Port.
Species seen here were Bufo bufo, Alytes obstetricans, Salamandra salamandra, Podarcis muralis, Vipera seaonei, Lissotriton helveticus, Rana temporaria, Calotriton asper, dor Coronella austriaca, tadpole of the Rana pyrenaica and Zootoca vivipara.

Rana temporaria

Zootoca vivipara

Salamandra salamandra

Lissotriton helveticus

Vipera seoanei

Rana temporaria

DOR Coronella austriaca

Calotriton asper

Tadpole of Rana pyrenaica

Alytes obstetricans

2nd untill the 4th of August.

We stayed on a nice campsite on the Sierra de Urbasa.

Podarcis pityusensis

habitat

camping podarcis muralis

the same with his girl

The last few days we went to a region halfway France, La Brenne, I've been here when I was young and after seeing the last report from Jeroen, Wouter and Bobby I thought this could be a good area to spent the last days.

Lacerta bilineata

Juvenile Lacerta bilineata

Rana dalmatina

Bufo calamita

Hyla arborea

Natrix natrix

Emys orbicularis

Pelophylax kl. esculentus

Headlight on and a Bufo calamita which she found herself

Pelodytes punctatus

Anguis fragilis

Vipera aspis aspis

Bombina variegata

Bombina variegata

Now its time to go home and look into the campervan-problems!!!!!!!

This trip would not have been possible without the help of Peter O. and Jeroen S.

THANKS GUYS!!

LIST OF OBSERVATIONS.

AMPHIBIANS (16)

* Alytes obstetricans
* Bombina variegata
* Bufo bufo
* Bufo calamita
* Calotriton asper
* Discoglossus pictus
* Hyla arborea
* Hyla meridionalis
* Lissotriton helvetica
* Pelodytes punctatus
* Pelophylax perezi
* Pelophylax kl. esculentus
* Rana dalmatina
* Rana pyrenaica
* Rana temporaria
* Salamandra salamandra

REPTILES (22)

* Anguis fragilis
* Chalcides striatus
* Coronella austriaca (2 dor)
* Emys orbicularis
* Iberolacerta aranica
* Iberolacerta bonnali
* Lacerta agilis
* Lacerta bilineata
* Malpolon monspessulanus
* Natrix maura
* Natrix natrix
* Podarcis liolepis
* Podarcis muralis
* Podarcis pityusensis
* Psammodromus algirus
* Psammodromus hispanicus
* Rhinechis scalaris
* Tarentola mauritanica
* Timon lepidus
* Vipera aspis
* Vipera seoanei
* Zootoca vivipara

Locality: Netherlands
Posts: 9 subjects, 27 replies
Last active: 15/7/2012
Posted on: 11/8/2011 10h37

Joris Drubbel

great report with some amazing pictures. As a turtle-man I always like nice shots of the Emys, but the two together on the log in the water is very nice!!!
And the shot of Hyla-heaven is pretty cool too!

Locality: Germany
Posts: 7 subjects, 33 replies
Last active: 7/5/2013
Posted on: 11/8/2011 20h59

Peter Oefinger

Hi GertJan,
very nice. The Podarcis from Huesca should be liolepis.

Regards
Peter

Locality: Netherlands
Posts: 15 subjects, 77 replies
Last active: 25/1/2013
Posted on: 11/8/2011 21h05

GertJan Verspui

Thanks Joris and thanks Peter, I will change it asap, I was lucky in the location you gave me, the wind was blowing very hard for 3 days, only saw a few lizards.

Locality: Belgium
Posts: 24 subjects, 362 replies
Last active: 21/5/2013
Posted on: 12/8/2011 10h52

Jeroen Speybroeck

Glad to see that you were able to have a succesful tour, despite that car trouble.

I am starting to think I have been 2x very lucky with the aurelioi searching, also remembering the stories of others, waiting there for days on end.

I still don't get why finding post-metamorph Rana pyrenaica was so easy in 2004 - apparently preceeding rainy nights help.

Locality: Netherlands
Posts: 4 subjects, 85 replies
Last active: 14/5/2013
Posted on: 12/8/2011 11h44

Bobby Bok

Great trip GertJan, really love the black Chalcides and the Iberolacerta's. The Hyla abundance is fantastic, it would make me go crazy!

Locality: Netherlands
Posts: 0 subjects, 16 replies
Last active: 24/2/2012
Posted on: 12/8/2011 13h07

Wouter Beukema

Amazing aspis zinnikeri juvenile!! Also, I've never seen such yellow spots on a P. perezi before. Looks like you had a great trip! I really want to go back to that area near St. Jean Pied de Port...

Locality: Netherlands
Posts: 15 subjects, 77 replies
Last active: 25/1/2013
Posted on: 12/8/2011 13h28

GertJan Verspui

Yes Jeroen, it turned out very good, despite a lot of improvising...but I still dream about the aurelioi....

Thanks Bobby, the hyla-collection was for meters in a row, had to be very carefull where to put my feet while photographing.

Wouter, that aspis, normally I do not bother aspis that size, but this one was too pretty..
The yellow spots on the P perezi looked like they were some kind of flaw, the skin looked weaker where the yellow spots were.

Locality: United Kingdom
Posts: 9 subjects, 26 replies
Last active: 31/1/2012
Posted on: 12/8/2011 19h03

Carl Corbidge

Great trip and report, the juvenile Asp and Salamander are my favourites, The Pyrenees is on the shortlist for a trip next year. Thanks for sharing.

Locality: Netherlands
Posts: 15 subjects, 77 replies
Last active: 25/1/2013
Posted on: 1/10/2011 20h58

GertJan Verspui

Thanks Carl, the pyrenees are great!