Between 22.4. and 1.5.2011 a group of six Slovenian students (me, Erika Ostanek, Mirko Silan, Anze Suhadolnik, Nino Kirbis and Nika Volk) were joined by two Englishmen, Paul Lambourne and Sean Cole on a trip, organized by me and Erika, covering Montenegro, FYR Macedonia and northern Greece. Our goal was to see as many herp species as possible, including some rare and endemic species. Despite bad weather throughout almost half of the trip we managed to see 15 species of amphibians and 29 reptile species, but failed to see most of our top priority targets. The other thing that made our search even more difficult was the lack of specific locations info, so we had only general areas to look for certain species.
Our route
23. April – Ada island
We visited Ada island of the south of Montenegro, known for its semiaquatic V. ammodytes population and lots of other species. As soon as we got out of the cars, we saw Dalmatian wall lizards (Podarcis melisellensis) and common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis). Sean found some orchids and the others went on searching for herps. We found loads of Hermann’s tortoises (Testudo hermanni) and frogs: Agile frogs (Rana dalmatina), Balkan marsh frogs (Pelophylax kurtmuelleri) and Albanian pool frogs (Pelophylax shqipericus) were abundant all throughout the island. We also found Macedonian Crested newts (Triturus macedonicus), Montpellier snakes (Malpolon insignitus), Caspian whip snakes (Dolichophis caspius), lots of Grass snakes (Natrix natrix), Greek slow worms (Anguis graeca) and a couple of Nose-horned vipers (Vipera ammodytes).
In the late afternoon on our way to our hotel in Podgorica we made a quick stop at lake Skadar, wher we saw Albanian pool frogs, Grass snakes and Eastern green lizards (Lacera viridis). Returning to the hotel, we enjoyed some well deserved beer and a barbeque meal.
Greek slow worm (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
Juvenile Montpellier snake (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
Caspian whip snake (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
Photo time (Photo: Tomaz Jagar)
Erika with a Montpellier snake (Foto: Tomaz Jagar)
24. April – Prokletje mountains
After an early morning start we drove towards Lake Bukumir in the Prokletje mountains. We managed to get to the lake after some bird and orchid stops, snowball fights and getting a bit lost in the mountains. When we got there, the weather turned from sunny to cloudy with cold wind blowing. Nonetheless we saw quite a few species at the lake: Common wall lizards, Nose-horned vipers, Green toads (Bufo viridis), Common toads (Bufo bufo spinosus) and Alpine newts (Mesotriton alpestris montenegrinus).
On our way back we stopped on a random location by the road from Bukumir to Podgorica. Our stop proved to be quite a lucky one, as we found Balkan green lizards (Lacera trilineata), Balkan whip snake (Hierophis gemonensis), Hermann's tortoises, Dalmatian algyroides (Algyroides nigropunctatus) and lots of Nose-horned vipers (Vipera ammodytes).
Incoming! (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
Hermann's tortoise (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
Balkan whip snake (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
Dalmatian Algyroides (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
Pair of Nose-horned vipers (Photo: Tomaz Jagar)
Paul looking satisfied (Photo: Tomaz Jagar)
25. April – Podgorica
Our plan was to have a quick check of the hotel surroundings, which proved to be a very good decision. During our search we found: a big and beautiful Dahl's whip snake (Platyceps najadum), lots of European glass lizards (Pseudopus apodus), Balkan green lizards and Hermann's tortoises. We also found Eastern green lizards and Dice snakes (Natrix tessellata). At a dumpsite Paul and Erika also spotted two Bosnian adders (Vipera berus bosniensis), which disappeared before we managed to take a picture. In the afternoon we drove towards Lake Dojran in FYR Macedonia.
Dahl's whip snake (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
Hotel location (Photo: Tomaz Jagar)
26. April – Dojran, Thessaloniki
Weather was crappy again with clouds covering the sun. While the rest of the team was recharging their batteries from yesterday’s drive, me, Erika, Paul and Sean made a quick visit to the lake shore and the hills above Dojran. Apart from loads of birds at the lake shore we saw lots of Balkan marsh frogs and a couple of dead Grass snakes. We also saw some Kotschyi’s geckos (Mediodactylus kotschyi). On the hills we found lots of Greek tortoises (Testudo graeca) and European glass lizards.
Later in the afternoon we drove towards Thessaloniki, where we stopped at another random site near Exochi, where we found a beautiful and bitey Leopard snake (Zamenis situla) along with the omnipresent Greek tortoises and Green toads.
Kotschyi's gecko (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
Leopard snake (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
27. April – road to Alexandroupoli
Because of poor weather we decided to skip Thessaloniki herping and head straight towards Alexandroupoli. Near Mikra Volvi we decided to head off the motorway and check some promising locations. Such a random stop again proved to be a very good decision since we found lots of herps despite the bad weather. While flipping rocks we found Balkan green lizard, Eastern green lizard, Green toads, lots of Worm snakes (Typhlops vermicularis) and a juvenile Nose-horned viper (Vipera ammodytes meridionalis).
The weather was still cloudy and cold when we arrived to Alexandroupoli, but still we decided to check the hotel surroundings. Through flipping rubbish we found our only Snake-eyed lacertid (Ophisops elegans) of the trip, and also the ever-present trio: European glass lizard, Green toad and Greek tortoise.
Juvenile Nose-horned viper subs. meridionalis (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
Worm snake (Photo: Tomaz Jagar)
Habitat at Mikri Volvi (Photo: Tomaz Jagar)
28. April – Lake Ismarida
After an uneventful stop at Makri we drove towards Lake Ismarida hoping that the weather will clear out, which eventually did. With the weather improving more herps were found. Along the shore of the lake apart from seeing literally hundreds of marsh birds we found: Balkan crested newt (Triturus arntzeni), Balkan marsh frog, Common Tree Frog (Hyla arborea), Balkan terrapins (Mauremys rivulata), European pond terrapins (Emys orbicularis), Eastern green lizards, Balkan green lizards and Grass snakes. At the different side a short distance from the lake we found the biggest number of non-natrix snakes I’ve ever seen: a total of 16 Caspian whip snakes (Dolichophis caspius), ranging from last year’s juveniles to more than 1,6 m pissed off adults. Along with the whip snakes we of course found both Green lizards, Green toads and Greek tortoises. Apart from that we also found Balkan wall lizards
(Podarcis tauricus), a Kotschy's gecko and Grass snakes, but the best finding of the day were Eastern spadefoot toads (Pelobates syriacus).
European pond terrapin (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
Tiny Balkan terrapin (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
Common tree frog (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
Balkan wall lizard (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
Eastern spadefoot toad (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
Portrait of a large Caspian whip snake (Photo: Tomaz Jagar)
29. April – Dadia forest, Alexandroupoli
After a quick and rather boring stop at Lefkimi, where we looked for Olive tree warbler we drove to Dadia forest to look for the Meadow lizard (Darevskia praticola), which we unfortunally didn’t find. The weather didn’t cooperate again, so the species found weren’t that numerous. Nevertheless we managed to see Erhard's wall lizards (Podarcis erhardii), Balkan wall lizards, Greek tortoises, Snake-eyed skinks (Ablepharus kitaibelii), Slow worms (Anguis fragilis), Common wall lizards, Fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra), Yellow-belied toad (Bombina variegata scabra), Balkan stream frogs (Rana graeca), Marsh frogs (Pelophylax ridibundus) and Common newts (Lissotriton vulgaris graecus).
In the late afternoon the weather cleared up and we went on to try our last chance to find the Ottoman viper (Montivipera xanthina). In the end we managed to find a juvenile specimen on a south-facing hilltop near Alexandroupoli, along with Greek tortoises, Balkan green lizards, Worm snakes and Green toads.
Common newt (Photo: Tomaz Jagar)
Juvenile Ottoman viper (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
Portrait of an Ottoman viper (Photo: Erika Ostanek)
30. April – Thessaloniki
On our way back home we decided to make another quick stop near Thessaloniki to find Starred agamas (Laudakia stellio). We saw quite a few of them and after short time Erika caught one for photographing. Two of the guys, Nino and Mirko tried to catch a huge 2m + Caspian whip snake, but instead they caught a partridge
Starred agama (Photo: Tomaz Jagar)
Mirko and his catch (Photo: Nino Kirbis)
The complete team
What we saw:
Amphibians:
- Common newt (Lissotriton vulgaris graecus)
- Yellow-belied toad (Bombina variegata scabra)
- Balkan stream frog (Rana graeca)
- Fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra salamandra)
- Common Tree Frog (Hyla arborea)
- Eastern spadefoot toad (Pelobates syriacus)
- Balkan crested newt (Triturus arntzeni)
- Green toad (Bufo viridis)
- Common toad (Bufo bufo spinosus)
- Alpine newt (Mesotriton alpestris montenegrinus)
- Albanian pool frog (Pelophylax shqipericus)
- Macedonian Crested newt (Triturus macedonicus)
- Balkan marsh frog (Pelophylax kurtmuelleri)
- Agile frog (Rana dalmatina)
- Marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus)
Reptiles:
- Eastern Montpellier snake (Malpolon insignitus)
- Caspian whip snake (Dolichophis caspius)
- Grass snake (Natrix natrix persa)
- Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis muralis)
- Dalmatian wall lizard (Podarcis melisellensis fiumanus)
- Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni boettgeri)
- Greek slow worm (Anguis graeca)
- Nose-horn viper (Vipera ammodytes ammodytes/meridionalis)
- Eastern green lizard (Lacera viridis viridis/meridionalis)
- Balkan whip snake (Hierophis gemonensis)
- Dalmatian algyroides (Algyroides nigropunctatus nigropunctatus)
- Dahl's whip snake (Platyceps najadum dahlii)
- European glass lizard (Pseudopus apodus)
- Balkan green lizard (Lacerta trilineata major/trilineata/dobrogica)
- Bosnian adder (Vipera berus bosniensis)
- Dice snake (Natrix tessellata)
- Kotschy's gecko (Mediodactylus kotschyi)
- Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca ibera)
- Leopard snake (Zamenis situla)
- Worm snake (Typhlops vermicularis)
- Snake-eyed lacertid (Ophisops elegans)
- Balkan wall lizard (Podarcis tauricus tauricus)
- Balkan terrapin (Mauremys rivulata)
- European pond terrapin (Emys orbicularis hellenica)
- Erhard's wall lizard (Podarcis erhardii riveti)
- Snake-eyed skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii)
- Slow worm (Anguis fragilis)
- Ottoman viper (Montivipera xanthina)
- Starred agama (Laudakia stellio)
In the end I think we did pretty well, considering our very limited time, long drives and quite a lot of poor weather.
Will post some more as the new herping season starts
Sat 11 Feb - 20:38
