Excursion to northern Greece (Epiros, Thessalia, West- and Centralmacedonia) from June, 4th till June, 21st, 2008. |
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 Unsere /our route |
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| On wednesday, June 4th, Dr. Werner Mayer and I drove down from Salzburg to Ancona via Bologna. At 4:00 p.m. we took the Anek ferry boat to Igoumenitsa. | |
| Thursday, June 5th About 8:30 we arrived in Greece and drove to Kastoria, passing Ioannina and Konitsa. On the way from Igou to Ioannina we found Testudo marginata and Testudo h. boettgeri, north of Ioannina Testudo h. boettgeri only. At the eastern slopes of the Pindos mountains we saw syntope living Podarcis muralis albanicus and Podarcis erh. riveti. |
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 Podarcis muralis albanicus |
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 Habitat of Podarcis muralis and Dr. Werner Mayer |
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| Friday, June 6th The morning we spent to find Algyroides nigropunctatus at the Kastoria lake and have been lucky. We found them at the rocks and on the stems of Platanus trees, growing at the shoreline along the Kastoria peninsula. In the water Pelophylax ridibundus (balcanicus). In the afternoon we searched in the hills north of the lake: Testudo h. boettgeri, Lacerta trilineata, Podarcis erh. riveti and a road killed Malpolon (monsp.) insignitus fuscus. |
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 Habitat of Algyroides nigropunctatus |
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 Algyroides nigropunctatus |
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 Algyroides nigropunctatus - ventral |
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 Pelophylax ridibundus |
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 Podarcis erhardii riveti, male |
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| Saturday, June 7th From Kastoria via Kozani and Veria to Leptokaria at the eastern side of Olympus mountain. At the end of the Aliakmona dam we found Podarcis erh. riveti in the gravel floodplains, overgrown by grass, although we expected Podarcis t. tauricus in this habitat. Between Leptokaria and Karia we saw Testudo marginata and Podarcis erh. riveti at low altitudes. |
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 Habitat of Testudo marginata |
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 Testudo marginata |
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| Sunday, June 8th On this day we searched the Pinios delta and parts of the Ossa mountains. Near Stomio we looked for Podarcis t. tauricus for some hours, but only saw Podarcis muralis, Lacerta viridis meridionalis?, Testudo h. boettgeri and a few Natrix tessellata. At the eastern slopes of the Ossa mountains near Melivia we found Bombina variegata scabra, Pelophylax ridibundus and larvae of Salamandra salamandra in a small creek. On the rocks near by some Lacerta viridis ssp. |
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 Podarcis muralis |
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 Lacerta viridis meridionalis, juvenil |
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 habitat of: Bombina v. scabra, Pelophylax ridibundus and Salamandra salamandra |
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| Monday, June 9th While the weather was acceptable during the last days - warm and partly cloudy with a few showers and some bright sunshine, quite good for reptile searching, the monday was "day off". The whole day with low rain clouds with strong rainfall and thunderstorms. |
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 habitat: Podarcis erhardii riveti |
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| Tuesday, June 10th Driving from Leptokaria via Karia and Elassona to Larissa. At low altitudes on the southern slopes of the "Big Olymp" mountain Testudo marginata and Podarcis erh. riveti. In a small creek east of Olimbiada (Sparmou) Salamandra salamandra larvae and Pelophylax ridibundus. In the Platanus forest some Podarcis muralis. In Thessalia it was very dry and also very warm. On the gravel floodplains of the Paliomantano river we found hundreds of newly metamorphosed Bufo bufo spinosus, Pseudepidalea viridis and Rana dalmatina. One of the highlights of the trip were the finding of 2 stone curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus), immotile sitting between gravel stones. Also after handling to take some good images, they dont run away for a few minutes. On the pastures, overgrown with small Quercus coccifera, east of the river, I only found Testudo hermanni boettgeri, Pseudepidalea viridis and Lacerta trilineata, although I know this area for nearly all herps, occuring in this area, since decades. |
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 Burhinus oedicnemus |
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 Rana dalmatina, froglet |
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 habitat of: Testudo h. boettgeri, T. marginata, Lacerta trilineata, Pseudopus apodus, Pseudepidalea viridis, Vipera ammodytes ...................... |
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 Testudo hermanni boettgeri |
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 Pseudepidalea viridis |
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| Wednesday, June 11th From Larissa to Thessaloniki we took the highway, from Thessaloniki to the Doirani lake the main road. At late afternoon we found Testudo hermanni boettgeri, Podarcis tauricus and Lacerta viridis on pastures near the lake, in a pond Emys orbicularis. |
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 habitat near lake Doirani |
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 Baby Testudo hermanni boettgeri |
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 Lacerta viridis |
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| Thursday, June 12th Near the banks of the lake, in large flat meadows with some ditches we saw Pelobates syriacus balcanicus tadpoles, Pelophylax ridibundus, Emys orbicularis, Mauremys rivulata, Testudo h. boettgeri, Lacerta viridis meridionalis, Podarcis erh. riveti, Podarcis t. tauricus, Natrix natrix persa and Natrix tessellata. In the afternoon we piked up Christoph Riegler at Thessaloniki airport amd drove to Lagadikia between Koronia and Volvi lake. |
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 Doirani lake, habitat of: Emys orbicularis, Pelophylax ridibundus |
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 Emys orbicularis |
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 Pelophylax ridibundus |
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 Podarcis tauricus tauricus |
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 frustrated Austrian football fan: Dr. Werner Mayer |
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| Friday, June 13th It´s friday, the 13th and the day starts very well. On the way from Langadakia to Sholari a fresh road killed Eryx jaculus turcicus. On the hills at the north side of lake Volvi we found Testudo hermanni boettgeri, Testudo graeca ibera, Podarcis erh. riveti, Lacerta viridis, Lacerta trilineata, Pseudopus apodus, Natrix natrix persa, Dolichophis caspius and Typhlops vermicularis. In the Platanus forest between the lake and the coast we saw Lacerta viridis meridionalis, Pseudopus apodus and Vipera ammodytes meridionalis. From Stavros we drove along the east coast of Halkidiki peninsula to Ierissos and, crossing the hills, via Arnea back to Langadakia. On the way a road killed very large Dolichophis caspius, Testudo h. boettgeri, Podarcis erh. riveti and Lac. trilineata. |
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 Eryx jaculus turcicus DOR |
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 Dolichophis caspius |
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 Typhlops vermicularis |
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 young Testudo graeca ibera |
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 Vipera ammodytes meridionalis |
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 habitat of Vipera ammodytes meridionalis, Pseudopus apodus, Lacerta viridis |
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| Saturday, June 14th From Lagadikia via Thessaloniki - Edessa - Florina to the little Prespa lake. Near the village Pirgi (south of lake Vegoritida) a fresh road killed Elaphe quatuorlineata (wasn´t there one hour before). A short stop west of Florida was not successfull - only one Lacerta trilineata. At a restplace at the western slopes of Varnous mountains we found some Podarcis muralis. At the banks of the little Prespa lake near Mikrolimni 9 Natrix tessellata, basking between rocks in front of the restaurant. Our hotel was in Agios Germanos. At a creek, east of the village some Podarcis muralis and a very nice, heavy marked Lacerta viridis female could be observed. |
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 Elaphe quatuorlineata DOR |
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 Lacerta viridis, female |
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| Sunday, June 15th The weather was, like during the last days was partly cloudy with some showers. Crossing the dam, separating the little from the big Prespa lake, we drove to Vrondero. At a few stops we saw Lacerta trilineata, Podarcis erh. riveti and Testudo hermanni boettgeri. In the afternoon we went back to "our" restaurant in Mikrolimni. Also the Dice snakes have been there again. On rocks nearby we observed Algyroides nigropunctatus and Podarcis muralis. On rocks in the reed beside the water 1 Natrix natrix persa and some very large Natrix tessellata. |
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 Vronderes: habitat: Lacerta trilineata |
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 Natrix tessellata |
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 habitat |
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| Monday, June 16th From Agios Germanos we drove up to the Varnous mountain on very bad gravel roads. Again we found Lacerta viridis and Podarcis muralis. At about 1400 meters a.s.l. an adult Rana dalmatina and some Lacerta agilis cf. bosnica. Last are new for this area in these "low" altitudes. In a small creek were Bombina variegata scabra and many Salamandra salamandra larvae. Between 1600 and 1700 meters a.s.l. we searched for Vipera berus bosniensis and Vipera ursinii ssp. in, for these species best looking habitats. Vipera berus is known from this valley in at least one specimen. |
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 Varnous mountains |
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 Rana dalmatina |
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 Lacerta agilis cf. bosnica, female |
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 Varnous mountains |
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 habitat of: Bombina variegata scabra und Salamandra salamandra |
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 Bombina variegata scabra |
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 Varnous mountains, 1600 m a.s.l. at the edge of the forest habitat of: Vipera berus bosniensis |
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 possible habitat: Vipera ursinii |
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| Tuesday, June 17th During this day we searches on the lower slopes around the little Prespa lake. At the dam we found Podarcis t. tauricus, Lacerta viridis and Testudo h. boettgeri. On the peninsula between the little and the large Prespa lake was Testudo h. boettgeri and Podarcis erh. riveti. In the village Psarades a dried Pseudepidalea viridis. In the crested drains between Karies and Mikrolimni we found Bufo bufo spinosus and Triturus (c.) macedonicus. At late afternoon a fresh road killed Zamenis longissimus in the village Agois Germanos. |
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 Little Prespa lake |
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 Bufo bufo spinosus |
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 Prespa lake |
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 Podarcis erhardii riveti, male |
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 habitat of: Triturus (c.) macedonicus |
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 Triturus (c.) macedonicus |
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| Wednesday, June 18th Very good, but a bit to hot weather. Near Lemos one Dolichophis caspius. Again to Mikrolimni. On rocks Algyroides nigropunctatus and Podarcis muralis. In a podest, built by fishermen out of iron and wooden shelfs many Natrix tessellata had their resting place. Disturbing them, they just drop down into the water. On rocks at the banks nearby Podarcis erh. riveti. Driving on to Grevena. In Kastoria we showed Christoph Riegler Algyroides nigropunctatus. At this time we could observe a lot of Natrix tessellata. |
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 Podarcis tauricus tauricus, male |
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 habitat of: Lacerta viridis, Podarcis t. tauricus, Testudo h. boettgeri |
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 hiding Dice snakes. You may see at least 4 specimens. |
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 uniform brown Natrix tessellata on the way to her hiding place. Look at the video WMV Time: 2:37; (320 x 240): 9,9 MB |
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 Podarcis erhardii riveti; female |
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 Christoph Riegler and Dr. Werner Mayer in Kastoria |
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 Emys orbicularis |
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 Lacerta trilineata |
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| Thursday, June 19th The temperatures now were like in high summer. At a short stop at the Stavropotamos canyon south of Grevena we saw Podarcis erh. riveti, also mating, Lacerta trilineata, Testudo h. boettgeri and one Natrix natrix persa. Searching for Podarcis t. tauricus in the grassy floodplains of the Aliakmonas river east of Grevena was without success. So we drove on to Kalabaka at the Meteora rocks. Near the village Kastraki Testudo hermanni boettgeri and Lacerta trilineata. |
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 a greek fairytale |
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 Stavropotamos canyon |
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 rock at Meteora |
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 Meteora rocks |
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   to hot for everything ........................... |
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| Friday, June 20th The morning - like at each of my Greek trips - we visited the famous Meteora rocks and one monastery. This year Vaarlam. On the road from Kalabaka to the monastery Agios Stephanos a road killed juvenile Elaphe quatuorlineata. In the late morning, below a heavy crested plate we saw one Hierophis gemonensis. Unfortunately we couldn´t get him, so this species is not confirmed for the area till now. But I could see the head/neck and it was definetivly gemonensis. At noon we started from Kalabaka to the Katara bent. Along the Aoos dam (Limni o Pigon) to Greveniti and futher on the highway to Igoumenitsa. At the Aoos dam we found Podarcis muralis, Mesotriton alpestris and Hyla arborea. Near Greveniti we saw Vipera ammodytes meridionalis and lots of Podarcis muralis. In a ditch, partly overgrown by Nymphea, dozens of Mesotriton alpestris and one Natrix natrix persa. Near Miliotades possibly a Platyceps najadum (long, very thin snake) crossed the road. We left Greece at 10:30 p.m. to Ancona. |
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 Hyla arborea |
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 habitat of: Hyla arborea, Ichthyosaura alpestris, Podarcis muralis, Pelophylax ridibundus |
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 habitat of: Podarcis muralis and Vipera ammodytes |
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 Baby Vipera ammodytes in grevine |
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 small ditch; habitat of : Ichthyosaura alpestris and Natrix natrix persa |
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 Natrix natrix persa |
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 the end ...................................... |
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Samstag, 21. Juni |
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species found (DOR = dead on road): 33 species Ichthyosaura alpestris Bufo bufo Emys o. orbicularis x E.o. hellenica Algyroides nigropunctatus
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species occuring in the area, but not found: Triturus vulgaris Rana graeca
Vipera berus bosniensis |