A Day at the Lake (Berus day)

[Jürgen Gebhart]

I know this Lake very well, it is my hot spot for Bombina variegata and natrix natrix. From time to time I found there jet black natrix without any yellow markings.
There is not many public traffic on the east side of the lake, this is the place where I look for animals. Sometimes I go around, but found the most animals on the east side.
Most of the people are walking on the west and north side.

lago_1.jpg

Last week a friend called me (Jürgen Zerbe, also a member of this forum) and said he found two Vipera berus on the north side.
After a cold Saturday, one of the coldest July day’s in my life, I went out to look for the vipera.
Normally I found one or two Lacerta agilis, one or two Zootaca vivipara, between ten and twenty Natrix natrix and one Anguis fragilis from time to time.
Today I found 17 Lacerta agilis, more than 30 Zootoca vivipara, 17 Natrix natrix and one Anguis fragilis.
Lacerta agilis

Lacerta agilis 1_1.jpg

Lacerta agilis 2_1.jpg

Lacerta agilis 3_1.jpg

Lacerta agilis 4_1.jpg

Zootoca vivipara

Zootoca vivipara 1_1.jpg

Zootoca vivipara 2_1.jpg

Zootoca vivipara 3_1.jpg

Natrix natrix

Natrix baby_1.jpg

Natrix 3 x_1.jpg

On the place my friend told me I found two Vipera berus.

berus 1 u. 2 situ_1.jpg

Berus 1 gravid female

berus 1 a_1.jpg

berus 1 b_1.jpg

berus 1 c_1.jpg

Berus 2

berus 2 a_1.jpg

berus 2 b_1.jpg

berus 2 c_1.jpg

During picturing the snake suddenly I heard a noise in my back,
Ccccccccccchhhhhhhh, I turned around and saw a black vipera going away.
Made some pics of this and brought it back to the place where I caught it.
I looked around at this place and saw another black vipera disappearing!
I went back to the place where I found the first black and he was back!!

berus 3 in situ_1.jpg

berus 3 a_1.jpg

berus 3 b_1.jpg

berus 3 c_1.jpg

Before I leaved the lake area, I looked for the gravid female and she was again basking in the sun!!!!!

berus 1 situ after_1.jpg

[Mario Schweiger]

A real very good day at that lake!

Mario

[Ilian Velikov]

Yeah,must have been a great day! Thanks for this report,Jurgen!

[Grégoire Meier]

Nice berus and nice grup of 3 Natrix!

[Jürgen Gebhart]

I was at the lake this morning again. Like I wrote yesterday Isaw a black vipera close to the place where I found the the other two. It was about five Meters on the left side.
This morning I found an other gravid about five Meter on the right side!

[Rok Grzelj]

Great pics!
It must be a really good place for retiles.Keep it safe!

[Jürgen Gebhart]

Rok, I will keep an eye on that poulation as good as I can!!!