Trip to Southern France

[Ronald Zimmerman]

My first trip report on this board will be about my trip to Southern France. With my travelling and animal searching fellowship we went to the area around Atles. We visited the Camargue, Les Alpilles and 'the Crau'. All very diverse places. It was not a dedicated herp trip (more like a 'nature/wildlife trip'), but we still managed to find some nice specimen. My goals were Timon lepidus, Lacerta bilineata, at least one snake that doesn't live in the Netherlands. Yeah, I know I set the bar high for myself. Here you can read my full trip report: http://ronaldzimmerman.nl/southern-france/
My report is in English and in Dutch, because my grandma wants to read this stuff too.

Juvenile Anguis fragilis from the Camargue


Juvenile Timon lepidus on the Crau


Juvenile Rhinechis scalaris on the Crau


Psammodromus edwardsianus


Waving Podarcis muralis


Natrix maura with an ant on the head


Lacerta bilineata (Finally a little better in situ photo, but I am still not satisfied)


Hyla meridionalis

[Julius Zidorn]

Very nice pics Ronald!

[Dominik Hauser]

Really nice pictures, especially this wunderful Timon lepidus. But I can´t watch this Hyla with the spine at its throat .

[Mario Schweiger]

But I can´t watch this Hyla with the spine at its throat .

Hylas are masochists

H. arborea; Tivat, Montenegro; April 2006

[Niklas Ban]

I very like your pictures! Which camera are you using?

[Ronald Zimmerman]

Thanks for the comments

Really nice pictures, especially this wunderful Timon lepidus. But I can´t watch this Hyla with the spine at its throat .

Haha yeah.. They probably like it The fakirs of the animal kingdom

I very like your pictures! Which camera are you using?

Thanks I use the Pentax (not very usual) K-5 and K-5 II with 3 lenses. I have the DA* 300mm F4 for in situ shots of lizards etc.. My DFA 100mm Macro is for close ups of animals I can get close to, or caught animals to make close ups. Besides that I use a Pentax HD DA 15mm F4 Ltd. prime lens for the wide angle shots of animals of landscapes. I can get very close (18cm from subject to sensor=around 10cm between subject to front of the lens). I think Nikon and Canon also have similar lenses. I will pick up a 1.4x teleconverter for my 300mm soon. Than I will keep more details of lizards at a distance. The minimum focussing distance of 1,5m stays the same

[Dominik Hauser]

Hylas are masochists

maso-hyla1.jpg

Yes they are...

[Bobby Bok]

Nice stuff mate! Don't forget to post the blue tree frog

[Niklas Ban]

I very like your pictures! Which camera are you using?

Thanks I use the Pentax (not very usual) K-5 and K-5 II with 3 lenses. I have the DA* 300mm F4 for in situ shots of lizards etc.. My DFA 100mm Macro is for close ups of animals I can get close to, or caught animals to make close ups. Besides that I use a Pentax HD DA 15mm F4 Ltd. prime lens for the wide angle shots of animals of landscapes. I can get very close (18cm from subject to sensor=around 10cm between subject to front of the lens). I think Nikon and Canon also have similar lenses. I will pick up a 1.4x teleconverter for my 300mm soon. Than I will keep more details of lizards at a distance. The minimum focussing distance of 1,5m stays the same

Even if Pentax is quite "unusual" the results are great!

[Laura Bok]

Hey Ronald, great photos! I especially like the photo of the usually oh-so-shy Timon lepidus and the Rhinechis scalaris from a special perspective. And of course the only amphibian, the suicidal Hyla meridionalis.
I hope your grandma also enjoyed your report!
Cheers,
Laura