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high(er) as a kite

: Published: 20 March 2014

..i don't know why, but in the moment the title words popped into my mind, i got the idea, that the next time i'm reaching the top of some mountain, i'm definitely going to have a kite with me!

Anyhow, there are actually two things to know about that term [1] [2]... and i certainly was higher than an usual kite there ;-) ...and it vas very very beautifiul!

Herpetological spring officially started here in Vienna! Those first guys (Common Wall Lizard) below are actually not that special for this season, cause they can be found outside during the whole year, given it's sunny and the exposition of the habitat is as rectangular as possible towards the solar radiation. Minus 2°C air temperature and ice in the shadow? No problem for wall lizards, as far as the wall is exposed to sunlight long enough and locally heats up above a certain temperature which could be (!) around 12 to 15°C.

Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis), male.

Same, left female, right male.

The actual reason for spring-feeling and happyness are Green Lizards (Lacerta viridis).

Oh fuck. And I just overwrote the prior topic. Ahrg.

Back to the Green Lizards, they usually start being active when its spring-y, first the juveniles, which at very rare occasions can also be seen during very warm winter days, and then the adults, virtual the real spring-messengers!

Green Lizard (Lacerta viridis), juvenile.

Same, adult male, but still not in mating coloration.

So at the moment I'm very satisfied and already looking foward to the mating season, where the males get bright blue throats :-)

random holy-days

: Published: 23 February 2014

Left: beach where someone stole my pulse

monitor watch.

Below: the winner of the annual strip-contest

does his warm-up.*

And as far as i finished sorting out the turkey pictures these days, here they are! Flames from the underground, weird turtles and uhm... no idea how i should place that cool song. I was a littlebit lazy, so not everything is named, and nothing exactly, but for an overview it should do well. Maybe, when I'm more in the mood, i'll rewrite everything here including the image tags. Well, a nice day of climbing is like an iv injection of motivation! So everything (hopefully) properly named now. Uh -- just to name a region, we were around Antalya on the (fail-ed) quest to find Vipera anatolica. Minor addition -- if you don't see anything like a gallery below, plz enable javascript.

Those agamas (Laudakia stellio) sometimes really chose cool spots for taking a sunbath. This place is like nonplusultra - superb view over it's kingdom, much sun and moreover protection from birds of pray due to the roof overhang.

Juvenile dice (Natrix tessellata) snake, the only dice snake we found.

Uhm.. somewhere in turkey ^^ In the words of a tourist guide..: You see water! Blue! ... and beautiful tree..! and beautiful view ! Really beautiful view...!

One of the most beautiful green lizards in europe: the Pamphylian green lizard (Lacerta pamphylica). Quite shy animals..

Camel spider (Solifugae)!! First one ever :-)

So.. here some "minor" lizards (Anatololacerta oertzeni).. in different positions... just to please my fetish ;-)

Anatololacerta oertzeni

The single Grass snake (Natrix natrix) we found, had a really amazing pattern!

Also cool stuff -- skinks (Trachylepis aurata). This one is basking eyes closed, not aware of the monster right in front of his nose.

and again .. agamas (Laudakia stellio).

One of the Dwarf snakes of turkey (Eirenis modestus). Really tiny and usually under stones. Funnily there were some out during the heat of the day.

A reeeeally sweet guy, runs short distances like hell and then puts his head as high as possible to get a better overview. And REALLY tiny. Named Snake-eyed lizard (Ophisops elegans), cause it's lids are not moveable.

An angry Montpellier snake (Malpolon insignitus).

Smallest guy (or lady?) from the whole excursion, a Snake-eyed skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii). Not one-eyed ;-)

Some other minor lizards. In the following detailed report on herpetofauna.at you will find much more!

Anatololacerta oertzeni

The turkish mountain-pest .. or actually the eurasian mountain-pest. Goats and sheep keep the vegetation desolated.

Anatololacerta oertzeni

Trachylepis aurata

Those agamas (Laudakia stellio).. they are bastards, usually basking really exposed, but you can never get close enough for some really good shots..

Laudakia stellio

Weirdos from another planet: African softshell turtles (Trionyx triunguis).

Weirdos from another planet pt. 2: Loooohohohoads of African softshell turtles (Trionyx triunguis).

And a littlepinkytiny sweetysweet Balkan Pond turtle (Mauremys rivulata).. annoying bastard, cause wouldn't stand still for 5 seconds.

Mauremys rivulata

Laudakia stellio

Anatololacerta oertzeni.. apart from agamas i think the most common species, especially in the hills and montane areas

Anatololacerta oertzeni

Mount Chimaera, gas comes out of the underground, really funny place to visit and !!! you have to take with you: Beer, sausages and pocket lighter for your personal, most stylish bbq-experience ever. and hope that not too much russians are around ;-)