Great week in Portugal and S-W Spain, amphibians were out in numbers and we even found 13 species of reptile as well!
S.Iberia trip report on the way
Great week in Portugal and S-W Spain, amphibians were out in numbers and we even found 13 species of reptile as well!
4 responses to “S.Iberia trip report on the way”
Hi Matt Both my son (Ben, aged 13) and I really enjoy reading what you’ve been up to and have aspirations to such trips each year. I thought you’d be interested in an iBook he put together on Slow Worms. If you have an iPad you can download it for free via this link: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/life-in-the-slow-lane/id524914395?mt=11
Any comments would be very welcome
Keep up with the blog. You can read Ben’s blog here: http://www.ben-miles.co.uk/My_Blog/My_Blog.html
Chris Miles
Hi Matt
I was very interested in your excellent trip report on S. Iberia. I have visited that area, especially the coastal parts around Faro and the Coto Donana, a number of times, even in the Winter, but have never been lucky enough to find adult Spadefoot Toads or Parsley Frogs. Do you think its more down to having the right weather conditions (it has often been very dry when I’ve been there, even in the Winter) or knowing the right spots to visit?
Best Wishes
Mike
Hi Chris/Mike,
Thanks for the comments.
Chris, your iBook is great, there is a lack of such apps available at the moment. Good work.
Mike, during Winter both the species you mention are usually quite easy to find around coastal areas. However, Parsley frogs do have a shorter breeding period and tend to disappear once breeding is finished. Unlike the Spadefoot toads which can still be found at night throughout the Winter months. If it rains you can find Parsley frogs in virtually every small pond in this area, but as I say, they are don’t stick around for long so some luck is involved for timing,
Matt
Hi Matt,
thanks for your reply. I think I may have just been unlucky that it has been been dry and sunny even in the Winter when I have visited those areas!
By the way, I don’t know if you’re coming over to Merseyside atall soon, but if you are, there has been a very bad fire at Formby dunes over Easter, and Dave would probably be glad of any help with trying to rescue and relocate emerging lizards.
Cheers
Mike