Archiv der Kategorie: Naturbeobachtungen

Out-of-place flamingos at Bavaria

During my recent visit to the Chiemgau Alps, I made also a day trip to Chiemsee, one of the largest Bavarian lakes. I made a slight detour to a nature reserve around the area where the river Großache issues into … Weiterlesen

Veröffentlicht unter Naturbeobachtungen, Neozoen, Vögel | Ein Kommentar

The Monster Trout of Königssee

I recently visited Königssee, an alpine lake which is part of Berchtesgaden National Park. This area is without a doubt one of the most striking landscapes of Germany. It is located in the very southeast of the country, quite close … Weiterlesen

Veröffentlicht unter Fische, Megafische, Naturbeobachtungen | Schreib einen Kommentar

In search of the black hell adder

Today I made an excursion to the northern Black Forest, with a vague hope to see a common European adder (Vipera berus). This is one of the few remaining areas here around which still has a somewhat bigger population of … Weiterlesen

Veröffentlicht unter Naturbeobachtungen, Reptilien | 3 Kommentare

A possible case of tail autophagy observed in Lilford’s wall lizard on Dragonera

In 2014, I made a trip to Dragonera, a small island off the west coast of Majorca. My main focus was to see the endemic variant of Lilford´s wall lizards, Podarcis lilfordi ssp. giglioli, which populates this island. Among the … Weiterlesen

Veröffentlicht unter Naturbeobachtungen, Reptilien | Schreib einen Kommentar

The Bronze Age feral goats of Majorca

The last post covered the Cretan kri-kri, an extremely archaic feral domestic goat which still highly resemebles its wild ancestors. There are however also other, very primitive feral goats on other parts of the world, like the wild goat of … Weiterlesen

Veröffentlicht unter Naturbeobachtungen, Säugetiere | Schreib einen Kommentar

The kri-kri – a relict feral goat from the stone age of Crete

Goats were after dogs most probably the earliest animals which were domesticated by humans. This happened around 13,000 years ago in the Near East, when people started to keep and breed wild goats (Capra aegagrus) instead of just hunting them.  … Weiterlesen

Veröffentlicht unter Naturbeobachtungen, Säugetiere | 2 Kommentare

Swimming with the yellow-finned redfin perches of Lake Constance

Last weekend I visited once again Lake Constance, the third largest lake of Europe, which  is located in the very south of Germany. The northern border belongs mainly to Germany, whereas the southern border belongs to Switzerland. There is even … Weiterlesen

Veröffentlicht unter Fische, Naturbeobachtungen | 2 Kommentare

American Bullfrogs at Lake Agia, Crete

During my holiday on Crete some years ago, I visited Lake Agia, a small artificial lake in the southwest of the island. This reservoir is mainly known for its various species of waterfowls and a popular place for birders. But … Weiterlesen

Veröffentlicht unter Amphibien, Naturbeobachtungen, Neozoen, Neozoen/Invasive species | Schreib einen Kommentar

More green lizards: Blue-headed males and tiny juveniles

Today I made another walk in the territory of the local green lizard population. I found again a very nice male specimen with a magnifcient blueish colouration on its head and throat. Another shot: I discovered it already a few … Weiterlesen

Veröffentlicht unter Naturbeobachtungen, Reptilien | Schreib einen Kommentar

Starting into the herpetology season part III: On the track of green lizards

Green lizards are not only the largest but also surely the most flamboyant lacertids of central Europe. Besides this, they are also the rarest kind of lizards here around, with only a few handful of often quite local populations. Fortunately, … Weiterlesen

Veröffentlicht unter Naturbeobachtungen, Reptilien | 2 Kommentare