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Today was an interesting day with several Great Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus) and with just couple Agile Frog (Rana dalmatina) eggs. So be it!

There you can see the little pond behind the old castle of Rupea, the little sanctuary of the Great Crested Newt. The terrestrial habitat is an overgrazed pasture. Probable the specimens resists just in closest vicinity of the pond between the roots of the tree and the bushes.    

So 5 male and 1 little female...

... out of water...

... and the little female...

The characteristic belly color (representative for each exemplar). The last one is the female.

Back to home I take a picture with the overgrazed pasture over the little city of Rupea. Here I found in my best moments couple Smooth Snakes (Coronella austriaca), many Sand Lizards (Lacerta agilis), several Agile Frogs. Now they are restricted to the forest or to the gardens, cemeteries or parks (kind of). 

OTHER TRIPS

This day was a cold day in this area. So: small number of amphibians, mainly captive, still no reptiles, wind, snowfall... I had a trip near Rupea, where more the ten years four beautiful fishponds were my happiness, when I was a little boy. Now is just a lot of reed with low water level or not. The owner tried to dessicate the ponds for change the zone in agricultural land. "Stupidity is my religion". 

In the first picture a hole in a little stream is used by Lake Frogs (Pelophylax ridibundus) and for breeding site by Agile Frogs (Rana dalmatina) and Common Frogs (R. temporaria. Today I found nothing at all.

The 2nd fishpond housed a great number of Lake Frogs and Great Crested Newts (Triturus cristatus). Hundreds of newts were captured with earth-worms at fishing and killed by its putative venomous reputation. Couple Smooth Newts (Lissotriton vulgaris) were observed after partly  dessication of the pond. Even the European Pond Turtle (Emys orbicularis) was an inhabitant of this pond.

Near to 3rd pond no Agile Frog spawns. It is not usual... Although in the ditch between the 3rd and 4th fishponds several spawns could be counted.

That was the 4th fishpond. The home of a great colony of Great Crested Newts. Now is home for few Yellow-bellied Toad (Bombina variegata), Lake Frogs and Grass Snakes (Natrix natrix). In the breeding season couple Agile Frog, Common Frog and Common Toad (Bufo bufo) use the temporary pools from here.

Snowing... and the first amphibian: a male Common Frog in one section of a drinking-trough.

In the same section I found a pair of Common Frogs. Its interesting the "blue-spotted" variation in the male.

And a singular male Agile Frog. Although the spawns in the compartment belonged to this species.

Each habitat has its micro clime: these puddle is still covered with ice. Further an Agile Frog spawn is colored by the reddish water due its high iron components.

One part of Rupea city. The ditch is the overground channel for used water of cities. Don't ask...

Interestengly, dark color Lake Frogs still live here. Is true, an agglomeration could be found were another ditch with clean water intersect the bigger ditch. Today I found couple specimens in the mud...

A Lake Frog is hiding here. You can see its form under the wet ... clout (in the middle of picture). Better way to warming and to be in safe? 

This little puddle is a permanent home of couple Lake Frogs.

Another habitant of this puddle is so familiar for me. The third picture was made in 23.02.2007. Is the same exemplar? Or maybe not...

And at the end of the trip, I checked some artificial traps at the eastern end of the city. The water frogs have no problem with these traps, but contrary the Agile Frogs are starving here and dying. You can see the rescued specimens. Couple are still in captivity, but I shall go back.

OTHER TRIPS

It was a day after some cold days with snow. Although the spring is coming or maybe the global warming? After the spawn number, the Agile Frog (Rana dalmatina) is the most abundant amphibian species in the zone. Its breeding sites comprise a lot of puddles, ditches, ponds, etc.

The attached type spawn is most affected after the partly dessication of the water as they remain out of water.

Near Dacia this ditch is the home of tens of Great Crested Newts (Triturus cristatus) and Smooth Newts (Lissotriton vulgaris). In Great Crested Newt the presence of the crest and the big, swollen and black cloaca is an infallible determination point in male.

The belly pattern has a lot of models. In one picture my hand is bigger...

The specimens of Smooth Newts shows the characteristic of the Romanian endemic subspecies (L. v. ampelensis) as all the specimens from this zone.

And more breeding sites for Agile Frogs... Sometimes specimens die in the illegal reed burns. At this time of year the breeding specimens are protected from fire.

Another emerged species, the Yellow-bellied Toad (Bombina variegata) was found in a big water  duct. I rescued just one exemplar from the two observed. In this zone the specimens always have a black collar.

A little ditch in the middle of agricultural land is the breeding site for Agile Frogs, Smooth and Great Crested Newts. And my favorite spotted Smooth Newt form again...

And closer, and closer to the Carpathians (the Făgăraş Chain). The snow was not the effect of the mountains, it is just that time of year. Couple Agile Frog spawn was found even in this puddle.

And a natural little puddle with breeding Agile Frogs, Smooth and Great Crested Newts disturbed heavily by the cattle from the zone.

OTHER TRIPS