Spring is at its peak point in the Cantabrian Mountains. The songs of birds make every dawn is anything but silent. Feed their chickens and animals take out their litters a year. However, there are animals that are not as flashy as the above but also develop their reporductora time now. They are animals that we have to seek lifting stones, or simply arming themselves with patience and spending hours in the field. Discrete animals that can go unnoticed for the majority.
I'll start talking about an animal exceptionally discreet. It is the European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus ), an animal whose habit almost exclusively crepuscular sighting for most is a ball of spikes across the road or for the more fortunate in his garden feeding. I've always been attracted much attention this animal since a female small fields in the garden of a family with their young feeding on slugs and earthworms. At last I could photograph to daylight and reflecting some features of the peculiar anatomy of this animal.
European Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus ) As you all know this animal when threatened is rolled into a ball that is impenetrable to many animals and allows you to protect yourself from predators. This means that you have included in such as: "The fox knows many things. The hedgehog just one but important," hinting that it is often better to know something very useful to know a lot of useless.
barbed coverage of this animal is keratinized and are very resistant and can withstand a single spike the full weight of the animal. A curious behavior is to strengthen the protection of the bones smearing the saliva back to normal after biting the skin of a toad toxins. This behavior is called anointing. Leaving
mammals to focus now on the herpetofauna, so abundant at this time. However there are reptiles such as the solution that have adapted to wet areas with tall grasses and crepuscular have so often shelter under rocks during the hours of maximum insolation. Is curious because it is a "legless lizard." Just blink to see them realizing it. Here is a picture of the glass snake is called in some regions by the ability to detach from the back of your body than for glassy shine that it presents.
solution (Anguis fragilis ) We will continue talking about other reptiles also spent a few hours of the day sheltering under rocks or logs. In this season I have located so far viper snake specimens and European smooth snake. The first them great imitator of snakes on the defensive for whose conduct is called. The second is a great hunter of lizards and agile movements. The position of the scales means that you have been given the name of smooth snake. It differs from the smooth snake in southern Europe than in the mask reaches the nostril and belly is uniform while in the south does not reach the nostril and belly is checkered.
Youth viper snake (Natrix maura ) 
European smooth snake (Coronella Austrian ) 
Detail of the head of the smooth This season I also met one of the objectives of this year, shooting adult natterjack toad in the Cantabrian Mountains. Last year many juveniles tracked down next to a pond was dry at that time because the summer was well advanced and this year's visit was bound to take place in spring. The day was hot so it is normal that the toads were not in the open and would have to lift a stone. About 20 adult natterjack toad total heat took refuge in the rocks adjoining the lake and I could photograph people of different ages. The name of the runner is awarded as well unlike the common toad, these frogs tend to move rather than running clumsy jumping.
Natterjack Toad (Bufo calamita ) adult 
Juvenile natterjack toad with white belly Another goal is to have photographed all the amphibians in the province of León. The newt was missing but thanks to the advice of a friend I could carry it out. The truth is that I had said it was a pretty big animal and did not fail to expectations. A curiosity of this animal is that it has orange markings on the back that matches the end of the ribs and when it feels threatened the projects to these areas making it more difficult to swallow. Here is a picture this animal CONUN somewhat primitive air.
Newt (Pleurodeles waltl ) At other times the animals develop their lives to normal activity at any time, what happens is that they do so in environments that are "outside." I speak for example of performative insects that live in lakes and ponds of the Cantabrian mountain. In order to determine specific details only need to lower the point of view and to catch up. The great diver
beetle (Dytiscus marginalis ) is an important predator in lake ecosystems. It eats small amphibians, fish, insect larvae, etc ... To breathe it does is place the back of your body in contact with the surface through hydrophobic hairs on the elytra has a reservoir of air to breathe underwater. As you can see is the last pair of legs flattened and modified silks to facilitate swimming. Their larvae are also voracious.
Macho high diving beetle (Dytiscus marginalis ) We can deduce that is a male because it has the elytra smooth and the front legs have a structure to grasp the female during reproduction. Other aquatic insect
curious is the garapito ( Notonecta sp.). This animal belongs the order Hemiptera (bugs) is unusual to develop most of their lives swimming on your back with the back towards the bottom of the pond. Also called rowers that the synchronous movement of its legs to swim reminds paddlers a canoe. Breathe using the same technique as Dytiscus and photography can appreciate the brilliance of any air bubbles that leads attached to his body.
Garapito ( Notonecta sp.) Finally I'll hang a picture of what the forest looks these days Cantabrian spring. The ferns begin to unwind their acinar and green leaves cover the forest canopy.
acinar a fern leaves 
Forest Biscay in spring
I hope you liked it. A greeting and thanks for visiting the blog.
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