22-5-2016 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)

The Little Egret is a small white heron with attractive white plumes on crest, back and chest, black legs and bill and yellow feet. It first appeared in the UK in significant numbers in 1989 and first bred in Dorset in 1996. Its arrival followed naturally from a range expansion into western and northern France in previous decades. It is now at home on numerous south coast sites, both as a breeding species and as a winter visitor.

With its yellow feet, which are used to flush prey when feeding in shallow water, the Little Egret is a distinctive member of the heron family.

Little Egrets first bred in Britain in 1996 and since then have successfully colonised much of southern Britain and Ireland. Most of the breeding colonies have been established within existing Grey Heron colonies, the two species nesting alongside one another.

The winter distribution is also currently restricted to the southern half of Britain & Ireland, despite the fact that young birds are known to move some distance from their natal site.

22-5-2016 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - GLOSSY IBIS (Plegadis falcinellus)

The glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus ) is a water bird in the order Pelecaniformes and the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae. The scientific name derives from Ancient Greek plegados and Latin, falcis, both meaning "sickle" and referring to the distinctive shape of the bill.

The Glossy ibis is a medium-sized wading bird. They have long, slender, down-curved bill and magnificent plumage with shiny feathers. Breeding adults have reddish-brown bodies and shiny bottle-green wings. Non-breeders and juveniles have duller bodies. These birds have dark facial skin bordered above and below in blue-gray (non-breeding) to cobalt blue (breeding) and red-brown legs.

The Glossy ibis is the most widespread ibis species; it breeds in warm regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Atlantic and Caribbean regions of the Americas. This species is migratory; most European birds winter in Africa, and in North America birds from north of the Carolinas winter farther south. Though generally suspected to be a migratory species in India, the Glossy ibis is a resident in western India. Birds from other populations may disperse widely outside the breeding season. Glossy ibises inhabit wetlands with tall dense stands of emergent vegetation such as reeds, papyrus or rushes, and low trees or bushes. They show a preference for marshes at the margins of lakes and rivers but can also be found at lagoons, flood-plains, wet meadows, swamps, reservoirs, sewage ponds, paddies, and irrigated farmland. These birds are less commonly found in coastal locations such as estuaries, deltas, salt marshes, and coastal lagoons.

Population size

230,000-2.2Mln

Life Span

26 years

Weight

485-970

goz

g oz 

Length

48-66

cminch

cm inch 

Wingspan

80-105

cminch

22-5-2016 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - BLACK WINGED STILT (Himantopus himantopus)

Striking large black-and-white wader with a thin, straight bill and bright pink legs, found in wetlands with open shallow water throughout much of Africa and Eurasia, often in brackish habitats. Some populations are migratory, departing northerly breeding grounds for warmer southern regions. Often forms noisy colonies on bare ground near water. Essentially unmistakable throughout much of its range, but compare with Pied Stilt in parts of Southeast Asia. Feeds by wading in water, picking from the water surface with its needle-like bill. In flight, long pink legs stick out far beyond the tail. Calls loudly and stridently, especially when alarmed during the breeding season.

The black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus) is a widely distributed, very long-legged wader in the avocet and stilt family Recurvirostridae. Its scientific name, Himantopus himantopus, is sometimes used to generalize a single, almost cosmopolitan species. Alternatively, it is restricted to the form that is widespread in Europe, Asia and Africa, which equals the nominate group of H. himantopus sensu lato. Meanwhile, the black-necked (H. mexicanus) and white-backed stilts (H. melanurus) both inhabit the Americas; the pied stilt (H. leucocephalus) ranges from Australasia and New Zealand. Today, most sources accept between one and four actual species. The taxonomic name Himantopus comes from Greek, meaning "strap-foot" or "thong-foot".

Adults are 33–36 cm (13–14 in) long, with long, pink legs, and a long, rather thin black bill. The birds are generally black above and white below, with a white head and neck (with a varying amount of black, species-dependent). Males have a black back, often with a greenish gloss or sheen. Females' backs have a brownish hue, contrasting with the black remiges. In populations where the top of the head is normally white (at least in winter), females tend to have less black on the head and neck the entire year-round, while males often have much more black, particularly in summer. This difference is not clear-cut, however, and males usually grow all-white head feathers in winter.

Immature birds are grey, instead of black, and have a markedly sandy hue on their wings, with light feather fringes appearing as a whitish line in flight.

The breeding habitat of all these stilts is marshes, shallow lakes and ponds. Some populations are migratory and move to the ocean coasts in winter; those in warmer regions are generally resident or short-range vagrants. In Europe, the black-winged stilt is a regular spring overshoot vagrant north of its normal range, occasionally remaining to breed in northern European countries. Pairs successfully bred in Britain in 1987, and after a 27-year hiatus there were two instances of successful breeding in Southern England in 2014. 13 young were fledged in southern England in 2017.Four chicks were successfully fledged in northern England in 2022; this is believed to be the most northerly breeding success for the black-winged stilt.

These birds pick up their food from sand or water. They eat mainly insects and crustaceans.

The nest site is a bare spot on the ground near water. These birds often nest in small groups, sometimes with avocets.

22-5-2016 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - BLACK HEADED GULL (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

The Black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) is a small and one of the most abundant gulls in much of Europe and Asia, and also in eastern Canada. It displays a variety of compelling behaviors and adaptations. Some of these include removing eggshells from one's nest after hatching, begging co-ordination between siblings, differences between sexes, conspecific brood parasitism, and extra-pair paternity.

The summer adult has a chocolate-brown head (not black, although does look black from a distance), a pale grey body, black tips to the primary wing feathers, and a red bill and legs. The hood is lost in winter, leaving just two dark spots. Immature birds have a mottled pattern of brown spots over most of the body and a black band on the tail. There is no difference in plumage between the sexes. In flight, the white leading edge to the wing is a good field mark. First-year birds have a black terminal tail band, more dark areas in the wings, and, in summer, a less fully developed dark hood.

22-5-2016 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - AUDOUIN'S GULL (Ichthyaetus audouinii)

Audouin's gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii ) is a large gull restricted to the Mediterranean and the western coast of Saharan Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ikhthus, "fish", and aetos, "eagle", and the specific audouinii and the English name are after the French naturalist Jean Victoire Audouin.

It breeds on small islands colonially or alone, laying 2–3 eggs on a ground nest. As is the case with many gulls, it has traditionally been placed in the genus Larus.

In the late 1960s, this was one of the world's rarest gulls, with a population of only 1,000 pairs. It has established new colonies, but remains rare with a population of about 10,000 pairs.

This species, unlike many large gulls, rarely scavenges, but is a specialist fish eater, and is therefore strictly coastal and pelagic. This bird will feed at night, often well out to sea, but also slowly patrols close into beaches, occasionally dangling its legs to increase drag.

The adult basically resembles a small European herring gull, the most noticeable differences being the short stubby red bill and "string of pearls" white wing primary tips, rather than the large "mirrors" of some other species. The legs are grey-green. It takes four years to reach adult plumage.

This species shows little tendency to wander from its breeding areas, but there were single records in the Netherlands and England in May 2003, and one spent from December 2016 to April 2017 in Trinidad.

The Audouin's gull is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

20-5-2016 - MONTE CORONA, ADOR - SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa striata)

The Spotted flycatcher (Muscicapa striata) is a small passerine bird found in most of Europe, Africa, and Asia. This species was described by the German naturalist Peter Simon Pallas in 1764 and has five recognized subspecies. It is declining in parts of its range.

The Spotted flycatcher is a slim bird with dull grey-brown upperparts and off-white underparts. The crown, throat, and breast are streaked with brown while the wings and tail feathers are edged with paler thin margins. The subspecies M. s. tyrrhenica has paler and warmer plumage on the upperparts, with more diffuse markings on the head and breast. The sexes are alike. Juveniles have ochre-buff spots above and scaly brown spots below.

Population size

54-83 Mln

Life Span

2-8 years

Weight

14-20

goz

g oz 

Length

15

cminch

cm inch 

Wingspan

24

cminch

20-5-2016 MONTE CORONA, ADOR - COAL TIT (Periparus ater)

The Coal tit (Periparus ater) is a small passerine bird widespread and common resident breeder throughout the temperate to subtropical Palearctic, including North Africa.

The Coal tit has a distinctive large white nape spot on its black head. The head, throat, and neck of the adult are glossy blue-black, setting off the off-white sides of the face (tinged grey to yellow depending on subspecies) and the brilliant white nape; the white tips of the wing coverts appear as two wingbars. The underparts are whitish shading through buff to rufous on the flanks. The bill is black, the legs lead-colored, and the irides dark brown. The young birds are duller than the adults, lacking gloss on the black head, and with the white of nape and cheeks tinged with yellow.

Coal tits are found throughout Europe, Asia, and North Africa. They are all-year residents throughout almost all range, making only local movements in response to particularly severe weather; only the Siberian birds have a more regular migration. Coal tits prefer humid conifer forests but also frequent shrubland, conifer plantations, gardens, and urban areas.

Coal tits are social birds and often form small flocks in winter with other tits. They resemble other tits in acrobatic skill and restless activity, though they more frequently pitch on a trunk, and in little hops resemble a treecreeper. Coal tits are active during the day spending most of their time searching for food trees. They also visit gardens to feed on a variety of foods put out, particularly sunflower seeds. While searching for food, Coal tit flocks keep contact with incessant short 'dee' or 'see-see' calls. Their song is a strident 'if-he, if-he, if-he', heard most frequently from January to June, but also in autumn. The song resembles that of the Great tit, but much faster and higher in pitch. North African birds also have a 'currr' call similar to that of the European crested tit which is not found in Africa.

19-5-2016 MONTE CORONA - SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa striata)

Spotted flycatchers are one of our summer migrants that spend the winter in Africa. They are one of the latest migrants to reach us, with a few trickling into the country from late April and most arriving from mid-May.

Despite arriving relatively late, spotted flycatchers manage to rear two broods of young before departing at the end of August. The success of the second clutch is increased by fewer eggs being laid, meaning less mouths to fill. They will nest in gardens but the nest is usually well hidden on ledges or behind climbing plants.

Spotted flycatchers prefer large flying insects, including flies and butterflies. However, if the weather is cool and insects aren’t flying, they will take smaller invertebrates from leaves and branches. If poor weather persists, many nests fail as these smaller invertebrates tend to be eaten by the parents rather than fed to the young.

In order to reduce the chances of their invertebrate prey escaping, spotted flycatchers have a series of modified feathers, like bristles, down the sides of the bill. They have also adapted to catch stinging insects. They rub the sting end on their perch to remove it, making the prey safe to eat.

The spotted flycatcher is red listed due to its rapid and consistent population decline with an 89 per cent decrease between 1967 and 2012. Evidence suggests that this is due to poor annual survival rates of first year birds, but conditions in their wintering grounds in Africa may also have contributed to the decline.

19-5-2016 MONTE CORONA - HOUSE SPARROW (MALE) (Passer domesticus)

The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of 16 cm (6.3 in) and a mass of 24–39.5 g (0.85–1.39 oz). Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, and males have brighter black, white, and brown markings. One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the house sparrow is native to most of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and a large part of Asia. Its intentional or accidental introductions to many regions, including parts of Australasia, Africa, and the Americas, make it the most widely distributed wild bird.

The house sparrow is strongly associated with human habitation, and can live in urban or rural settings. Though found in widely varied habitats and climates, it typically avoids extensive woodlands, grasslands, polar regions, and hot, dry deserts far away from human development. For sustenance, the house sparrow routinely feeds at home and public bird feeding stations, but naturally feeds on the seeds of grains, flowering plants and weeds. However, it is an opportunistic, omnivorous eater, and commonly catches insects, their larvae, caterpillars, invertebrates and many other natural foods.

18-5-2016 VIVEROS GARDENS, VALENCIA - BLACK SWAN (Cygnus atratus)

The Black swan (Cygnus atratus) is a large unmistakeble waterbird, a species of swan. It is one of only three swan species that inhabit the southern hemisphere. The Black swan was introduced to various countries as an ornamental bird in the 1800s but has managed to escape and form stable populations. It is a popular bird in zoological gardens and bird collections, and escapees are sometimes seen outside their natural range.

The body of an adult Black swan is mostly black, except for its broad white wing tips, visible in flight. Its bill is bright red, having a pale tip and bar, and its feet and legs are grayish-black. Its neck is long (the longest neck amongst swans, relative to its size) and it is curved into an "S"-shape. The males are slightly bigger than the females and have longer and straighter beaks. Juvenile Black swans are grayish-brown with lighter-edged feathers.

Black swans are natives of Australia, including Tasmania, and mainly occur in Australia's south-eastern and south-western wetlands. These birds were once thought to be sedentary, but are now known to be highly nomadic. There is no set migratory pattern, but rather opportunistic responses to either rainfall or drought. Black swans inhabit rivers, lakes, and swampland in water that is fresh, salt, or brackish. They prefer habitats that have aquatic vegetation but sometimes live in terrestrial areas like flooded fields or dry pastures when food is scarce.

Black swans are active during the day and feed in a similar manner to other swans. When feeding in shallow water they will dip their heads and necks under the water and they are able to keep their heads flat against the bottom while keeping their bodies horizontal. In deeper water swans up-end to reach lower. Black swans are also able to filter feed at the water's surface. These beautiful birds may be found on their own but they also often form loose groups consisting of several hundred or sometimes thousands of birds. They usually move in flocks, sometimes nest in colonies, and are the least territorial of swan species. They are strong fliers, traveling together in a line or V shape, beating their wings slowly, and making whistling noises. On the water as well as in flight, Black swans make a range of high-pitched, musical, bugling, baying, or trumpeting calls. They have also been heard to make a variety of softer crooning notes. If disturbed while nesting they usually make a whistling sound.

Black swans are monogamous and often have the same mate for life. They are territorial and remain in solitary pairs during mating but occasionally mate in colonies. February through September is the breeding season. Usually, the female swan makes a nest from sticks, debris, and dead leaves into a mound floating on the water. She lays 5 to 6 eggs, one day apart. Incubation starts once all the eggs are laid and lasts 35 to 48 days. Males help with incubation. The cygnets are precocial and can swim and feed soon after hatching; however, they are brooded in the nest after hatching for a period of 2 to 3 weeks. They fledge between 150 to 170 days old. Black swans can fly at about 6 months old and stay with their family group for about 9 months. They reach reproductive maturity within 18 to 36 months.

Population size

100,000-1Mln

Life Span

40 years

Top speed

80

km/hmph

km/h mph 

Weight

3.7-9

kglbs

kg lbs 

Length

110-142

cminch

cm inch 

Wingspan

1.6-2

mft

18-5-2016 TURIA GARDENS, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN SERIN (Serinus serinus)

The European Serin is a rare passage visitor to the UK, with pairs occasionally breeding in southern England and the Channel Islands. This small finch favours coniferous woodlands but will also make use of farmland, parks and gardens, with their loud abrasive song usually the first indication of their presence. They breed across the Middle East, and Central Europe, where they are partially migratory.

These stunning yellow finches are a very rare sight in the UK. Both males and females have streaky bright yellow and brown backs, wings and flanks and a forked tail. Their bellies are yellow/white in colour which becomes bright yellow on their breast. Males have bright yellow heads with black feathers on their crowns and cheeks, while females have slightly duller colouration on their heads. The bright yellow colouration of the males helps the females choose a mate as brighter plumage is an indicator of a healthy male.

This species has a large breeding range, with some occasionally breeding in the UK. The breeding season begins in February and ends in August. The female builds a nest which is located off the ground in a bush or tree. 3-4 eggs are laid and incubated for 12-13 days by the female alone. Once hatched the chicks are fed by both parents for a further 15-18 days until they leave the nest. They will rely on their parents for another 9-10 days.

This species is listed as least concern around the world but the small population in the UK means it has not been accessed. There are not many known conservation concerns for this species but its preference for coniferous forest means that the loss of this habitat could drive population declines. Due to their colourful plumage, this bird is sought after in the wildlife trade. If they become more popular, this could drive declines in the population.