12-8-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MOORISH GECKO (JUVENILE) (Tarentola mauritanica)

12-8-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN BEEWOLF (Philanthus triangulum)

12-8-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HEATHER CRAB SPIDER (Thomisus onustus)

Thomisus onustus is a crab spider belonging to the genus Thomisus. These spiders are found across Europe, North Africa, and parts of the Middle East and Asia. T. onustus reside in flowers in lowland vegetation. Females are distinguished by their larger size and ability to change color between white, yellow, and pink as a means of matching flower color. This cryptic mimicry allows them to both evade predators and enhance insect prey capture abilities. Males are smaller, more slender, and drab in coloration, usually green or brown. T. onustus is also distinguished from other relatives by its distinct life cycle patterns in which spiderlings emerge in either late summer or early spring. Furthermore, T. onustus have developed a mutualistic relationship with host plants where spiders feed on and/or deter harmful florivores while benefiting from the plant's supply of pollen and nectar, which T. onustus spiders are able to use as food sources, especially during periods of low insect prey abundance.

T. onustus is a medium-sized spider that exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females between lengths of 7–11 mm and smaller males ranging between lengths of 2–4 mm. Females are heavy-bodied and mostly stationary, whereas males are slender and more motile. Females have a pink, yellow, or white prosoma and males are brown to green-yellow in color. Both sexes have a triangular opisthosoma. This species can be distinguished from its close relative Thomisus zyuzini by its long ventral tibial apophysis and retrolateral tibial apophysis, the arrangement of the basal tibia tubercle on the male palp, and the circular intromittent orifice, which is oriented anteriad in the epigynum.

T. onustus typically reside on shrubs and within lowland vegetation, preferring warmer areas. They inhabit a wide variety of flowers and herbs, usually staying at the flowering peaks. T. onustus is unique among crab spider species in that it prefers to situate itself in flower centers, which have unique spectral properties, over petals. T. onustus are distributed across Europe, North Africa, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (from Europe to South Siberia), Israel, Central Asia, Iran, China, Korea, and Japan, preferring warm areas.

11-8-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - FLORENTINE WOOLCARDER BEE (Anthidium florentinum)

11-8-2019 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - SQUACCO HERON (Ardeola ralloides)

The Squacco Heron is a tawny buff brown heron with a streaked head and back, and in breeding a black and white mane.

Adult: The adult nonbreeding Squacco Heron has a head that is finely streaked in black, brown, and grey, forming a modest crown but no elongated plumes in nonbreeding season. The relatively large and powerful bill is pale green yellow with a black tip and top. The lores are dull yellow green. The irises are yellow. The hind neck, like the head, is finely streaked in black, brown and grey. The upperparts are buff brown with slight tawny tinge. The wings are white and are mostly concealed at rest by the back plumes. The plumes are shorter than in the breeding season. The rump and tail are white. Foreneck and breast are bright buff coarsely streaked in dark brown. The remaining underparts are white. The relatively short legs and the feet are dull yellow green.

In breeding plumage, the upper parts become brighter and deeper. The crown is a mane of yellow buff or straw-colored feathers. The crown feathers are slightly elongated (1-5 cm) and are bordered with black. Several very elongated feathers (13-14 cm long) occur on the back of the crown. These are white bordered with black, and extend over the upper back. The lores are green or blue. The lower neck and back plumes are golden to cinnamon buff. The foreneck and breast are red gold. During courtship, the bill becomes bright blue except for the dark to black tip. The lores turn briefly blue before reverting via emerald to yellow green. The irises in courtship are richer yellow. The back is pink brown, with longest back feathers being golden and drooping over the wings. The legs are bright red in courtship, fading to pink after pairing. The other soft parts colors return to normal after the eggs are laid.

Variation: The sexes are alike. Geographic variation is not recognized taxonomically. South and central African birds were once considered recognized as the subspecies paludivaga.

11-8-2019 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - GREEN SANDPIPER (Tringa ochropus)

The Green Sandpiper, Tringa ochropus, is a small wader, or shorebird, with a somewhat plump appearance. It boasts a dark greenish-brown back and wings, complemented by a greyish head and breast. The underparts are predominantly white, with the back featuring white spots that vary in extent depending on the season and age of the bird. The legs and short bill are a matching dark green, creating a harmonious color palette for this avian species.

When observing the Green Sandpiper, look for its distinctive flight pattern, which reveals dark wings above and below, punctuated by a striking white rump. This feature is a reliable identifier, setting it apart from its close relative, the slightly smaller Solitary Sandpiper of North America. Additionally, the Green Sandpiper's white-spotted back is most pronounced in breeding adults and less so in winter and juvenile plumage.

11-8-2019 RIO VERNISSA, PALMA DE GANDIA - SQUACCO HERON (Ardeola ralloides)

The Squacco Heron, Ardeola ralloides, is a diminutive member of the heron family, measuring a mere 44–47 cm in length, with a compact body of 20–23 cm and a wingspan stretching 80–92 cm. This species is adorned with a buff-brown back and, during the summer months, adults boast elongated neck feathers that add to their allure.

In the field, one may identify the Squacco Heron by its stocky build, abbreviated neck, and stout bill. Its back is cloaked in a buff-brown hue. When in flight, the heron undergoes a remarkable transformation, revealing a predominantly white plumage that contrasts starkly with its resting appearance.

The Squacco Heron favors marshy wetlands in temperate regions for its habitat, where the water is warm and inviting.

Originating from the Old World, the Squacco Heron breeds in the southern reaches of Europe and extends into the Greater Middle East. When not breeding, it migrates to winter in the African continent.

This species is migratory by nature, seeking the warmer climates of Africa to spend the winter. It is seldom seen north of its breeding grounds. The Squacco Heron has been observed as a vagrant in the Fernando de Noronha islands and, on rarer occasions, in mainland South America. It nests in modest colonies, often in the company of other wading birds, and constructs its nests from sticks on platforms in trees or shrubs.

The Squacco Heron selects freshwater locales across Europe and the Middle East to breed, later migrating southward to the Sub-Saharan African region. During the breeding season, they lay a clutch of three to four eggs.

Adept at foraging, the Squacco Heron feeds on a diet consisting of fish, frogs, and insects, making the most of its wetland environment.

The IUCN Red List currently classifies the Squacco Heron as Least Concern, indicating a stable population without immediate threats to its survival.

Non-breeding Squacco Herons share certain physical characteristics with other heron species such as the Indian Pond Heron and the Malagasy Pond Heron, including tawny plumage, lighter streaking, a smaller bill, and narrower wing tips.

The Squacco Heron uses freshwater localities throughout Europe and the Middle East as breeding grounds to later migrate south to the Sub-Saharan African region. Non-breeding Squacco Herons share similar traits with other heron species like the Indian Pond Heron and Malagasy Pond Heron which show tawny color plumage, lighter streaking, smaller bill, and narrower wing tips.

The squacco heron is a migrant, wintering in Africa. It is rare north of its breeding range. The species has been recorded in Fernando de Noronha islands, and more rarely in mainland South America, as a vagrant. This is a stocky species with a short neck, short thick bill and buff-brown back. In summer, adults have long neck feathers. Its appearance is transformed in flight, when it looks very white due to the colour of the wings.

The squacco heron's breeding habitat is marshy wetlands in warm countries. The birds nest in small colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. Three to four eggs are laid. They feed on fish, frogs and insects.

The Squacco Heron selects freshwater locales across Europe and the Middle East to breed, later migrating southward to the Sub-Saharan African region. During the breeding season, they lay a clutch of three to four eggs.

Adept at foraging, the Squacco Heron feeds on a diet consisting of fish, frogs, and insects, making the most of its wetland environment.

11-8-2019 RIO VERNISSA, PALMA DE GANDIA - SCARLET DARTER DRAGONFLY (MALE) (Crocothemis erythraea)

The scarlet dragonfly (Crocothemis erythraea) is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae. Its common names include broad scarlet, common scarlet-darter, and scarlet darter.

The scarlet dragonfly is a common species in southern Europe and throughout Africa. It also occurs across western Asia as far as southern China. It is a very rare vagrant in Britain. Its first record in the country was at Hayle Kimbro Pool, The Lizard, Cornwall, on 7 August 1995. Since then there have been a few further records at scattered locations throughout Britain.

A wide range of both running and standing waters, except those that are shaded. Adults may be found some distance from water in habitats ranging from desert to open woodland; absent from dense forest.

Crocothemis erythraea can reach a length of 33–44 millimetres (1.3–1.7 in). These dragonflies haves a flattened and rather broad abdomen. The adult male scarlet dragonfly has a bright scarlet red, widened abdomen, with small amber patches at the bases of the hindwings. Also the veins on the leading edges of the wings are red. Females and immatures are yellow-brown and have a conspicuous pale stripe along the top of the thorax.

11-8-2019 RIO VERNISSA, PALMA DE GANDIA - EUROPEAN MOORHEN (JUVENILE) (Gallinula chloropus)

3-6-2019 LINYANTI CAMP, BOTSWANA - COMMON SLENDER MONGOOSE (Herpestes sanguineus) COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

The common slender mongoose (Herpestes sanguineus), also known as the black-tipped mongoose or the black-tailed mongoose, is a very common mongoose species native to sub-Saharan Africa.

As the name suggests, the common slender mongoose has a lithe body of 27.5–40 cm (10.8–15.7 in) and a long tail of 23–33 cm (9.1–13.0 in). Males weigh 640–715 g (22.6–25.2 oz), while the smaller females weigh 460–575 g (16.2–20.3 oz).

The color of their fur varies widely between subspecies, from a dark reddish-brown to an orange red, grey, or even golden yellow, but these mongooses can be distinguished from other mongooses due to the prominent black or red tip on their tails. They also have silkier fur than the other African members of their family.

The common slender mongoose occurs throughout sub-Saharan Africa, where it is most common in the savannah and semiarid plains, but rarely recorded in densely forested areas and deserts.

3-6-2019 LINYANTI CAMP, BOTSWANA - MARTIAL EAGLE (Polemaetus bellicosus)PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

3-6-2019 LINYANTI CAMP, BOTSWANA - BATELEUR EAGLE (JUVENILE)(Terathopius ecaudatus)

Juvenile bateleur eagles are primarily brown, have a longer tail and wing feathers for flight control, and a duller, greenish-blue cere and feet compared to adults. They gradually transition to the adult plumage over seven to eight years, developing a shorter tail and more defined body colors through molting. They are often mistaken for other birds, such as the brown snake eagle, due to their brown coloration. 

Physical characteristics

Plumage: Brown and dull, with some lighter edging on the feathers. The head is paler and tawnier.

Tail and wings: Possess longer tail and wing feathers than adults, which provide more stability and control during flight. The tail gets shorter with each molt as the bird matures.

Bare parts: The cere (the fleshy, waxy part on top of the beak) and feet are a pale grey-blue to greenish-blue color. 

Development and behavior

Maturation: It takes approximately 7 to 8 years for a juvenile to reach full adult plumage.

Flight: The longer feathers of juveniles give them better control as they learn to fly.

Adult supervision: Young are fed by both parents for about 100 days after fledging and remain dependent for up to four months.

Mobility: Juveniles become highly mobile and nomadic, and are sometimes driven away from the breeding territory by adult eagles.

Identification: Due to their dull brown color and longer tail, juveniles are often mistaken for a brown snake eagle. 

2-6-2019 LINYANTI CAMP, BOTSWANA - NAMIBIAN GIRAFFE (Giraffa camelopardalis ssp. angolensis) PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

2-6-2019 LINYANTI CAMP, BOTSWANA - BARN OWL (Tyto alba)PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barn_owl

28-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - CHAPMAN'S ZEBRA (Equus quagga ssp. chapmani) PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

Chapman's zebra (Equus quagga chapmani), named after explorer James Chapman, is a subspecies of the plains zebra from southern Africa.

Chapman's zebra are native to savannas and similar habitats of north-east South Africa, north to Zimbabwe, west into Botswana, the Caprivi Strip in Namibia, and southern Angola. Like the other subspecies of plains zebra, it is a herbivore that exists largely on a diet of grasses, and undertakes a migration during the wet season to find fresh sources of food and to avoid lions, which are their primary predator. Chapman's zebras are distinguished from other subspecies by subtle variations in their stripes. When compared to other equids in the region Chapman's zebras are relatively abundant in number, however its population is now in decline largely because of human factors such as poaching and farming. Studies and breeding programs have been undertaken with the hope of arresting this decline, with a focus on ensuring zebras bred in captivity are equipped for life in the wild, and that non-domesticated populations are able to freely migrate. A problem faced by some of these programs is that captive Chapman's zebra populations experience higher incidence of diagnosed diseases than non-domesticated populations because they live longer, and so are less likely to die in the wild from predation or a lack of food or water.

4-6-2019 LINYANTI, BOTSWANA - VERREAUX'S EAGLE OWL (Bubo lacteus) PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

8-8-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WESTERN HONEY BEE ( Apis mellifera)

The western honey bee or European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is the most common of the 7–12 species of honey bees worldwide. The genus name Apis is Latin for 'bee', and mellifera is the Latin for 'honey-bearing' or 'honey-carrying', referring to the species' production of honey.

Like all honey bee species, the western honey bee is eusocial, creating colonies with a single fertile female (or "queen"), many normally non-reproductive females or "workers", and a small proportion of fertile males or "drones". Individual colonies can house tens of thousands of bees. Colony activities are organized by complex communication between individuals, through both pheromones and the dance language.

The western honey bee was one of the first domesticated insects, and it is the primary species maintained by beekeepers to this day for both its honey production and pollination activities. With human assistance, the western honey bee now occupies every continent except Antarctica. Western honey bees are threatened by pests and diseases, especially the Varroa mite and colony collapse disorder. There are indications that the species is rare, if not extinct in the wild in Europe and as of 2014, the western honey bee was assessed as "Data Deficient" on the IUCN Red List. Numerous studies indicate that the species has undergone significant declines in Europe; however, it is not clear if they refer to population reduction of wild or managed colonies. Further research is required to enable differentiation between wild and non-wild colonies in order to determine the conservation status of the species in the wild, meaning self sustaining, without treatments or management.

24-5-2019 MANA POOLS, ZIMBABWE - CAPE ELAND (MALE) (Tragelaphus oryx ssp. oryx) COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

7-8-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - LEOPARD MOTH (Zeuzera pyrina)

Zeuzera pyrina, the leopard moth or wood leopard moth, is a moth of the family Cossidae.

It is considered a pest by fruit growers, as the larvae feed on branches of many kinds of fruit trees. Olive trees in particular are very susceptible and can be killed by the larvae burrowing within them.

This species can be found primarily in Europe (excluding Ireland) but also in northern Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco) and Asia (Taiwan, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey). It was introduced into the northeastern United States prior to 1879 and has a range including Maine, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.

These moths are associated with woodland, gardens and orchards.

7-8-2019 EL SALER, VALENCIA - BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica)