14-3-2019 OLIVA MARJAL, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)

14-3-2019 CAMI LES FONTS OLIVA, VALENCIA - WESTERN CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis ssp. ibis)

The Western Cattle-Egret is a gregarious, white, upland ardeid (Ardeidae), easily recognized by its foraging association with grazing animals and its exaggerated, head-pumping strut. It differs from the Eastern Cattle-Egret (Ardea coromanda) in having less buff-orange breeding plumage in the head and neck regions.

Small, compact white heron with relatively short yellow bill. More frequently seen in dry habitats than other egrets. In breeding season, look for pale salmon color on head and breast and brighter bill. Leg color varies from reddish or yellow during the breeding season to black during the nonbreeding season. Juveniles have dark bill. Always note relatively short, thick neck and short legs compared with other egrets. Often gathers in flocks, frequently following cattle or tractors in fields.

The Western Cattle-Egret is a gregarious, white, upland heron ( Ardeidae ), easily recognized by its foraging association with grazing animals and its exaggerated head-waving. It is distinguished from the Eastern Cattle-Egret (Ardea coromanda) due to having less buffy-orange breeding plumage on the head and neck regions. Its preference for grasslands, lawns, pastures, and grazing animals is quite distinct from that of other herons and egrets, which usually feed in or beside water and not in close association with livestock. In Britain and Europe, it is also known as the buffalo heron, referring to the color of its breeding plumes; but in many languages, it is simply called the cow crane, cow heron, or cowbird, or named after the wild grazing animal with which it is usually associated, e.g., elephant bird, rhinoceros egret, or hippopotamus egret. 

14-3-2019 OLIVA MARJAL, VALENCIA - MALLARD (MALE) (Anas platyrhynchos)

13-3-2019 CASTELL DE CASTELLS, ALICANTE - GREY LEAVED CISTUS (Cistus albidus)

13-3-2019 CASTELL DE CASTELLS, ALICANTE - MOUNTAIN SANDWORT (Arenaria montana)

Arenaria montana, the mountain sandwort, is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae, native to mountainous regions of southwestern Europe, from the Pyrenees to Portugal. The Latin specific epithet montana refers to mountains or coming from mountains.

Arenaria montana is an evergreen perennial growing 14–22 cm (6–9 in) tall, with lanceolate or ovate green to grayish-green opposite leaves 10–30 mm (0.4–1.2 in) in length.

From mid to late Spring it produces dense clumps of white to near-white flowers approximately 25 mm (1 in) in diameter borne on cymes of 2 to 10 flowers each.

Arenaria montana prefers well drained, sandy to sandy loam soils, of moderate (pH 5.5 to 7.5) acidity. It also prefers moist soils, as its shallow root system leaves it vulnerable to drought.

This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

13-3-2019 CASTELL DE CASTELLS, ALICANTE - ONION LEAFED ASPHODEL (Asphodelus fistulosus)

13-3-2019 CASTELL DE CASTELLS, ALICANTE - HENBIT DEADNETTLE (Lamium amplexicaule)

Lamium amplexicaule, commonly known as henbit dead-nettle, is a species of Lamium native to most of Europe, Asia and northern Africa. The specific name refers to the leaves, which are amplexicaul (clasping the stem).

It is a low-growing annual plant growing to 10–25 cm (4–10 in) (rarely to 40 cm) tall, thinly pubescent with soft, finely hairy stems. The leaves are opposite, rounded to kidney-shaped, 2–3 cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4 in) diameter, with a lobed margin, and often with long internodes. The lower leaves are stalked and the upper ones stalkless, often fused, and clasping the stems. The flowers are pink to purple, relatively large, 1.5–2 cm (1⁄2–3⁄4 in) long, and form a few-flowered terminal spike with axillary whorls. The calyx is regular with five lobes and closes up after flowering. The corolla is purplish-red, fused into a usually erect tube 15 to 20 mm (1⁄2 to 3⁄4 in) long. The upper lip is convex, 3 to 5 mm (1⁄8 to 3⁄16 in) long and the lower lip has three lobes, two small side ones and a larger central one 1.5 to 2.5 mm (1⁄16 to 1⁄8 in) long. There are four stamens, two long and two short. The gynoecium has two fused carpels and the fruit is a four-chambered schizocarp.

This plant flowers very early in the spring even in northern areas, and for most of the winter and early spring in warmer locations such as the Mediterranean region. At times of year when there are not many pollinating insects, the flowers self-pollinate.

13-3-2019 CASTELL DE CASTELLS, ALICANTE - WILD CLARY (Salvia verbenaca)

Salvia verbenaca, also known as wild clary or wild sage, is native to the British Isles, the Mediterranean region in Southern Europe, North Africa, and Near East, and in the Caucasus. It can be found as an introduced species that has naturalized in many parts of the world, including the Eastern United States, California, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Southern Africa, Tasmania, New Zealand and China.

S. verbenaca is a tall perennial herb with hairy stems and branches that erectly sprawl out. Its leaves are basal and toothed that vary from 3 to 10 cm (1.2 to 3.9 in) long. It has soft purple to violet flowers in mid summer. It is in flower from June to September, and the seeds ripen from July to October. The flowers are bisexual and are pollinated by bees. Some are also cleistogamous and pollinate themselves.

The plant is noted for attracting pollinators and wildlife. It prefers neutral and alkaline soils and needs full sun. This aromatic sage is used as a flavoring in foods and to make tea; the flowers can be added to salads.

In China, where it has been known by the synonym Salvia weihaiensis, it grows along the seashore in Shandong province.

13-3-2019 CASTELL DE CASTELLS, ALICANTE - RED STRIPED OIL BEETLE (Berberomeloe majalis)

13-3-2019 CASTELL DE CASTELLS, ALICANTE - SMALL COPPER BUTTERFLY (Lycaena phlaeas)

11-3-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GEOMETER MOTH (Family Geometridae)

12-3-2019 OLIVA, VALENCIA - SCARLET PIMPERNEL (Lysimachia arvensis)

12-3-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WHITE RAMPING FURNITORY (Fumaria capreolata)

Fumaria capreolata, the white ramping fumitory or climbing fumitory, is an herbaceous annual plant in the poppy family Papaveraceae. It is native to Europe, western Asia and northern Africa and naturalised in southern Australia, New Zealand, and southern South America. Common names include also ramping fumitory, white fumitory, and white-flower fumitory.

Plants have stems to 1 metre long and sometimes climb. The leaves are pinnatisect. Inflorescences comprise up to 20 purple-tipped white to cream flowers that appear in spring and summer. These gradually become pink after pollination.

Unlike other Fumaria species which are known as weeds of crops and agricultural areas, Fumaria capreolata can become naturalised in areas of natural vegetation and smother low-growing plants, becoming an environmental weed.

12-3-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - FRUIT CHAFER (Subfamily Cetoniinae)

29-11-2016 GARDENS OF THE BAY, SINGAPORE - THATCH SCREWPINE (Pandanus tectorius)

Pandanus tectorius is a species of Pandanus (screwpine) that is native to Malesia, Papuasia, eastern Australia, and the Pacific Islands. It grows in the coastal lowlands typically near the edge of the ocean. Common names in English include thatch screwpine, Tahitian screwpine, hala tree (pū hala in Hawaiian) and pandanus. The fruit is edible and sometimes known as hala fruit.

P. tectorius is a small tree that grows upright to reach 4–14 m (13–46 ft) in height. The single trunk is slender with brown ringed bark. It is spiny, grows to 4.5–11 m (15–35 ft) in width, and forks at a height of 4–8 metres (13–26 ft). It is supported by aerial roots (prop roots) that firmly anchors the tree to the ground. Roots sometimes grow along the branch, and they grow at wide angles in proportion to the trunk.

The female P. tectorius trees produce a segmented, large fruit. Although not closely related, the fruit resembles a pineapple. The fruit of P. tectorius is either ovoid, ellipsoid, subglobose or globose with a diameter of 4–20 cm (1.6–7.9 in) and a length of 8–30 cm (3.1–11.8 in). The fruit is made up of 38–200 wedge-like phalanges, often referred to as keys or carpels, which have an outer fibrous husk and are 8 inches in length. There are roughly 40 to 80 keys in each fruit and the color of the fruit can be yellow, orange, or red with a green top. Phalanges contain two seeds on average, with a maximum of eight reported. The phalanges are buoyant, and the seeds within them can remain viable for many months while being transported by ocean currents.

3-11-2016 BAIDICHENG, CHINA - GREEN BACKED TIT (Parus monticolus)

The green-backed tit (Parus monticolus) is a species of bird in the family Paridae.

It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Its natural habitats are boreal forest, temperate forest, and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.

Colorful small songbird of foothill and montane forests (up to 2800 m). Similar to Japanese Tit in appearance but with a bright yellow belly, greenish back, and two narrow white wingbars rather than one broad one. Forages at middle and upper levels in forests, often in pairs or as part of mixed-species flocks. Song a series of 3-4 whistles. Calls infrequently, a gruff “deedeedee.”

3-11-2016 BAIDICHENG, CHINA - BROWN BREASTED BULBUL (Pycnonotus xanthorrhous)

The brown-breasted bulbul (Pycnonotus xanthorrhous ) is a songbird in the family Pycnonotidae. The species was first described by John Anderson in 1869.

A large dull bulbul of scrubby forest edges, farmland, and parks. Brown overall, with a black cap and white throat; a light brown wash on the chest contrasts with the otherwise pale breast and belly, giving it a “vested” appearance. Dull orange undertail feathers are essentially the only bright spot on this species. Can resemble juvenile Sooty-headed Bulbul, but lacks the white cheek and rump of that species. Song consists of short but rich warbled phrases, and is a common background sound in cities and towns. Calls include liquid chirrups and harsher churring calls.

It is found in south-eastern Asia from central and southern China to Myanmar and northern Thailand.

The brown-breasted bulbul (Pycnonotus xanthorrhous) is a songbird in the family Pycnonotidae. The species was first described by John Anderson in 1869.

Alternate names for the brown-breasted bulbul include Anderson's bulbul and yellow-vented bulbul (not to be confused with the species of the same name, Pycnonotus goiavier).

Two subspecies are recognized:

P. x. xanthorrhous - Anderson, 1869: Found from south-western China and northern Myanmar to northern Indochina

P. x. andersoni - (R. Swinhoe, 1870): Originally described as a separate species in the genus Ixos. Found in central and southern China

It eats fruit, including Camellia japonica.

13-11-2016 BAIDICHENG, CHINA - BLACK THROATED TIT (Aegithalos concinnus)

In older sources, "black-throated tit" can also mean the rufous-naped tit or the rufous-vented tit, which are true tits.

The black-throated bushtit (Aegithalos concinnus), also known as the black-throated tit, is a very small passerine bird in the family Aegithalidae.

It ranges from the foothills of the Himalayas, stretching across northern India through north-eastern Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, northern Myanmar, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Disjunct populations also occur in southern Vietnam, the island of Hainan and further north in China up to the Yellow River. It lives in open broadleaf forest as well as pine forest, generally occurring in middle altitudes.

11-3-2019 VAL D'EBO, VALENCIA - CLOUDED YELLOW BUTTERFLY (Colias croceus)

Colias croceus, clouded yellow, is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae, the yellows and whites.

Colias croceus is one of the most widespread species in Europe. The common clouded yellow's breeding range is North Africa and southern Europe and eastwards through Turkey into the Middle East, but it occurs throughout much of Europe as a summer migrant, in good years individuals reaching Scandinavia. In Asia, its range extends into central Siberia in the north and barely into India in the south; it is not found in Central Asia.

This species is primarily an immigrant to the UK, originating from southern Europe and northern Africa. In the UK they can be seen on the south coast almost every year in varying numbers, and regularly breed there. Occurrence in the rest of the UK varies considerably from year to year, but they are increasingly observed as far north as Dumfries and Galloway. It has also been recorded in Ireland from the Raven, Co. Wexford, to Belfast, Co. Down.

A truly migratory European butterfly, this species is famous for occasional mass migrations and subsequent breeding, which are often referred to in the United Kingdom as "clouded yellow years". Notable clouded yellow years include 1877, 1947, 1983, 1992, 1994, 1996 and 2000.

11-3-2019 VAL D'EBO, VALENCIA - SPANISH FESTOON BUTTERFLY (Zerynthia rumina)

11-3-2019 VAL D'EBO, VALENCIA - GREY LEAVED CISTUS (Cistus albidus)

Cistus albidus, the grey-leaved cistus, is a shrubby species of flowering plant in the family Cistaceae, with pink to purple flowers, native to south-western Europe and western north Africa.

Cistus albidus grows up to 1 m (3 ft) tall. Its leaves are oblong to elliptical in shape, usually 2–5 cm (0.8–2.0 in) long by 0.5–2 cm (0.2–0.8 in) wide. They have three prominent veins and are densely covered with short hairs, producing a greyish-white appearance. The flowers are arranged in cymes of one to seven individual flowers, each 4–6 cm (1.6–2.4 in) across with five purple to pink petals and five sepals.

Cistus albidus is native to the west of Southern Europe and western North Africa, particularly around the Mediterranean, including Portugal, Spain, the Balearic Islands, France, Corsica, Italy, Sardinia, and Morocco.

11-3-2019 VAL D'EBO, VALENCIA - IBERIAN KNAPWEED (Centaurea pullata)

Iberian knapweed, also known as Iberian starthistle (Centaurea iberica), is a flowering plant known primarily as a noxious and invasive weed in many parts of the world, despite being native to southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia. 

Key Facts

Appearance: The plant is an annual, biennial, or short-lived perennial that grows up to 6 feet (1.8 m) tall with highly branched stems.

Flowers: Flower heads are typically white, pink, or purple and resemble thistles.

Spines: A key characteristic is the "star" of stout, sharp spines (1–3 cm long) that surround the base of each flower head, which makes the plant unpalatable to grazing animals.

Leaves/Stems: Stems and leaves are covered with fine, white hairs. The lower leaves are deeply lobed, while the upper leaves are smaller and more linear.

Habitat: It grows well in disturbed, open areas like fields, roadsides, and rangelands. It is drought-tolerant and can grow in a variety of soil types, including nutritionally poor or dry soils.

Reproduction: It reproduces prolifically by seed, with seeds dispersed by wind, animals, or human activity (e.g., in hay or on equipment).

Invasive Impact: In areas where it has been introduced (such as parts of the United States, Argentina, and Australia), it is considered a noxious weed. It forms dense, impenetrable stands that displace valuable native forage, reduce land value, and discourage wildlife movement. 

Status as a Noxious Weed

Iberian knapweed is listed on prohibited or noxious weed lists in several regions, including: 

United States: It is a Class A noxious weed in California and Oregon, and a prohibited noxious weed in Arizona, Nevada, and Wyoming.

Canada: It is a prohibited noxious weed seed in the Canadian Weed Seeds Order.

Other Countries: It is on prohibited weed lists in Chile and Australia. 

Control efforts in North America have focused on early detection and rapid response (EDRR) to prevent its establishment and spread. 

31-10-2016 XIAN, CHINA - YELLOWS AND SULPHURS BUTTERFLY (Colias poliographus)

Colias poliographus is a species of insects with 1761 observations

31-10-2016 XIAN, CHINA - PARADOXICAL KEELED MILLIPEDES (Family Paradoxosomatidae)

Orthomorpha is a genus of millipedes in the family Paradoxosomatidae containing approximately 50 species distributed in Southeast Asia.

Species of Orthomorpha possess 20 body segments and range from 15–50 mm long as adults. They range from 1.1–3.1 mm in body width, with prominent paranota (lateral keels) extending the width to 1.5–6.7 mm. Base coloration varies from brown to black, with brightly colored paranota and markings in various shades of yellow, orange, and brown, which becomes fainter in alcohol-preserved specimens. Some species have prominent bumps or "tubercles" on their dorsal metatergal segments.

Orthomorpha species range from Myanmar in the west, through the entire Indochinese Peninsula, to Lombok, Indonesia. The species O. coarctata, (also known as Asiomorpha coarctata) has been widely introduced by humans in tropics around the world.

26-11-2016 YANGON, MYANMAR - EURASIAN TREE SPARROW (MALE) (Passer montanus)

The Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) is a passerine bird in the sparrow family with a rich chestnut crown and nape, and a black patch on each pure white cheek. The sexes are similarly plumaged, and young birds are a duller version of the adult. This sparrow breeds over most of temperate Eurasia and Southeast Asia, where it is known as the tree sparrow, and it has been introduced elsewhere including the United States, where it is known as the Eurasian tree sparrow or German sparrow to differentiate it from the native unrelated American tree sparrow. Although several subspecies are recognised, the appearance of this bird varies little across its extensive range.

The Eurasian tree sparrow's untidy nest is built in a natural cavity, a hole in a building or the disused nest of a European magpie or white stork. The typical clutch is five or six eggs which hatch in under two weeks. This sparrow feeds mainly on seeds, but invertebrates are also consumed, particularly during the breeding season. As with other small birds, infection by parasites and diseases, and predation by birds of prey take their toll, and the typical life span is about two years.