Friday, 26 April 2019
24-4-2019 CREU DE LONGA, VALENCIA - LITTLE STINT (Calidris minuta)
The Little Stint, scientifically known as Calidris minuta, is a diminutive wader, a member of the family Scolopacidae. It is recognized by its small stature, fine dark bill, and dark legs, which set it apart from other waders, save for its close relatives, the dark-legged stints. This species exhibits a fine bill tip, unwebbed toes, and a notable long primary projection.
This bird nests on a scrape in bare ground, laying 3–5 eggs. It is polygamous, and male and female may incubate separate clutches.
Food is small invertebrates picked off the mud.
In breeding plumage, the adult Little Stint can be identified by an orange hue on the breast, a stark white throat, and a pronounced white V on the back. Winter plumage makes identification more challenging, while juveniles can be spotted by their pale crown stripes and a faintly pinkish breast. The bird's call is a distinctive sharp "stit."
The Little Stint is found in arctic regions during the breeding season, favoring open, bare ground for nesting.
A true long-distance migrant, the Little Stint breeds in the arctic realms of Europe and Asia. When not breeding, it travels extensively to wintering grounds in Africa and south Asia. It has also been recorded as a vagrant in North America and Australia.
The Little Stint is known for its gregarious nature during the non-breeding season, often forming substantial flocks with other Calidris waders, particularly the Dunlin. These flocks are commonly seen on coastal mudflats or at the edges of inland pools.
Polygamous by nature, the Little Stint lays 3-5 eggs in a scrape on the ground. Both males and females may incubate separate clutches, a unique aspect of their breeding behavior.
The diet of the Little Stint consists of small invertebrates, which it picks off from the mud.
The Little Stint is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, indicating that it is not at immediate risk of population decline. However, its numbers are influenced by the population dynamics of lemmings, which in turn affect predation rates by other Arctic species. The Little Stint is also protected under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA).
Physical characteristics
Size: Tiny wading bird, smaller than a Dunlin.
Bill: Short, straight, and black.
Legs: Medium-length and black.
Plumage: Brownish-grey above and white underneath; in winter, it is grey above.
Juvenile appearance: Autumn birds have two pale stripes or "braces" down their back.
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Habitat and behavior
Habitat: Prefers estuaries and muddy shores of wetlands.
Social behavior: Often found in flocks, sometimes mixed with other waders.
Migration: A long-distance migrant, with most birds seen passing through the UK in autumn.
Breeding: Nests on the tundra in northern Scandinavia and Siberia.
Geographic range
Breeding: Arctic Europe and Asia.
Wintering: Africa, South Asia, and southern Europe.
Vagrant: Occasionally seen in North America and Australia.
26-4-2019 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - WHINCHAT ( Saxicola rubetra)
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The whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) is a small migratory passerine bird breeding in Europe and western Asia and wintering in central Africa. At one time considered to be in the thrush family, Turdidae, it is now placed in the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. Both sexes have a strong supercilium, brownish upper parts mottled darker, a pale throat and breast, a pale buff to whitish belly, and a blackish tail with white bases to the outer tail feathers, but in the breeding season, the male has an orange-buff throat and breast.The whinchat (Saxicola rubetra) is a small migratory passerine bird breeding in Europe and western Asia and wintering in central Africa. At one time considered to be in the thrush family, Turdidae, it is now placed in the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. Both sexes have a strong supercilium, brownish upper parts mottled darker, a pale throat and breast, a pale buff to whitish belly, and a blackish tail with white bases to the outer tail feathers, but in the breeding season, the male has an orange-buff throat and breast.
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The whinchat is a solitary species, favouring open grassy country with rough vegetation and scattered small shrubs. It perches in elevated locations ready to pounce on the insects and other small invertebrates that form its diet. The nest is built by the female on the ground in coarse vegetation, with a clutch of four to seven eggs being laid. The hen incubates the eggs for about thirteen days and then both parents feed the nestlings. Fledging takes place about eighteen days after hatching and the parents continue to feed the young for another fortnight. Moulting takes place in late summer before the migration southwards, and again on the wintering grounds in Africa before the migration northwards in spring. The whinchat is a common species with a wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified it as being of "least concern".
Thursday, 25 April 2019
24-4-2019 CREU DE LONGA, VALENCIA - GLOSSY IBIS (Plegadis falcinellus)
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The Glossy Ibis is a medium-sized wading bird with dark, iridescent plumage, a long curved bill, and long legs. They are found in wetlands and wet fields across much of the globe, where they forage in flocks for a diet of insects, crustaceans, amphibians, and small fish. Their habitat is threatened by drainage and other wetland alterations.
Appearance
Plumage: A rich chestnut-brown body, with metallic green and purple sheens on the wings and back, especially on breeding adults.
Bill: A long, down-curved bill, often greenish-brown.
Size: About 23 inches (58 cm) long with a 36-inch (91 cm) wingspan.
Distinguishing features: Breeding adults have fine white lines around the base of their bill and a reddish-brown or cobalt-blue facial patch.
In flight: They fly with their neck outstretched and legs trailing straight behind.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Found in a variety of wetland environments, including freshwater and saltwater marshes, rice fields, and riverbanks.
Range: A cosmopolitan species found in parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, North America, and South America.
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Diet and feeding
Diet: Omnivorous, feeding on insects (like beetles, dragonflies, and grasshoppers), worms, crustaceans (like crayfish and leeches), small fish, and amphibians.
Feeding behavior: They forage by wading in shallow water and probing the mud with their bills, which are equipped with sensory organs to detect vibrations.
Flocking: They typically forage in groups, sometimes with other species like egrets.
Reproduction
Nesting: They are colonial nesters, building nests in vegetation like reeds or tamarisks.
Eggs: Typically lay 3-4 eggs, with both parents participating in nest building and feeding the young.
Conservation
Status: Not listed as threatened globally by the IUCN.
Threats: Local populations can be threatened by habitat alteration, such as drainage and irrigation, and the invasion of exotic plants.
24-4-2019 CREU DE LONGA, 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.
24-4-2019 CREU DE LONGA, VALENCIA - WESTERN CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis ssp. ibis)
The western cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. Most taxonomic authorities lump this species and the eastern cattle egret together (called the cattle egret), but some (including the International Ornithologists' Union) separate them. Despite the similarities in plumage to the egrets of the genus Egretta, it is more closely related to the herons of Ardea. Originally native to parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, it has undergone a rapid expansion in its distribution and successfully colonised much of the rest of the world in the last century.
It is a white bird adorned with buff plumes in the breeding season. It nests in colonies, usually near bodies of water and often with other wading birds. The nest is a platform of sticks in trees or shrubs. Western cattle egrets exploit drier and open habitats more than other heron species. Their feeding habitats include seasonally inundated grasslands, pastures, farmlands, wetlands and rice paddies. They often accompany cattle or other large mammals, catching insect and small vertebrate prey disturbed by these animals. Some populations of the cattle egret are migratory and others show post-breeding dispersal.
The adult cattle egret has few predators, but birds or mammals may raid its nests, and chicks may be lost to starvation, calcium deficiency or disturbance from other large birds. This species maintains a special relationship with cattle, which extends to other large grazing mammals; wider human farming is believed to be a major cause of their suddenly expanded range. The cattle egret removes ticks and flies from cattle and consumes them. This benefits both species, but it has been implicated in the spread of tick-borne animal diseases.
The cattle egret has undergone one of the most rapid and wide reaching natural expansions of any bird species. It was originally native to parts of Southern Spain and Portugal, tropical and subtropical Africa and humid tropical and western Asia. In the end of the 19th century it began expanding its range into southern Africa, first breeding in the Cape Province in 1908. Cattle egrets were first sighted in the Americas on the boundary of Guiana and Suriname in 1877, having apparently flown across the Atlantic Ocean. It was not until the 1930s that the species is thought to have become established in that area.
The species first arrived in North America in 1941 (these early sightings were originally dismissed as escapees), bred in Florida in 1953, and spread rapidly, breeding for the first time in Canada in 1962. It is now commonly seen as far west as California. It was first recorded breeding in Cuba in 1957, in Costa Rica in 1958, and in Mexico in 1963, although it was probably established before that. In Europe, the species had historically declined in Spain and Portugal, but in the latter part of the 20th century it expanded back through the Iberian Peninsula, and then began to colonise other parts of Europe; southern France in 1958, northern France in 1981 and Italy in 1985. Breeding in the United Kingdom was recorded for the first time in 2008 only a year after an influx seen in the previous year. In 2008, cattle egrets were also reported as having moved into Ireland for the first time.
The massive and rapid expansion of the cattle egret's range is due to its relationship with humans and their domesticated animals. Originally adapted to a commensal relationship with large grazing and browsing animals, it was easily able to switch to domesticated cattle and horses. As the keeping of livestock spread throughout the world, the cattle egret was able to occupy otherwise empty niches. Many populations of cattle egrets are highly migratory and dispersive, and this has helped the species' range expansion. The species has been seen as a vagrant in various sub-Antarctic islands, including South Georgia, Marion Island, the South Sandwich Islands and the South Orkney Islands. A small flock of eight birds was also seen in Fiji in 2008.
Wednesday, 24 April 2019
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The Eurasian coot, Fulica atra, also known as the common coot or Australian coot, is a distinctive waterbird with a slaty-black body, a glossy black head, and a striking white bill topped with a white frontal shield. This bird is a member of the Rallidae family, which includes rails and crakes. Both sexes exhibit similar plumage, making them indistinguishable in the field.
Adult Eurasian coots measure 36–38 cm in length with a wingspan of 70–80 cm. Males are slightly heavier than females, weighing around 890 g compared to the females' 750 g. The species is characterized by its white bill and frontal shield, which contrast sharply with its all-black body. Juveniles are paler with a whitish breast and lack the facial shield, which develops fully by one year of age.
The Eurasian coot is found on freshwater lakes and ponds and has adapted well to urban environments, often seen in city parks and gardens with water bodies.
This bird has a broad range across the Old World, including Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of North Africa. It is a resident in milder regions but migrates south and west from much of Asia during winter.
The Eurasian coot is less secretive than many rails, often visible on open water or grasslands. It is territorial and aggressive during the breeding season, with both parents defending their territory. In non-breeding seasons, coots may form large flocks. They are reluctant flyers, preferring to run across water surfaces, and are known for bobbing their heads while swimming.
24-4-2019 CREU DE LONGA, VALENCIA - GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea)
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The Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) is a statuesque wading bird belonging to the family Ardeidae. It is a familiar sight in both rural and urban settings, often seen standing stoically along the water's edge. An adult Grey Heron is a large bird, reaching up to 100 cm in height, with a wingspan between 155 to 195 cm. It weighs between 1 to 2 kg. The plumage is predominantly ashy-grey above, with a greyish-white underbelly and some black on the flanks. A striking feature is the white head and neck adorned with a broad black stripe that extends from the eye to the black crest. The beak is pinkish-yellow, long, and sharply pointed, while the legs are a brown hue.
When identifying the Grey Heron, look for the white head with the black supercilium and crest, the long grey neck, and the ashy-grey wings and back. The underparts are lighter, and the legs are long and brown. Juveniles can be distinguished by their duller grey neck and smaller crest. The beak is a useful indicator of age, being brighter in breeding adults.
24-4-2019 CREU DE LONGA, VALENCIA - SPOTTED REDSHANK (Tringa erythropus)
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The spotted redshank (Tringa erythropus) is a wader (shorebird) in the large bird family Scolopacidae. The genus name Tringa is the Neo-Latin name given to the green sandpiper by Aldrovandus in 1599 based on Ancient Greek trungas, a thrush-sized, white-rumped, tail-bobbing wading bird mentioned by Aristotle. The specific erythropus is from Ancient Greek eruthros, "red", and pous, "foot".
Like most waders, it feeds on small invertebrates.
The spotted redshank breeds in the Arctic across much of the Palearctic, from Lapland in the west to Chukotskaya in the east.
It nests on open boggy taiga, laying four eggs in a ground scrape. For breeding the bird moults to a black to dark grey with white spots. During breeding plumage the legs also turn a dark grey.
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The spotted redshank (Tringa erythropus) is a wader (shorebird) in the large bird family Scolopacidae. The genus name Tringa is the Neo-Latin name given to the green sandpiper by Aldrovandus in 1599 based on Ancient Greek trungas, a thrush-sized, white-rumped, tail-bobbing wading bird mentioned by Aristotle. The specific erythropus is from Ancient Greek eruthros, "red", and pous, "foot".
It breeds across northern Scandinavia and the northern Palearctic and migrates south to the Mediterranean, the southern British Isles, France, tropical Africa, and tropical Asia for the winter. It is an occasional vagrant to Australia and North America.
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This is a large wader (shorebird), measuring 29–31 cm (11–12 in) long,[nb 1] with a wingspan of 61–67 cm (24–26 in) and a weight ranging from 121 to 205 g (4.3 to 7.2 oz).[10] It is black in breeding plumage, and very pale in winter. It has a red legs and bill, and shows a white oval on the back in flight. Juveniles are grey-brown finely speckled white above, and have pale, finely barred underparts. Adults moult completely between July and October. In spring, the body plumage is moulted between March and May. Juveniles have a partial moult between August and February. The call is a creaking whistle teu-it (somewhat similar to the call of a roseate tern), the alarm call a kyip-kyip-kyip.
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The Spotted Redshank, Tringa erythropus, is a striking wader belonging to the family Scolopacidae. This elegant bird is characterized by its long, slender legs and bill, both of which are a vivid red in breeding plumage. Adults transform from a sleek black during the breeding season to a very pale grey in winter. A distinctive white oval on the back is visible in flight, and juveniles can be recognized by their grey-brown speckled white upperparts and finely barred underparts.
When identifying the Spotted Redshank, look for its long red legs and bill, particularly during the breeding season. In flight, the white oval on the back is a key feature. The bird measures 29–31 cm in length, with a wingspan of 61–67 cm, and weighs between 121 to 205 grams. The transformation from black breeding plumage to pale winter plumage is quite dramatic, making seasonal identification an intriguing challenge.
The Spotted Redshank breeds in the Arctic expanses of the Palearctic, favoring open boggy taiga. Its preference for such remote and undisturbed habitats is a testament to its wild nature.
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This bird has a broad breeding range across northern Scandinavia and the northern Palearctic. It migrates southwards to winter in warmer climes, including the Mediterranean, southern British Isles, France, tropical Africa, and tropical Asia. It is also known to be an occasional vagrant to Australia and North America.
The Spotted Redshank is a migratory species, undertaking long journeys between its breeding and wintering grounds. It is also known for its complete moult between July and October, and a spring moult of body plumage between March and May. Juveniles undergo a partial moult from August to February.
The Spotted Redshank's call is a distinctive creaking whistle, reminiscent of 'teu-it', somewhat akin to the call of a roseate tern. When alarmed, it emits a 'kyip-kyip-kyip' sound.
During the breeding season, the Spotted Redshank adopts a dramatic black to dark grey plumage with white spots, and even its legs turn a dark grey. It nests on the open boggy taiga, laying four eggs in a simple ground scrape.
24-4-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GREAT TIT (Parus major)
The great tit (Parus major) is a small passerine bird, easily recognized by its black head and neck, striking white cheeks, olive upperparts, and vibrant yellow underparts. This bird is the most widespread species in the genus Parus, found across Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of North Africa.
Males are characterized by their bright plumage, with a black bib that extends down the belly, bordered by a lemon-yellow breast. Females and juveniles are similar but have duller coloration. The black line down the belly is also narrower and sometimes broken in these birds.
Great tits favor a variety of woodland habitats, including deciduous and mixed forests, forest edges, and even urban parks and gardens. They are also found in riverine woodlands and, in some regions, boreal taiga.
This species is resident throughout its range, which extends from the Iberian Peninsula to the Amur Valley, and from Scandinavia to the Middle East. It is generally non-migratory, except in harsh winters when it may move to more temperate areas.
Great tits are known for their intelligence and adaptability. They exhibit a range of foraging behaviors and can solve problems with insight learning. They are also cavity nesters and are monogamous, with both parents involved in raising the chicks.
The great tit has a repertoire of up to 40 calls and songs, with the male being particularly vocal. A common call resembles the phrase "teacher, teacher," which is used to proclaim territory.
Breeding occurs once a year, with the female laying up to 12 eggs in a cavity nest. The female incubates the eggs alone, but both parents feed the chicks. In most years, the pair will raise two broods.
In summer, the diet is predominantly insectivorous, while in winter, it expands to include seeds and berries. Great tits are adept at handling large food items and are known to visit bird feeders in urban areas.
24-4-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - RUSH VENEER MOTH (Nomophila noctuella)
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Nomophila noctuella, the rush veneer, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae.
This species has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution (Europe, North Africa, Central Asia, Pakistan, North America). In Europe, it is a migratory species, travelling from southern Europe and North Africa to Northern Europe.
The wingspan is 26–32 mm. Forewings are very elongated and narrow. The basic color of the forewings is usually brown, with darker wide eight-shaped and reniform markings in the discal and postdiscal areas. Some dark brown spots are present close to the outer edge and to the apex. The hindwings are whitish with brown veins.
The mature larvae are gray green and spotted. They can reach a length of 15–20 millimetres (0.59–0.79 in).
These moths fly from May to September depending on the location. They are attracted to light, and in Europe they are migratory. There are two to four generations per year.
The larvae feed on Trifolium, clover, Medicago, Polygonum aviculare, wheat, Vaccinium and various other grasses. They pupate in a cocoon amongst the leaves of the host plants or on a stone. The pupa hibernates.
24-4-2019 CREU DE LONGA, VALENCIA - EURASIAN KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus)
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The common kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, is a bird of prey from the kestrel group within the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In the United Kingdom, it is often simply referred to as the "kestrel." This raptor is small compared to other birds of prey but larger than most songbirds, with long wings and a distinctive long tail.
Males and females exhibit sexual dimorphism in their plumage. The male has a blue-grey cap and tail with a black tip bordered by a narrow white rim. Its back is chestnut with black spots, and the underside is buff with black streaks. The female is larger and lacks the blue-grey coloring, having a brown back with black bars and a similar underside to the male. Both sexes have a prominent black malar stripe, bright yellow cere, feet, and eye-ring, with dark toenails, bill, and iris.
The common kestrel favors open habitats such as fields, heaths, shrubland, and marshland. It does not require woodland but needs alternative perching and nesting sites like rocks or buildings. It thrives in treeless steppes and can adapt to human settlements and various landscapes, from wetlands to arid savannas.
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This species has a vast range, being widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and occasionally reaching the east coast of North America. It has colonized some oceanic islands, though vagrant individuals are generally rare.
The common kestrel is diurnal and can be sedentary or migratory, depending on the region. It is known for its characteristic hunting behavior, hovering 10-20 meters above the ground before diving steeply onto prey. It is also capable of seeing ultraviolet light, which aids in detecting the urine trails of small mammals.
Breeding occurs in spring or the start of the dry season, with the kestrel preferring cavity nests in cliffs, trees, or buildings. Clutches typically consist of 3-7 eggs, which are incubated by both parents. The young fledge after 4-5 weeks and stay with the family for a short period thereafter.
The lesser kestrel and American kestrel are similar but not closely related. The lesser kestrel lacks black on the upperside except for wing and tail tips, while the American kestrel has much grey in the wings of males.
The common kestrel's diet consists almost exclusively of mouse-sized mammals, such as voles, shrews, and true mice. It may also consume small birds, particularly during the summer when fledglings are abundant. Invertebrates and arthropods can be significant food sources seasonally.
Tuesday, 23 April 2019
23-4-2019 OLIVA, VALENCIA - ROSE EVENING PRIMROSE (Oenothera rosea)
Oenothera rosea, also known as rosy evening-primrose, rose evening primrose, pink evening primrose, or Rose of Mexico, is a plant belonging to the genus Oenothera and native to northern Mexico and Texas.
Oenothera rosea has flowers with less than 2.5 cm (0.98 in) diameter. The shade varies from pink to red.
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