5-2-2020 EL SALER, VALENCIA - WHITE WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba)

The White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) is a small, elegant passerine bird, a member of the family Motacillidae, which includes pipits and longclaws. This slender bird measures between 16.5 to 19 cm in length, with East Asian subspecies reaching up to 21 cm. It is characterized by its long, constantly wagging tail, a behavior that has become synonymous with the genus. Weighing an average of 25 g, the White Wagtail can live up to 12 years in the wild.

Adult White Wagtails exhibit a distinctive plumage with a combination of grey, black, and white. The bird's upper parts are generally grey, with a white face, belly, and breast. Males during the breeding season may show a darker back, and the species is known for its sharp, brisk call and more melodious song during courtship.

The White Wagtail is commonly found in open country, often in close proximity to human habitation and water sources. It shows a preference for bare areas which facilitate the sighting and pursuit of prey. This bird has adapted well to urban environments, utilizing paved areas such as parking lots for foraging.

This species has a vast breeding range across Europe, the Asian Palearctic, parts of North Africa, and has a presence in Alaska. It is a migratory bird, with populations moving to Africa and parts of Asia during the winter. In Great Britain and Ireland, the darker subspecies known as the Pied Wagtail is more prevalent.

The White Wagtail is known for its perpetual tail wagging, a behavior that remains somewhat enigmatic but is thought to be a signal of vigilance to predators. It is a monogamous bird that defends its breeding territory with determination.

The call of the White Wagtail is a sharp "chisick," softer than that of the Pied Wagtail. Its song is more structured and is used by males to attract females rather than to mark territory.

5-2-2020 EL SALER, VALENCIA - HOUSE SPARROW (FEMALE) (Passer domesticus)

5-2-2020 EL SALER, VALENCIA - EURASIAN GREAT CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo)

The great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), a robust seabird, is cloaked in predominantly black plumage. It is a member of the cormorant family, with a widespread distribution. The species exhibits considerable size variation across its range, with males generally larger than females. Notable features include a longish tail and a distinctive yellow throat-patch. During the breeding season, adults boast white patches on their thighs and throat.

To identify the great cormorant, look for its large size, heavy build, and thick bill. It lacks a crest and its plumage does not have a green tinge, distinguishing it from the common shag. In North America, it is bulkier than the double-crested cormorant and has less yellow on the throat and bill. The white thigh patches are a key identifier.

Great cormorants are found in a variety of aquatic environments including seas, estuaries, freshwater lakes, and rivers. They often nest in colonies close to these water bodies.

This species has a broad distribution, breeding across the Old World, Australia, and the Atlantic coast of North America. Northern populations tend to migrate southward in winter, seeking coasts rich in fish.

5-2-2020 EL SALER, 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.

5-2-2020 EL SALER, VALENCIA - DROMEDARY CAMEL (Camelus dromedarius)

The hump stores up to 80 lb (36 kg) of fat, which the camel can break down into energy to meet its needs when resources are scarce; the hump also helps dissipate body heat. When this tissue is metabolized, through fat metabolization, it releases energy while causing water to evaporate from the lungs during respiration (as oxygen is required for the metabolic process): overall, there is a net decrease in water. If the hump is small, the animal can show signs of starvation. In a 2005 study, the mean volume of adipose tissues (in the external part of the hump that have cells to store lipids) is related to the dromedary's unique mechanism of food and water storage. In case of starvation, they can even eat fish and bones, and drink brackish and salty water. The hair is longer on the throat, hump and shoulders. Though the padded hooves effectively support the camel's weight on the ground, they are not suitable for walking on slippery and muddy surfaces.

3-2-2020 BARX, VALENCIA - GARDEN TIGER MOTH CATERPILLAR (Arctia caja)

The garden tiger moth or great tiger moth (Arctia caja) is a moth of the family Erebidae. Arctia caja is a northern species found in the US, Canada, and Europe. The moth prefers cold climates with temperate seasonality, as the larvae overwinter, and preferentially chooses host plants that produce pyrrolizidine alkaloids. However, garden tiger moths are generalists, and will pick many different plants to use as larval host plants.

The conspicuous patterns on its wings serve as a warning to predators because the moth's body fluids are poisonous. Their effects are not yet fully known, but these toxins contain quantities of neurotoxic choline esters which act by interfering with the acetylcholine receptor. The colours are also ideal for frightening predators such as small birds—the moth normally hides its hindwings under the cryptic forewings when resting.

Between stored toxins, conspicuous warning coloration, and sound cues that are generated mostly as a response to bats, A. caja clearly presents itself as an inedible target for predators.

The garden tiger moth has a wingspan of 45 to 65 millimeters (1.8 to 2.6 in). The design of the wings vary; the front wings are brown with a white pattern (which is sometimes missing), the back wings are orange with a pattern of black dots. There are many aberrations (pattern and colour variants), partly obtained artificially and partly by chance. Oberthür, a French entomologist, mentions about 500 different variants shown in 36 figures. Seitz gives an account of some named aberrations.

3-2-2020 BARX, VALENCIA - CATALONIA WALL LIZARD (Podarcis liolepis)

3-2-2020 BARX, VALENCIA - GORSE (Ulex europaeus)

30-11-2015 SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA - GREAT EGGFLY BUTTERFLY (Hypolimnas bolina)

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

2-2-2020 PALMA DE GANDIA - SPECKLED WOOD BUTTERFLY (Pararge aegeria)

The speckled wood (Pararge aegeria) is a butterfly found in and on the borders of woodland areas throughout much of the Palearctic realm. The species is subdivided into multiple subspecies, including Pararge aegeria aegeria, Pararge aegeria tircis, Pararge aegeria oblita, and Pararge aegeria insula. The color of this butterfly varies between subspecies. The existence of these subspecies is due to variation in morphology down a gradient corresponding to a geographic cline. The background of the wings ranges from brown to orange, and the spots are either pale yellow, white, cream, or a tawny orange. The speckled wood feeds on a variety of grass species. The males of this species exhibit two types of mate locating behaviors: territorial defense and patrolling. The proportion of males exhibiting these two strategies changes based on ecological conditions. The monandrous female must choose which type of male can help her reproduce successfully. Her decision is heavily influenced by environmental conditions.

The average wingspan of both males and females is 5.1 cm (2 in), although males tend to be slightly smaller than females. Furthermore, males possess a row of grayish-brown scent scales on their forewings that is absent in the females. Females have brighter and more distinct markings than males. The subspecies P. a. tircis is brown with pale yellow or cream spots and darker upperwing eyespots. The subspecies P. a. aegeria has a more orange background and the hindwing underside eyespots are reddish brown rather than black or dark gray. The two forms gradually intergrade into each other. Subspecies P. a. oblita is a darker brown, often approaching black with white rather than cream spots. The underside of its hindwings has a marginal pale purple band and a row of conspicuous white spots. The spots of subspecies P. a. insula are a tawny orange rather than a cream color. The underside of the forewings has patches of pale orange, and the underside of the hindwing has a purple-tinged band. Although there is considerable variation with each subspecies, identification of the different subspecies is manageable.

The speckled wood occupies a diversity of grassy, flowery habitats in forest, meadow steppe, woods, and glades. It can also be found in urban areas alongside hedges, in wooded urban parks, and occasionally in gardens. Within its range the speckled wood typically prefers damp areas. It is generally found in woodland areas throughout much of the Palearctic realm. P. a. tircis is found in northern and central Europe, Asia Minor, Syria, Russia, and central Asia, and the P. a. aegeria is found in southwestern Europe and North Africa. Two additional subspecies are found within the British Isles: the Scottish speckled wood (P. a. oblita) is restricted to Scotland and its surrounding isles, and the Isles of Scilly speckled wood (P. a. insula) is found only on the Isles of Scilly. P. a. tircis and P. a. aegeria gradually intergrade into each other.

2-2-2020 PALMA DE GANDIA - BLACK REDSTART (FEMALE) (Phoenicurus ochruros)

2-2-2020 PALMA DE GANDIA - WHITE WALL ROCKET (Diplotaxis erucoides)

Diplotaxis erucoides, the white rocket or white wallrocket, is a species of annual herb of the family Brassicaceae native to West Mediterranean.

Diplotaxis erucoides is an herbaceous plant up to 20–60 centimetres (8–23+1⁄2 in) tall, with green, erect stem, sparsely pubescent, and pinnatisect leaves up to 15 cm long. It has racemes of white flowers with four 6–8 mm petals, four sepals, six stamens and a style with green stigma. The fruit is a 25–33 mm siliqua containing 40–80 seeds in two parallel series.

Diplotaxis erucoides is a ANNUAL growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in). It is in flower from May to September, and the seeds ripen from June to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects.

Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

2-2-2020 PALMA DE GANDIA - SWEET ALYSSUM (Lobularia maritima)

Lobularia maritima (syn. Alyssum maritimum) is a species of low-growing flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. Its common name is sweet alyssum or sweet Alison, also commonly referred to as just alyssum (from the genus Alyssum in which it was formerly classified).

Lobularia maritima is an annual plant (rarely a short-lived perennial plant) growing to 5–30 cm (2–12 in) tall by 20–30 cm (8–12 in) broad. The stem is very branched, with dense clusters of small flowers. The leaves are 1–4 cm long and 3–5 mm, broad, alternate, sessile, quite hairy, oval to lanceolate, with an entire margin.

The flowers are about 5 millimetres (0.20 in) in diameter, sweet-smelling, with an aroma similar to that of honey, with four white rounded petals (or pink, rose-red, violet. yellow and lilac) and four sepals. The six stamens have yellow anthers. The flowers are produced throughout the growing season, or year-round in areas free of frost. They are pollinated by insects (entomophily) as its sweet honey-like fragrance is attractive to bees, flower flies, stingless wasps and butterflies. The fruits are numerous elongated seedpods rather hairy, oval to rounded, each containing two seeds. The dispersal of seed is affected by the wind (anemochory).

2-2-2020 PALMA DE GANDIA - SOFT STORK'S BILL (Erodium malacoides)

Erodium malacoides is a species of flowering plant in the geranium family known by the common names mallow-leaved stork's bill,[1] Mediterranean stork's bill, and soft stork's-bill. It is an annual or biennial herb which is native to the Mediterranean region in southern Europe (north to 49°N in western France), northern Africa, and southwest Asia. It can be found locally elsewhere is an introduced species.

The young plant grows a number of rugose green leaves, radially outward flat against the ground. The stems reach 10–60 cm in height, with more leaves on long, hairy petioles, with glandular hairs. It bears small flowers in umbels of 3–7 together; they are 10–16 mm diameter, with fuzzy, soft spine-tipped sepals and five purplish petals 5-9 mm long with rounded (not notched) apices. The fruit is green with a glandular body about 5 mm long, with a long, pointed style 18–35 mm long. It grows in dry, sunny habitats. In the south of its range in Malta, it flowers from January to June, while further north in western France, from June to August.

2-2-2020 PALMA DE GANDIA - 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.

2-2-2020 PALMA DE GANDIA - MOUSE SPIDER (Scotophaeus blackwalli)

Scotophaeus blackwalli, also known as the mouse spider, is a species of spider belonging to the family Gnaphosidae.

It is a ground spider and does not create webs. Instead it hunts for insects and other spiders at night and uses its enlarged spinnerets to produce a sticky silk to subdue its prey. It is also an opportunistic scavenger.

Females also use their silk to build protective nests for their eggs.

The adult males of these spiders reach 9mm in length, maturing in the early summer, while females reach 12mm, and can be found until autumn.

The carapace is dark brown while the abdomen is brown/grey with hairs resembling the body of a mouse, hence the common name of 'mouse spider'. The legs are brown with thick pubescence. The male has a small scutum on the dorsum of the abdomen.

Scotophaeus blackwalli is native to Europe, the Caucasus, Turkey and Iran. It has been introduced to North America, Peru, and Hawaii. It is commonly found around and inside houses in Britain, usually in the Autumn, and also under bark and in holes in walls in warmer parts of Europe. It hunts nocturnally.

2-2-2020 PALMA DE GANDIA - SOFT STORK'S BILL (Erodium malacoides)

Erodium malacoides is a species of flowering plant in the geranium family known by the common names Mediterranean stork's bill, soft stork's-bill and oval heron's bill. This is an annual or biennial herb which is native to much of Eurasia and North Africa but can be found on most continents where it is an introduced species.

The young plant grows a number of ruffled green leaves radially outward flat against the ground from a knobby central stem.[citation needed] The stem may eventually reach half a meter in height with more leaves on long, hairy petioles. It bears small flowers with fuzzy, soft spine-tipped sepals and five lavender to magenta petals. The fruit is green with a glandular body about half a centimeter long and a long, pointed style two to three centimeters in length.

1-2-2020 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.

The great tit can be confused with other members of the Parus genus, but its distinctive coloration and song usually make it easy to identify.

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.

The great tit is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable and widespread population estimated to be between 300 and 1,100 million birds. It has adapted well to human changes in the environment and is not currently at risk.

19-11-2016 THA YET MIO - COMMON MORMON SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY (Papilio polytes)

Papilio polytes, the common Mormon, is a common species of swallowtail butterfly widely distributed across Asia.

This butterfly is known for the mimicry displayed by the numerous forms of its females which mimic inedible red-bodied swallowtails, such as the common rose and the crimson rose.

The common name is an allusion to the polygamy formerly practiced by members of the Mormon sect according to Harish Gaonkar, of the Natural History Museum in London:

The scientific name is constructed from the Latin word for butterfly, papilio, and the Greek word for many, poly.

Jet black butterfly with row of white spots along the middle part of hindwing. 90–100 mm.

Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, southern and western China (including Hainan and Guangdong provinces), Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan (Ryukyu Islands), Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Andamans, Nicobars, eastern and Peninsular Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia (except Moluccas and Irian Jaya), Philippines, and Northern Marianas (Saipan).

The common Mormon prefers lightly wooded country, but is present everywhere and high up into the hills. It is a regular visitor to gardens, being especially abundant in orchards of its food plants—oranges and limes. It is most common in the monsoon and post-monsoon months.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - YELLOW HEADED PARROT (Amazona oratrix)

The yellow-headed amazon (Amazona oratrix), also known as the yellow-headed parrot and double yellow-headed amazon, is an endangered amazon parrot of Mexico and northern Central America. Measuring 38–43 centimetres (15–17 in) in length, it is a stocky short-tailed green parrot with a yellow head. It prefers to live in mangrove forests or forests near rivers or other bodies of water. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the yellow-crowned amazon (Amazona ochrocephala). It is a popular pet and an excellent talker. Poaching for the international pet trade has driven the species to near-extinction in the wild; around half of all wild-caught birds are thought to die in the process.

This species lives in riparian forest and areas with scattered trees, as well as evergreen forest in Belize and mangroves in Guatemala. A notable ecoregion of occurrence is the Belizean pine forests. It occurs singly or in pairs, in small groups, and occasionally in big flocks. The range formerly included both coastal slopes of Mexico from the Tres Marías Islands and Jalisco to Oaxaca and from Nuevo León to northern Chiapas and southwestern Tabasco, as well as a disjunct area including most of Belize, and another comprising a small part of northeastern Guatemala and northwestern Honduras. However, their numbers have been reduced drastically—by 90%, to 7,000, from the mid-1970s to 1994, and by 68% from 1994 to 2004—because of capture for the pet trade and habitat destruction.

Introduced populations can be found in Stuttgart, Germany, where a recent population of over 50 individuals resides. Smaller introduced populations are to be found in coastal neighborhoods of San Diego, California, including Coronado, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, Point Loma, La Jolla, and Imperial Beach; they are also found in Santa Ana, Loma Linda and Pasadena, all also in Southern California. In addition, introduced –and apparently breeding– populations have been reported in Puerto Rico.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - EASTERN ROSELLA (Platycercus eximius)

The Eastern rosella (Platycercus eximius) is a colorfull parrot native to Australia and Tasmania. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the Pale-headed rosella (P. adscitus).

The Eastern rosella has a red head and white cheeks. The beak is white, and the irises are brown. The upper breast is red, and the lower breast is yellow fading to pale green over the abdomen. The feathers of the back and shoulders are black and have yellowish or greenish margins giving rise to a scalloped appearance that varies slightly between the subspecies and the sexes. The wings and lateral tail feathers are bluish while the tail is dark green. The legs are grey. The female is similar to the male though duller in coloration and has an underwing stripe, which is not present in the adult male. Juveniles are duller than females and have an underwing stripe.

Eastern rosellas are found in eastern Australia, including Tasmania. They prefer to live in lightly wooded country, open forests, woodlands, gardens, bushlands, and parks.

Eastern rosellas are diurnal birds usually seen in pairs or in small groups. They mainly feed on the ground and enjoy bathing in puddles of water.

1-2-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GEOMETER MOTH (Chemerina caliginearia)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/468324-Chemerina-caliginearia

22-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGANVILLEA, COSTA RICA - THOA SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY (Papilio thoas)

Papilio thoas, the king swallowtail or Thoas swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. It is found in the southernmost United States, Mexico, Central America and South America (as far south as Argentina and Uruguay). The species is easily confused with the giant swallowtail, which it closely resembles in both larval and adult stages. The caterpillars feed on the leaves of citrus plants (Rutaceae). They have also been reported as feeding on a member of the genus Piper.

It. is everywhere common and flies in the open country, in gardens and plantations. thoas is a very bold flier, which often mounts high in the air.

Adult Thoas swallowtails fly year round in the tropics, feeding on nectar of a variety of flowers, including Lantana, Stachytarpheta, and Bougainvillea among other species.

31-1-2020 MARCHUQUERA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN SERIN (MALE) (Serinus serinus)

31-1-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WALL BROWN BUTTERFLY (Lasiommata megera)

Lasiommata megera, the wall or wall brown, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae (subfamily Satyrinae). It is widespread in the Palearctic realm with a large variety of habitats and number of generations a year.

P. megera L. [— xiphie Boisd. pt (45d). Above reddish yellow, with a black mark which traverses the distal band from the cell of the forewing to the abdominal margin of the hindwing, short black stripes crossing the disc and the cell of the forewing.

The species lives in North Africa, Europe, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, the Middle East, western Siberia, northern Tian Shan, Dzungarian Alatau, Kazakhstan and Dzungaria.

Habitats include forest edges and clearings, shrubby areas in ravines and river valleys and sparse woodlands. It is also found in mountain habitats up to 0–3,000 metres (0–9,843 ft) above sea level.