Thursday, 25 March 2021
Wednesday, 24 March 2021
Monday, 22 March 2021
Sunday, 21 March 2021
21-3-2021 RIO JUCAR, CULLERA - EURASIAN GREAT CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo)
The Great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) is a widespread member of the cormorant family of seabirds. Many fishermen see in the Great cormorant a competitor for fish. Because of this, it was hunted nearly to extinction in the past but luckily due to conservation efforts, its numbers increased.
The Great cormorant is a large black bird, but there is a wide variation in size in the species' wide range. Males are typically larger and heavier than females. It has a longish tail and yellow throat patch. Adults have white patches on the thighs and on the throat in the breeding season. In European waters, the Great cormorant can be distinguished from the Common shag by its larger size, heavier build, thicker bill, lack of a crest, and plumage without any green tinge. In eastern North America, it is similarly larger and bulkier than the Double-crested cormorant, and the latter species has more yellow on the throat and bill and lack the white thigh patches frequently seen on great cormorants.
Great cormorants occur throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and northeastern coastal North America. They may be both resident and migratory. Throughout the year in some areas, large groups remain within the breeding range. Greta cormorants frequent open marine environments and inland waters. They inhabit sandy or rocky sheltered coasts and estuaries and are rarely seen any distance from the coast. This species breeds on cliffs and inshore islands, among boulders and man-made structures. Birds that nest inland will breed on trees, bushes, and reedbeds, and even on bare ground.
Great cormorants are active during the day and are social birds, usually leaving roosts to forage early in the morning and returning within an hour. Little time each day is spent foraging, although parents with young tend to forage for longer. Much of the day is spent resting and preening near foraging areas or at roosts. Great cormorants generally are not aggressive towards one another, apart from at nest sites, where they exhibit territorial behavior. There may be dominance hierarchies. Outside of the breeding season, they usually gather in mixed-age, mixed-sex groups.
Great cormorants are carnivores (piscivores); they mainly eat numerous kinds of fish, and when fishing in freshwater, will also eat crustaceans, amphibians, and insects.
Saturday, 20 March 2021
17-3-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WAVE MOTH (Idaea eugeniata)
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The wingspan is 21–22 mm for males and 24–25 mm for females.
The larvae are polyphagous and have been recorded feeding on various herbaceous plants.[2]
Subspecies
Idaea eugeniata eugeniata
Idaea eugeniata algeriaca (Culot, 1917)
11-1-2021 SEO WEBCAM BINACED, HUESCA - RED KITE (Milvus milvus)
The red kite (Milvus milvus) is a medium to large bird of prey, belonging to the family Accipitridae. This elegant raptor is recognized by its rufous plumage, contrasting white underwing flight feathers, and a deeply forked tail which it maneuvers with grace. The species is sexually dimorphic in size, with females being slightly larger than males.
Adult red kites measure 60 to 70 cm in length and boast a wingspan of 175–179 cm. Males typically weigh between 800–1,200 grams, while females range from 1,000–1,300 grams. The species exhibits a dihedral flight posture with long, angled wings and a distinctive long, forked tail that twists fluidly as the bird changes direction. The body, upper tail, and wing coverts are a rich rufous color, while the black wingtips and dark secondaries provide a stark contrast to the white primary feathers.
Red kites are often found in broadleaf woodlands, pastures, mixed farmland, valleys, and wetland edges. They are adept at navigating a variety of landscapes, from open countryside to urban fringes.
The red kite is native to the western Palearctic, with its breeding range primarily in Europe. Historically, the species also bred in parts of west Asia and northwest Africa, but these populations have largely disappeared. Today, red kites are most commonly found across Europe, from Spain and Portugal to central Russia, and from southern Scandinavia to southern Italy.
Friday, 19 March 2021
Thursday, 18 March 2021
Wednesday, 17 March 2021
Monday, 15 March 2021
15-3-2021 RIO JUCAR RIOLA, VALENCIA - MALLARD (MALE) (Anas platyrhynchos)
Male mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) are easily recognized by their iridescent green heads, narrow white neck rings, and bright yellow bills. Weighing between 0.9 and 1.4 kg with a wingspan up to 95 cm, these dabbling ducks are also famous for their curled black tail feathers.
Key Physical & Behavioral Facts
Identification: Drakes (males) have a rich chestnut-brown breast, pale grey flanks, and bright orange legs. Both sexes feature a striking purple-blue speculum (wing patch) bordered by white.
Vocalization: Unlike females, which make the classic loud quack, male mallards are much quieter, producing soft raspy notes or short whistles, particularly during courtship.
Diet & Foraging: As omnivorous dabblers, they feed on aquatic plants, seeds, insects, and small fish by tipping forward in shallow water to forage. They do not dive completely underwater.
Flight: Mallards are incredibly strong fliers, reaching speeds up to 88 km/h (55 mph) during migration.
Ancestry: The mallard is the ancestor of nearly all domestic duck breeds (excluding the Muscovy duck).
Breeding & Lifecycle
Courtship: Males perform elaborate displays, including head-pumping, wing-shaking, and whistling to attract females during the breeding season.
Parenting: Male mallards are strictly monogamous during the breeding season but do not assist with incubation or raising the ducklings; they leave these duties entirely to the female and gather in bachelor flocks to molt.
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