20-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - COMMON RED FACED MOUSEBIRD (Urocolius indicus ssp. transvaalensis)

The red-faced mousebird is a social, fruit-eating bird native to southern Africa, easily identified by its slaty-grey body, red facial skin, and long tail. They live in small flocks, preen each other, and breed between June and February, laying clutches of 2–6 eggs. Their diet consists primarily of fruit, but they also eat flowers, nectar, and leaves. 

Identification 

Appearance: Slaty-grey with a reddish facial patch, pale forehead, and a long, streamlined tail.Size: Approximately \(33\) cm long, with the tail making up more than half the length.Juveniles: Lack the crest and have a greenish facial mask. 

Behavior and social structure Gregarious: Almost always found in small flocks, typically of 3 to 10 individuals, and are very sociable.Social interactions: Engage in mutual preening and roost together at night.Vocalization: Give a distinctive, high-pitched call in flight. 

22-5-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - STINK BUG ( Family Pentatomidae)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/508136-Sciocoris-sideritidis

 

22-5-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WAVE MOTH (Idaea ostrinaria)

Idaea ostrinaria (Coral-bordered Wave) is a small geometrid moth found in European, Mediterranean, and Western Asian xerophilous (dry) habitats, typically at 0–800m altitude. It features a characteristic coral-red bordered wing and is polyphagous, with larvae feeding on withered foliage and detritus from herbaceous plants like thyme (Thymus) and heliotrope (Heliotropium). 

Key Facts about Idaea ostrinaria:

Scientific Classification: Belongs to the order Lepidoptera, family Geometridae, and subfamily Sterrhinae.

Habitat: Prefers dry, coastal areas, and warm, open landscapes.

Appearance: Known for its reddish or "coral-bordered" wing markings, often featuring a delicate, pale, or brownish-grey ground color.

Larval Diet: Polyphagous, meaning they eat a variety of plants, including Labiatae (mint family), Boraginaceae, Campanulaceae, Convolvulaceae, and Caryophyllaceae.

Range: Primarily found in South-West Europe, the Mediterranean region, and parts of Western Asia.

Flight Season: Frequently observed in late spring and summer months (e.g., June sightings). 

22-5-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GRASS MOTH (METASIA CUENCALIS)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/468398-Metasia-cuencalis

 

22-5-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - ANGLE MOTH (Ortaliella perspersata)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/937434-Ortaliella-perspersata

 

22-5-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - CARPET MOTH (Almeria kalischata)

Almeria kalischata is a species of lepidopteran insects, more specifically moths, belonging to the family Geometridae.

The scientific authority on the species is Staudinger, having been described in 1870.

This is a species present in Portuguese and Spanish territory.

 

21-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - SOUTHERN BUSHBUCK (MALE) (Tragelaphus scriptus)

The Cape bushbuck (Tragelaphus sylvaticus), also known as imbabala, is a common, medium-sized bushland-dwelling, and a widespread species of antelope in sub-Saharan Africa. It is found in a wide range of habitats, such as rain forests, montane forests, forest-savanna mosaic, savanna, bushveld, and woodland. It stands around 90 cm (35 in) at the shoulder and weigh from 45 to 80 kg (99 to 176 lb). They are generally solitary, territorial browsers.

Cape bushbucks stand around 90 cm (35 in) at the shoulder and weigh from 60 to 80 kg (130 to 180 lb) in males and 25 to 60 kg (55 to 132 lb)in females. They have a light brown coat, with up to seven white stripes and white splotches on the sides. The white patches are usually geometrically shaped and on the most mobile parts of their bodies, such as the ears, chin, tail, legs, and necks. The muzzles are also white. Horns, found only on the males, can reach over half a metre and have a single twist. At 10 months old, young males sprout horns that are particularly twisted and at maturity form the first loop of a spiral.

21-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - AFRICAN BROAD BORDERED GRASS YELLOW BUTTERFLY (Eurema brigitta ssp. brigitta)

The Broad-bordered Grass Yellow is a very common butterfly in grassland and savanna habitats, occurring over all of South Africa with the exception of most of the Western and Northern Cape provinces. They’re also widely distributed over the rest of Africa, the islands in the India Ocean, India, south-east Asia, and  Australia. Adults can be seen throughout the year, flying low to the ground, perching on flowers and blades of grass and often congregating at muddy puddles. At rest they’ll often hang below small plants, looking like dead leaves moving in the breeze. Adults have a wingspan of around 3.5cm. 

20-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - TROPICAL ANOMIS MOTH (Anomis flava)

Anomis flava, the cotton looper, tropical anomis or white-pupiled scallop moth, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. It is found in large parts of the world, including China, Hawaii, São Tomé and Príncipe, the Society Islands, Thailand, New Zealand, and Australia (New South Wales, Norfolk Island, Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia). Subspecies Anomis flava fimbriago is found in North America.

The wingspan is about 28 mm.

The larvae feed on Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Hibiscus cannabinus and Legnephora moorei and Gossypium hirsutum. 

20-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - CHOBE DWARF GECKO (Lygodactylus chobiensis)

The Okavango dwarf gecko or Chobe dwarf gecko (Lygodactylus chobiensis) is a species of gecko found along the Chobe and Zambesi Rivers and into the Okavango Delta, and into Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

A large dwarf gecko (normally 25–30 mm in snout–vent length) with males being slightly larger than the females. It has a blue-grey back covered with large pale spots and a yellow belly. The male throat may be black or pale yellow and has two dark chevrons.

They mature at around 9 months and have a lifespan of 18 months.

The Okavango dwarf gecko is normally arboreal and can found on tree trunks and sometimes buildings of the tropical savanna and flooded grasslands. It prefers to forage high up in trees and can often be found on acacia, baobab and mopane trees.

Their diet is mainly ants and termites.

Reproduction occurs throughout the year and two hard-shelled eggs (5 × 6.5 mm) are laid every 8 weeks beneath the tree bark or in disused termite mound. The eggs hatch in about 125 days and the young geckos are about 30 mm in length.

20-5-2019 BUMI HILLS, ZIMBABWE - EMERALD SPOTTED WOOD DOVE (Turtur chalcospilos)

The emerald-spotted wood dove or emerald-spotted dove (Turtur chalcospilos) is a bird of the family Columbidae, resident across eastern and southern Africa. It is a species of open drier deciduous woodland and second growth. It is absent from evergreen rainforests and semidesert areas.

The emerald-spotted wood dove is a small plump pigeon, typically 20 cm in length. Its back, hindneck, wings, and tail are pale grey-brown, and the folded wings have green metallic patches. There are blackish bands on the lower back and tail. The forehead, crown, and nape are bluish-grey, fading to pinkish-grey on the throat. The underparts are mauve-pink, becoming whiter on the belly.

The bill of this dove is blackish with a red base. The sexes are similar, but the female may be slightly duller than the male. The immature has duller green spots and buff fringes to the feathers. When flying, the black-billed wood dove is told from this species by its bright chestnut underwings.

The call is in three parts: two soft long coos, followed by a series of slow descending coos lasting 10 seconds, and concluding with 4 seconds of rapid coos, which decrease in volume.

This species shows some geographical variation in plumage, but differences are clinal, and emerald-spotted wood dove is now considered to be monotypic.

20-5-2021 TURIA GARDENS, VALENCIA - EURASIAN BLACKBIRD (FEMALE) (Turdus merula)

Female Eurasian Blackbirds (Turdus merula) are distinct from their glossy-black, yellow-billed male counterparts. They are dark sooty-brown with a brownish-white throat, a dull yellowish-brown bill, and a faintly speckled or mottled breast. Females weigh about 80–125 grams and measure 23.5–29 cm in length.

Appearance and Camouflage

Unlike the iconic deep black plumage and bright orange-yellow eye-rings of the males, female Eurasian Blackbirds have adapted a cryptic, earthy appearance. Their dark brown upperparts and subtly streaked breast feathers provide vital camouflage against predators while they sit on nests in dense thickets and hedgerows.

Nesting and Reproduction

Females handle the heavy lifting during the breeding season. They construct a sturdy, deep cup-shaped nest using dry grass, small twigs, leaves, and moss, binding it together with mud and lining it with fine grass. They typically lay a clutch of 2 to 5 bluish-green or pale blue eggs, which are heavily mottled with reddish-brown spots. The female incubates the eggs alone for roughly 12 to 14 days, though both parents share the responsibility of feeding the hatchlings.

Diet and Foraging Behavior

Eurasian Blackbirds are highly flexible omnivores. During the spring and summer, females actively hunt protein-rich foods, using their bills to probe leaf litter and turn over mulch in search of earthworms and insects. In the autumn and winter, their diet shifts to accommodate available resources, and they heavily rely on berries, fallen fruit, and seeds.

Vocalization

Though males are universally celebrated for their rich, fluting caroling songs, female Eurasian Blackbirds also sing. A female's song is generally quieter, shorter, and less complex than the male's, typically performed softly during the courtship period or when defending their territory.

20-5-2021 TURIA GARDENS, VALENCIA - EURASIAN BLACKBIRD (MALE) (Turdus merula)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12716-Turdus-merula

 

20-5-2021 TURIA GARDENS, VALENCIA - EURASIAN BLACKBIRD (FEMALE) (Turdus merula)

The Common Blackbird, Turdus merula, is a true thrush and a familiar sight in gardens and woodlands. The male is distinguished by its all-black plumage, bright yellow eye-ring, and orange-yellow bill, which darkens slightly during winter. Females and juveniles are more demure in their attire, sporting mainly dark brown feathers.

Adult males are entirely black with the exception of the yellow eye-ring and bill. Females are sooty-brown with a duller bill, and juveniles resemble females but have pale spots on their upperparts. The very young may also exhibit a speckled breast.

20-5-2021 TURIA GARDENS, VALENCIA - ROSE RINGED PARAKEET (Psittacula krameri)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/18911-Psittacula-krameri

 

8-5-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SEVEN SPOTTED LADYBIRD (Coccinella septempunctata)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/51702-Coccinella-septempunctata

 

19-5-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - CITRONELLA ANT (Subgenus Lasius)

Lasius is a genus of formicine ants. The type species for this genus is the black garden ant, Lasius niger. Other major members, which live in drier heathland, are the cornfield ant, L. neoniger, and L. alienus. Other species include the temporary social parasites of the L. mixtus group and the hyper-social parasite L. fuliginosus. Lasius flavus is also a commonly seen species, building grassy hillocks in undisturbed pasture. In the Alps, these mounds – always aligned east to catch the first rays of the rising sun – have been traditionally used by goatherds as natural compasses.[citation needed] Species in the subgenus Acanthomyops, in particular L. interjectus and L. claviger, are commonly known as citronella ants due to their citronella-like smell.

Several species in this genus are noted to be social parasites. Some species such as Lasius latipes and Lasius murphyi are noted to have their mating flights in mid-late summer and invade other colonies of Lasius, primarily Lasius neoniger. The queens of species Lasius orientalis and Lasius umbratus have been observed using chemical signals to invade other Lasius colonies and trick the workers to kill the residing queen, accepting the invading queen as their own. Other species, such as Lasius claviger, are known to overwinter and invade colonies in the spring.

19-5-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MEDITERRANEAN ACROBAT ANT (Crematogaster scutellaris)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/342899-Crematogaster-scutellaris

 

19-5-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EURASIAN BLACKBIRD (MALE) (Turdus merula)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12716-Turdus-merula

 

17-5-2021 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - YELLOW LEGGED GULL (Larus michahellis)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/59202-Larus-michahellis

 

17-5-2021 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - CALLA LILY (Zantedeschia aethiopica)

Zantedeschia aethiopica, commonly known as the Calla Lily or Arum Lily, is a striking perennial plant prized for its elegant, chalice-shaped white blooms and lush green foliage. Native to southern Africa, this popular garden and houseplant features a distinctive yellow spadix wrapped by a large, smooth white bract.

Key Features

Botanical Name: Zantedeschia aethiopica

Common Names: Calla Lily, Arum Lily, Lily of the Nile

Plant Type: Rhizomatous herbaceous perennial

Size: Grows 2 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide

Bloom Time: Late spring to mid-summerToxicity: Toxic to humans and pets if ingested due to calcium oxalate crystals.

17-5-2021 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - HEDGE BINDWEED (Calystegia sepium)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/75968-Calystegia-silvatica

 

17-5-2021 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - WILD BOAR (Sus scrofa)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/42134-Sus-scrofa

 

17-5-2021 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - WHINCHAT ( Saxicola rubetra)

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 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".

The Whinchat is largely solitary, forming small family groups in autumn. It exhibits a typical behavior of perching on elevated spots to scan for food and display territorial signals. Breeding occurs in late April and May, with the nest built on the ground by the female. Both parents feed the young, which fledge at about eighteen days old and remain dependent for another fortnight.

The Whinchat's main call is a soft "hue-tac-tac," with the male's song being a whistling, crackly but soft melody, often including mimetic phrases from other bird species' songs. The song is used for breeding from April to July and is occasionally heard on the wintering grounds.

Nesting occurs in dense low vegetation, with the female laying a clutch of four to seven eggs. Incubation lasts about thirteen days, and fledging takes place around eighteen days after hatching. The species is known to breed once they reach one year of age.

The Whinchat can be confused with the European stonechat or the Siberian stonechat, but it can be distinguished by its conspicuous supercilium, whiter belly, and longer wingtips, which are adaptations to its long-distance migration.

The diet consists mainly of insects and other small invertebrates, with occasional fruit consumption. Whinchats perch on elevated spots to make sallies for ground insects or flying insects, displaying their white tail and wing flashes while perched.

The Whinchat is classified as "Least Concern" by the IUCN, though some populations, particularly in Western Europe, are in decline due to agricultural intensification. Conservation efforts focus on maintaining suitable habitat and mitigating the impacts of land use changes.

5-5-2021 BONAIRE, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN BEE-EATER (Merops apiaster)

The European bee-eater, Merops apiaster, is a bird of arresting beauty and grace. Its plumage is a kaleidoscope of warm hues, with brown and yellow adorning its upper parts, while the wings boast a vibrant green. The beak, a stark black, contrasts sharply with the bird's colorful attire. This slender avian can reach a length of 27–29 cm, including the elongated central tail feathers that add to its elegance. Both sexes are similar in appearance, though the female may sport greener shoulder feathers compared to the male's gold.

When identifying the European bee-eater, look for its distinctive coloration and sleek profile. The non-breeding plumage is more subdued, with a blue-green back and the absence of elongated central tail feathers. Juveniles resemble non-breeding adults but exhibit less variation in feather colors. During the moulting period, adults transition to breeding plumage, which is completed before their winter migration to Africa.

These birds favor open country in warmer climates, often found in proximity to sandy banks and river shores where they can nest and forage with ease.

The European bee-eater breeds across southern and central Europe, parts of northern and southern Africa, and western Asia. While the southern African population remains resident year-round, others migrate to tropical Africa for the winter. Occasionally, they are seen north of their typical range, with sporadic breeding in northern Europe.

Gregarious by nature, European bee-eaters nest colonially in sandy banks, with communal tendencies extending to feeding and roosting. Courtship involves the male presenting the female with large prey items, a gesture of both affection and sustenance.

The call of the European bee-eater is a melodious and liquid "prreee" or "prruup," a sound as mellow as the bird's demeanor.

Breeding season sees these birds tunneling into sandy banks to lay their spherical white eggs, with both parents sharing the duties of incubation and care. The eggs hatch after about three weeks, and the young are raised with communal diligence.

While the European bee-eater is distinctive, it may be confused with other bee-eater species. However, its unique coloration and tail feathers generally set it apart.

True to their name, European bee-eaters feast primarily on bees, wasps, and hornets. They exhibit remarkable skill in catching these insects mid-flight and have a unique method of removing the sting before consumption. Their diet is predominantly composed of Hymenoptera, particularly the European honey bee.

The IUCN lists the European bee-eater as Least Concern, indicating a stable population without immediate threats to its survival. However, their interactions with bee populations and apiaries are of interest to conservationists and apiculturists alike.