5-6-2019 MOREMI CAMP, BOTSWANA - MAINLAND AFRICAN OPENBILL (Anastomus lamelligerus ssp. lamelligerus)

The African Openbill (Anastomus lamelligerus ) is a species of stork from the family Ciconiidae. It is widely distributed in Sub-Saharan Africa and western regions of Madagascar. This species is considered common to locally abundant across its range, although it has a patchy distribution. Some experts consider there to be two sub-species, A. l. lamelligerus distributed on the main continent and A. l. madagascariensis living on the island of Madagascar. Scientists make the difference between the two sub-species due to the more pronounced longitudinal ridges on the bills of adult A. l. madagascariensis.The Asian Openbill (Anastomus oscitans ) distributed in Asia is the African Openbill’s closest relative. The two species share the same notably large bill of a peculiar shape that gives them their name.

The African Openbill is a stork measuring 80-94 cm and weighing 1-1.3 kg. The species does not exhibit any major sexual dimorphism, although the males are slightly larger than the females and have a longer and heavier bill. The adult bill is betwen 135-196 mm in length, brownish in color and has a gap between the upper aend lower mandible. This gap is non-existent in juvenile birds and develops as the bird ages. It is because the two mandibles of the beak only meet at the tip and not in the middle that this stork genus received the name of “openbill”.

The adult plumage is overall black with iridescent green feathers on their backs, coverts and abdomens. The juvenile plumage is usually less vibrant and browner in color with the feathers of the underparts having pale tips. The legs and feet are black. The eyes are grey with grey lores and no distinct coloration of the eye-ring.

These storks are smaller in stature than most of the other species in their family which allows them to be much more agile in the air. This agility can be observed during their descents from high altitudes as they often perform steep dives and remarkable acrobatic manoeuvres. During their migration flights, the African openbill storks will use sustained flapping flight with an average wing flap rate of 200-210 flaps/minute. They will also often soar on the thermals when commuting to and from distant feeding areas. This allows them to travel long distances to obtain food without expending too much energy. In flight, these birds have their necks and head extended and their long, broad wings are spread out and perfect for soaring and gliding on the air currents.

5-6-2019 MOREMI CAMP, BOTSWANA - SAVANNAH ELEPHANT (Loxodonta Africana)

The African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), also known as the African savanna elephant, is a species of elephant native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of three extant elephant species and, along with the African forest elephant, one of two extant species of African elephant. It is the largest living terrestrial animal, with fully grown bulls reaching an average shoulder height of 3.04–3.36 metres (10.0–11.0 ft) and a body mass of 5.2–6.9 tonnes (5.7–7.6 short tons); the largest recorded specimen had a shoulder height of 3.96 metres (13.0 ft) and an estimated body mass of 10.4 tonnes (11.5 short tons). The African bush elephant is characterised by its long prehensile trunk with two finger-like processes; a convex back; large ears which help reduce body heat; and sturdy tusks that are noticeably curved. The skin is grey with scanty hairs, and bending cracks which support thermoregulation by retaining water.

The African bush elephant inhabits a variety of habitats such as forests, grasslands, woodlands, wetlands and agricultural land. It is a mixed herbivore feeding mostly on grasses, creepers, herbs, leaves, and bark. The average adult consumes about 150 kg (330 lb) of vegetation and 230 L (51 imp gal; 61 US gal) of water each day. A social animal, the African bush elephant often travels in herds composed of cows and their offspring. Adult bulls usually live alone or in small bachelor groups. During the mating season, males go through a process called musth, a period of high testosterone levels and heightened aggression. For females, the menstrual cycle lasts three to four months, and gestation around 22 months, the longest of any mammal.

Since 2021, the African bush elephant has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. It is threatened foremost by habitat destruction, and in parts of its range also by poaching for meat and ivory. Between 2003 and 2015, the illegal killing of 14,606 African bush elephants was reported by rangers across 29 range countries. Chad is a major transit country for smuggling of ivory in West Africa. This trend was curtailed by raising penalties for poaching and improving law enforcement. Poaching of the elephant has dated back to the 1970s and 80s, which were considered the largest killings in history. In human culture, elephants have been extensively featured in literature, folklore and media, and are most valued for their large tusks in many places.

African savanna elephants are the largest species of elephant and the biggest terrestrial animal on Earth. They are easily distinguished by their very large ears—which allow them to radiate excess heat—and front legs which are noticeably longer than the hind legs. 

African savanna elephants are found in 23 countries and live in a variety of habitats, from open and wooded savannas to even some deserts and forests. The largest populations are in Southern and Eastern African countries, including Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Kenya, Namibia, Zambia, and South Africa.

As a result of their visibility within the open areas where they live, African savanna elephants are well studied, and populations are easily estimated. Each family unit usually consists of around 10 females and their calves, and the bulls associate with these herds only during mating. Several family units often join together to form a “clan” consisting of up to several hundred members led by a female matriarch. Due to their habitat, savanna elephants are often found grazing on grasses, but they also browse on a wide variety of plants and fruits. This selection varies depending on the time of year; during the rainy seaso,n the elephant will feed more on grass than during the dry season.

21-3-2022 GANDIA, VALENCIA - SPLENDID HELIX (Pseudotachea splendida)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/111104-Pseudotachea-splendida

18-3-2022 CADIZ, ANDALUCIA - HOUSE SPARROW (MALE) (Passer domesticus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/13858-Passer-domesticus

18-3-2022 CADIZ, ANDALUCIA - ROSE RINGED PARAKEET (Psittacula krameri)

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

18-3-2022 CADIZ, ANDALUCIA - HOUSE SPARROW (FEMALE) (Passer domesticus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/13858-Passer-domesticus

17-3-2022 CADIZ, ANDALUCIA - CASPIAN GULL (JUVENILE) (Larus cachinnans)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/4389-Larus-cachinnans

17-3-2022 CADIZ, ANDALUCIA - EURASIAN GREAT CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/4270-Phalacrocorax-carbo

17-3-2022 CADIZ, ANDALUCIA - YELLOW LEGGED GULL (JUVENILE) (Larus michahellis)

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

17-3-2022 CADIZ, ANDALUCIA - MALLARD X MUSKOVY DUCK (Anas platyrhynchos × cairina moschata)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/326092-Anas-platyrhynchos---Cairina-moschata

17-3-2022 CADIZ, ANDALUCIA - YELLOW LEGGED GULL (Larus michahellis)

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

17-3-2022 CADIZ, ANDALUCIA - LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL (Larus fuscus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/4381-Larus-fuscus

18-3-2022 CADIZ, ANDALUCIA - EURASIAN BLACKBIRD (FEMALE) (Turdus merula)

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

18-3-2022 CADIZ, ANDALUCIA - MONK PARAKEET (Myiopsitta monachus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/19349-Myiopsitta-monachus

6-6-2019 MOREMI CAMP, BOTSWANA - BLUE BILLED TEAL (Spatula hottentota)

The blue-billed teal, spotted teal or Hottentot teal (Spatula hottentota) is a species of dabbling duck of the genus Spatula. It is migratory resident in eastern and southern Africa, from Sudan and Ethiopia west to Niger and Nigeria and south to South Africa and Namibia. In west Africa and Madagascar it is sedentary.

The blue-billed teal breed year round, depending on rainfall, and stay in small groups or pairs. They build nests above water in tree stumps and use vegetation. Ducklings leave the nest soon after hatching, and the mother's parenting is limited to providing protection from predators and leading young to feeding areas. This species is omnivorous and prefers smaller shallow bodies of water.

The blue-billed teal is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies. The status of the blue-billed teal on the IUCN Red List is Least Concern.

Several authorities still refer to this species as the Hottentot teal, however, as the word "Hottentot" is an offensive term for the Khoisan people, there has been a movement to change the vernacular name.

Blue-billed teal is considered monotypic, with no subspecies being recognised.

Adult males have dark brown crown contrasting with paler face, throat, breast and side except for a blackish thumb-shaped patch on the ear region. The back of the neck is spotted with black and this spotting extends down through the neck and become intensively spotted on the breast, the spots appear to be larger and less obvious on the light brown flanks and abdomen, and the posterior underparts and under tail coverts becoming vermiculated with black. The scapulars and tail are dark brown to black, the upper wing surface is blackish as well, with the coverts giving a greenish gloss. An iridescent green speculum exists on the secondaries, bounded posteriorly by narrow black and terminal white bars. The iris is brown, the legs and feet are bluish gray, and the bill is light bluish gray with a blackish culmen and nail.

Females have browner crowns, they have less contrasting facial markings and more rounded scapulars, the under tail coverts are not vermiculated, and the wing is less glossy and colorful than that of an adult male.

Juveniles resemble adult females but are duller throughout the body and less distinctively marked with spots. Ducklings have grayish brown underparts and yellowish grey below, the cheeks is paler with pinky puff wash and grey-brown ear patch.

15-3-2022 OLIVA CANAL LES FONTS, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/4943-Egretta-garzetta

15-3-2022 OLIVA CANAL LES FONTS, VALENCIA - MALLARD (MALE) (Anas platyrhynchos)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/6930-Anas-platyrhynchos

15-3-2022 OLIVA CANAL LES FONTS, VALENCIA - BLACK WINGED STILT (JUVENILE) (Himantopus himantopus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/4835-Himantopus-himantopus

6-6-2019 MOREMI, BOTSWANA - LUAPULA CISTICOLA (Cisticola luapula)

The Luapula Cisticola (Cisticola luapula) is a small, streaky, long-tailed bird of African wetlands, known for its bright rufous (reddish-brown) cap and wings in breeding plumage, contrasting with its grey back and pale belly, inhabiting marshes, reedbeds, and floodplains from Zambia to Botswana and Namibia, feeding on insects and building intricate grass nests. They're best identified by their distinctive "pleek-chek" songs and aerial displays, often confusingly similar to other Cisticolas like the Chirping Cisticola, but separable by sound and slight visual differences. 

Key Facts:

Habitat: Thrives in tropical wetlands, river edges, floodplains, and dambos (seasonal wetlands).

Appearance: Mid-sized with a long tail; breeding plumage shows rufous crown/wings, grey back; non-breeding is browner.

Sound: Distinctive song: "pleek" notes followed by lower "chek" sounds, plus aerial display calls.

Diet: Insects, gleaning from reeds and vegetation.

Nesting: Female builds an oval grass nest with plant down, often above water, laying 2-3 eggs.

Distribution: Central and Southern Africa (Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe).

Behavior: Year-round resident, vocal during rainy season, territorial. 

14-3-2022 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GEOMETER MOTH (Charissa mucidaria)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/325525-Charissa-mucidaria

14-3-2022 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HORSE CHESTNUT MOTH (Pachycnemia hippocastanaria)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/483346-Pachycnemia-hippocastanaria

5-6-2019 MOREMI CAMP, BOTSWANA - AFRICAN JACANA (Actophilornis africanus)

The African jacana (Actophilornis africanus) is a wader in the family Jacanidae. It has long toes and long claws that enables it to walk on floating vegetation in shallow lakes, its preferred habitat. It is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa. For the origin and pronunciation of the name, see Jacanidae.

The African jacanas is a conspicuous and unmistakable bird. It measures 23 to 31 cm (9.1 to 12.2 in) in overall length. As in other jacanas, the female is on average larger than the male. Males can weigh from 115 to 224 g (4.1 to 7.9 oz), averaging 137 g (4.8 oz) and females from 167 to 290 g (5.9 to 10.2 oz), averaging 261 g (9.2 oz). Alongside the similarly-sized Madagascar jacana, this appears to be the heaviest jacana species. They have chestnut upperparts with black wingtips, rear neck, and eyestripe. The underparts are also chestnut in the adults, only in juveniles they are white with a chestnut belly patch. The blue bill extends up as a coot-like head shield, and the legs and long toes are grey.

5-6-2019 MOREMI CAMP, BOTSWANA - NORTHERN DARK CAPPED BULBUL (Pycnonotus barbatus ssp. tricolor)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/516932-Pycnonotus-barbatus-tricolor