12-11-2025 CREU DE LONGA, ALBUFERA - GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba)

Great Egrets usually stay in habitats that have areas of either saltwater or freshwater nearby. They are seen near marshes, ditches, canals, ponds, tidal flats, rivers, streams, swamps, lakes, estuaries (or water passages where the ocean tide meets a river current), and flooded farm fields. Great Egrets are usually solitary birds when not nesting. But they also can gather together from surrounding areas to form a place where a large group can rest or sleep, called a communal roost. Frequently, several pairs build nests in the same tree and form a colony; but occasionally a pair may nest alone. Great Egrets often share colonial nesting sites, or rookeries, with other egret species, herons, and other wading birds as well.

They build their nests in trees, thickets, or shrubs 10-90 feet above water or ground. Nesting colonies are usually located in extremely tall trees. Great Egrets build large platform-style nests using sticks and line the nests with plant material. Both parents help to build the nest, incubate (to sit on and keep the eggs warm) the eggs, and feed their young. The young will be able to fly in 6-7 weeks after hatching.

Within the colony, Great Egrets are territorial and aggressive, defending their space with sharp bill jabs and harsh calls.

The great egret is generally a very successful species with a large and expanding range, occurring worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. It is ubiquitous across the Sun Belt of the United States and in the Neotropics. In the Nordic countries, it was historically a rare visitor. 

They primarily feed on aquatic animals like fish, frogs, and crustaceans. Small mammals, birds, and insects are also part of their diet. Great Egrets hunt by wading in shallow water, using their sharp bills to catch prey. Their diet varies depending on the season and location, adapting to available food sources.

Nests are made of sticks and twigs; the nests are large — up to a yard across and a foot deep. They are often built in trees above water. A clutch has up to 6 eggs, which are incubated for 23–27 days; after hatching the young stay at the nest for 21–25 days. Great egrets can live to be at least 22 years old.

Great Egrets are usually solitary birds when not nesting. But they also can gather together from surrounding areas to form a place where a large group can rest or sleep, called a communal roost. Frequently, several pairs build nests in the same tree and form a colony; but occasionally a pair may nest alone.

12-11-2025 MUNTANYETA DEL SANS, ALBUFERA - WHITE WAGTAIL (JUVENILE) (Motacilla alba)

Small terrestrial bird (about 18 cm or 7 in) with a characteristic long black tail, constantly wagging. Grey upperparts, white underparts and black wings with white stripes. Black head (throat and nape) and white face (forehead and flanks of the face). Black legs and bill.

Present in different types of habitats, most of them linked to water. Wet meadows, farmlands, coastal shores, banks, reservoirs, lagoons, temporary ponds, parks and gardens and even the urban environment.

Species present in the province all year round mostly as a wintering bird, although there are individuals which come to breed during the summer months and also birds in migratory passage. It breeds from April with up to three layings of 4 to 6 eggs. Nest in hollows of slopes and banks. Insectivore that forages actively, pecking on the ground, and in groups. Very linked to the ground and walker with a typical swing of the tail.

11-11-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SONG THRUSH (Turdus philomelos)

The song thrush breeds in most of Europe (although not in the greater part of Iberia, lowland Italy or southern Greece), and across Ukraine and Russia almost to Lake Baikal. It reaches to 75°N in Norway, but only to about 60°N in Siberia. Birds from Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Russia winter around the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Middle East, but only some of the birds in the milder west of the breeding range leave their breeding areas. The song thrush has been sighted in North America as a rare vagrant, with records from Quebec in Canada, Greenland, as well as in Alaska, California, and Washington in the United States. It has also been sighted in various Atlantic islands and West Africa. In South America, there is a record of a song thrush from Colombia.

In Great Britain song thrushes are commonly found where there are trees and bushes. Such areas include parks, gardens, coniferous and deciduous woodland and hedgerows.

The song thrush typically nests in forest with good undergrowth and nearby more open areas, and in western Europe also uses gardens and parks. It breeds up to the tree-line, reaching 2,200 metres (7,200 feet) in Switzerland. The island subspecies T. p. hebridensis breeds in more open country, including heathland, and in the east of the song thrush's Eurasian range, the nominate subspecies is restricted to the edge of the dense conifer forests.

In intensively farmed areas where agricultural practices appear to have made cropped land unsuitable, gardens are an important breeding habitat. In one English study, only 3.5% of territories were found in farmland, whereas gardens held 71.5% of the territories, despite that habitat making up only 2% of the total area. The remaining nests were in woodlands (1% of total area).

The winter habitat is similar to that used for breeding, except that high ground and other exposed localities are avoided; however, the island subspecies T. p. hebridensis will frequent the seashore in winter.

The song thrush typically nests in forest with good undergrowth and nearby more open areas, and in western Europe also uses gardens and parks. It breeds up to the tree-line, reaching 2,200 metres (7,200 feet) in Switzerland. The island subspecies T. p. hebridensis breeds in more open country, including heathland, and in the east of the song thrush's Eurasian range, the nominate subspecies is restricted to the edge of the dense conifer forests.

In intensively farmed areas where agricultural practices appear to have made cropped land unsuitable, gardens are an important breeding habitat. In one English study, only 3.5% of territories were found in farmland, whereas gardens held 71.5% of the territories, despite that habitat making up only 2% of the total area. The remaining nests were in woodlands (1% of total area).

The winter habitat is similar to that used for breeding, except that high ground and other exposed localities are avoided; however, the island subspecies T. p. hebridensis will frequent the seashore in winter.

The song thrush is not usually gregarious, although several birds may roost together in winter or be loosely associated in suitable feeding habitats, perhaps with other thrushes such as the blackbird, fieldfare, redwing and dark-throated thrush. Unlike the more nomadic fieldfare and redwing, the song thrush tends to return regularly to the same wintering areas.

11-11-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - COMMON DARTER DRAGONFLY (MALE) (Sympetrum striolatum)

The common darter (Sympetrum striolatum) is a dragonfly of the family Libellulidae native to Eurasia. It is one of the most common dragonflies in Europe, occurring in a wide variety of water bodies, though with a preference for breeding in still water such as ponds and lakes. In the south of its range adults are on the wing all year round.

Sympetrum species are not easy to tell apart and in most areas more than one Sympetrum species will occur. Females and teneral individuals have light yellow thorax and abdomen. Males turn red as they mature. Females darken with age, becoming a dark chocolate brown, and sometimes develop a blue colouration to the bottom of the abdomen. The wings also develop a brown tinge with age. In all cases the legs have a cream or yellow stripe on a black background - this is a diagnostic feature of this species. The pterostigma of the females can be red, blue, pale blue or brown.

11-11-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HOUSE SPARROW (MALE) (Passer domesticus)

The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a member of the sparrow family Passeridae. This small bird typically measures around 16 cm (6.3 in) in length and weighs between 24–39.5 g (0.85–1.39 oz). The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females and young birds displaying pale brown and grey plumage, while males are characterized by more vibrant black, white, and brown markings.

Males can be identified by their bright black, white, and brown markings, with a distinctive black bib, white cheeks, and a grey crown. Females lack the striking head patterns of males and are predominantly buffish with softer coloration. Juveniles resemble adult females but are generally paler with less defined markings.

The house sparrow is highly adaptable and can thrive in both urban and rural environments. It is commonly found in close association with human habitation and avoids dense forests, grasslands, polar regions, and deserts far from human development.

Native to Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and much of Asia, the house sparrow has been introduced to various regions worldwide, including parts of Australasia, Africa, and the Americas, making it one of the most widely distributed wild birds.

10-11-2025 GANDIA GRAU, VALENCIA - MULLET (Genus Chelon)

Chelon is a genus of mullets found in coastal marine waters, estuaries and rivers in the Atlantic Ocean and Arabian Sea.

Chelon possesses the elongated body and dorsal fins typical of the order Mugiliformes, with frontal fins defined by four spines and anal fins with soft rays. The maximum sizes described vary between 15 cm (5.9 in) for the Cape Verde mullet and 32 cm (13 in) for the thicklip grey mullet.

They are catadromous fishes, meaning that they can be found in lagoons and rivers as well as the sea during the reproductive season, fundamentally feeding on algae and diatoms.

Recent cladistic analysis recovered Chelon as paraphyletic with respect to Liza, so some species of Liza were reassigned to Chelon and Liza synonymized with Chelon.

As most species of fish, the thicklip grey mullet is infected by a variety of parasite species. A 2023 paper showed that it harbors eleven species of Myxobolus (Myxozoa).

10-11-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EURASIAN BLACKCAP (MALE) (Sylvia atricapilla)

The Eurasian blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla, is a common and widespread typical warbler known for its distinctive cap and melodious song. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism with males sporting a black cap and females a chestnut one. The upperparts are generally olive-grey, while the underparts are pale grey. This bird is small and agile, measuring around 13 cm in length with a wingspan of 7–8 cm.

Males can be identified by their black caps and light grey underparts, while females have a reddish-brown cap and a slightly browner hue to their grey upperparts. Juveniles resemble females but have a rufous tinge to their upperparts and a more olive tone on the breast and flanks. The blackcap's tail is dark grey with an olive edge to each feather, and it has a grey bill and legs with a reddish-brown iris.

The blackcap favors mature deciduous woodlands with a well-developed understory. It also occupies parks, large gardens, and overgrown hedges, provided there are tall trees for songposts and dense shrubs for nesting.

This warbler breeds across much of Europe, western Asia, and northwestern Africa. It is a partial migrant, with northern populations wintering in northwestern Europe, around the Mediterranean, and in tropical Africa. Some have adapted to wintering in British and Irish gardens.

Blackcaps are territorial during the breeding season, with males establishing and defending their territories through song and display. They are mainly monogamous and may raise one to two broods per season. The species is known for its leap-frog migration pattern, where northern populations migrate further south than those from the Mediterranean.

9-11-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - DESERT DARTER DRAGONFLY (MALE) (Sympetrum sinaiticum )

34-37 mm. Medium-sized dragonfly of the Libellulidiae family; it is distributed throughout the Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula, with a tendency to expand its peninsular distribution.

Sexual dimorphism is present in mature males, which have brown upper eyelids and light gray lower eyelids. Their thorax is brown on top and lighter on the sides, with black-edged sutures. The abdomen is pale red on top with orange sides. The sides of segments S1 to S3 are pale and have a distinctive elongated black spot. The last segments are also spotted with black on the sides. The wings are hyaline with a bright red leading edge and a reddish (sometimes pale yellow) pterostigma. The leading edge of the wing is somewhat colored. 

The legs are edged in black, and the rest of the plumage is straw-colored to brownish with a light blue interior. The female is straw-yellow, lacking any orange coloration. She has the same black markings on the sides of her abdomen as the male, which helps in identification. The only other feature she shares with the male is the eye color, although it is somewhat duller.

It inhabits open spaces in warm areas, in all types of stagnant or slow-moving water.

It feeds on all kinds of small flying insects, which are captured in the air; it is a dragonfly that tends to return to the same perch after each flight; flights are usually short in order to patrol its small territory or hunt; it normally lands on a plant near water, less frequently on the ground.

Young adults emerge in June and after 2-3 weeks, they leave the water and move away from it during the summer, being possible to find them in forests, shrubby areas or even urbanizations, after this period of drought or maturation, in September they return to areas with water, begin courtship and mate, the eggs are laid in autumn and the adults die at the end of autumn.

This species reproduces in standing water bodies that make pools. These are clear sunny areas of the rivers and streams, reservoirs, dams and man-made ponds.Way of life

The adults emerge at the beginning of spring and go away from water to get mature. Sometimes they fly far away to the mountains, forests or thickets, and even in urban areas. They come back to the places where they were bred at the end of summer or in autumn, and this is the moment when they can easily be spotted. They rest on the ground, and on plants, holding their wings forward over the thorax. They get really attached to these homes, so they come back often after flying short distance, hunting or patrolling.

9-11-2025 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.

The imago flies from April to October in two or three generations depending on locality and altitude. The larva feeds on grasses in the genera Festuca, Bromus, Deschampsia, Poa, Dactylis and Brachypodium.

"The egg is pale green when first laid, and in shape it is almost spherical, but rather higher than broad; it is finely ribbed and reticulated, but unless examined through a lens it appears to be quite smooth. The caterpillar when full grown is whitish-green, dotted with white. From the larger of these dots on the back arise greyish bristles; the three lines on the back (dorsal and sub-dorsal) are whitish, edged with dark green; the line on the sides (spiracular) is white, fringed with greyish hairs; anal points green, hairy, extreme tips white. Head larger than the first ring (first thoracic segment), green dotted with white and hairy, jaws marked with brownish. The chrysalis is green, with yellow-tinted white markings on the edge of the wing covers and ridges; the spots on the body are yellowish, or sometimes white. Occasionally the chrysalids are blackish, with white or yellow points on the body".

9-11-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SONG THRUSH (Turdus philomelos)

The Song Thrush, Turdus philomelos, is a charming bird with a sturdy build. It measures between 20 to 23.5 centimeters in length and tips the scales at a modest 50 to 107 grams. Both sexes share a similar appearance, donning plain brown backs and black-spotted cream or yellow-buff underparts, which grow paler on the belly. The underwing exudes a warm yellow, complementing the yellowish bill and pink legs and feet.

To identify the Song Thrush, look for its brown upper-parts and spotted underparts. The juvenile mirrors the adult but is distinguished by buff or orange streaks on the back and wing coverts. In flight, the red underwing is not visible, unlike in the similar Redwing. The Mistle Thrush is significantly larger and has white tail corners, setting it apart from the Song Thrush.

The Song Thrush thrives in forests with rich undergrowth, gardens, parks, and, in the case of the Hebridean subspecies, even open heathland. It is also a common sight in areas with trees and bushes, such as parks and gardens, and can be found up to the tree-line in mountainous regions.

This species has a breeding range that spans across the West Palearctic and extends to Lake Baikal in Russia. It is partially migratory, with many wintering in southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. The Song Thrush has also been introduced to New Zealand and Australia.

The Song Thrush is a solitary bird, though it may roost with others during winter. It is monogamous and territorial, with migratory individuals re-establishing territories upon return. The bird migrates at night in loose flocks, maintaining contact with frequent calls.

The male's song is a series of loud, clear musical phrases, each repeated several times and interspersed with grating notes and mimicry. Calls include a short, sharp "tsip" and an alarm call of "chook-chook." The song is one of the loudest for the bird's size and can include a repertoire of over 100 phrases.

The Song Thrush constructs a neat mud-lined cup nest in a bush or tree, laying four to five dark-spotted blue eggs. The female incubates the eggs and cares for the young, which fledge after about 10 to 17 days. Two or three broods per year are common.

The Redwing (Turdus iliacus) and the Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) are similar species, but the Redwing has a white supercilium and red flanks, while the Mistle Thrush is larger with white tail corners.

An omnivore, the Song Thrush feeds on invertebrates, particularly earthworms and snails, as well as soft fruit and berries. It is known for using a stone "anvil" to break open snail shells.

Globally, the Song Thrush is not considered threatened, holding a status of "Least Concern." However, there have been notable declines in European populations, possibly due to changes in farming practices affecting food availability and nesting sites.

8-11-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - ROBBERFLY (Andrenosoma atrum)

A fly of the family Asilidae and the subfamily Laphriinae.. The genus Andrenosoma has six species recorded in the Iberian fauna, all of them very similar and some indistinguishable to the naked eye.

This is a large, robust insect with a bristling appearance due to the abundant hairs and spines covering almost its entire body. It is almost entirely black, with the exception of some white hairs on the underside. The wings have a smoky appearance. Unlike other species in its genus, it lacks reddish tergites on its abdomen.

This insect is recognizable by its medium size and entirely black body. It is often found near pine stumps from which it emerges and where the females return to lay their eggs.

The adults hunt insects in flight. The larvae feed on dead pine wood.

5-11-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - JASMINE MOTH (Palpita vitrealis)

Palpita vitrealis, common name jasmine moth or white pearl, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae.

This species occurs worldwide, including Africa (Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Kenya, Sierra Leone, South Africa),Asia, Australia and Europe. In Europe, it is mainly found in southern Europe, but may be found further north.

The wingspan of Palpita vitrealis can reach 27–31 mm. The body and the wings are translucent with a slight sheen. Eyes are large and reddish-brown. On the upper edge of the forewings is present a rather broad orange or brown border. The forewings also show two black spots in the middle. Legs are white and brown ringed.

These moths mainly fly from August till late October, depending on the location. They feed on nectar of various flowers, including ivy and buddleia. This species shows a migratory nature. The larvae are initially yellow, later becoming green. They can grow to a length of about 2 cms. They feed on the leaves of the host plants, mainly jasmine (Jasminum officinale), privet (Ligustrum species), Forsythia, Arbutus unedo and european olive (Olea europaea). In Africa the preferred host plants are Sida rhombifolia, Grewia, Helicteres isora, Schima noronhae and Randia scortechinii. The larvae are considered a pest of olive fields, as they attack the leaves and fruits. The final instar of the larvae spins some leaves together and form a silky cocoon to pupate.

3-11-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - LESSER BLOODY NOSE BEETLE (Timarcha goettingensis)

Timarcha goettingensis, commonly known as the Small Bloody-nosed Beetle or the Lesser Bloody-nosed Beetle is a species of leaf beetle native to Europe.

Description

T. goettingensis is a shiny blue-black, violet-copper, or black beetle measuring 8–13 mm in length. Visually it may be confused with Timarcha tenebricosa, but this beetle is larger (11–18 mm) and is more constricted on the base of its pronotum than T. goettingensis. Timarcha goettingensis may also be visually confused with Chrysolina sturmi.

3-11-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - RED SHIELD BUG (Carpocoris mediterraneus ssp. atlanticus)

 

Carpocoris mediterraneus, the red shield bug, is a species of shield bug in the family Pentatomidae.

Subspecies

Carpocoris mediterraneus atlanticus Tamanini, 1958

Carpocoris mediterraneus mediterraneus Tamanini, 1958

This species is widespread throughout the Mediterranean region (Corsica, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Sardinia, Sicily).

Carpocoris mediterraneus can reach a length of 11–13 millimetres (0.43–0.51 in). The body is shield-like in shape and the elytrae are very thick. The body surface is bright yellow or orange, with four short longitudinal black stripes on the pronotum and five dark spots on the scutellum. The antennae have 5 segments. Legs are yellowish or orange.

This species is similar and can be confused with Carpocoris pudicus, Carpocoris purpureipennis or Carpocoris fuscispinus.

In Carpocoris mediterraneus atlanticus the humeral angles of pronotum are sharp and protruding, the base of scutellum and connexivum are frequently with contrasting black spots and the apex of the scutellum is exceptionally truncated.

These bugs are polyphagous vegetarian. Adults can be found on several flowering plants, especially on parsley (Petroselinum crispum).

Bibliography

L. Tamanini, Due nuovi Carpocoris della sottoregione mediterranea (Heteroptera, Pentatomidae), Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova 70:165-172. (1958)

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - RED NECKED OSTRICH (Struthio camelus ssp. camelus)

The North African ostrich, red-necked ostrich, or Barbary ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus) is the nominate subspecies of the common ostrich from West and North Africa. It has the largest average size among the subspecies of ostriches, making it the largest living bird.

In the 1990s, mtDNA analyses control region haplotypes revealed that the Arabian ostrich from Western Asia is closely related to the North African ostrich.

In 2017, the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany discovered that common ostriches used to live in India about 25,000 years ago. DNA research on eleven fossilised eggshells from eight archaeological sites in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh found 92% genetic similarity between the eggshells and the North African ostrich.

The North African ostrich is the largest subspecies of S. camelus, at 2.74 m (9 ft 0 in) in height and up to 154 kg (340 lb) in weight. The neck is pinkish-red, the plumage of males is black and white, and the plumage of females is gray.

The North African ostrich was widespread from western to northeastern Africa. It used to range from Ethiopia and Sudan in the east throughout the Sahel to Senegal and Mauritania in the west, and north to Egypt and southern Morocco. It has now disappeared from large parts of this range and it only remains in 6 of the 18 countries where it originally occurred. This subspecies may also have occurred in the Sinai Peninsula, where Arabian ostriches once lived. North African ostriches can be found in open fields and the savannahs, especially in the Sahel of Africa.

The North African ostrich had dramatically declined to the point where it is now included on CITES Appendix I and some treat it as Critically Endangered. The North African ostrich is part of a project by the Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF) with the aim of saving the subspecies from extinction and restore its populations in its former ranges in the Sahara and the Sahel.

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - ADDAX (MALE) (Addax nasomaculatus)

In its tenth anniversary year, BIOPARC Valencia is taking another step in its conservation efforts for the most threatened species. This time, it is joining the important European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) for the unique Addax antelope ( Addax nasomaculatus ), which is listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List , with fewer than 100 mature individuals estimated to remain in the wild. The arrival of two females from Nuremberg and Hanover (Germany) is the first step towards establishing a breeding group and also introduces a new species to the park's animal collection. These two young females, born in 2016 and 2017, will be on display in the Savannah area after an acclimatization period in their indoor enclosure. 

This African species is the largest desert ungulate , a rounded antelope with long legs and a straight profile, distinguished by its large, vertically growing horns, present in both sexes, which curl in a spiral pattern. Also known as the "white antelope" due to the color of its coat, which darkens to grayish and brownish tones in winter, it has a characteristic white "X"-shaped mask that contrasts with its dark forehead. It is not a fast runner, making it easy prey for quicker predators such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, caracals, hyenas, and servals (which particularly prey on calves).

Adapted to the most arid and extreme terrains, the Addax inhabited the deserts of North Africa , from vast sand dune systems to compacted desert plains. They could go months without water and even years without drinking, obtaining moisture only from the plants they ate. Their acclimatization to survive in these inhospitable areas also allowed the Addax to allow their body temperature to rise during the day and lower during the cool of the night without losing water. Their nasal passage cooled arterial blood as it flowed through the nasal membrane before reaching the brain, protecting this vital organ from overheating.

2-12-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - CERISE BRIGHTFIG (Lampranthus ceriseus)

Lampranthus ceriseus is a vibrant, drought-tolerant succulent groundcover from South Africa, prized for its bright, cerise-colored flowers and lance-shaped leaves. It thrives in full sun and well-draining soil, forming dense mats that spread as a low-maintenance groundcover. To care for it, provide plenty of sunlight and prune in early spring to encourage new growth and shape the plant. 

Growth and Care

Sunlight: Needs full sun (6-8 hours daily) for the flowers to open properly.

Soil: Prefers well-draining soil to prevent root rot.

Water: As a succulent, it is drought-tolerant and requires little water. Avoid overwatering.

Pruning: Prune in early spring to encourage new growth or in late winter to shape the plant and remove dead or damaged branches. Deadheading flowers can also encourage more blooms.

Propagation: It can be propagated from cuttings. 

Features

Flowers: Produces brilliant, daisy-like cerise flowers that are the plant's main feature.

Leaves: Has long, smooth, succulent leaves that are often triangular or cylindrical.

Growth Habit: Forms dense mats that act as a groundcover, making it ideal for rock gardens or arid landscapes.

Native Range: Originates from the SW. Cape Province of South Africa. 

Potential Issues

Invasiveness: Can become invasive in warmer climates and may outcompete native plants.

Disease: Susceptible to downy mildew, which can be treated with a general garden fungicide in early spring before flowering.

Lifespan: Some plants can become woody and may need to be replaced every 3-5 years.

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - AFRICAN SPOONBILL (Platalea alba)

The African spoonbill, Platalea alba, is a striking wading bird belonging to the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae. This species is characterized by its long legs, which facilitate wading through marshy wetlands, and its distinctive long grey spatulate bill, which is used to sift through shallow waters for food. Adult birds are predominantly white with red legs and a red face, while immature birds can be identified by their yellow bills and the absence of red on their faces.

When identifying the African spoonbill, look for a large, all-white bird with a unique spoon-shaped bill. During flight, unlike herons, spoonbills keep their necks outstretched. Breeding adults will exhibit more vibrant red coloration on their legs and face, and their bill will be grey. Juveniles can be distinguished by their paler bill color and lack of red facial markings.

The African spoonbill is found in marshy wetlands that have open shallow water. It prefers environments where it can wade and forage for food, such as in reedbeds or along the edges of bodies of water.

This bird has a widespread presence across Africa and Madagascar, with sightings reported in countries including Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

African spoonbills are known for their methodical feeding technique, swinging their open bills side-to-side in the water to catch prey. They are sociable birds, often nesting in colonies, but they typically do not share these colonies with storks or herons. Their long legs and thin, pointed toes are perfectly adapted for navigating through varying water depths.

The African spoonbill is generally silent, but it may make soft grunting noises during the breeding season.

Breeding season for the African spoonbill occurs in the winter and extends into spring. During this time, males display more pronounced plumage and brighter colors. Nests are constructed from sticks and reeds in trees above water and lined with leaves. Females lay three to five eggs, primarily in April or May. Both parents share the responsibility of incubating the eggs for up to 29 days. After hatching, the chicks are cared for by both parents for approximately 20 to 30 days, becoming ready to fly four weeks post-fledging.

The African spoonbill can be confused with the common spoonbill; however, it lacks the crest found on the latter. Additionally, the common spoonbill has a yellowish bill, whereas the African spoonbill's bill is grey.

The diet of the African spoonbill includes a variety of fish, molluscs, amphibians, crustaceans, insects, and larvae. Its specialized bill allows it to efficiently sift through water to capture these prey items.

1-11-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - LEAFHOPPER ASSASSIN BUG (Zelus renardii)

Zelus renardii, commonly known as the leaf hopper assassin bug, is a predacious insect contained within tribe Harpactorini. Diurnal and found on both wild and crop plants, Z. renardii has spread from its native habitats in western North and Central America into three other biogeographic regions across the globe.

Zelus renardii is considered a sister species to Z. cervicalis, as they share two unique characters: the lateral margins of dorsal phallothecal sclerite are recurved, and the medial process is strongly hooked apically.

The native range of Z. renardii extends over various climatic zones throughout mainland North and Central America at altitudes between 8m to 2000m above sea level. Native ranges include tropical, dry, semi-arid, arid, and Mediterranean climates. Additionally, Z. renardii also appears well suited to urban and disturbed areas, as it has been observed in suburban areas on both native and non-native herbaceous and woody plants, as well as common garden plants. Egg masses can frequently be found on vegetable plants. Z. renardii is also sympatric with Z. tetracantus over a large part of its range in western USA, Mexico, Guatemala, Jamaica, and other parts of Central America. 

1-11-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - COMMON JASMINE (Jasminum officinale)

Jasminum officinale, known as the common jasmine or simply jasmine, is a species of flowering plant in the olive family Oleaceae. It is native to the Caucasus and parts of Asia, also widely naturalized.

It is also known as summer jasmine, poet's jasmine, white jasmine, true jasmine or jessamine, and is particularly valued by gardeners throughout the temperate world for the intense fragrance of its flowers in summer. It is also the National flower of Pakistan.

Jasminum officinale is a vigorous, twining deciduous climber with sharply pointed pinnate leaves and clusters of starry, pure white flowers in summer, which are the source of its heady scent. The leaf has 5 to 9 leaflets.

It is found in the Caucasus, northern Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Himalayas, Tajikistan, India, Nepal and western China (Guizhou, Sichuan, Xizang (Tibet), Yunnan). The species is also widely cultivated in many places, and is reportedly naturalized in Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Algeria, Florida and the West Indies.

1-11-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - CURVED HORN MOTH (Symmoca signatella)

Symmoca signatella is a moth of the family Autostichidae. It is known from most of western Europe, but also Lithuania, Croatia, Greece and southern Russia. It has also been recorded from California in North America.

The wingspan is 12–15 mm. Adults are on wing in late summer and autumn.

The larvae feed on dried vegetable matter. They have been recorded feeding on dry leaves and plant debris on the stem and branches of Rosmarinus officinalis. The accumulation of debris was connected by light webbing.

Abdim's stork (Ciconia abdimii), also known as the white-bellied stork, is a stork belonging to the family Ciconiidae. It is the smallest species of stork, feeds mostly on insects, and is found widely in open habitats in Sub-Saharan Africa and in Yemen. The common name commemorates the Turkish Governor of Wadi Halfa in Sudan, Bey El-Arnaut Abdim (1780–1827).

Abdim's stork is found widely in open habitats throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, from the Sahel to South Africa, being absent mainly from forests, dense woodlands and deserts. A smaller populations occurs in Yemen. It breeds colonially in trees, on cliffs or rooftops in the northern half of its range (north of the Equator) during the wet season from May to August, migrating to eastern and southern Africa for the remainder of the year. This stork has escaped or been deliberately released into Florida, U.S., but there is no evidence that the population is breeding and may only persist due to continuing releases or escapes.

Widespread and common throughout its large range, Abdim's stork is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is the subject of several nationally coordinated breeding programs: in the United States, the plan for this species is administered by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and in Europe by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria.

Ciconia abdimiiis a black stork with grey legs, red knees and feet, grey bill and white underparts. It has red facial skin in front of the eye and blue skin near the bill in breeding season. It is the smallest species of stork, at 73 cm (29 in) and a weight of just over 1 kg (2.2 lb).

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - AFRICAN WATTLED LAPWING (Vanellus senegallus)

The African wattled lapwing (Vanellus senegallus), also known as the Senegal wattled plover or simply wattled lapwing, is a large lapwing, a group of largish waders in the family Charadriidae. It is a resident breeder in most of sub-Saharan Africa outside the rainforests, although it has seasonal movements.

These are conspicuous and unmistakable birds. They are large brown waders with a black crown, white forehead and large yellow facial wattles. The tail is white, tipped black, and the long legs are yellow.

In flight, the upperwings have black flight feathers and brown coverts separated by a white bar. The underwings are white with black flight feathers. The African wattled lapwing has a loud peep-peep call.

This species is a common breeder in wet lowland habitats, especially damp grassland. It often feeds in drier habitats, such as golf courses, picking insects and other invertebrates from the ground. It lays three or four eggs on a ground scrape.

The African wattled lapwing is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

22-10-2025 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - ROTHSCHILD'S GIRAFFE (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi)

The Rothschild's giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi) is an ecotype of the Nubian giraffe. It is one of the most endangered distinct populations of giraffe, with 1,399 mature individuals estimated in the wild in 2018. The Rothschild's giraffe is one of the most endangered giraffe subspecies with conservation efforts focused in Uganda and Kenya. They are distinguished by their lighter coat color and lack of markings on their lower legs. Conservation efforts of these giraffes mostly take place at the Giraffe Centre in Kenya.

Isolated populations of Rothschild's giraffes live in savannahs, grasslands, and open woodlands of Uganda and Kenya. They are possibly regionally extinct from South Sudan and northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. 60% of the Rothschild's giraffe population is living in Uganda.

Rothschild's giraffes mate at any time of the year and have a gestation period of 14 to 16 months, typically giving birth to a single calf. They live in small herds, with males and females (and their calves) living separately, only mixing for mating. The Rothschild's giraffes are tolerant of other animals around them as long as they don't feel threatened. For the most part, they are very friendly, but the males are known to engage in fights for mating. Since this species can mate all year long, those battles seem to be frequent.

31-10-2025 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BRONZE BEETLE (Chrysolina bankii)

Chrysolina bankii is a species of leaf beetle native to western Europe and the western Mediterranean Basin (including Macaronesia). It has also been introduced to the US, where its range is expanding.

Chrysolina bankii adults are 8.0-10.7 mm in length. They are metallic bronze in color, with orange-brown legs. Their elytra have puncture marks. 

They feed on numerous types of leaves, but especially those in Asteraceae and Lamiaceae.