14-7-2017 GANDIA, 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.

The Common Blackbird thrives in a variety of habitats including woodlands with dense undergrowth, gardens, parks, and hedgerows. It shows a preference for deciduous trees and areas with thick vegetation.

This species is widespread across Europe, western Asia, and North Africa. It has also been introduced to Australia and New Zealand. Its range varies from resident populations in the milder regions to partially or fully migratory populations in areas with more severe winters.

The Common Blackbird is territorial, especially during breeding season, with males displaying distinctive threat behaviors to ward off rivals. Outside of breeding season, they can be more sociable, often forming small flocks. The species is known for its adaptability to urban environments, where it may overwinter more readily than in rural settings.

The male's song is a melodious and fluted warble, often heard from elevated perches during the breeding season. The Common Blackbird also has a repertoire of calls including a sharp "seee" when agitated and a "pook-pook-pook" to signal ground predators.

Monogamous by nature, the Common Blackbird builds a neat, cup-shaped nest, often in dense shrubbery. The female lays three to five bluish-green eggs adorned with reddish-brown blotches. Both parents are involved in feeding the altricial chicks until they fledge.

The Common Blackbird can be confused with the Ring Ouzel or the Common Starling in Europe. In Asia, it has several similar-looking relatives, such as the Indian, Tibetan, and Chinese Blackbirds, which were once considered subspecies.

An omnivore, the Common Blackbird forages primarily on the ground for insects, earthworms, seeds, and berries. It is adept at pulling earthworms from the soil and foraging through leaf litter for other invertebrates.

The IUCN lists the Common Blackbird as Least Concern. It has a vast range and a large, stable population, though there have been localized declines due to changes in agricultural practices and urbanization.

13-7-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - RED VEINED DARTER DRAGONFLY (FEMALE) (Sympetrum fonscolombii)

Sympetrum fonscolombii can reach a body length of 38–40 millimetres (1.5–1.6 in). This species is similar to other Sympetrum species but a good view with binoculars should give a positive identification, especially with a male.

Males have a red abdomen, redder than many other Sympetrum species. The frons and the thorax are red-brown. The eyes are brown above and blue/grey below. The wings have red veins and the wing bases of the hind-wings are yellow. The pterostigma is pale yellow with a border of black veins.

Female are similar but the abdomen is ochre yellow, not red, with two black lines along each side. The wings have yellow veins at the costa, leading edge and base, not red veins as found in the males. The legs of both sexes are mostly black with some yellow.

Immature males are like females but often with more red and a single line along each side of the abdomen.

Male S. fonscolombii can be mistaken for Crocothemis erythraea as both are very red dragonflies with yellow bases to the wings, red veins and pale pterostigma. However C. erythraea has no black on the legs, a broader body and no black on the head. Also C. erythraea females do not oviposit in tandem. The gestalt image of these two species is different and with some experience are easy to tell apart.

23-3-2017 TARCOLES RIVER, COSTA RICA - SLATY TAILED TROGON (MALE) (Trogon massena)

The slaty-tailed trogon (Trogon massena ) is a near passerine bird in the family Trogonidae, the quetzals and trogons. It is found in Mexico, throughout Central America, and in Colombia and Ecuador.

Trogons have distinctive male and female plumages, with soft, often colorful, feathers. The slaty-tailed trogon is 30 to 35.5 cm (12 to 14 in) long and weighs about 140 to 155 g (4.9 to 5.5 oz). The nominate male has an orange-red bill and a dull black face, chin, and upper throat with a red to orange ring around the eye. The upperparts are metallic green that tends to golden green on the back and bluish green on the crown and rump. The breast is metallic green and the belly and vent deep red. The folded wing has fine black and white vermiculation that looks gray at a distance. The upperside of the four central tail feathers are metallic green to bronzy green with black tips, the next pair mostly black, and the outermost pair entirely black. The undersides of the tail feathers are slate gray with black tips. The female replaces most of the male's green with gray that is paler on the upper breast than on the upperparts. The upperside of the tail is black. The female's maxilla is dusky gray.

The male T. m. hoffmanni 's plumage is essentially the same as the nominate's but the upperside of the tail is more golden. T. m. australis is smaller than the nominate. Compared to the nominate, the male's uppertail is bluish green and the female's darker gray. The male's undertail is browner than the nominate's and there is more metallic green on the face and throat.

The nominate subspecies of slaty-tailed trogon is found on the Caribbean slope from southern Mexico through Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala into Nicaragua. T. m. hoffmanni is found on the Caribbean and Pacific slopes of Costa Rica and Panama, and also in extreme northwestern Colombia. T. m. australis is found in western Colombia and far northwestern Ecuador. The species primarily inhabits the midstory to the canopy of tropical evergreen forest and mature secondary forest, and can also be found in gallery forest, coffee plantations, and mangroves. It is a bird of the lowlands, reaching only 600 m (2,000 ft) in Mexico and northern Central America. It is found locally as high as 1,200 m (3,900 ft) in Costa Rica, 1,400 m (4,600 ft) in Panama, and 1,100 m (3,600 ft) in Colombia.

The slaty-tailed trogon forages for fruits and insects by sallying or hover gleaning from a perch. It often follows white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus and C. imitator ) to catch insects displaced by them.

The slaty-tailed trogon's breeding season varies geographically, but appears to span from February to July overall. Males and females display to each other by raising the tail and fluffing the uppertail covert feathers. It nests as high as 15 m (49 ft) in a cavity excavated in an occupied termite nest or decaying tree trunk. Both sexes excavate the nesting chamber. The typical clutch is two or three white or bluish-white eggs, and both sexes incubate them.

The IUCN has assessed the slaty-tailed trogon as being of Least Concern. It has a large range, and though its population has not been quantified it is believed to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified. However, "The primary threats to this species are logging of mature forests, and habitat conversion for agriculture."

12-7-2017 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - COMMON TERN (Sterna hirundo)

12-7-2017 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - BLACK WINGED STILT (Himantopus himantopus)

The Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus, is a slender wader known for its strikingly long, pink legs and contrasting black-and-white plumage. This elegant bird is a member of the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae.

Adult Black-winged Stilts measure 33–36 cm in length. They possess a long, thin black bill and display a distinctive black and white coloration. The head and neck are predominantly white, with variable black markings depending on the sex and subspecies. Males typically have a glossy or greenish sheen on their black backs, while females exhibit a more brownish tinge. During flight, their long legs trail behind, and their wingbeats are steady.

These birds favor marshes, shallow lakes, and ponds as their breeding grounds. They are also known to inhabit coastal areas during migration and in the winter months.

The Black-winged Stilt has a wide range, extending across Europe, Asia, and Africa. Some populations migrate to coastal regions in winter, while others in milder climates may remain resident or engage in short-range movements.

Black-winged Stilts are often seen foraging in shallow waters, gracefully picking insects and crustaceans from the surface. They are known to nest in small groups, sometimes alongside avocets, and exhibit a variety of courtship behaviors, including intricate displays and duets.

The flight call of the Black-winged Stilt is a sharp and clear kleek, typically heard during its aerial maneuvers.

Nests are simple bare spots on the ground near water. These birds are communal nesters and may breed in loose colonies. They have been known to breed as far north as Britain, with recent successful breeding events recorded in Southern and Northern England.

The Black-winged Stilt can be confused with other stilt species, such as the Black-necked Stilt (H. mexicanus) in the Americas, the White-backed Stilt (H. melanurus), and the Pied Stilt (H. leucocephalus) in Australasia and New Zealand.

Their diet consists mainly of insects and crustaceans, which they deftly pick from the water's surface or from wet sand.

The IUCN lists the Black-winged Stilt as Least Concern, indicating a stable global population. However, they are protected under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds, highlighting the importance of international cooperation in their conservation.

12-7-2017 EL PALMAR, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN SAND MARTIN (Riparia riparia)

12-7-2017 EL PALMAR, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN SAND MARTIN (JUVENILE) (Riparia riparia)

The sand martin (Riparia riparia ), also known as the bank swallow (in the Americas), collared sand martin, or common sand martin, is a migratory passerine bird in the swallow family. It has a wide range in summer, embracing practically the whole of Europe and the Mediterranean countries and across the Palearctic to the Pacific Ocean. It is a Holarctic species also found in North America. It winters in eastern and southern Africa, South America, and the Indian Subcontinent.

The Sand martin is a small migratory bird in the swallow family. It is brown above and white below with a narrow brown band on the breast. Its bill is black and the legs are brown. The brown back, white throat, small size, and quick jerky flight of the Sand martin separate it at once from similar swallows, such as the Common house martin, the American cliff swallow.

Sand martins have a wide range in summer, embracing practically the whole of Europe and the Mediterranean countries and across the Palearctic to the Pacific Ocean. They are also found in North America. Sand martins winter in eastern and southern Africa, South America, and the Indian Subcontinent. These birds are generally found near larger bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes, or even the ocean, throughout the year. They forage in open areas such as grassland and farmland and tend to avoid dense forests and mountainous areas.

Sand martins are very social birds that live and nest in colonies. They are active during the day and spend their time foraging, preening, and often sunbathe in groups. At night they gather in communal roosts. Sand martins are fast and agile fliers. They rarely land on the ground and are often seen perching or in flight. These birds usually forage in the morning singly or in groups; they catch insects on the wing and occasionally on the ground or over the water. Sand martins constantly communicate with each other; their twittering song is continuous when the birds are on the wing and becomes a conversational undertone after they have settled in the roost. The harsh alarm is usually heard when a passing falcon, crow, or other suspected predator requires combined action to drive it away.

Sand martins are serially monogamous and pairs remain together for the nesting season. They appear on the breeding grounds starting towards the end of March and leave by the end of September. Sand martins are sociable in their nesting habits; from a dozen to many hundred pairs will nest close together, according to available space. The burrow is excavated by the male first and then he will perform territorial circle flights around the burrow entrance while singing, trying to attract females. When the pair is formed, both birds complete this work. The tunnel is dug in sand or gravel soils. The nests are placed at the end of tunnels which are 50 to 100 cm long and lined with straw and feathers. The female lays 4-5 white eggs and both parents incubate them for 14-15 days. Pairs usually produce two broods in one breeding season. The chicks are helpless (altricial) and cared for by both adults. They fledge and leave the nest around 18 to 22 days after hatching but remain dependant on their parents for up to a week more. The young will then reach reproductive maturity in their first year of age.

12-7-2017 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - PIED AVOCET (Recurvirostra avosetta)

12-7-2017 ULLAL DE BOLDOVI, VALENCIA - OLD WORLD SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY (Papilio machaon)

11-7-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN SERIN (MALE) (Serinus serinus)

11-7-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GREAT CAPRICORN BEETLE (Cerambyx cerdo)

11-7-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN STRIPED SHIELD BUG (Graphosoma italicum)

11-7-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - LARGE PSAMMODROMUS LIZARD (Psammodromus algirus)

Psammodromus algirus is found in North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia) and in Southwestern Europe (Iberian Peninsula: Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Gibraltar; southernmost France, and Italy near Lampedusa).

The IUCN assessment from 2009 treats Psammodromus algirus nollii and Psammodromus algirus ketamensis as full species and restricts Psammodromus algirus to North Africa.

P. algirus typically occurs in dense bushy vegetation, but it can also venture to more open areas. It can be found at at elevations up to 2,600 m (8,500 ft) above sea level, but it is more common at lower elevations.

Psammodromus algirus mainly feeds on terrestrial arthropods, specifically Orthoptera, Formicidae, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Araneae.

P. algirus is threatened by habitat loss.

P. algirus commonly reaches a snout–vent length of about 7.5 cm (3.0 in), occasionally 9 cm (3.5 in). The tail is 2–3 times the body length. Dorsal colouration is usually metallic brownish with a pair of conspicuous white or yellowish stripes on both sides.