13-12-2017 ULLAL DE BOLDOVI, VALENCIA - COMMON CHAFFINCH (MALE) (Fringilla coelebs)

10-12-2017 LA FONT EN CARROS - WHITE WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba)

The white wagtail is a slender bird, 16.5 to 19 cm (6.5 to 7.5 in) in length; the East Asian subspecies are slightly longer, measuring up to 21 cm (8.3 in). It has the characteristic long, constantly wagging tail of its genus. Its average weight is 25 g (0.88 oz) and the maximum lifespan in the wild is about 12 years.

Wagtails are strongly patterned birds of beaches, meadows, and streamsides; they usually nest on the ground but roost in trees. The birds are so named because they incessantly wag their long tails up and down. The forest wagtail wags its entire body from side to side.

In Old World, the white wagtail eats mostly insects, including midges, crane flies, and other flies, beetles, mayflies, dragonfly larvae, caterpillars, moths, and many others. Feeds on a variety of aquatic insect larvae as well as adult insects. Also eats some spiders, earthworms, tiny fish, and seeds.

It was thought that the willie wagtail could steal a person's secrets while lingering around camps eavesdropping, so women would be tight-lipped in the presence of the bird.

Indigenous Australians believe the Willie Wagtail to be a gossiper who eavesdropped around the camps. In the Kimberley in Western Australia, legend has it that the birds would tell the spirit of the dead if anyone spoke badly of them.

The White Wagtail is a ubiquitous species occupying a wide variety of open (non-forested) habitats across Eurasia. The species is represented by a complex of nine subspecies that exhibit marked variation in plumage pattern and colouration (grey versus black) across its vast breeding range. Although the well-known White Wagtail complex includes some of the most studied birds of the Western Palearctic (e.g.,Motacilla alba albaandM. a. yarrellii), the two eastern Palearctic forms that occur regularly in North America (Alaska) remain poorly known. The easternmost subspecies, M. a. ocularis , ranges to the western edge of Alaska in the Bering Strait region, where it breeds annually in small numbers, and M. a. lugens (formerly the grey wagtail) is a rare and occasional species that breeds in the western Aleutian Islands. 

10-12-2017 LA FONT EN CARROS - MEADOW PIPIT (Anthus pratensis)

The meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis ) is a small passerine bird, which breeds in much of the Palearctic, from southeastern Greenland and Iceland east to just east of the Ural Mountains in Russia, and south to central France and Romania; an isolated population also occurs in the Caucasus Mountains. It is migratory over most of its range, wintering in southern Europe, North Africa, and south-western Asia, but is resident year-round in western Europe, though even here many birds move to the coast or lowlands in winter.

This is a widespread and often abundant small pipit, 14.5–15 cm (5+1⁄2–6 in) long and 15–22 g (0.53–0.78 oz) weight. It is an undistinguished-looking species on the ground, mainly brown above and buff below, with darker streaking on most of its plumage; the tail is brown, with narrow white side edges. It has a thin bill and pale pinkish-yellow legs; the hind claw is notably long, longer than the rest of the hind toes. The call is a weak tsi-tsi. The simple repetitive song is given in a short song flight. Birds breeding in Ireland and western Scotland are slightly darker coloured than those in other areas, and are often distinguished as the subspecies A. p. whistleri, though it intergrades clinally with nominate A. p. pratensis found in the rest of the species' range.

It is similar to the red-throated pipit A. cervinus, which is more heavily streaked and (in summer only) has an orange-red throat, and to the tree pipit A. trivialis, which is slightly larger, less heavily streaked, and has stronger facial markings and a shorter hind claw. The song of the meadow pipit accelerates towards the end while that of the tree pipit slows down.

It is primarily a species of open habitats, either uncultivated or low-intensity agriculture, such as pasture, bogs, and moorland, but also occurs in low numbers in arable croplands. In winter, it also uses saltmarshes and sometimes open woodlands. It is a fairly terrestrial pipit, always feeding on the ground, but uses elevated perches such as shrubs, fence lines, or electricity wires as vantage points to watch for predators.

The estimated total population is 12 million pairs. It is an abundant species in the north of its range, and generally the commonest breeding bird in most of upland Britain, but less common further south. Breeding densities range from 80 pairs/km2 (210 pairs/sq mi) in northern Scandinavia, to 5–20 pairs/km2 (13–52 pairs/sq mi) in grassland in the south of the breeding range, and just 1/km2 (2.6/sq mi) in arable farmland. A few isolated breeding pairs are recorded from south of the main range, in the mountains of Spain, Italy, and the northern Balkans. A general decline in the population has occurred over the past 17 years, most notable in French farmland, with a 68% drop.

10-12-2017 LA FONT EN CARROS - GREY WAGTAIL (Motacilla cinerea)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/13688-Motacilla-cinerea

6-12-2017 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - HOUSE SPARROW (FEMALE) (Passer domesticus)

The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of 16 cm (6.3 in) and a mass of 24–39.5 g (0.85–1.39 oz). Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, and males have brighter black, white, and brown markings. One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the house sparrow is native to most of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and a large part of Asia. Its intentional or accidental introductions to many regions, including parts of Australasia, Africa, and the Americas, make it the most widely distributed wild bird.

The house sparrow is strongly associated with human habitation, and can live in urban or rural settings. Though found in widely varied habitats and climates, it typically avoids extensive woodlands, grasslands, polar regions, and hot, dry deserts far away from human development. For sustenance, the house sparrow routinely feeds at home and public bird feeding stations, but naturally feeds on the seeds of grains, flowering plants and weeds. However, it is an opportunistic, omnivorous eater, and commonly catches insects, their larvae, caterpillars, invertebrates and many other natural foods.

6-12-2017 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - GLOSSY IBIS (Plegadis falcinellus)

6-12-2017 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN MOORHEN (JUVENILE) (Gallinula chloropus)

The common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), also known as the waterhen or swamp chicken, is a bird species in the rail family (Rallidae). It is distributed across many parts of the Old World.

The common moorhen lives around well-vegetated marshes, ponds, canals and other wetlands. The species is not found in the polar regions or many tropical rainforests. Elsewhere it is likely the most common rail species, except for the Eurasian coot in some regions.

The closely related common gallinule of the New World has been recognized as a separate species by most authorities, starting with the American Ornithologists' Union and the International Ornithological Committee in 2011.

The moorhen is a distinctive species, with predominantly black and brown plumage, with the exception of a white under-tail, white streaks on the flanks, yellow legs and a red frontal shield. The bill is red with a yellow tip. The young are browner and lack the red shield. The frontal shield of the adult has a rounded top and fairly parallel sides; the tailward margin of the red unfeathered area is a smooth waving line. In the related common gallinule (Gallinula galeata) of the Americas, the frontal shield has a fairly straight top and is less wide towards the bill, giving a marked indentation to the back margin of the red area.

6-12-2017 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris)

6-12-2017 ULLAL DE BALDOVI, VALENCIA - COMMON CHAFFINCH (MALE) (Fringilla coelebs)

The Eurasian chaffinch, or simply the chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), presents a striking dichotomy in plumage between the sexes. The male is resplendent with a blue-grey cap and rust-red underparts, while the female's attire is more subdued, though both genders boast two white wing bars and white sides to their tails. The male's robust voice is a herald of spring, as he sings from exposed perches to court a mate.

To identify the male chaffinch, look for the black forehead, blue-grey crown, and rust-red breast, which fades to a pale creamy-pink on the belly. The wings feature a white panel on the coverts and a buff-white bar on the secondaries and inner primaries. Females and juveniles are more muted with grey-brown shades above and paler below, but retain the distinctive wing markings.

Chaffinches favor wooded environments, thriving in areas where the July isotherm ranges from 12 to 30°C. They are adaptable, however, and can be found in a variety of forested landscapes across their range.

This small passerine bird is widespread across Europe and parts of Asia, extending to Siberia. It is also an introduced species in some regions, such as New Zealand and South Africa.

Chaffinches are gregarious outside the breeding season, forming flocks in open countryside. They exhibit partial migration, with birds in colder regions moving south for the winter, while those in milder areas may remain sedentary.

The male chaffinch's song is a delightful mix of trills and chirps, with regional dialects adding to the chorus. Each male typically has a repertoire of two or three song types.

Monogamous by nature, chaffinches breed once they reach one year of age. The female meticulously constructs a nest in the fork of a tree, laying a clutch of 4-5 eggs that hatch in about 13 days. The fledglings take to the wing approximately 14 days later but continue to receive parental care for several weeks thereafter.

During the breeding season, chaffinches forage in trees for invertebrates, particularly caterpillars, to feed their young. Outside this period, their diet shifts to seeds and plant material found on the ground.

With its large numbers and expansive range, the Eurasian chaffinch is classified as of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. There is no evidence of significant population declines at present.

6-12-2017 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - NORTHERN LAPWING (Vanellus vanellus)

6-12-2017 ULLAL DE BOLDOVI, VALENCIA - BRAMBLING (FEMALE) (Fringilla montifringilla)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/10069-Fringilla-montifringilla

6-12-2017 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - COMMON SNIPE (Gallinago gallinago)

Common snipes (Gallinago gallinago) are small, stocky waders native to the Old World. These birds are known for their courtship display in which males produce a sound that reminds the bleating of a sheep or goat; hence in many languages the Common snipe is known by names signifying "flying goat", "heaven's ram", "heather-bleater" in Scotland and in Finnish the name taivaanvuohi, "sky goat".

Common snipes have short greenish-grey legs and a very long (5.5-7 cm (2.2-2.8 in)) straight dark bill. The body is mottled brown with straw-yellow stripes on top and pale underneath. They have a dark stripe through the eye, with light stripes above and below it. Their wings are pointed.

Common snipes are found throughout the Palearctic. In the north, the distribution limit extends from Iceland over the north of the British Isles and northern Fennoscandia, as well as through European Russia and Siberia. In the east, it extends to the Anadyr, Kamchatka, the Bering Island, and the Kuril Islands. In Europe, the distribution area runs through northern Portugal, central France, northern Italy, Bulgaria, and Ukraine. In Asia, it extends south to northern Turkestan, locally to Afghanistan and the Middle East, through the Altai, and further to Manchuria and Ussuri. Common snipes are mostly migratory; European birds winter in southern and western Europe and Africa (south to the Equator), and Asian migrants move to tropical southern Asia. These birds prefer to live near marshes, bogs, in the tundra, taiga, grassy edges of lakes and rivers, estuaries, ponds, rice fields, and wet meadows.

Common snipes are social birds that usually forage in small groups and may gather in flocks of up to 500 individuals at rich feeding grounds. They feed at dawn and dusk wading in soft mud, probing or picking up food by sight. These are shy birds that conceal themselves close to ground vegetation and flush only when approached closely. When flushed, they utter a sharp note that sounds like scape and fly off in a series of aerial zig-zags to confuse predators.

Common snipes are monogamous and form pairs. In order to attract the female, males perform "winnowing" courtship display; they fly high in circles and then take shallow dives to produce a "drumming" sound by vibrating their tail feathers. After the pair was formed, the birds nest in a well-hidden location on the ground, laying 4 eggs of a dark olive color, blotched and spotted with a rich brown. The eggs are incubated by the female for 18-21 days. The freshly hatched chicks are helpless and covered in dark maroon down, variegated with black, white, and buff. They are cared for by both parents and each parent looks after half the brood. The young start to fly when they are between 10 and 20 days old.

6-12-2017 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - COMMON SNIPE (Gallinago gallinago)

Common snipes (Gallinago gallinago) are small, stocky waders native to the Old World. These birds are known for their courtship display in which males produce a sound that reminds the bleating of a sheep or goat; hence in many languages the Common snipe is known by names signifying "flying goat", "heaven's ram", "heather-bleater" in Scotland and in Finnish the name taivaanvuohi, "sky goat".

Common snipes have short greenish-grey legs and a very long (5.5-7 cm (2.2-2.8 in)) straight dark bill. The body is mottled brown with straw-yellow stripes on top and pale underneath. They have a dark stripe through the eye, with light stripes above and below it. Their wings are pointed.

Common snipes are social birds that usually forage in small groups and may gather in flocks of up to 500 individuals at rich feeding grounds. They feed at dawn and dusk wading in soft mud, probing or picking up food by sight. These are shy birds that conceal themselves close to ground vegetation and flush only when approached closely. When flushed, they utter a sharp note that sounds like scape and fly off in a series of aerial zig-zags to confuse predators.

5-12-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - RED ADMIRAL BUTTERFLY (Vanessa atalanta)

5-12-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - COMMON CHAFFINCH (FEMALE) (Fringilla coelebs)

4-12-2017 XERACO. VALENCIA - SPECKLED WOOD BUTTERFLY (Pararge aegeria)

4-12-2017 XERACO, VALENCIA - COMMON WALL LIZARD (Podarcis muralis)

Podarcis muralis (common wall lizard) is a species of lizard with a large distribution in Europe and well-established introduced populations in North America, where it is also called the European wall lizard. It can grow to about 20 cm (7.9 in) in total length.

The Common wall lizard is a small, fast-moving lizard with a large distribution in Europe. Its small scales are highly variable in color and pattern. The coloration of this lizard is generally brownish or greyish, and may occasionally be tinged with green. In some individuals, the row of spots along their backs may form a line, while others may have a reticulated pattern with dark spots on the side and scattered white spots that can be blue in the shoulder region. The tail is brown, grey, or rust in color, and may also have light bars on the sides. The belly region has six rows of larger rectangular scales that are generally reddish, pink, or orangish. Common wall lizards may also have dark markings on the throat.

The range of Common wall lizards includes much of mainland Europe except the north and very south and extends to Turkey. They inhabit rocky environments, scrubland, woodlands, orchards, fields, and urban areas. In the southern part of their range, these lizards tend to occur in humid or semi-humid habitats and prefer drier habitats in the north.

Common wall lizards are solitary diurnal reptiles that spend their days foraging, basking in the sun, or scurrying between rocks, rubble, debris, and buildings. They are adept climbers and diggers; if Common wall lizards can't find a natural shelter they will readily create their own burrow. These small creatures don't tolerate cold temperatures and during winter they hibernate underground until spring. Common wall lizards rely both on visual and chemical signals to communicate with each other. Males are equipped with femoral glands, which produce a waxy secretion used for chemical signaling; the compounds in their secretions are known to carry socially relevant information.

3-12-2017 LA FONT EN CARROS, VALENCIA - COMMON CHIFFCHAFF (Phylloscopus collybita)

3-12-2017 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris)

The common starling (Sturnus vulgaris), also known as the European starling in North America and simply as the starling in Great Britain and Ireland, is a medium-sized passerine bird in the starling family, Sturnidae. It is about 20 cm (8 in) long and has glossy black plumage with a metallic sheen, which is speckled with white at some times of the year. The legs are pink and the bill is black in winter and yellow in summer; young birds have browner plumage than the adults. It is a noisy bird, especially in communal roosts and other gregarious situations, with an unmusical but varied song. Its gift for mimicry has been noted in literature including the Mabinogion and the works of Pliny the Elder and William Shakespeare.

The common starling has about 12 subspecies breeding in open habitats across its native range in temperate Europe and across the Palearctic to western Mongolia, and it has been introduced as an invasive species to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Argentina, South Africa and Fiji. This bird is resident in western and southern Europe and southwestern Asia, while northeastern populations migrate south and west in the winter within the breeding range and also further south to Iberia and North Africa. The common starling builds an untidy nest in a natural or artificial cavity in which four or five glossy, pale blue eggs are laid. These take two weeks to hatch and the young remain in the nest for another three weeks. There are normally one or two breeding attempts each year. This species is omnivorous, taking a wide range of invertebrates, as well as seeds and fruit. It is hunted by various mammals and birds of prey, and is host to a range of external and internal parasites.

Large flocks typical of this species can be beneficial to agriculture by controlling invertebrate pests; however, starlings can also be pests themselves when they feed on fruit and sprouting crops. Common starlings may also be a nuisance through the noise and mess caused by their large urban roosts. Introduced populations in particular have been subjected to a range of controls, including culling, but these have had limited success, except in preventing the colonisation of Western Australia.

The species has declined in numbers in parts of northern and western Europe since the 1980s due to fewer grassland invertebrates being available as food for growing chicks. Despite this, its huge global population is not thought to be declining significantly, so the common starling is classified as being of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

1-12-2017 LA FONT EN CARROS, VALENCIA - MEADOW PIPIT (Anthus pratensis)

1-12-2017 VILLALONGA, VALENCIA - WHITE WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba)

1-12-2017 RIO SERPIS VILLALONGA, VALENCIA - MALLARD (FEMALE) (Anas platyrhynchos)

The Mallard, or wild duck (Anas platyrhynchos), is a familiar and widespread dabbling duck with a presence across temperate and subtropical regions of the Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa. It has also been introduced to parts of the Southern Hemisphere. The male is renowned for its iridescent green head and white collar, while the female sports a brown-speckled plumage. Both sexes boast a speculum—a patch of feathers with iridescent purple or blue hues bordered by white. The Mallard's length ranges from 50 to 65 cm, with a wingspan of 81 to 98 cm, and it typically weighs between 0.7 and 1.6 kg.

Males during the breeding season are unmistakable with their glossy green heads, white collars, and purple-tinged brown breasts. Females are mottled brown with buff cheeks and an eye-stripe. Both sexes have the distinctive speculum on their wings. The male's bill is yellowish-orange tipped with black, while the female's is darker, ranging from black to mottled orange and brown.

Mallards are found in a variety of wetlands, including parks, small ponds, rivers, lakes, and estuaries. They prefer water depths less than 0.9 meters and are drawn to areas with aquatic vegetation.