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Friday, 21 September 2018

20-9-2018 ALMAGRO, LA MANCHA - 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.


House sparrows are social birds, often seen in flocks. They exhibit a range of behaviors, including dust or water bathing and communal roosting. Males are known to be territorial around their nesting sites.

The house sparrow's vocalizations are predominantly variations of a simple chirping call. Males may sing or give an "ecstatic call" during the breeding season, and the species uses a variety of calls for different social interactions.

House sparrows are generally monogamous and may mate for life. They can breed in the season following their hatching and often produce multiple clutches per year, with each clutch containing up to five eggs. Nest sites are varied, with a preference for cavities.

An opportunistic feeder, the house sparrow's diet consists mainly of seeds from grains and weeds, but it also consumes insects and other invertebrates, especially during the breeding season when feeding young.

20-9-2018 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - HOUSE SPARROW (FEMALE) (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.

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.

House sparrows are social birds, often seen in flocks. They exhibit a range of behaviors, including dust or water bathing and communal roosting. Males are known to be territorial around their nesting sites.

20-9-2018 ALARCOS, LA MANCHA - THEKLA LARK (Galerida theklae)


Thekla's lark, a modestly sized avian, is somewhat smaller than its cousin, the Eurasian skylark. It is distinguished by its long, spiky, and erectile crest. The plumage is predominantly a dark-streaked grey above and a paler whitish below, with both sexes appearing similar in their muted tones.

When identifying Thekla's lark, look for its greyer appearance compared to the Eurasian skylark, as well as the absence of white on the wing and tail edges. The bird's smaller stature and shorter bill set it apart from the crested lark. In flight, one can discern its grey underwings, contrasting with the reddish underwings of the crested lark.

This species favors the rugged terrain, where scrub and semi-arid grasslands intersperse with bare patches of earth, often at various altitudes.

Thekla's lark graces a broad range, from the Iberian Peninsula across northern Africa to sub-Saharan regions, reaching from Senegal to Somalia. It is a sedentary bird, choosing not to migrate but to remain within its native lands.


Thekla's lark is a ground nester, laying a clutch of two to six eggs. Its diet consists of seeds and insects, with the latter being particularly important during the breeding season.

The lark's song is a melodious and varied composition, incorporating mournful whistles and elements of mimicry. Softer and more tuneful than the crested lark's call, it can be heard from the ground, in flight, or perched visibly.

Thekla's lark's breeding habits involve nesting on the ground, where it lays its eggs and feeds its young primarily on insects.


Thekla's lark can be confused with the crested lark, but careful observation of size, plumage, and underwing coloration during flight can aid in differentiation.

A diet of weed seeds and insects sustains Thekla's lark, with a preference for the latter during the breeding season to provide for its offspring.

Despite a declining population in Spain, Thekla's lark is considered a species of "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, thanks to its wide range and commonality.

20-9-2018 ALARCOS, LA MANCHA - EURASIAN BLUE TIT (Cyanistes caeruleus)



Wednesday, 19 September 2018

19-9-2018 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - BLACK TAILED GODWIT (Limosa limosa)


The black-tailed godwit favors a range of wetland habitats for breeding, including fens, lake edges, damp meadows, moorlands, and bogs. It is also known to adapt to human-altered landscapes such as wet grasslands and pastures.

This species has a broad breeding range that spans from Iceland across Europe to central Asia. During the northern hemisphere winter, it migrates to diverse regions including the Indian subcontinent, Australia, New Zealand, western Europe, and west Africa.

The black-tailed godwit is a sociable bird, often seen migrating in flocks. It exhibits a strong fidelity to its breeding grounds, where pairs reunite each season with remarkable punctuality. If a mate is delayed, 'divorce' may ensue.

The most frequently heard call of the black-tailed godwit is a loud and insistent "weeka weeka weeka."

Tuesday, 18 September 2018

18-9-2018 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - EUROPEAN PIED FLYCATCHER (Ficedula hypoleuca)


The European pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca, is a diminutive passerine, a member of the Old World flycatcher family. This bird is characterized by its contrasting plumage, with males donning a striking black and white during the breeding season, while females and juveniles exhibit a more subdued brown and white. The species is known for its agility in the air as it pursues its insect prey.

Breeding males are predominantly black above with a white underbelly. Notable features include a large white patch on the wings, white sides on the tail, and a small patch on the forehead. The Iberian subspecies, iberiae, is distinguished by a larger forehead patch and a pale rump. Outside of the breeding season, males, females, and juveniles are more challenging to identify, with black replaced by pale brown, and can be easily confused with other Ficedula species.

These birds are denizens of deciduous woodlands, parks, and gardens, showing a preference for oak trees. They are adept at utilizing tree holes for nesting and can adapt to open-fronted nest boxes provided by conservation efforts.

The European pied flycatcher boasts a broad range, extending across Europe and the Western Palearctic. It is a migratory species, wintering in tropical Africa. Subspecies are distributed across various regions, from the UK and Scandinavia to the Iberian Peninsula and Russia.

Monday, 17 September 2018

18-9-2018 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - EURASIAN LINNET (MALE) (Linaria cannabina)

The common linnet (Linaria cannabina) is a small passerine bird of the finch family, Fringillidae. It derives its common name and the scientific name, Linaria, from its fondness for hemp seeds and flax seeds—flax being the English name of the plant from which linen is made.

The common linnet is a slim bird with a long tail. The upper parts are brown, the throat is sullied white and the bill is grey. The summer male has a grey nape, red head-patch and red breast. Females and young birds lack the red and have white underparts, the breast streaked buff.

The common linnet breeds in Europe, the western Palearctic and North Africa. It is partially resident, but many eastern and northern birds migrate farther south in the breeding range or move to the coasts. They are sometimes found several hundred miles off-shore. It has been introduced to the Dominican Republic.

17-9-2018 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MOORISH GECKO (Tarentola mauritanica)


Tarentola mauritanica, known as the common wall gecko, is a species of gecko (Gekkota) native to the western Mediterranean area of North Africa and Europe. It has been introduced to Madeira and Balearic Islands, and the Americas (in Montevideo, Buenos Aires and California). A nocturnal animal with a predominantly insectivorous diet, it is commonly observed on walls in urban environments in warm coastal areas; it can be found further inland, especially in Spain where it has a tradition of cohabitation with humans as an insect hunter. A robust species, up to 15 centimetres (5.9 in) long, its tubercules are enlarged and give the species a spiny armoured appearance.

The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. It is also known as moorish gecko, crocodile gecko, European common gecko, and, regionally, as osga (in Portuguese), salamanquesa (in Spanish) and dragó (in Catalan).

17-9-2018 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN MANTIS (FEMALE) (Mantis religiosa)




16-9-2018 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLUE POTATO BUSH

17-9-2018 VILLALONGA RIO SERPIS, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)


The Little Egret, Egretta garzetta, is a dainty heron adorned in pure white plumage. It is characterized by a slender black beak, long black legs, and, notably in the western race, yellow feet. This elegant bird is a sight to behold with its graceful neck and poised stance.

Adult Little Egrets measure between 55–65 cm in length with a wingspan of 88–106 cm, and weigh 350–550 g. Their plumage is predominantly white, though some may exhibit bluish-grey coloration. Breeding adults boast ornate nape plumes reaching about 150 mm, along with distinctive feathers on the breast and elongated scapulars. The bill and lores are black, with greenish-grey skin at the base of the lower mandible and around the eye, which houses a yellow iris. Legs are black with contrasting yellow feet, though juveniles may have greenish-black legs and duller feet. The subspecies E. g. nigripes is distinguished by yellow skin between the bill and eye, and blackish feet.

The Little Egret frequents a variety of wetland habitats, from the shores of lakes and rivers to marshes and coastal regions. It is often found in open environments, such as mangroves, swamps, mudflats, and sandy beaches, as well as human-altered landscapes like rice fields.


The species has a broad breeding distribution across warm temperate to tropical regions of Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe. Northern populations are migratory, wintering in Africa and southern Asia, while others remain as permanent residents in warmer areas.

Little Egrets are social yet territorial when feeding. They exhibit a range of foraging behaviors, from active chasing to patient ambush. Their movements are often in response to the presence of other animals, which may stir up prey.

The Little Egret's vocalizations include croaking and bubbling sounds at breeding colonies and a harsh alarm call when disturbed. These calls are similar to those of the Black-crowned Night Heron and the Cattle Egret.

Breeding colonies are often mixed with other water birds. Nests are platforms of sticks located in trees, shrubs, or reed beds. Clutches typically consist of three to five bluish-green eggs, incubated by both parents for about three weeks. The young fledge at approximately six weeks old.

The diet is diverse, including fish, amphibians, small reptiles, mammals, birds, crustaceans, molluscs, insects, spiders, and worms. The Little Egret employs various hunting techniques, both in water and on land, to capture its prey.

17-9-2018 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - GREEN SANDPIPER (Tringa ochropus)


The Green Sandpiper, Tringa ochropus, is a small wader, or shorebird, with a somewhat plump appearance. It boasts a dark greenish-brown back and wings, complemented by a greyish head and breast. The underparts are predominantly white, with the back featuring white spots that vary in extent depending on the season and age of the bird. The legs and short bill are a matching dark green, creating a harmonious color palette for this avian species.

When observing the Green Sandpiper, look for its distinctive flight pattern, which reveals dark wings above and below, punctuated by a striking white rump. This feature is a reliable identifier, setting it apart from its close relative, the slightly smaller Solitary Sandpiper of North America. Additionally, the Green Sandpiper's white-spotted back is most pronounced in breeding adults and less so in winter and juvenile plumage.

The Green Sandpiper is a freshwater aficionado, often found in more confined spaces than other waders, which typically prefer open vistas. It thrives in a variety of freshwater habitats, avoiding the more gregarious nature of some wader congregations.

Sunday, 16 September 2018

8-4-2018 THORNYBUSH LODGE, SOUTH AFRICA - AFRICAN LEOPARD (FEMALE) (Panthera pardus pardus)




8-4-2018 THORNYBUSH LODGE, SOUTH AFRICA - EAST AFRICAN HARRIER HAWK (Polyboroides typus ssp. typus)

15-4-2018 CHOBE RIVER, NAMIBIA - WHITE FRONTED BEE-EATER (Merops bullockoides)


The White-fronted Bee-eater, known scientifically as Merops bullockoides, is a vibrant and slender bird adorned with a striking black mask and a white forehead. Its square tail and bright red throat patch are distinctive features. Measuring at 23 cm in length, the bird's upperparts are a lush green, while its underparts boast a warm cinnamon hue. Its call is a resonant, deep squeak that carries through the air.

To identify the White-fronted Bee-eater, look for its unique combination of colors: a black mask, white forehead, green upperparts, and cinnamon underparts. The square tail and bright red throat patch are also key identifiers. Listen for its deep squeaking call as a helpful auditory clue.

This species thrives in the open savannahs of sub-equatorial Africa, often found near gullies where their insect prey, particularly bees, are abundant.

The White-fronted Bee-eater is widely distributed across the savannah regions of sub-equatorial Africa, where it is a common sight in its preferred habitat.

The White-fronted Bee-eater exhibits a complex social structure, nesting in colonies that can average around 200 individuals. These colonies are not just for breeding but also serve as a communal space for roosting and socializing. The birds demonstrate cooperative breeding, with non-breeding individuals acting as helpers to their kin, significantly increasing the success rate of raising young.

10-11-2016 MANDALAY, MYANMAR - FRECKLE BREASTED WOODPECKER (Dendrocopos analis)


The freckle-breasted woodpecker (Dendrocopos analis ) is a species of bird in the family Picidae.It is found in Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

A medium-sized, pied woodpecker. Upperparts black, heavily barred white. Undertail red, breast und belly buffwith light flank barring and slight side streaking. Withish cheeks partly bordered by black line. Crown red in male with orange forehead, black in female.

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

Saturday, 15 September 2018

13-9-2018 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HOUSE SPARROW (FEMALE) (Passer domesticus)


House sparrows are distinguished by their compact shape and powerful beak. A house sparrow’s back and wings are striped brown and black, and its abdomen, crown and cheeks are grey. It may be tricky to distinguish a house sparrow from a tree sparrow, however, they do differ: the tree sparrow has chocolate-brown areas and small, black stains on its cheeks.

House sparrows are some of the most well-known songbirds in the UK

Female house sparrows are not as loud as their male counterparts. While the male has brown areas near his eyes that frame his cheeks, the female’s face is almost completely grey. In addition, the male’s breast and throat are covered with what look like black stains–stains that are conspicuously missing from the female.

Note: The area of black on the male’s breast serves as a status symbol. Its size is related to the bird’s fighting strength, and thus to its dominance. Outside of breeding season, this black area reduces in size and males become less conspicuous.

Female house sparrows (right) are plainer than males 
 
House sparrow chicks look like their mothers. However, this doesn’t last long! Barely eight weeks after hatching, young house sparrows lose their youthful plumage and, before winter, look just like an adult.

13-9-2018 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MOORISH GECKO (Tarentola mauritanica)


Tarentola mauritanica, known as the common wall gecko, is a species of gecko (Gekkota) native to the western Mediterranean area of North Africa and Europe. It has been introduced to Madeira and Balearic Islands, and the Americas (in Montevideo, Buenos Aires and California). A nocturnal animal with a predominantly insectivorous diet, it is commonly observed on walls in urban environments in warm coastal areas; it can be found further inland, especially in Spain where it has a tradition of cohabitation with humans as an insect hunter. A robust species, up to 15 centimetres (5.9 in) long, its tubercules are enlarged and give the species a spiny armoured appearance.
The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. It is also known as moorish gecko, crocodile gecko, European common gecko, and, regionally, as osga (in Portuguese), salamanquesa (in Spanish) and dragó (in Catalan).

13-9-2018 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - CRESTED MILLIPEDE (Order Callipodida)



14-9-2018 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - CATALONIA WALL LIZARD (Podarcis liolepis)


Podarcis liolepis, the Columbretes wall lizard or Catalan wall lizard, is very similar to the other lizards in the genus Podarcis. This species was formerly described as a subspecies of the Iberian wall lizard, but has now been elevated to species status. These are slender lizards with long tails, narrow tapered heads and long thin toes, and stout legs. Colours are variable, although generally grey-brown. 

Often very subtle spots and stripes along the back and flanks can be seen and these can be more distinguished in the female. The underside is a much lighter cream or beige with sometimes a reddish tint. Adults grow 15–20 cm in length from the nose to tip of the tail. Body length can be a little as one third of the total body length, the tail making up the other two thirds.

15-9-2018 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BAND WINGED GRASSHOPPER (Genus Sphingonotus)


Bandwings, or band-winged grasshoppers, are the subfamily Oedipodinae of grasshoppers classified under the family Acrididae. They have a worldwide distribution and were originally elevated to full family status as the Oedipodidae. Many species primarily inhabit xeric weedy fields, and some are considered to be important locusts:

Locusta migratoria: the migratory locust
Chortoicetes terminifera: the Australian plague locust
Locustana pardalina the brown locust


These grasshoppers often have colorful hindwings that may be yellow or red and edged with black. Others have black hindwings with pale edges, and a few species (including the most economically important ones) have clear hindwings. The arolium is extremely small or absent.

When bandwings feel safe, they appear drab. When they feel threatened, they leap out to reveal bold and bright colors. Some predators might even mistake the blue-winged grasshopper for a butterfly. But when the predator looks for the grasshopper, it is hiding in the grass. Bandwings continue this process if the predator tries to attack them.

7-4-2018 THORNYBUSH LODGE, SOUTH AFRICA - WHITE FRONTED BEE-EATER (Merops bullockoides)


Friday, 14 September 2018

12-9-2018 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - SQUACCO HERON (Ardeola ralloides)


The Squacco Heron, Ardeola ralloides, is a diminutive member of the heron family, measuring a mere 44–47 cm in length, with a compact body of 20–23 cm and a wingspan stretching 80–92 cm. This species is adorned with a buff-brown back and, during the summer months, adults boast elongated neck feathers that add to their allure.

In the field, one may identify the Squacco Heron by its stocky build, abbreviated neck, and stout bill. Its back is cloaked in a buff-brown hue. When in flight, the heron undergoes a remarkable transformation, revealing a predominantly white plumage that contrasts starkly with its resting appearance.

The Squacco Heron favors marshy wetlands in temperate regions for its habitat, where the water is warm and inviting.


Originating from the Old World, the Squacco Heron breeds in the southern reaches of Europe and extends into the Greater Middle East. When not breeding, it migrates to winter in the African continent.

This species is migratory by nature, seeking the warmer climates of Africa to spend the winter. It is seldom seen north of its breeding grounds. The Squacco Heron has been observed as a vagrant in the Fernando de Noronha islands and, on rarer occasions, in mainland South America. It nests in modest colonies, often in the company of other wading birds, and constructs its nests from sticks on platforms in trees or shrubs.


The Squacco Heron selects freshwater locales across Europe and the Middle East to breed, later migrating southward to the Sub-Saharan African region. During the breeding season, they lay a clutch of three to four eggs.

Adept at foraging, the Squacco Heron feeds on a diet consisting of fish, frogs, and insects, making the most of its wetland environment.

The IUCN Red List currently classifies the Squacco Heron as Least Concern, indicating a stable population without immediate threats to its survival.

Non-breeding Squacco Herons share certain physical characteristics with other heron species such as the Indian Pond Heron and the Malagasy Pond Heron, including tawny plumage, lighter streaking, a smaller bill, and narrower wing tips.


The Squacco Heron uses freshwater localities throughout Europe and the Middle East as breeding grounds to later migrate south to the Sub-Saharan African region. Non-breeding Squacco Herons share similar traits with other heron species like the Indian Pond Heron and Malagasy Pond Heron which show tawny color plumage, lighter streaking, smaller bill, and narrower wing tips.

The squacco heron is a migrant, wintering in Africa. It is rare north of its breeding range. The species has been recorded in Fernando de Noronha islands, and more rarely in mainland South America, as a vagrant. This is a stocky species with a short neck, short thick bill and buff-brown back. In summer, adults have long neck feathers. Its appearance is transformed in flight, when it looks very white due to the colour of the wings.

The squacco heron's breeding habitat is marshy wetlands in warm countries. The birds nest in small colonies, often with other wading birds, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. Three to four eggs are laid. They feed on fish, frogs and insects.


The Squacco Heron selects freshwater locales across Europe and the Middle East to breed, later migrating southward to the Sub-Saharan African region. During the breeding season, they lay a clutch of three to four eggs.

Adept at foraging, the Squacco Heron feeds on a diet consisting of fish, frogs, and insects, making the most of its wetland environment.

The IUCN Red List currently classifies the Squacco Heron as Least Concern, indicating a stable population without immediate threats to its survival.

Non-breeding Squacco Herons share certain physical characteristics with other heron species such as the Indian Pond Heron and the Malagasy Pond Heron, including tawny plumage, lighter streaking, a smaller bill, and narrower wing tips.

Thursday, 13 September 2018

13-9-2018 GANDIA, VALENCIA - EGYPTIAN BIRD GRASSHOPPER (Anacridium aegyptium)


Anacridium aegyptium, the Egyptian grasshopper or Egyptian locust, is a species of insect belonging to the subfamily Cyrtacanthacridinae.

Anacridium aegyptium var. rubrispinum Bei-Bienko, 1948 - Anacridium rubrispinum Bei-Bienko, 1948

A fairly common species, the Egyptian grasshopper is present in most of Europe, the Afrotropical realm, eastern Palearctic realm, the Near East, and North Africa, and has recently been observed in Cape Town, South Africa.

These grasshoppers inhabit trees and shrubs, scrub land, maquis, and orchards in warm and bright environments, at an elevation from sea level to 1,500 m.


Anacridium aegyptium is one of the largest European grasshoppers. Adult males grow up to 30–56 mm (1.2–2.2 in) long, while females reach 46–70 mm (1.8–2.8 in) in length. Their bodies are usually gray, brown, or olive-coloured, and their antennae are relatively short and robust. The tibiae of the hind legs are blue, while the femora are orange. The hind femora have characteristic dark marks. They are also easily identified by their characteristic eyes, which have vertical black and white stripes. Their pronota show a dorsal orange stripe and several small white spots. The wings are clear with dark marks.

This species is a folivore, essentially feeding on leaves of various plants. It is a solitary species, harmless to crops. Adults are mainly seen in August and September, but they are active throughout the year. After mating, these grasshoppers overwinter as adults. Spawning occurs in spring just under the soil surface and the nymphs appear in April. These grasshoppers undergo several molts. Nymphs differ from adults in appearance; their color varies from yellow to bright green and ocher and the wings are absent or small, as they are gradually developed after each molt.

12-9-2018 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - ROUGH HAIRED LAGRIA BEETLE (Lagria hirta)


Lagria hirta is a species of beetles in the family Tenebrionidae.
The species name hirta comes from the Latin hirtus meaning rough hair or rough wool, referring to the coarse, fuzzy appearance of the beetle.

This species is present in Europe, in North Africa (Algeria, Morocco), in Russia (Western and Eastern Siberia), in Israel, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Paraguay, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

It prefers areas with sandy soils. It can be found in open woods, in deciduous forests, in forest clearings, forest edges, in grasslands and wet meadows, but also in dry valleys and wet areas.

Lagria hirta can reach a length of 7–8 millimetres (0.28–0.31 in). These beetles have a soft and elongated body and a head and thorax brown or shiny black. The relatively elongated elytra are yellowish-brown and covered by dense fine light yellowish-brown hairs. The rest of the body is also hairy, but they are less clearly visible. Antennae, underside of body and legs are black. The eyes are remarkably large and round. Antennae are composed with eleven segments.

The elytra of the females are more extended backward than in the males and the female's abdomen looks from above wider than in the males. The male, in addition to its slimmer body, is distinguished from the females by their larger eyes and by the length of the last segment of the antennae, which is nearly twice the corresponding segment in the female. The hind wings are transparent.

The fully formed beetles can be seen from late May to September. The adult beetles feed on nectar and pollen. Females lay the eggs in the soil where they hatch after about eight days. The larvae live in the humus where they feed on decaying vegetables. After having overwintered larvae pupate in early summer of the next year and a new generation of beetles will then develop.

12-9-2018 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - EGYPTIAN BIRD GRASSHOPPER (Anacridium aegyptium)


Anacridium aegyptium, the Egyptian grasshopper or Egyptian locust, is a species of insect belonging to the subfamily Cyrtacanthacridinae.

Anacridium aegyptium var. rubrispinum Bei-Bienko, 1948 - Anacridium rubrispinum Bei-Bienko, 1948

A fairly common species, the Egyptian grasshopper is present in most of Europe, the Afrotropical realm, eastern Palearctic realm, the Near East, and North Africa, and has recently been observed in Cape Town, South Africa.

These grasshoppers inhabit trees and shrubs, scrub land, maquis, and orchards in warm and bright environments, at an elevation from sea level to 1,500 m.


Anacridium aegyptium is one of the largest European grasshoppers. Adult males grow up to 30–56 mm (1.2–2.2 in) long, while females reach 46–70 mm (1.8–2.8 in) in length. Their bodies are usually gray, brown, or olive-coloured, and their antennae are relatively short and robust. The tibiae of the hind legs are blue, while the femora are orange. The hind femora have characteristic dark marks. They are also easily identified by their characteristic eyes, which have vertical black and white stripes. Their pronota show a dorsal orange stripe and several small white spots. The wings are clear with dark marks.

This species is a folivore, essentially feeding on leaves of various plants. It is a solitary species, harmless to crops. Adults are mainly seen in August and September, but they are active throughout the year. After mating, these grasshoppers overwinter as adults. Spawning occurs in spring just under the soil surface and the nymphs appear in April. These grasshoppers undergo several molts. Nymphs differ from adults in appearance; their color varies from yellow to bright green and ocher and the wings are absent or small, as they are gradually developed after each molt.

12-9-2018 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)


The Little Egret, Egretta garzetta, is a dainty heron adorned in pure white plumage. It is characterized by a slender black beak, long black legs, and, notably in the western race, yellow feet. This elegant bird is a sight to behold with its graceful neck and poised stance.

Adult Little Egrets measure between 55–65 cm in length with a wingspan of 88–106 cm, and weigh 350–550 g. Their plumage is predominantly white, though some may exhibit bluish-grey coloration. Breeding adults boast ornate nape plumes reaching about 150 mm, along with distinctive feathers on the breast and elongated scapulars. The bill and lores are black, with greenish-grey skin at the base of the lower mandible and around the eye, which houses a yellow iris. Legs are black with contrasting yellow feet, though juveniles may have greenish-black legs and duller feet. The subspecies E. g. nigripes is distinguished by yellow skin between the bill and eye, and blackish feet.

The Little Egret frequents a variety of wetland habitats, from the shores of lakes and rivers to marshes and coastal regions. It is often found in open environments, such as mangroves, swamps, mudflats, and sandy beaches, as well as human-altered landscapes like rice fields.

29-3-2015 KERALA, INDIA - VELVET FRONTED NUTHATCH (Sitta frontalis)


The velvet-fronted nuthatch has the typical nuthatch shape, short tail and powerful bill and feet. It is 12.5 cm long. It is violet-blue above, with lavender cheeks, beige underparts, yellow eyes, and a whitish throat. The iris is distinctly pale and yellow. The bill is red, and there is a black patch on the forehead and lores which is well developed in adults and less so in younger birds. Young birds have a dark beak and dark tips to the undertail coverts. Adult males can be told apart by the black superciliary stripe that runs above the eye and over the head, towards the nape.

Females lack the supercilium and have a warmer underpart colour. Juveniles are duller versions of the adult lacking the black frontal band. There populations differ in shade and size and the distribution of white on the throat.


The velvet-fronted nuthatch is a resident breeder of all types of forests from deciduous to evergreen forest. In the Sunderbans, they are found in Sonneratia mangrove forests. They also live within secondary forest and make use of the shade trees in south Indian coffee plantations.

Like other nuthatches they have strongly curved claws that allow them to climb down vertical tree trunks, unlike species such as woodpeckers that only work their way upwards. It moves jerkily up and down or around tree branches and trunks. It is an active feeder on insects and spiders, gleaned on the bark of the trunk and branches, and may be found in mixed feeding flocks with other passerines. The insects they disturb are sometimes taken by the racket-tailed drongo in Sri Lanka.

Wednesday, 12 September 2018

28-12-2015 MEKONG DELTA, VIETNAM - BRONZE WINGED JACANA (Metopidius indicus)


The bronze-winged jacana (Metopidius indicus ) is a wader in the family Jacanidae. It is found across South and Southeast Asia and is the sole species in the genus Metopidius. Like other jacanas it forages on lilies and other floating aquatic vegetation, the long feet spreading out its weight and preventing sinking. The sexes are alike but females are slightly larger and are polyandrous, maintaining a harem of males during the breeding season in the monsoon rains. Males maintain territories, with one male in the harem chosen to incubate the eggs and take care of the young. When threatened, young chicks may be carried to safety by the male under his wings.


Bronze-winged jacanas are rail-like, large, short tailed birds that appear dark at a distance except for the supercilium. They are 29 cm (11 in) in length. The sexes are similar but the females are slightly larger than the males. The wings are bronzy brown with a green sheen and have a reduced tubercular carpal spur. The head, neck and breast are black and contrast with the broad white supercilium that runs from over the eye to the back of the neck. The lower back and tail coverts are chestnut. The tail is stubby and reddish brown with black terminal band. The greenish yellow bill has a red-base to the upper mandible. A lappet or frontal shield extends up over the forehead and is reddish purple. The legs are greenish. The toes are long and the straight and the elongated nail on the hind toe is longer than the toe. Downy chicks are light brown with a dark stripe running down the nape. Young birds have brown upperparts, a rufous crown, white underparts, a buff foreneck, an undeveloped frontal shield, and may have a dull supercilium. Adults can be confused at a distance with the common moorhen (which is found in similar habitat) and with the watercock and while young can appear similar to the young of the pheasant-tailed jacana, they lack the black necklace seen in that species.