27-3-2017 VILLA LAPAS, COSTA RICA - VARIABLE CRACKER BUTTERFLY (Hamadryas feronia)

Hamadryas feronia, the blue cracker or variable cracker, is a species of cracker butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in the southern parts of North America and South America and southwards Brazil.

Hamadryas feronia is similar in appearance to Hamadryas guatemalena and Hamadryas iphthime. The upperside of the fore wing is a mosaic pattern of white, brown and bluish-grey, with a row of small eyespots parallel with the outer margin; a small red bar occupies the discal cell. The upperside of the hind wing is similar but has few white patches and larger more distinct eyespots. The underside of the fore wing is white or whitish-tan with dark markings, a small red bar and a black submarginal eyespot, and the under hind wing is white or whitish-tan, with dark markings and blue rings containing larger eyespots near the rear margin.

The larva has two colour morphs; it is either bluish-black above with brownish-white speckles and reddish spots on the side, or it is greyish-green with a pale-coloured longitudinal line on the side. It has dorsal spines on the second and third thoracic segments and on the seventh and eighth abdominal segments. The pupa has two long processes on its anterior end.

Two subspecies are recognised; H. feronia feronia occurs in Brazil, Paraguay and Peru, and H. feronia farinulenta occurs in Mexico, Honduras, Venezuela, Colombia and Trinidad. This butterfly is found in open areas with trees.

21-3-2017 HOTEL BOUGANVILLEA, COSTA RICA - MEXICAN SILVERSPOT BUTTERFLY (Dione moneta)

Dione moneta, the Mexican silverspot, is a species of butterfly of the subfamily Heliconiinae in the family Nymphalidae, found from the southern United States to South America.

D. moneta has an orange upperside, and the wing bases are brown in color. It has thick, dark veins. The hind wing of the underside of these butterflies is brown and covered in big, silver spots. Its wings span from 3 – 3 and 1/4 inches.

Moneta is a name given to two goddesses from Roman mythology, both representing fortune and wealth.

Subspecies

Listed alphabetically:

D. m. butleri Stichel, [1908]

D. m. moneta Hübner, [1825]

D. m. poeyii Butler, 1873

4-5-2018 ULAL DE BOLDOVI, VALENCIA - GULL BILLED TERN (Gelochelidon nilotica)

The gull-billed tern (Gelochelidon nilotica), formerly Sterna nilotica, is a tern in the family Laridae. It is widely distributed and breeds in scattered localities in Europe, Asia, northwest Africa, and the Americas. The Australian gull-billed tern was previously considered a subspecies.

This is a fairly large and powerful tern, similar in size and general appearance to a Sandwich tern, but the short thick gull-like bill, broad wings, long legs and robust body are distinctive. The summer adult has grey upperparts, white underparts, a black cap, strong black bill and black legs. The call is a characteristic ker-wik. It is 33–42 cm (13–17 in) in length and 76–91 cm (30–36 in) in wingspan. Body mass ranges from 150–292 g (5.3–10.3 oz).

In winter, the cap is lost, and there is a dark patch through the eye like a Forster's tern or a Mediterranean gull. Juvenile gull-billed terns have a fainter mask, but otherwise look much like winter adults.

23-3-2017 TAPANTI, COSTA RICA - PRONG BILLED BARBET (Semnornis frantzii)

The prong-billed barbet (Semnornis frantzii) is a distinctive, relatively large-billed bird native to humid highland forest of Costa Rica and western Panama.

The prong-billed barbet is found in the mountains from Costa Rica's Cordillera de Tilarán to western Panama's Veraguas Province. In elevation it mostly ranges between 750 and 2,450 m (2,500 and 8,000 ft) on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, between 1,500 and 1,450 m (4,900 and 4,800 ft) on the Pacific side, and between 1,500 and 2,250 m (4,900 and 7,400 ft) in Panama. (Locally it occurs somewhat lower in both countries.) It inhabits the interior and edges of extremely humid montane evergreen forest, a landscape characterized by many epiphytes and mosses and frequent fog.

The Prong-billed Barbet, Semnornis frantzii, is a bird of considerable charm, with a robust silhouette and a notably large bill, which is silvery gray to bluish with a dark tip. This bill, featuring a distinctive notch at the tip of the mandible, gives the bird its name. Adults sport a dull golden brown crown, with a brownish olive nape and upper back, transitioning to an olive green lower back, rump, and uppertail coverts. Males are distinguished by a glossy black tuft at the rear of the crown, a feature absent in females. Both sexes share dull slaty black lores, cheeks, and chin, with the sides of their head, neck, and upper breast a buffy olive that turns yellowish on the lower breast. The belly is pale yellow, flanks are a dull grayish with a pale yellowish wash, and the wings are dusky.

This species thrives in the interior and edges of extremely humid montane evergreen forests, a habitat rich with epiphytes, mosses, and frequent fog.

The Prong-billed Barbet is native to the highland forests of Costa Rica and western Panama, ranging in elevation from 750 to 2,450 meters on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, and from 1,500 to 2,250 meters in Panama.

A non-migratory bird, the Prong-billed Barbet is known to forage in flocks of up to 12 outside the breeding season and roost communally in tree cavities. During the breeding season, they exhibit monogamous and territorial behavior.

8-4-2018 THORNYBUSH LODGE, SOUTH AFRICA - SPOTTED HYENA (Crocuta crocuta)

A highly misunderstood animal, the Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) has the reputation of being cowardly and sly, but it is actually a fascinating and intelligent creature with a very interesting social system. It looks like a dog but is closer related to cats, civets, and genets. It is also called the laughing hyena. It is a strong and capable hunter and the largest member of the hyena family. Females and males look exactly the same except that females are a little larger.

The spotted hyena has a strong and well-developed neck and forequarters, but relatively underdeveloped hindquarters. The rump is rounded rather than angular, which prevents attackers coming from behind from getting a firm grip on it. The head is wide and flat with a blunt muzzle and broad rhinarium. In contrast to the striped hyena, the ears of the spotted hyena are rounded rather than pointed. Each foot has four digits, which are webbed and armed with short, stout, and blunt claws. The paw-pads are broad and very flat, with the whole undersurface of the foot around them being naked. The tail is relatively short, being 300-350 mm (12-14 in) long, and resembles a pompom in appearance. Unusually among hyaenids, and mammals in general, the female Spotted hyena is considerably larger than the male. Both sexes have a pair of anal glands that produce a white, creamy secretion that is pasted onto grass stalks by everting the rectum. The odor of this secretion is very strong, smelling of boiling cheap soap or burning, and can be detected by humans several meters downwind.

26-3-2017 RANCHO NATURALISTA - NORTHERN EMERALD TOUCANET (Aulacorhynchus prasinus)

The emerald toucanet (Aulacorhynchus prasinus) is a species of near-passerine bird in the toucan family Ramphastidae. It is found from Mexico to Nicaragua.

The emerald toucanet is non-migratory.

The emerald toucanet is gregarious and frequently gathers in groups of up to about 10.

The emerald toucanet forages by gleaning, usually while perched. Its diet is eclectic and includes a wide variety of fruits, invertebrates of many orders, and vertebrate prey such as birds, eggs, lizards, and snakes.

The emerald toucanet's breeding season is from March to July. It nests in tree cavities, either natural or those abandoned by woodpeckers. They can be as high as 27 m (89 ft) above the ground. The typical clutch size is three or four but can range from one to five. Both sexes incubate the eggs but the female does so more than the male. The incubation period is 16 days and fledging occurs 42 to 45 days after hatch.

11-4-2018 VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE - CARDINAL WOODPECKER (Chloropicus fuscescens)

28-3-2017 TARCOLES RIVER COSTA RICA - AMAZON KINGFISHER (Chloroceryle amazona)

                             

The Amazon kingfisher (Chloroceryle amazona) is a species of "water kingfisher" in subfamily Cerylinae of family Alcedinidae. It is found in the lowlands of the American tropics from southern Mexico south through Central America to northern Argentina.

The Amazon kingfisher resembles the green kingfisher which shares its range, but it is much larger than its relative, and three to four times as heavy. It is 30 cm (12 in) in length and weighs 98–140 g (3.5–4.9 oz). It has the typical kingfisher shape, with a short tail and long bill. It is oily green above, with a shaggy crest and a white collar around the neck. It lacks the white markings on the wings shown by green kingfisher.

Males have white underparts apart from a broad chestnut breast band and some green streaks on the flanks. Females have white underparts with green patches on the side of the chest and green flank streaks. Young birds resemble the adult female, but have white spots on the wings. These birds often give a harsh teck call. The rarely heard song, given from a tree top, is a whistled see see see see.

This large kingfisher breeds by streams. The unlined nest is in a horizontal tunnel made in a river bank, and up to 1.6 m (5.2 ft) long and 10 cm (3.9 in) wide. The female lays three, sometimes four, white eggs.

Amazon kingfishers are often seen perched on a branch or rock close to water before plunging in head first after their fish prey. They also feed on insects and amphibians. They are the most likely American green kingfisher to be seen on large rivers.

17-4-2019 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - SAGE LEAVED ROCK ROSE (Cistus salviifolius)

17-4-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SMALL DUSTY WAVE MOTH (Idaea seriata)

17-4-2019 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - GREATER FLAMINGO (Phoenicopterus roseus)

17-4-2019 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - BLACK HEADED GULL (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)

17-4-2019 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - COMMON SHELDUCK (MALE) (Tadorna tadorna)

17-4-2019 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - COMMON SHELDUCK (FEMALE) (Tadorna tadorna)

17-4-2019 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - WOOD SANDPIPER (Tringa glareola)

17-4-2019 ALBUFERA, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)

17-4-2019 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - GIANT MULLEIN (Verbascum thapsus)

15-4-2019 DENIA, ALICANTE - RED VALERIAN (Centranthus ruber)

15-4-2019 DENIA PLAYA, ALICANTE - SALLY MY HANDSOME (Carpobrotus acinaciformis)

15-4-2019 DENIA PLAYA, ALICANTE - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)

15-4-2019 DENIA, ALICANTE - DEWFIGS (Genus Drosanthemum)

15-4-2019 DENIA, ALICANTE - TRIBE INULEAE (Pallenis maritima)

15-4-2019 DENIA, ALICANTE - EUROPEAN GLADIOLI (Genus Gladiolus)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/713534-Gladiolus

15-4-2019 DENIA, ALICANTE - CHICORY (Cichorium intybus)

15-4-2019 DENIA, ALICANTE - YELLOW HORNED POPPY (Glaucium flavum)

15-4-2019 DENIA, ALICANTE - TREE MALLOW (Malva arborea)

15-4-2019 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HELICINAN SLUG (Infraorder Arionoidei)

Limacus flavus, known commonly as the cellar slug, the yellow slug, or the tawny garden slug, is a medium to large species of air-breathing land slug, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Limacidae.

This slug has a yellow body with grey mottling, and pale blue tentacles. When extended, the body length can be 7.5 to 10 cm (3.0 to 3.9 in).

The yellow slug is common in Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland as well as most of southern and western Europe. It has been accidentally introduced in many other parts of the world.

Yellow slugs, like the majority of other land slugs, use two pairs of tentacles on their heads to sense their environment. The upper pair, called optical tentacles, is used to sense light. The lower pair, oral tentacles, provide the slug's sense of smell. Both pairs can retract and extend themselves to avoid hazards, and, if lost to an accident or predation, can be regrown.

Like all slugs, the yellow slug moves relatively slowly, gliding along using a series of muscular contractions on the underside of its foot, which is lubricated with mucus, such that it leaves a slime trail behind it.

This species feeds mostly on fungi, decaying matter, and vegetables.

This species is strongly associated with human habitation, and is usually found in damp areas such as cellars, kitchens, and gardens or under stones. Generally speaking it is only seen at night, because it is nocturnal. Thus often it goes unnoticed and people are unaware of how (relatively) common the species is.