24-5-2017 ALBACASAR, VALENCIA - COMMON HOUSE MARTIN (Delichon urbicum)

The Common house martin (Delichon urbicum) is a migratory passerine bird which breeds in Europe, North Africa and across the Palearctic; and winters in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia. It feeds on insects that are caught in flight, and it migrates to climates where flying insects are plentiful. Both the scientific and colloquial names of the bird are related to its use of human-made structures. It builds a closed cup nest from mud pellets under eaves or similar locations on buildings usually in colonies.

The Common house martin is steel-blue above with a white rump, and white underparts, including the underwings; even its short legs have white downy feathering. It has brown eyes and a small black bill, and its toes and exposed parts of the legs are pink. The sexes are similar, but the juvenile bird is sooty black, and some of its wing coverts and quills have white tips and edgings.

25-5-2017 USERES, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH (MALE) (Carduelis carduelis)

5-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - PSILOTHRIX VIRIDICOERULEA (subfamily Dasytinae)

5-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GREAT TIT (Parus major)

7-5-2017 SEVILLE , ANDALUCIA - HOUSE SPARROW (MALE) (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.

7-5-2017 SEVILLE , ANDALUCIA - MALLARD (MALE) (Anas platyrhynchos)

Male Mallards have a dark, iridescent-green head and bright yellow bill. The gray body is sandwiched between a brown breast and black rear. Females and juveniles are mottled brown with orange-and-brown bills. Both sexes have a white-bordered, blue “speculum” patch in the wing.

Unlike larger waterfowl such as the Tundra Swan, which mate for life, Mallard pairs only stay together for a season. Courtship and pair formation begin each fall and winter. Groups of males display for a hen with a variety of behaviors, including head and tail shaking, head-bobbing, dipping, and whistling.

The female Mallard has between five and 14 light green eggs that she incubates for 30 days.

The ducklings are lead to water as soon as their soft, downy feathers are dry. ...

Most Mallard ducks live for one or two years, but some can live as long as 16 years!

Mallards swim with their tail held above the water.

29-2-2020 SAN CARLOS PARQUE, MADRID - EURASIAN MAGPIE (Pica pica)

13-4-2017 HUELVA, SPAIN - HOUSE SPARROW (MALE) (Passer domesticus)

4-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - FALSE BLISTER BEETLE (Family Oedemeridae)

4-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - LONG JOINTED BEETLE (Lagria grenieri)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/470283-Lagria-grenieri

4-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BURROWING BUG (Cydnus aterrimus)

4-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GREY LEAVED CISTUS (Cistus albidus)

4-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HOUSE SPARROW (FEMALE) (Passer domesticus)

4-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLUE ROCK THRUSH (MALE) (Monticola solitarius)

24-5-2017 ALDEA ROQUETA, VALENCIA - PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLY (Vanessa cardui)

21-5-2017 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - EURASIAN TREE SPARROW (MALE) (Passer montanus)

29-4-2020 PARQUE NAT DE CABANEROS, CIUDAD REAL - LESSER KESTREL (Falco naumanni)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/59845-Falco-naumanni

 

10-3-2020 THATTEKAD BIRD SANCTUARY, INDIA - ROCK DRAGON (Psammophilus dorsalis) PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/31408-Psammophilus-dorsalis

3-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SPECKLED WOOD BUTTERFLY (Pararge aegeria)

3-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - CATALONIA WALL LIZARD (Podarcis liolepis)

1-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - RHOPTRIA ASPERARIA MOTH (Family Geometridae)

4-3-2020 KANHA NAT PARK, INDIA - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta) PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

4-3-2020 KANHA NAT PARK, INDIA - INDIAN PEAFOWL (Pavo cristatus) COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

7-3-2020 THATTEKAD, INDIA - COMMON HILL MYNA (Gracula religiosa)

1-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MEDITERRANEAN HOUSE GECKO (Hemidactylus turcicus)

1-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLUE APHYLLANTHES (Aphyllanthes monspeliensis)

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/179648-Aphyllanthes-monspeliensis

1-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLUE ROCK THRUSH (FEMALE) (Monticola solitarius)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_rock_thrush

1-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - COAL TIT (Periparus ater)

7-3-2020 THATTEKAD, INDIA - BLACK RUMPED FLAMEBACK WOODPECKER (Dinopium benghalense)

The black-rumped flameback (Dinopium benghalense), also known as the lesser golden-backed woodpecker or lesser goldenback, is a woodpecker found widely distributed in the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the few woodpeckers that are seen in urban areas. It has a characteristic rattling-whinnying call and an undulating flight. It is the only golden-backed woodpecker with a black throat and a black rump.

This flameback is found mainly on the plains going up to an elevation of about 1200m in Pakistan, India south of the Himalayas and east till the western Assam valley and Meghalaya, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It is associated with open forest and cultivation. They are often seen in urban areas with wooded avenues. It is somewhat rare in the Kutch and desert region of Rajasthan.

7-3-2020 THATTEKAD, INDIA - MALABAR TROGON (Harpactes fasciatus)