3-2-2021 CREU DE LONGA, VALENCIA - NORTHERN LAPWING (Vanellus vanellus)

The Northern Lapwing, known scientifically as Vanellus vanellus, is a distinctive bird with a notable crest on its head. It measures 28–33 cm in length, with a wingspan of 67–87 cm and a body mass ranging from 128–330 g. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism; males have a pronounced crest and a stark black crown, throat, and breast, which contrasts sharply with their white face. Females and juveniles have shorter crests and less defined head markings, but their overall plumage is similar to that of the males, with a black and white coloration and a greenish tint on the back.

When identifying the Northern Lapwing, look for its rounded wings, short legs, and the characteristic crest that adorns its head. The male's long crest and contrasting black and white facial patterns are particularly striking during the breeding season. In flight, the species can be recognized by its slow wingbeats and the rounded shape of its wings.

12-12-2021 LLUTXENT, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN ROBIN (Erithacus rubecula)

 The European robin (Erithacus rubecula), known simply as the robin or robin redbreast in Great Britain and Ireland, is a small insectivorous passerine bird, a member of the chat subfamily of the Old World flycatcher family. It is a plucky little bird, with a length of about 12.5–14.0 cm and a weight of 16–22 g. Both sexes are similarly adorned with an orange breast and face, lined with grey, brown upper-parts, and a whitish belly.

Adult robins can be identified by their orange breast and face, bordered by a bluish-grey on the sides of the neck and chest. The upperparts are brownish, or olive-tinged in British birds, and the belly is whitish. The bill and eyes are black. Juvenile robins are distinguishable by their spotted brown and white plumage, with patches of orange gradually appearing as they mature.

12-12-2021 LLUTXENT, VALENCIA - COMMON CHAFFINCH (FEMALE) (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.

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.

23-10-2026 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HALF EDGED WALL JUMPING SPIDER (Menemerus semilimbatus)

An half edged wall jumping spider has caught the larger Barbary ant and is taking it to its quiet place to consume.

Menemerus semilimbatus are about 6.5–8.4 millimetres (0.26–0.33 in) long, the male being slightly smaller than the female. These fairly big jumping spiders are dorso-ventrally flattened and are covered with short dense, grayish-white hairs, with hairy whitish palps and a white band on the side margins of the carapace, showing also a small white, triangular marking in the middle. The eyes are large and forward-facing. The legs are light brown with darker rings and patches, while the abdomen is dorsally yellowish or grayish, with a characteristic pattern of several bright V-shaped markings. The females show a notch at the posterior edge of the epigyne and two oval depressions in the anterior half.

23-10-2026 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLOODY NOSED BEETLE (Timarcha tenebricosa)

Key Identification & Physical Traits

• Appearance: They are large, rounded, bulky beetles measuring between 11 to 23 mm in length. They feature a matte or slightly iridescent blue-black exoskeleton and thick, highly segmented antennae that resemble a tiny black string of pearls.

• Flightless Nature: Unlike most beetles, their wing casings (elytra) are completely fused together, making them entirely flightless.

• Specialized Feet: Their legs have wide, padded tarsi equipped with hundreds of tiny adhesion hairs, allowing them to easily climb smooth vertical surfaces.

The Famous Defense Mechanism

The common names "bloody-nosed beetle" and "blood spewer" come from its unique, chemical defense behavior known as reflex bleeding. When handled or threatened by predators, the beetle intentionally ruptures thin membranes in its mouth to exude a bright red-orange drop of hemolymph (insect blood). This liquid is foul-tasting, acidic, and highly effective at deterring predators like birds or small mammals.

Habitat, Diet, & Lifecycle

• Diet: Both adults and larvae are monophagous, feeding almost exclusively on plants in the bedstraw family (Galium), such as Lady's Bedstraw, Heath Bedstraw, and Cleavers (Goosegrass).

• Habitat: They are frequently found plodding along paths, coastal cliffs, grasslands, heathlands, and hedgerows.

• Activity: While adults can persist for over 14 months and are active from spring through autumn, they are predominantly nocturnal, choosing to hide beneath stones or moss during the day.

• Larvae: The larvae are thick, slow-moving grubs up to 20 mm long, sporting a unique metallic blue-black coloration.

20-10-2026 AVENIDA DEL MAR, GANDIA - CUTWORM AND DART MOTH (Polymixis dubia)

Polymixis dubia (described by Duponchel in 1836) is a species of noctuid moth belonging to the family Noctuidae and subfamily Xyleninae (often grouped under cutworms and dart moths).

Key Characteristics & Biology

• Wingspan: Roughly 37 mm.

• Appearance: Features light and dark grey tones mixed with whitish or straw-colored areas. Dark grey shades typically concentrate across the middle section of the forewings, while the margins appear lighter.

• Larvae (Caterpillars): Polyphagous (feeding on a variety of low plants and shrubs), with a strong preference for rockroses (Cistus species).

Distribution & Habitat

• Range: An atlanto-Mediterranean distribution. It is found in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, and Switzerland (reaching its northern limit in the Rhône Valley in Switzerland).

• In Spain: Recorded in various mountainous and regional zones (such as Cuenca, Teruel/Albarracín, and Almería).

• Flight Period: Adults are typically active in late summer and autumn (such as August through October).

20-10-2026 AVENIDA DEL MAR, GANDIA - MARSH CRANE FLY (Tipula oleracea)

The marsh crane fly (Tipula oleracea) is a common, large insect belonging to the family Tipulidae, often mistaken for a giant mosquito.

Key Characteristics

• Appearance: Features a greyish or ferruginous (rust-colored) body, brown front wing edges, and 13-segmented antennae.

• Size: Adults have a wing length of 18–28 mm (total body length around 2.5–3.0 cm). In females, the wings reach the tip of the abdomen.

• Behavior: They do not bite or sting humans, nor do they eat mosquitoes (despite being called "mosquito hawks"). Adults feed minimally on liquid nectar or pollen and live only for a short time to reproduce.

• Habitat & Range: Native to Europe and North Africa, and introduced to parts of North and South America. Frequently found in damp grasslands, gardens, and urban areas.

Life Cycle & Impact

• Reproduction: Active mainly from April to June and August to October. Females lay hundreds of eggs individually in moist soil or turfgrass.

• Larvae ("Leatherjackets"): Subterranean, legless grubs that feed on decaying organic matter, roots, and grass shoots. High populations can damage lawns, pastures, and crops, and attract foraging birds or skunks.

• Management: Monitored via early-spring soil sampling and controlled through lawn care practices, beneficial nematodes (Steinernema carpocapsae), or biological fungi (Beauveria bassiana).

23-10-2026 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SPLENDID HELIX (Pseudotachea splendida)

The Splendid Helix (Pseudotachea splendida) is a small, glossy land snail belonging to the family Helicidae.

Key Characteristics

• Shell Size: Measures about 15 to 25 mm in diameter and 8 to 14 mm in height.

• Shell Appearance: Flat or low-spired with 3.5 to 5 whorls, featuring a bright, glossy surface that is whitish or yellowish.

• Band Patterns: Most specimens feature 1 to 5 thin, dark brown-reddish or earthy bands, though unbanded forms also exist.

• Aperture: Oval and oblique with an inner lip that is white or pinkish; adult shells lack a visible umbilicus (navel).

Habitat & Distribution

• Native Range: Found in the western Mediterranean, including eastern Spain, southern France, and Mallorca.

• Preferred Environment: Lowland Mediterranean areas, limestone terrains, maquis shrublands, and dry woods.

• Conservation Status: Listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List with a stable population trend.

23-10-2026 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - PUG MOTH (Eupithecia unedonata)

Eupithecia unedonata is a species of moth belonging to the family Geometridae (carpet and pug moths). Commonly known in French as L'Eupithécie de l'Arbousier, it is an Atlanto-Mediterranean insect widely distributed across Southern Europe, North Africa, and parts of the Middle East.

Key Characteristics

• Distribution: Found across Southern Europe, North Africa (Morocco to Egypt), the Middle East (Israel, Lebanon), Turkey, and Transcaucasia.

• Appearance & Size: Males have a wingspan of 18 to 21 mm, while females measure 19 to 22 mm, displaying typical grey and brown camouflaged pug moth patterns.

• Life Cycle: It is a bivoltine species with adult flight periods spanning from January to April and October to December.

• Host Plants: Larvae primarily feed on the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), alongside Thymelaea hirsuta and Rhus tripartita.

3-10-2021 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - WESTERN MARSH HARRIER (Circus aeruginosus)

The Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), a bird of prey from temperate and subtropical western Eurasia and adjacent Africa, is a large harrier known for its impressive size and sexual dimorphism. Males typically exhibit a cryptic reddish-brown plumage with lighter streaks and a pale greyish-yellowish head and shoulders, while females are predominantly chocolate-brown with a lighter yellowish crown, nape, and throat.

Males can be identified by their three-colored brown-grey-black appearance in flight, with grey rectrices and secondary and tertiary remiges contrasting with brown forewings and black primary remiges. Females have a darker eye area, making their light eyes stand out, and lack the grey wing-patch and tail seen in males. Juveniles resemble females but with less yellow, particularly on the shoulders.

The Western Marsh Harrier is strongly associated with wetland areas, especially those rich in common reed (Phragmites australis). It can also be found in open habitats such as farmland and grassland, particularly where these border marshland.

3-10-2021 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus)

The osprey (Pandion haliaetus), /ˈɒspri, -preɪ/, also called sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor, reaching more than 60 cm (24 in) in length and 180 cm (71 in) across the wings. It is brown on the upperparts and predominantly greyish on the head and underparts.

The osprey tolerates a wide variety of habitats, nesting in any location near a body of water providing an adequate food supply. It is found on all continents except Antarctica, although in South America it occurs only as a non-breeding migrant.

As its other common names suggest, the osprey's diet consists almost exclusively of fish. It possesses specialised physical characteristics and unique behaviour in hunting its prey. Its unique characteristics classify it in its own taxonomic genus, Pandion, and family, Pandionidae.

The osprey is the second most widely distributed raptor species, after the peregrine falcon, and is one of only six land-birds with a worldwide distribution. It is found in temperate and tropical regions of all continents, except Antarctica. In North America it breeds from Alaska and Newfoundland south to the Gulf Coast and Florida, wintering further south from the southern United States through to Argentina. It is found in summer throughout Europe north into Ireland, Scandinavia, Finland and Great Britain though not Iceland, and winters in North Africa. In Australia it is mainly sedentary and found patchily around the coastline, though it is a non-breeding visitor to eastern Victoria and Tasmania.

7-4-2021 BONAIRE, VALENCIA - EURASIAN MAGPIE (Pica pica)

The Eurasian magpie or common magpie (Pica pica) is a resident breeding bird throughout the northern part of the Eurasian continent. It is one of several birds in the crow family (corvids) that are designated as magpies, and it belongs to the Holarctic radiation of "monochrome" magpies. In Europe, the term "magpie" is used by English speakers as a synonym for the Eurasian magpie: the only other species of magpie in Europe is the Iberian magpie (Cyanopica cooki), which is restricted to the Iberian Peninsula. Despite sharing a name and similar colouration, they are not closely related to the Australian magpie, which is an artamid.

The Eurasian magpie is one of the most intelligent birds. The expansion of its nidopallium is approximately the same in its relative size as the brains of chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and humans. It is one of the few bird species known to pass the mirror test.

The range of the magpie extends across temperate Eurasia from Portugal, Spain and Ireland in the west to the Kamchatka Peninsula.

29-9-2021 SOLLANA, VALENCIA - WESTERN MARSH HARRIER (Circus aeruginosus)

The Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), a bird of prey from temperate and subtropical western Eurasia and adjacent Africa, is a large harrier known for its impressive size and sexual dimorphism. Males typically exhibit a cryptic reddish-brown plumage with lighter streaks and a pale greyish-yellowish head and shoulders, while females are predominantly chocolate-brown with a lighter yellowish crown, nape, and throat.

Males can be identified by their three-colored brown-grey-black appearance in flight, with grey rectrices and secondary and tertiary remiges contrasting with brown forewings and black primary remiges. Females have a darker eye area, making their light eyes stand out, and lack the grey wing-patch and tail seen in males. Juveniles resemble females but with less yellow, particularly on the shoulders.

The Western Marsh Harrier is strongly associated with wetland areas, especially those rich in common reed (Phragmites australis). It can also be found in open habitats such as farmland and grassland, particularly where these border marshland.

22-10-2026 GREAT SPIRIT BLUFF, MINNESOTA - NORTH AMERICAN PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus ssp. anatum) WEBCAM

The North American peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) is a crow-sized bird of prey renowned for its high-speed hunting dives and dramatic recovery from near-extinction caused by DDT pesticides.

North American Subspecies

• Anatum (Falco peregrinus anatum): Breeds throughout Alaska, Canada, the western United States, and Mexico.

• Peale’s (Falco peregrinus pealei): Resides year-round in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska and along the Pacific coast from British Columbia down to Oregon.

• Tundrius (Falco peregrinus tundrius): Breeds on the Arctic tundra across northern North America and migrates to Latin America and South America for the winter.

Key Characteristics

• Appearance: Adults feature a blue-grey or slate-gray back, barred white underparts, a dark hood, and a distinct black malar stripe (or "sideburn"). Juveniles are browner with vertical streaking.

• Size: Crow-sized (length of 34–51 cm) with a wingspan of roughly 74–120 cm; females are noticeably larger than males.

• Speed: Reaches over 200 mph (320+ km/h) during a high-speed hunting dive called a "stoop," making it one of the fastest animals on Earth.

• Diet: Consists almost entirely of other birds—ranging from hummingbirds to ducks and sandhill cranes—as well as occasional bats.

• Nesting: Does not build stick nests; instead, it lays eggs in a shallow depression ("scrape") on high rock cliffs, river bluffs, or tall urban structures like bridges and skyscrapers.

22-12-2023 CALYPSO BAR, GAMBIA - BLACK CRAKE (Zapornia flavirostra)

The black crake (Zapornia flavirostra) is a waterbird in the rail and crake family, Rallidae. It breeds in most of sub-Saharan Africa except in very arid areas. It undertakes some seasonal movements in those parts of its range which are subject to drought. No subspecies have been described. It appears that the oldest available name for this species is actually Rallus niger J. F. Gmelin, 1788, but Swainson believed that the earlier name was unidentifiable, and his own has since become well embedded in the literature.

The adult black crake is 19–23 cm (7.5–9.1 in) long with a short tail and long toes. As its name implies, the adult has mainly black plumage, with a brown olive tone on the wings and upperparts which is rarely detectable in the field. The eye is red, the bill is yellow (hence the flavirostra of the binomial name), and the legs and feet are red, duller when not breeding.

The sexes are similar, but the male is slightly larger. Most males, but only 10% of females, have a hooked upper mandible. The immature bird has brown upperparts and a dark grey head and underparts. Its bill is greenish yellow, and its feet and legs are dull red. The downy chicks are black, as with all rails.

The main call of the black crake is a duet, starting with a throaty chattering krrrok-kraaaa. The response is a dove-like cooing coo-crr-COO.

The habitat of this common to abundant species is freshwater marshes of all types, as long as there is some vegetation to provide cover. Many rails are very secretive, but the black crake is often seen out in the open. It has benefited from human activity in the form of deforestation, and is rarely hunted because of its unpalatable flesh.

The black crake is extremely aggressive when breeding and will attack birds of many species, but especially other rails. It will attack and kill rails of species as large as itself.

The nest is a deep, neat bowl made from wetland plants and built by both sexes in marsh vegetation or on the ground in a dry location. The nest is also sometimes constructed up to 3 m (9.8 ft) high in a bush.

The two to six, usually three, eggs are cream or white, and spotted with brown or chestnut. Both parents, sometimes assisted by the young from previous broods, incubate for 13–19 days to hatching. The precocial chicks leave the nest in 1–3 days, but are fed by parents and helpers for several weeks. They can fly by 5–6 weeks, and are independent at 6–12 weeks.

The black crake is diurnal, and this confiding bird will feed close to humans and often in the open. It eats a wide range of invertebrates, small fish, frogs and seeds. It will take the eggs of birds and scavenge on carcasses. It will forage on the ground or climb reeds to find prey including flying insects.

This species will perch on hippopotamuses and warthogs and remove parasites.

The Black crake is a species from sub-Saharan Africa, absent from the desert areas of South West and North East Africa. This bird frequents different types of freshwater habitats, preferring the dense undergrowth of wet clearings in wooded regions, and the grassy marshes of open areas. Habitats for this species include still and flowing inland freshwaters like ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and seasonal pans, as well as temporary flooded areas beside rivers; preferably fringed with rank grass, sedges, papyrus, reed beds, swampy thickets, bushes, or some other vegetation. These birds need tangled vegetation for taking cover, roosting and nesting. They may undertake seasonal movements in parts of their range where drought occurs. 

21-10-2026 MARJAL DE SAFOR GANDIA, VALENCIA - VIOLET DROPWING DRAGONFLY (FEMALE) (Trithemis annulata)

Trithemis annulata is a robust medium-sized species with a wingspan of 60 mm (2.4 in). The mature male has a dark red head and a yellow labium with brown central spot. The eyes are red with white spots on the rear edge, and the frons is dark metallic purplish-red. The prothorax is violet with slightly darker longitudinal stripes. The membranous wings have distinctive red veins, the pterostigma is orange-brown and there is a large orange-brown splash at the base of the hind wings. 

The abdomen is fairly broad and is pinkish-violet, with purple markings on the top of each segment and blackish markings on the terminal three segments. Females are a similar size to males but the thorax is brownish and the abdomen is yellow with dark brown markings. The wings of females lack the red veins of males but have similar orange-brown patches. It is very similar in appearance to the red-veined dropwing (Trithemis arteriosa), but that species has a more slender abdomen and a wedge-shaped black area on either side of the tip of the abdomen.

17-10-2026 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - CAPE HONEYSUCKLE (Tecomaria capensis)

Tecomaria capensis, the Cape honeysuckle, is a species of flowering plant in the family Bignoniaceae, native to southern Africa. Despite its common name, it is not closely related to the true honeysuckle.

An erect, scrambling shrub, it grows to 2–3 m (7–10 ft) in height and a similar width. Normally evergreen, it may lose its leaves in colder climates. In certain habitats it may scramble, meaning that it shoots out long growth tips which lean on the stems and branches of other plants, as well as boulders, trellises, fences and walls; this can lead to the plant appearing untidy.

The leaves are up to 15 cm (6 in) long. They are opposite, slightly serrated, green to dark-green, and pinnate with 5 to 9 oblong leaflets.

The flowers are tubular, narrow, about 7.5 cm (3 in) long, and are produced erratically at different times throughout the year, though they typically bloom from autumn to spring. They are grouped in 10–15 cm (4–6 in) long terminal clusters. The flower colour ranges from orange to orange-red to apricot.

The species occurs naturally in parts of southern and central Africa, including South Africa, Eswatini, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola.

It is cultivated in other areas of the world, such as in South-east Asia, the South of France, Hawaii, Florida, and California. It can be considered invasive in remote islands such as the Azores (as seen at the island of São Miguel, near Ponta Garça).

Tecomaria capensis has been in cultivation for many years and is often used for hedging, as it is a scrambling shrub. It can be propagated from cuttings or by removing rooted suckers during the active growth phase.

It can be planted in semi-shade to full sun. Tolerating temperatures down to 5 °C (41 °F), it can be grown in mild temperate areas with the protection of a warm wall.[9] Otherwise it can be grown in a container and taken indoors through the winter months. Any type of compost enriched soil works well.[10]To keep this shrub clean and tidy, it must be pruned back in late winter to promote new growth and flowers. The application of a balanced fertilizer after pruning will enhance the growth and flowering. During the summer months it requires a lot of water, for best results.

20-10-2026 AVENIDA DEL MAR, GANDIA - AMERICAN COCKROACH (Periplaneta americana)

The American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) is the largest species of cockroach routinely found in homes, and often considered a pest. In certain regions of the U.S. it is colloquially known as the waterbug, though it is not a true waterbug since it is not aquatic, nor a Hemipteran. It is also known as the ship cockroach, kakerlac, and Bombay canary. It is often misidentified as a palmetto bug.

Despite their name, American cockroaches are native to Africa and the Middle East. They are believed to have been introduced to the Americas only from the 17th century onward as a result of human commercial patterns, including the Atlantic slave trade.

Despite the name, none of the Periplaneta species is native to the Americas; P. americana was introduced to what is now the United States from Africa as early as 1625. They are now common in tropical climates because human activity has extended the insects' range of habitation, and are virtually cosmopolitan in distribution as a result of global commerce.

29-12-2021 EL PALMAR, VALENCIA - OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus)

The osprey (Pandion haliaetus), /ˈɒspri, -preɪ/, also called sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor, reaching more than 60 cm (24 in) in length and 180 cm (71 in) across the wings. It is brown on the upperparts and predominantly greyish on the head and underparts.

The osprey tolerates a wide variety of habitats, nesting in any location near a body of water providing an adequate food supply. It is found on all continents except Antarctica, although in South America it occurs only as a non-breeding migrant.

As its other common names suggest, the osprey's diet consists almost exclusively of fish. It possesses specialised physical characteristics and unique behaviour in hunting its prey. Its unique characteristics classify it in its own taxonomic genus, Pandion, and family, Pandionidae.

27-6-2021 MONTAVERNER, VALENCIA - LITTLE OWL (Athene noctua)

The little owl (Athene noctua), also known as the owl of Athena or owl of Minerva, is a bird that inhabits much of the temperate and warmer parts of Europe, the Palearctic east to Korea, and North Africa. It was introduced into Britain at the end of the 19th century and into the South Island of New Zealand in the early 20th century.

This owl is a member of the typical or true owl family Strigidae, which contains most species of owl, the other grouping being the barn owls, Tytonidae. It is a small (approx. 22 cm long), cryptically coloured, mainly nocturnal species and is found in a range of habitats including farmland, woodland fringes, steppes and semi-deserts.

It feeds on insects, earthworms, other invertebrates and small vertebrates. Males hold territories that they defend against intruders. This owl is a cavity nester, and a clutch of about four eggs is laid in spring. The female does the incubation and the male brings food to the nest, first for the female and later for the newly hatched young. As the chicks grow, both parents hunt and bring them food, and the chicks leave the nest at about seven weeks of age.

Being a common species with a wide range and large total population, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as "least concern".

The little owl is a small owl with a flat-topped head, a plump, compact body and a short tail. The facial disc is flattened above the eyes giving the bird a frowning expression. The plumage is greyish-brown, spotted, streaked and barred with white. The underparts are pale and streaked with darker colour. It is usually 22 cm (8.7 in) in length with a wingspan of 56 cm (22 in) for both sexes, and weighs about 180 g (6.3 oz).

The adult little owl of the most widespread form, the nominate A. n. noctua, is white-speckled brown above, and brown-streaked white below. It has a large head, long legs, and yellow eyes, and its white "eyebrows" give it a stern expression. Juveniles are duller, and lack the adult's white crown spots. This species has a bounding flight like a woodpecker. Moult begins in July and continues to November, with the male starting before the female.

The call is a querulous kiew, kiew. Less frequently, various whistling or trilling calls are uttered. In the breeding season, other more modulated calls are made, and a pair may call in duet. Various yelping, chattering or barking sounds are made in the vicinity of the nest.

The little owl is widespread across Europe, Asia and North Africa. Its range in Eurasia extends from the Iberian Peninsula and Denmark eastwards to China and southwards to the Himalayas. In Africa it is present from Mauritania to Egypt, the Red Sea and Arabia. It was introduced to the United Kingdom in the 19th century, and has spread across much of England and the whole of Wales.[12] It was introduced to Otago in New Zealand by the local acclimatisation society in 1906, and to Canterbury a little later, and is now widespread in the eastern and northern South Island;[13] it is partially protected under Schedule 2 of New Zealand's Wildlife Act 1953, whereas most introduced birds explicitly have no protection or are game birds.

Little owls often nest in hollow tree trunks. (Strumpshaw Fen RSPB reserve, Norfolk)

This is a sedentary species that is found in open countryside in a great range of habitats. These include agricultural land with hedgerows and trees, orchards, woodland verges, parks and gardens, as well as steppes and stony semi-deserts. It is also present in treeless areas such as dunes, and in the vicinity of ruins, quarries and rocky outcrops. It sometimes ventures into villages and suburbs. In the United Kingdom, it is chiefly a bird of the lowlands, and usually occurs below 500 m (1,600 ft).[10] In continental Europe and Asia, it may be found at much higher elevations; one individual was recorded from 3,600 m (12,000 ft) in Tibet.

19-10-2026 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MEDITERRANEAN LACE BORDER MOTH (Scopula submutata)

The Wave Moth (Scopula submutata), also known as the Mediterranean Lace Border, is a small geometrid moth found in Southern Europe, North Africa, and the Near East. Recognized by its delicate pattern, it thrives in dry habitats and is primarily active between May and October.

Key Identification & Physical Traits

Size: It has a small wingspan ranging from 18 to 25 mm.Appearance: The wings are adorned with a lacy, variegated pattern of fine lines and a silky texture.

Variation: Coloration can range depending on subspecies, often appearing pale grayish-brown or light ochre to blend into its arid environment.

Habitat & Behavior

Distribution: Primarily native to the Mediterranean basin, it is widely observed in regions spanning from NW-Africa and Southern Europe (such as Spain and Greece) through Turkey and the Levant.Environment: The moth favors open, dry grasslands, rocky slopes, screes, and scrublands (phrygana).

Flight Period: It typically undergoes two generations per year. Depending on the local climate, adults can be found on the wing from May to October.

Lifecycle & DietFood Plants: The larvae are oligophagous, meaning they feed on a restricted group of plants. Their primary host plants include mint-family herbs like Thymus, Satureja, and Origanum vulgare (wild marjoram).

Larval Stage: The caterpillars are slender and taper slightly toward the head, typically active in the warmer months.

3-12-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - SUN CONURE (Aratinga solstitialis)

 Sun conures are mostly found in tropical habitats, but their exact ecological requirements remain relatively poorly known. They are widely reported as occurring within dry savanna woodlands and coastal forests, but recent sightings suggest they mainly occur at altitudes less than 1200 m, at the edge of humid forests growing in foothills in the Guiana Shield, and cross more open savannah habitats only when traveling between patches of forest. Sun conures have been seen in shrublands along the Amazon riverbank, as well as forested valleys and coastal, seasonally flooded forests. These conures usually inhabit fruiting trees and palm groves.

19-10-2026 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN PAPER WASP (Polistes dominula)

The European paper wasp (Polistes dominula) is one of the most common and well-known species of social wasps in the genus Polistes. Its diet is more diverse than those of most Polistes species—many genera of insects versus mainly caterpillars in other Polistes—giving it superior survivability compared to other wasp species during a shortage of resources.

The dominant females are the principal egg layers, while the subordinate females ("auxiliaries") or workers primarily forage and do not lay eggs. This hierarchy is not permanent, though; when the queen is removed from the nest, the second-most dominant female takes over the role of the previous queen. Dominance in females is determined by the severity of the scatteredness in the coloration of the clypeus (face), whereas dominance in males is shown by the variation of spots of their abdomens. P. dominula is common and cosmopolitan due to their exceptional survival features such as productive colony cycle, short development time, and higher ability to endure predator attacks.

These wasps have a lek-based mating system. Unlike most social insects, 35% of P. dominula wasps in a colony are unrelated. It is considered an invasive species in Canada and the United States.

18-10-2026 AUSTIN, TEXAS - GREAT HORNED OWL (Bubo virginianus) WEBCAM

The great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), also known as the tiger owl (originally derived from early naturalists' description as the "winged tiger" or "tiger of the air") or the hoot owl, is a large owl native to the Americas. It is an extremely adaptable bird with a vast range and is the most widely distributed true owl in the Americas. Its diet consists primarily of rabbits and hares, rats and mice, and voles; it remains one of the few regular predators of skunk. Hunting also includes rodents, larger mid-sized mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates.

In ornithological study, the great horned owl is often compared to the Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo), a closely related species, which occupies the same ecological niche in Eurasia despite its notably larger size. The great horned owl is also compared to the red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), with which it often shares similar habitat, prey, and nesting habits by day; thus the red-tailed hawk is something of a diurnal ecological equivalent. The great horned owl is one of the earliest nesting birds in North America, often laying eggs weeks or even months before other raptorial birds.

The breeding habitat of the great horned owl extends high into the subarctic of North America, where they are found up to the northwestern and southern Mackenzie Mountains, Keewatin, Ontario, northern Manitoba, Fort Chimo in Ungava, Okak, Newfoundland and Labrador, Anticosti Island and Prince Edward Island. They are distributed throughout most of North America and very spottily in Central America and then down into South America south to upland regions of Argentina, Bolivia and Peru, before they give way to the Magellanic horned owl, which thence ranges all the way to Tierra del Fuego, the southern tip of the continent.

It is absent or rare from southern Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica to Panama (where only two records) in Central America and the mangrove forests of northwestern South America. The species is also absent from the West Indies, Haida Gwaii, and almost all off-shore islands in the Americas, its ability to colonize islands apparently being considerably less than those of barn owls and short-eared owls. Since the division into two species, the great horned owl is the second most widely distributed owl in the Americas, just after the barn owl.

24-3-2021 EL FONDO, ALICANTE - COMMON SNIPE (Gallinago gallinago)

The Common Snipe, Gallinago gallinago, is a small, stocky wader, part of the Scolopacidae family. It is a bird that is well adapted to its wetland habitats, with a mottled brown plumage adorned with straw-yellow stripes on its back and a paler underside. Its most distinctive feature is the very long, straight dark bill, measuring between 5.5 and 7 cm, which it uses to probe the soft mud for food. Adults measure 25–27 cm in length, with a wingspan of 44–47 cm, and weigh between 80–140 g, occasionally reaching up to 180 g prior to migration.

When identifying the Common Snipe, look for the dark eye stripe bordered by lighter stripes above and below. Its wings are pointed, and it has short greenish-grey legs. The flight is characterized by rapid, zig-zag patterns accompanied by a sharp "scape" call when flushed.

The Common Snipe frequents marshes, bogs, tundra, and wet meadows across the Palearctic, finding solace in the dense vegetation of these wetlands.

This species breeds across a vast range from Iceland and the British Isles to northern Fennoscandia, through European Russia and Siberia, extending east to Anadyr, Kamchatka, Bering Island, and the Kuril Islands. Its southern range in Europe includes parts of Portugal, France, Italy, Bulgaria, and Ukraine, while in Asia, it reaches northern Turkestan, Afghanistan, and the Middle East. The Common Snipe is migratory, with European birds wintering in southern and western Europe and Africa, and Asian migrants heading to tropical southern Asia.