14-1-2020 OLIVA, VALENCIA - EURASIAN BLACKCAP (MALE) (Sylvia atricapilla)

The Eurasian blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla, is a common and widespread typical warbler known for its distinctive cap and melodious song. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism with males sporting a black cap and females a chestnut one. The upperparts are generally olive-grey, while the underparts are pale grey. This bird is small and agile, measuring around 13 cm in length with a wingspan of 7–8 cm.

Males can be identified by their black caps and light grey underparts, while females have a reddish-brown cap and a slightly browner hue to their grey upperparts. Juveniles resemble females but have a rufous tinge to their upperparts and a more olive tone on the breast and flanks. The blackcap's tail is dark grey with an olive edge to each feather, and it has a grey bill and legs with a reddish-brown iris.

The blackcap favors mature deciduous woodlands with a well-developed understory. It also occupies parks, large gardens, and overgrown hedges, provided there are tall trees for songposts and dense shrubs for nesting.

This warbler breeds across much of Europe, western Asia, and northwestern Africa. It is a partial migrant, with northern populations wintering in northwestern Europe, around the Mediterranean, and in tropical Africa. Some have adapted to wintering in British and Irish gardens.

Blackcaps are territorial during the breeding season, with males establishing and defending their territories through song and display. They are mainly monogamous and may raise one to two broods per season. The species is known for its leap-frog migration pattern, where northern populations migrate further south than those from the Mediterranean.

Despite extensive hunting in Mediterranean countries and the natural hazards of predation and disease, the blackcap has been extending its range for several decades, and is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as least concern. Its rich and varied song has led to it being described as the "mock nightingale" and it has featured in literature, films and music. In Messiaen's opera Saint François d'Assise, the saint is represented by themes based on the blackcap's song.

14-1-2020 OLIVA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris)

The Common Starling, Sturnus vulgaris, is a medium-sized passerine bird characterized by its glossy black plumage with a metallic sheen. Throughout the year, the plumage is speckled with white, though less so during the breeding season. Adults measure approximately 20 cm in length, with pink legs and a seasonally changing bill color—black in winter and yellow in summer. Juveniles display browner plumage compared to adults.

To identify the Common Starling, look for its iridescent black feathers, which may appear purple or green when reflecting light. The bird's bill is black in the winter and transitions to yellow in the summer, aiding in identification. The starling's flight is strong and direct, with pointed wings that are distinctive in the air. On the ground, its waddling gait is notable.

Common Starlings are highly adaptable, favoring urban and suburban areas where they find ample nesting and roosting opportunities. They also inhabit grasslands, such as farmlands and pastures, where short grass makes foraging for invertebrates easier.

Native to temperate Europe and western Asia, the Common Starling has been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, North America, and other regions. Its range extends from Europe to northern Africa and across the Palearctic to western Mongolia.

The Common Starling is a gregarious bird, especially in autumn and winter, forming large flocks known as murmurations. These flocks are thought to be a defense against predators. On the ground, starlings forage in groups, often following grazing animals to feed on disturbed invertebrates.

The Common Starling's song is a varied mix of melodic and mechanical sounds, including mimicked noises from other bird species and the environment. Males sing to attract mates and defend their territory. Calls include a harsh alarm scream and a variety of social chatters.

Breeding occurs in the spring and summer, with the female laying four to five glossy, pale blue eggs in a nest built within a natural or artificial cavity. Both parents share incubation duties, and the young fledge after about three weeks.

Omnivorous, the Common Starling's diet includes a wide range of invertebrates, seeds, and fruit. They employ various foraging techniques, such as probing the ground and catching flying insects.

14-1-2020 OLIVA, VALENCIA - COMMON CHIFFCHAFF (Phylloscopus collybita)

13-1-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WALL BROWN BUTTERFLY (Lasiommata megera)

Lasiommata megera, the wall or wall brown, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae (subfamily Satyrinae). It is widespread in the Palearctic realm with a large variety of habitats and number of generations a year.

P. megera L. [— xiphie Boisd. pt (45d). Above reddish yellow, with a black mark which traverses the distal band from the cell of the forewing to the abdominal margin of the hindwing, short black stripes crossing the disc and the cell of the forewing.

The species lives in North Africa, Europe, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, the Middle East, western Siberia, northern Tian Shan, Dzungarian Alatau, Kazakhstan and Dzungaria.

13-1-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WAVE MOTH (Idaea minuscularia)

Idaea minuscularia is a small, whitish-grey geometrid moth found in Southwest Europe and Northwest Africa, often in coastal maquis, cultivated areas, and villages, feeding on ground-level herbs like Oxalis, and recognized by its pale color with fine dark markings and a simple wing edge, differentiating it from similar Idaea species. 

Appearance: Small (1.2-1.8 cm wingspan), white/grey wings with scattered dark scales, often with indistinct lines and a dotted border on the wing edge.

Habitat: Common near coasts in maquis shrubland, cultivated fields, and walls in SW Europe & NW Africa.

Larval Diet: Feeds on herbs near the ground, including Oxalis in the Azores.

12-1-2020 BENIARRES, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN ROBIN (Erithacus rubecula)

12-1-2020 BENIARRES, VALENCIA - EURASIAN GREAT CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo)

12-1-2020 BENIARRES, VALENCIA - SARDINIAN WARBLER (MALE) (Sylvia melanocephala)

The Sardinian warbler, Curruca melanocephala, presents itself as a charming and distinctive bird of the Mediterranean. The males are adorned with a sleek grey back and pristine whitish underparts, crowned with a striking black head, a pure white throat, and captivating red eyes. The females, on the other hand, exhibit a more subdued palette, with brown upperparts and buff underparts, complemented by a subtle grey head.

When attempting to identify the Sardinian warbler, look for the male's black head and red eyes, which contrast with the white throat and grey back. Females can be recognized by their brown and buff coloration with a greyish head. The variability in plumage, including the presence or absence of a reddish hue, can be a helpful clue in distinguishing between subspecies.

This typical warbler favors open landscapes and cultivated areas, where it can find bushes suitable for nesting. Its preference for such environments makes it a familiar sight in the Mediterranean countryside.

The Sardinian warbler is a resident of the southernmost regions of Europe, extending its range into Asia in Turkey and the eastern Mediterranean. While not extensively migratory, some individuals do venture to North Africa for the winter, and the species has been known to appear as a vagrant as far as Great Britain.

19-3-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - BLUE EARED KINGFISHER (FEMALE) (Alcedo meninting)

The blue-eared kingfisher (Alcedo meninting) is found in Asia, ranging across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is found mainly in dense shaded forests where it hunts in small streams. It is darker crowned, with darker rufous underparts and lacking the rufous ear stripe of the common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) which is found in more open habitats. A number of subspecies have been described that differ in measurement and colour shade. Adult males have an all dark bill while females have a reddish lower mandible.

The blue-eared kingfisher was described by the American naturalist Thomas Horsfield in 1821 and given its current binomial name Alcedo meninting. The name Alcedo is the Latin word for a "kingfisher". The specific epithet meninting is the Javanese word for the species. The blue-eared kingfisher is one of seven species in the genus Alcedo and is most closely related to Blyth's kingfisher (Alcedo hercules).

Shaded forest streams are the usual habitat. 

This 16 centimetres (6.3 in) long kingfisher is almost identical to the common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) but is distinguished by the blue ear coverts, darker and more intense cobalt-blue upperparts with richer rufous under parts. The juvenile blue-eared kingfisher has rufous ear-coverts as in the common kingfisher but it usually shows some mottling on the throat and upper breast which disappears when the bird reaches adulthood. Young birds have a reddish bill with whitish tips.

The range of this species stretches from India in the west, eastwards across Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, and further into Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia. The usual habitat is pools or streams in dense evergreen forest and sometimes mangroves, situated under 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) of altitude.

The blue-eared kingfisher is largely resident within its range. They usually perch on branches overhanging densely shaded streams before diving below to capture prey that includes crustaceans, dragonfly larvae and fish. Other insects including grasshoppers and mantids have been recorded.

The breeding season in India is mainly May to June in northern India and January in southwestern India. The nest is a metre long tunnel in the bank of a forest stream where about five to seven white near spherical eggs are laid.

11-1-2020 OLIVA PLAJA, VALENCIA - SANDERLING (Calidris alba)

11-1-2020 OLIVA PLAJA, VALENCIA - BUNCH FLOWERED DAFFODIL (Narcissus tazetta)

Narcissus tazetta (paperwhite, bunch-flowered narcissus, bunch-flowered daffodil, Chinese sacred lily, cream narcissus, joss flower, polyanthus narcissus) is a perennial ornamental plant that grows from a bulb. Cultivars of N. tazetta include 'Caniculatus', 'Grand Soleil d'Or' and 'Ziva', which are popularly used for forcing indoors, as is the form of N. tazetta known as Chinese Sacred Lily.

Narcissus tazetta is amongst the tallest of the narcissi, and can grow to a height of up to 80 centimetres (31 in),[5] with thin, flat leaves up to 40 centimetres (16 in) long and 15 millimetres (0.59 in) wide. Umbels have as many as 8 flowers, white with a yellow corona.

10-1-2020 BRETAGNE, FRANCE - ROUGH LEGGED HAWK (Buteo lagopus)

The rough-legged buzzard (Europe) or rough-legged hawk (North America)(Buteo lagopus) is a medium-large bird of prey. It is found in Arctic and Subarctic regions of North America, Europe, and Russia during the breeding season and migrates south for the winter. It was traditionally also known as the rough-legged falcon in such works as John James Audubon's The Birds of America.

Nests are typically located on cliffs, bluffs or in trees. Clutch sizes are variable with food availability, but three to five eggs are usually laid. These hawks hunt over open land, feeding primarily on small mammals. Along with the kestrels, kites, and osprey, this is one of the few birds of prey to hover regularly.

9-1-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLACK REDSTART (FEMALE) (Phoenicurus ochruros)

5-6-2019 MOREMI CAMP, BOTSWANA - SOUTHERN LION (FEMALE) (Panthera leo ssp. melanochaita) PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

Panthera leo melanochaita is a lion subspecies in Southern and East Africa. In this part of Africa, lion populations are regionally extinct in Lesotho, Djibouti and Eritrea, and are threatened by loss of habitat and prey base, killing by local people in retaliation for loss of livestock, and in several countries also by trophy hunting. Since the turn of the 21st century, lion populations in intensively managed protected areas in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe have increased, but declined in East African range countries. In 2005, a Lion Conservation Strategy was developed for East and Southern Africa.

Results of a phylogeographic study indicate that lion populations in southern and eastern Africa form a major clade distinct from lion populations in West Africa, Central Africa and Asia. In 2017, the Cat Classification Task Force of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group subsumed lion populations according to the major clades into two subspecies, namely P. l. leo and P. l. melanochaita. Within P. l. melanochaita three subclades are clearly distinguishable. One from northeastern Africa, another one from southwestern Africa and a third one from southeastern Africa.

The type specimen for P. l. melanochaita was a black-maned lion from the Cape of Good Hope, known as the Cape lion. Phylogeographic analysis of lion samples from Gabon and the Republic of the Congo indicate their close genetic relation to P. l. melanochaita samples from Namibia and Botswana. It has been referred to as the Southern lion, Southern African lion, East-Southern African lion and the "southern subspecies". Lions usually hunt in groups and prey foremost on ungulates such as gemsbok (Oryx gazella), Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer), blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), common eland (Tragelaphus oryx), greater kudu (T. strepsiceros), nyala (T. angasii), roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus), sable antelope (H. niger), plains zebra (Equus quagga), bushpig (Potamochoerus larvatus), common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus), hartebeest (Alcephalus buselaphus), common tsessebe (Damaliscus lunatus), waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus), kob (K. kob) and Thomson's gazelle (Eudorcas thomsonii). 

Their prey is usually in the range of 190–550 kg (420–1,210 pounds). In the Serengeti National Park, lions were observed to also scavenge on carrion of animals that were killed by other predators, or died from natural causes. They kept a constant lookout for circling vultures, apparently being aware that vultures indicate a dead animal.[80] Faeces of lions collected near waterholes in Hwange National Park also contained remains of climbing mice (Dendromus) and common mice (Mus).

In Botswana's Chobe National Park, lions also prey on young and subadult African bush elephants (Loxodonta africana). They successfully attacked 74 elephants between 1993 and 1996, of which 26 were older than nine years, and one bull over 15 years old. In October 2005, a pride of up to 30 lions killed eight African bush elephants that were between four and eleven years old.

8-1-2020 MONTE CORONA, 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.

The European robin is a bird of diverse habitats, found in woodlands, gardens, and parks across its range. It is particularly associated with areas where the soil is dug or disturbed, allowing it easy access This bird has a wide distribution across Europe, extending east to Western Siberia and south to North Africa. It is sedentary in most of its range except the far north, where it is migratory.

The European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) is a small, familiar songbird known for its bright orange-red breast, brown back, and whitish belly, though juveniles are spotted brown. They are highly territorial, fiercely defending their space year-round, even singing at night under artificial lights or loud noises, and famously follow gardeners for worms. Robins eat insects and berries, build mossy nests in cavities, and are a popular symbol of Christmas in Britain, notes A-Z Animals. 

8-1-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLACK REDSTART (FEMALE) (Phoenicurus ochruros)

The Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) is a small, charismatic passerine bird, exhibiting a blend of dark and vibrant plumage. Males are distinguished by their dark grey to black upperparts and breast, with a striking orange-red rump and tail. Females and juveniles are more subdued in color, with grey to grey-brown feathers and the same vivid tail coloration that is the hallmark of the species.

Adult males are easily identified by their dark upperparts and black breast, contrasting with the orange-red lower rump and tail. The belly and undertail may vary from blackish-grey to orange-red, depending on the subspecies. Females and juveniles are less conspicuous, with overall greyer tones and a distinctive orange-red rump and tail. The presence of pale fringes on the secondaries forms a whitish wing panel in some subspecies.

The Black Redstart has adapted remarkably to urban environments, often found nesting in crevices or holes within buildings. Originally a dweller of stony mountainous regions, it now thrives in industrial areas with similar structural features.

This species is widely distributed across south and central Europe, Asia, and north-west Africa. It is a resident in milder regions, while populations in the northeast migrate to warmer areas during winter.

7-1-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH (MALE) (Carduelis carduelis)

7-1-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLACK REDSTART (FEMALE) (Phoenicurus ochruros)

6-1-2020 PEGO, ALICANTE - 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.

6-1-2020 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - 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.

6-1-2020 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)

6-1-2020 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - COMMON CHIFFCHAFF (Phylloscopus collybita)

8-6-2019 KHWAI CAMP, BOTSWANA - HIPPOPOTAMUS (Hippopotamus amphibius)

The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius; /ˌhɪpəˈpɒtəməs/; pl.: hippopotamuses), often shortened to hippo (pl.: hippos), further qualified as the common hippopotamus, Nile hippopotamus and river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being the pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis or Hexaprotodon liberiensis). Its name comes from the Ancient Greek for "river horse" (ἱπποπόταμος).

After elephants and rhinoceroses, the hippopotamus is the next largest land mammal. It is also the largest extant land artiodactyl. Despite their physical resemblance to pigs and other terrestrial even-toed ungulates, the closest living relatives of the hippopotamids are cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises, etc.), from which they diverged about 55 million years ago.

Hippos are recognisable for their barrel-shaped torsos, wide-opening mouths with large canine tusks, nearly hairless bodies, short legs, and large size: adults average 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) for bulls (males) and 1,300 kg (2,900 lb) for cows (females).

Hippos inhabit rivers, lakes, and mangrove swamps. Territorial bulls each preside over a stretch of water and a group of five to thirty cows and calves. Mating and birth both occur in the water. During the day, hippos remain cool by staying in water or mud, emerging at dusk to graze on grasses. While hippos rest near each other in the water, grazing is a solitary activity and hippos typically do not display territorial behaviour on land. Hippos are among the most dangerous animals in the world due to their aggressive and unpredictable nature. They are threatened by habitat loss and poaching for their meat and ivory (canine teeth).

6-6-2019 MOREMI CAMP, BOTSWANA - BURCHELL'S STARLING (Lamprotornis australis) PHOTO COURTESY MRS VALERIE FISHER

Burchell's starling (Lamprotornis australis) or Burchell's glossy-starling is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. The monogamous and presumably sedentary species is native to dry and mesic woodlands and savannah of southern Africa. The name of this bird commemorates the English naturalist William John Burchell.

This species is found in Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It is absent from miombo woodland, but is present in westerly gusu woodlands.

In the Kalahari they associate with camelthorn trees and also feed on their flowers. Their food includes flowers, fruit and small animals. They breed during the summer months.

The species is not threatened and is locally common in conservation areas.

5-1-2020 VILLALONGA RIO SERPIS, VALENCIA - BLACK REDSTART (FEMALE) (Phoenicurus ochruros)

The Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) is a small, charismatic passerine bird, exhibiting a blend of dark and vibrant plumage. Males are distinguished by their dark grey to black upperparts and breast, with a striking orange-red rump and tail. Females and juveniles are more subdued in color, with grey to grey-brown feathers and the same vivid tail coloration that is the hallmark of the species.

Adult males are easily identified by their dark upperparts and black breast, contrasting with the orange-red lower rump and tail. The belly and undertail may vary from blackish-grey to orange-red, depending on the subspecies. Females and juveniles are less conspicuous, with overall greyer tones and a distinctive orange-red rump and tail. The presence of pale fringes on the secondaries forms a whitish wing panel in some subspecies.

The Black Redstart has adapted remarkably to urban environments, often found nesting in crevices or holes within buildings. Originally a dweller of stony mountainous regions, it now thrives in industrial areas with similar structural features.

This species is widely distributed across south and central Europe, Asia, and north-west Africa. It is a resident in milder regions, while populations in the northeast migrate to warmer areas during winter.