21-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BUFF TAILED BUMBLE BEE (Bombus terrestris)

Bombus terrestris, the buff-tailed bumblebee or large earth bumblebee, is one of the most numerous bumblebee species in Europe. It is one of the main species used in greenhouse pollination, and so can be found in many countries and areas where it is not native, such as Tasmania. Moreover, it is a eusocial insect with an overlap of generations, a division of labour, and cooperative brood care. The queen is monogamous which means she mates with only one male. B. terrestris workers learn flower colours and forage efficiently.

21-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GEOMETER MOTH (Idaea incalcarata)

Idaea incalcarata is a small geometer moth belonging to the subfamily Sterrhinae. Described by Chrétien in 1913, this species is widely distributed across the Mediterranean region and is frequently documented in the Iberian Peninsula.

Appearance & Identification

Wingspan: Very small, measuring roughly 12 to 15 mm in wingspan.

Wing Pattern: Their wings feature a series of dark brown, concentric semicircles that become progressively more concentrated and marked towards the rear, resulting in a distinctively darker submarginal area compared to the lighter basal area.

Distinct Markings: The upper margin of the forewings (the costa) displays three prominent, highly contrasting, and evenly spaced dark spots.

Wing Edges: The wing margins (excluding the costa) are edged with a fringed border of alternating light beige and dark brown.

Ecology & Behavior

Distribution: They are an atlanto-mediterranean species. You can find populations across various locations in Spain (such as Aragón, Albacete, and Alicante) and parts of southern France.

Flight Period: Depending on the local climate, these moths can be trivoltine—meaning they have three overlapping generations per year with flight periods spanning from early spring through autumn.

Habitat: Typically found in calcareous soils, scrublands, and natural reserves such as the Carrascal de la Font Roja in Alicante.

20-4-2020 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.

21-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - TWO TAILED PASHA (Charaxes jasius)

Charaxes jasius, the two-tailed pasha, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is the only European species of the genus Charaxes. Divergence of the Mediterranean species C. jasius from the last common ancestor with its closest related species still flying in the Afrotropical realm most probably occurred around 2 mya, i.e. during the Pliocene.

Charaxes jasius is a medium to large butterfly with a wingspan reaching 76–83 mm in males, the female being larger. Males up to 80–100 mm wingspan, with females even larger, may be found in Morocco. Each hindwing bears two tails, characteristic of most species of the genus. The spring seasonal brood is smaller in size compared with the second and sometimes third broods, and the two tails on each hindwing tend to curve somewhat towards each other resembling a pincer, less so in the later broods with slightly longer straighter tails.

This species occurs along the European Mediterranean coast from west Portugal to the coastal islands of Greece (except for the northern Adriatic sea coast), from the central and south peninsula of Italy to Istria, and the coastline of southern Anatolia including Samos, Ikaria and Rhodes. Its range includes the Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia, Corfu and Crete. Inland, the butterfly is found in locally in Spain from Huelva and Málaga to Madrid and Salamanca. In France, the butterfly is found isolated inland from Provence to Lozère, Ardèche and Aveyron. Further around the Eastern Mediterranean coast, it occurs in Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, and continues along much of North African coast to the Atlantic Moroccan NW coast as far as coastal Tiznit environs, venturing inland in a very few Moroccan locations as high as 2,400m asl.

Its typical habitat around the Mediterranean Basin is the Maquis shrubland, up to 700–800 meters above sea level. This comprises thick, mixed scrub forests, often on hillsides, in hot and dry regions. The butterfly is found wherever its larval host plants are abundantly available.

sha is a fast-flying butterfly that displays territorial behaviour. The butterfly also is a noted for hill-topping. The adults of both sexes are attracted to fermenting fruits; they are attracted to the ethanol contained therein, and can be baited with wine and other alcoholic beverages.

Charaxes jasius is bivoltine or trivoltine, i.e. it has two or three generations per year depending on latitude and altitude.

20-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - JUMPING SPIDER (Menemerus semilimbatus)

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.

19-4-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SPECKLED FOOTMAN MOTH (Coscinia cribraria)

Coscinia cribraria, the speckled footman, is a species of moth belonging to the subfamily Arctiinae within the large family Erebidae. This moth has a widespread distribution in the Palearctic.

Coscinia cribraria has a forewing which has a background colour of dirty white marked with black streaks along the wings and crossbands made up of dark dots, both of which vary in extent. The subspecies arenaria has an almost pure white forewing.The speckled footman has a wingspan of between 30 and 35 mm (1.2 and 1.4 in).

Coscinia cribraria has a wide Palearctic distribution being found from Northwestern Africa Iberia and southern Great Britain east to China and Mongolia.[1] In Europe, north of the Alps, the speckled footman is typically found on sandy heaths and open sandy pine forests. To the south of the Alps, it inhabits on dry mountain meadows with stony or rocky areas and around the Mediterranean this species can be found in habitats like maquis and in open forests.

17-4-2016 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - COMMON SANDPIPER (Actitis hypoleucos)

The common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos ) is a small Palearctic wader. This bird and its American sister species, the spotted sandpiper (A. macularia ), make up the genus Actitis. They are parapatric and replace each other geographically; stray birds of either species may settle down with breeders of the other and hybridize. Hybridization has also been reported between the common sandpiper and the green sandpiper, a basal species of the closely related shank genus Tringa.

The adult is 18–20 cm (7.1–7.9 in) long with a 32–35 cm (13–14 in) wingspan. It has greyish-brown upperparts, white underparts, short dark-yellowish legs and feet, and a bill with a pale base and dark tip. In winter plumage, they are duller and have more conspicuous barring on the wings, though this is still only visible at close range. Juveniles are more heavily barred above and have buff edges to the wing feathers.

This species is very similar to the slightly larger spotted sandpiper (A. macularia ) in non-breeding plumage. But its darker legs and feet and the crisper wing pattern (visible in flight) tend to give it away, and of course they are only rarely found in the same location.

The common sandpiper breeds across most of temperate and subtropical Europe and Asia, and migrates to Africa, southern Asia and Australia in winter. The eastern edge of its migration route passes by Palau in Micronesia, where hundreds of birds may gather for a stop-over. They depart the Palau region for their breeding quarters around the last week of April to the first week of May.

The common sandpiper forages by sight on the ground or in shallow water, picking up small food items such as insects, crustaceans and other invertebrates; it may even catch insects in flight.

It nests on the ground near freshwater. When threatened, the young may cling to their parent's body to be flown away to safety.

29-1-2013 MOROS MARSHES, PUZOL - EUROPEAN RABBIT (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

18-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WAVE MOTH (Idaea degeneraria)

Idaea eugeniata is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in Italy, France, Andorra, Spain, Portugal[1] and North Africa.

The wingspan is 21–22 mm for males and 24–25 mm for females.

The larvae are polyphagous and have been recorded feeding on various herbaceous plants.

Subspecies

Idaea eugeniata eugeniata

Idaea eugeniata algeriaca (Culot, 1917)

18-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GREEN LACEWING (Chrysoperla carnea)

Chrysoperla is a genus of common green lacewings in the neuropteran family Chrysopidae. Therein they belong to the Chrysopini, the largest tribe of subfamily Chrysopinae. Their larvae are predatory and feed on aphids, and members of this genus have been used in biological pest control.

Chrysoperla is one of several green lacewing genera with adults having a pale, yellowish stripe down the middle of the body. It is typically separated from other such genera by the short intramedian cell (im), which doesn't overlap the first crossvein from the radial sector. This genus, however, is defined predominantly based on male genitalia. Chrysoperla is one of six genera possessing an arcuate tignum and three genera to lack a gonapsis. It is distinguished from all other green lacewing genera by the presence of spinellae on the gonosaccus in the male genitalia.

Chrysoperla species may be identical in terms of morphology, but can be readily separated based on the vibration signals used to attract mates. For example, the southern European C. mediterranea looks almost identical to its northern relative C. carnea, but their courtship "songs" are very different; individuals of one species will not react to the other's vibrations.

This genus has a cosmopolitan distribution. Species in this genus are particularly common in both Europe and North America.

23-3-2017 PANAMA CITY, PANAMA - BLACK THROATED MANGO (Anthracothorax nigricollis)

The black-throated mango (Anthracothorax nigricollis) is a species in subfamily Polytminae of the hummingbird family Trochilidae. It is found in Panama, in every mainland South American country except Chile, and on Trinidad and Tobago.

The nominate subspecies of the black-throated mango is found from western Panama into much of Colombia and Venezuela, the Guianas, eastern Ecuador and Peru, northern and eastern Bolivia, eastern Paraguay, far northern Argentina, most of Brazil, and on both Trinidad and Tobago. It has also occurred as a vagrant in Uruguay. Subspecies A. n. iridescens is found in extreme southwestern Colombia, western Ecuador, and extreme northwestern Peru.

The black-throated mango inhabits a variety of landscapes in the lowland tropics, most of them semi-open to open. These include gallery forest, shade coffee and cacao plantations, the edges of dense forest, and parks and gardens in populated areas. In general it is a bird of the lowlands, but reaches 1,400 m (4,600 ft) in Venezuela, 1,700 m (5,600 ft) in Colombia, and 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in eastern Brazil.

16-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLUE ROCK THRUSH (MALE) (Monticola solitarius)

The blue rock thrush (Monticola solitarius) is a chat species, reminiscent of a thrush, with a starling-like stature, measuring 21–23 cm in length. The male of the nominate subspecies is predominantly blue-grey, save for darker wings, presenting a striking appearance. Females and immature birds are less vivid, with dark brown upperparts and paler, scaly brown underparts. The male of the subspecies M. s. philippensis is distinguished by rufous-chestnut plumage from the mid-breast to the undertail, a feature absent in both sexes of the rock thrush.

To identify the blue rock thrush, look for the male's unmistakable blue-grey plumage and the female's less conspicuous brown tones. The male M. s. philippensis can be recognized by its rufous-chestnut lower half. Both sexes lack the reddish outer tail feathers seen in rock thrushes.

This bird favors open, mountainous regions where it can nest in rock cavities and walls.

The blue rock thrush breeds across southern Europe, northwest Africa, and from Central Asia to northern China and Malaysia. It is a resident bird in Europe, north Africa, and southeast Asia, with some populations exhibiting altitudinal migration. Other Asian populations are migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa, India, and southeast Asia. It is a rare visitor to northern and western Europe.

The blue rock thrush is an omnivore, consuming a varied diet of insects, small reptiles, berries, and seeds. It breeds in its preferred mountainous habitats, laying 3-5 eggs per clutch.

The male's song is a clear and melodious call, louder than that of the rock thrush, which can be heard echoing through its mountainous domain.

As an omnivore, the blue rock thrush has a diverse diet that includes insects, small reptiles, berries, and seeds.

The blue rock thrush is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that it is not at immediate risk of population decline.

16-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - DOUBLE STRIPED PUG MOTH (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata)

The double-striped pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is a widespread and common species, being found throughout the Palearctic region, including the Near East and North Africa.

This is a variable species but always easy to recognize due to the two prominent dark fascia across each forewing which give the species its common name. The forewing ground colour ranges from light to dark reddish brown. The crosslines are distinct. The inner margin of the pale white sub-marginal line bears black marks. The hindwings are pale grey with darker fringes, darker lines and a small black discal spot. There is a dark band across the basal segments of the abdomen. The wingspan is 15–19 mm.

The caterpillars reach a length of up to 17 millimeters and have a very variable basic colouration. It ranges from whitish to yellowish green, brown, red to purple. On the back there is a pale band marked with a series of dark diamonds or triangles. The drawing resembles a rear-facing trident, is sometimes crow-foot-like and can occasionally be only weakly formed. The head is yellowish brown.

Two, sometimes three, broods are produced each year and the adults are on the wing in April and May (sometimes earlier), July and August, and sometimes later in the autumn. Later broods are more heavily marked. It flies at night and is attracted to light and flowers, both of its food plants and others.

The larva feeds on the flowers of a huge range of plants (see list below) and has also been known to feed on the larvae of other lepidoptera. The species overwinters as a pupa.

16-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BOX BUG (Gonocerus acuteangulatus)

Gonocerus acuteangulatus is a herbivorous species of true bug in the family Coreidae. It is commonly known as the box bug in the UK as it once only occurred in Box Hill in Surrey where it fed on box trees.

This species was formally described by the German zoologist Johann Goeze in 1778, under the name Cimex acuteangulatus.

This species commonly occurs throughout the Mediterranean region and extends to Central Asia and parts of northwestern Europe.

These heat-loving bugs inhabit mainly dry and warm, south-exposed environments, bushes and forest edges with shrubs that bear berries and small trees of various families, especially Buxaceae and Rhamnaceae, as well as Rosa canina and Crataegus species (Rosaceae) or Lonicera xylosteum (Caprifoliaceae).

Gonocerus acuteangulatus is a medium-sized insect, between 11 and 14 mm long as an adult. These bugs are speckled reddish-brown with a slightly expanded abdomen. The nymphs have a green abdomen. This species is rather similar to Coreus marginatus, but it shows a narrower abdomen and has sharper lateral margins of the pronotum (hence the Latin species name acuteangulatus).

Adults can be found all year. They mainly feed on the juice of the ripe fruits of the host plants. This species is a harmful pest of the hazel and pistachio. It can also be a vector of the fungus Nematospora coryli, an agent of stigmatomycosis.

16-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - CURVED HORN MOTH (Superfamily Gelechioidea)

Curved-horn moths (superfamily Gelechioidea) are a massive, diverse group of primarily "micro-moths" comprising 15–21 families and over 18,000 described species worldwide. Defined by their distinct,, up-curved labial palps, they occupy varied habitats as leaf miners, case-bearers, or pests, with many larvae feeding on plants, fungi, or stored products. 

Key Facts About Curved-Horn Moths (Gelechioidea)

Distinctive Appearance: The name comes from their well-developed, upward-curved labial palps, which resemble horns. They are generally small ("micro-moths").

Massive Diversity: With over 18,000 described species, it is one of the largest Lepidoptera superfamilies, and experts estimate only 25% of their total diversity has been described.

Etymology: The name Gelechioidea is derived from the type genus Gelechia, meaning "resting on the ground".

Ecological Roles & Habitats: They inhabit a wide range of terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Their larvae act as miners (in leaves, stems, or seeds), case-bearers, gall-makers, and scavengers.

Agricultural Impact: Several species are significant pests, including the potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella), tobacco stem borer (Scrobipalpa aptatella), and white-shouldered house moth (Endrosis sarcitrella).

Key Families Included: The superfamily contains a diverse array of families, including:

Gelechiidae: Twirler moths.

Coleophoridae: Case-bearers.

Oecophoridae: Concealer moths.

Blastobasidae: iNaturalist.

Scythrididae: Flower moths.

Elachistidae: Grass-miner moths.

Scientific Significance: They are a basal lineage of the Ditrysia clade and are crucial for studying insect evolution and diversity. 

16-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - FALSE BLISTER BEETLE (Family Oedemeridae)

False blister beetles, sometimes known also as pollen feeding beetles, are unique in that adults of all the approximately 1,000 species in the world are obligate pollen feeders. They obtain their common name because many species cause blisters when pinched or squashed against the skin. Being pollen feeders, they are often common on flowers. They are also attracted to lights, and their numbers can be vast at night, especially on the Florida Keys. Oxycopis mcdonaldi (Arnett) causes skin blistering and makes itself a nuisance at resort areas where the beetles are attracted by night lights around swimming pools, tennis courts, and open air restaurants. Yet another species, Nacerdes melanura (L.), the wharf borer, is common around wood pilings where its larvae bore into and weaken the wood of docks and adjacent buildings.

16-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EGYPTIAN BIRD GRASSHOPPER (Anacridium aegyptium)

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

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.

16-4-2021 GREAT SPIRIT BLUFF CAM, MINNESOTA - NORTH AMERICAN PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus ssp. anatum)

The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known simply as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a cosmopolitan bird of prey (raptor) in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head. The peregrine is renowned for its speed. It can reach over 320 km/h (200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop (high-speed dive), making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom. According to a National Geographic TV program, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is 389 km/h (242 mph). As is typical for bird-eating (avivore) raptors, peregrine falcons are sexually dimorphic, with females being considerably larger than males.

The peregrine's breeding range includes land regions from the Arctic tundra to the tropics. It can be found nearly everywhere on Earth, except extreme polar regions, very high mountains, and most tropical rainforests; the only major ice-free landmass from which it is entirely absent is New Zealand. This makes it the world's most widespread raptorand one of the most widely found bird species. In fact, the only land-based bird species found over a larger geographic area is not always naturally occurring, but one widely introduced by humans, the rock pigeon, which in turn now supports many peregrine populations as a prey species.

The peregrine is a highly successful example of urban wildlife in much of its range, taking advantage of tall buildings as nest sites and an abundance of prey such as pigeons and ducks. Both the English and scientific names of this species mean "wandering falcon", referring to the migratory habits of many northern populations. Experts recognize 17 to 19 subspecies, which vary in appearance and range; disagreement exists over whether the distinctive Barbary falcon is represented by two subspecies of Falco peregrinus or is a separate species, F. pelegrinoides. The two species' divergence is relatively recent, during the time of the last ice age, therefore the genetic differential between them (and also the difference in their appearance) is relatively tiny. They are only about 0.6–0.8% genetically differentiated.

15-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SPOTTED SEDGES (Genus Hydropsyche)

"Spotted Sedges" are a major, highly productive group of caddisflies, primarily from the genus Hydropsyche, which are crucial to trout fishing across North America. They are often called "net-spinners" because the larvae build stationary web retreats to catch food.

Here are the key facts about Spotted Sedges:

Life Cycle & BehaviorNet-Spinners: Unlike free-roaming caddis larvae, Hydropsyche larvae build funnel-shaped, silken traps between rocks and sticks in moving water to capture food."Leash" System: They often roam around their rocky habitat, trailing a silk strand that acts as a safety line to prevent them from being washed away.

Prolific Hatches: They can have two or more generations in a single fishing season, providing a consistent food source from spring through fall.Unique Emergence: Pupae swim to the surface to emerge, often creating frantic feeding activity by trout.Egg-Laying Dives: Females are "diving" caddis; they dive under the surface and swim to the bottom to lay eggs.

16-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SPECKLED WOOD BUTTERFLY (Pararge aegeria)

The speckled wood (Pararge aegeria) is a butterfly found in and on the borders of woodland areas throughout much of the Palearctic realm. The species is subdivided into multiple subspecies, including Pararge aegeria aegeria, Pararge aegeria tircis, Pararge aegeria oblita, and Pararge aegeria insula. The color of this butterfly varies between subspecies. The existence of these subspecies is due to variation in morphology down a gradient corresponding to a geographic cline. 

The background of the wings ranges from brown to orange, and the spots are either pale yellow, white, cream, or a tawny orange. The speckled wood feeds on a variety of grass species. The males of this species exhibit two types of mate locating behaviors: territorial defense and patrolling. The proportion of males exhibiting these two strategies changes based on ecological conditions. The monandrous female must choose which type of male can help her reproduce successfully. Her decision is heavily influenced by environmental conditions.

16-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLUE ROCK THRUSH (MALE) (Monticola solitarius)

The blue rock thrush (Monticola solitarius) is a chat species, reminiscent of a thrush, with a starling-like stature, measuring 21–23 cm in length. The male of the nominate subspecies is predominantly blue-grey, save for darker wings, presenting a striking appearance. Females and immature birds are less vivid, with dark brown upperparts and paler, scaly brown underparts. The male of the subspecies M. s. philippensis is distinguished by rufous-chestnut plumage from the mid-breast to the undertail, a feature absent in both sexes of the rock thrush.

To identify the blue rock thrush, look for the male's unmistakable blue-grey plumage and the female's less conspicuous brown tones. The male M. s. philippensis can be recognized by its rufous-chestnut lower half. Both sexes lack the reddish outer tail feathers seen in rock thrushes.

This bird favors open, mountainous regions where it can nest in rock cavities and walls.

16-4-2020 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).

The Common wall gecko is a small lizard native to the western Mediterranean area of North Africa and Europe. It is commonly observed on walls in urban environments, mainly in warm coastal areas. However, the Common wall gecko can be found further inland, especially in Spain where it has a tradition of cohabitation with humans as insect hunter. This little creature is brownish-grey or brown in color with darker or lighter spots. These colors change in intensity according to the light. When geckos are active by day their color is darker than during the night.

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).

The Common wall gecko is a small lizard native to the western Mediterranean area of North Africa and Europe. It is commonly observed on walls in urban environments, mainly in warm coastal areas. However, the Common wall gecko can be found further inland, especially in Spain where it has a tradition of cohabitation with humans as insect hunter. This little creature is brownish-grey or brown in color with darker or lighter spots. These colors change in intensity according to the light. When geckos are active by day their color is darker than during the night.

Common wall geckos are mainly nocturnal or crepuscular. They may also be active during the day, on sunny days especially at the end of the winter. They like to receive sunlight near their refuge. They prefer to forage and spend their time singly; in the warmer months of the year, geckos can often be seen hunting nocturnal insects near light sources and street lamps.

15-9-2014 OCEANOGRAPHIC VALENCIA - SCARLET IBIS (Eudocimus ruber)

23-10-2019 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - HAMERKOP (Scopus umbretta)

The hamerkop (Scopus umbretta), also called the umbrette, is a medium-sized bird. It is the only living species in the genus Scopus and the family Scopidae. The species and family was long thought to sit with the Ciconiiformes but is now placed with the Pelecaniformes, and its closest relatives are thought to be the pelicans and the shoebill. The shape of its head with a long bill and crest at the back is reminiscent of a hammer, which has given this species its name after the Afrikaans word for hammerhead. It is a medium-sized waterbird with brown plumage. It is found in mainland Africa, Madagascar and Arabia, living in a wide variety of wetlands, including estuaries, lakesides, fish ponds, riverbanks, and rocky coasts. The hamerkop is a sedentary bird that often shows local movements.

The hamerkop takes a wide range of prey, mostly fish and amphibians, but shrimps, insects and rodents are taken too. Prey is usually hunted in shallow water, either by sight or touch, but the species is adaptable and will take any prey it can. The species is renowned for its enormous nests, several of which are built during the breeding season. Unusually for a wading bird, the nest has an internal nesting chamber where the eggs are laid. Both parents incubate the eggs and raise the chicks.

The species is not globally threatened and is locally abundant in mainland Africa and Madagascar. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as being of least concern.

The hamerkop is a medium-sized waterbird, standing 56 cm (22 in) high and weighing 470 g (17 oz), although the subspecies S. u. minor is smaller. Its plumage is a drab brown with purple iridescence on the back; S. u. minor is darker. The tail is faintly barred with darker brown. The sexes are alike and fledglings resemble adults.[10] The bill is long, 80 to 85 mm (3.1–3.3 in), and slightly hooked at the end. It resembles the bill of a shoebill, and is quite compressed and thin, particularly at the lower half of the mandible. The bill is brown in young birds, but becomes black by the time a bird fledges.

The neck and legs are proportionately shorter than those of similar looking Pelecaniformes. The bare parts of the legs are black and the legs are feathered only to the upper part of the tibia. The hamerkop has, for unknown reasons, partially webbed feet. The middle toe is comb-like (pectinated) like a heron's. Its tail is short and its wings are big, wide, and round-tipped; it soars well, although it does so less than the shoebill or storks. When it does so, it stretches its neck forward like a stork or ibis, but when it flaps, it coils its neck back something like a heron. Its gait when walking is jerky and rapid, with its head and neck moving back and forth with each step. It may hold its wings out when running for extra stability.

The hamerkop occurs in Africa south of the Sahara, Madagascar, and coastal south-west Arabia. It requires shallow water in which to forage, and is found in all wetland habitats, including rivers, streams, seasonal pools, estuaries, reservoirs, marshes, mangroves, irrigated land such as rice paddies, savannahs, and forests. In Tanzania, it has also recently begun to feed on rocky shores. In Arabia, it is found in rocky wadis with running water and trees. Most are sedentary within their territories, which are held by pairs, but some migrate into suitable habitat during the wet season only. The species is very tolerant of humans and readily feeds and breeds in villages and other human-created habitats.

25-11-2015 JURONG, SINGAPORE - COCONUT LORIKEET (richoglossus haematodus)

Coconut Lorikeets are extremely social parrots. They form small to medium-sized flocks that roost and forage together. They are highly vocal and engage in constant communication with their flock members.

Their bright green and red feathers blend in well with the flowering plants they feed upon, but Lorikeet safety also comes from having their flock on the lookout for predators.

These lorikeets have a specialized diet primarily consisting of nectar, pollen, fruits, and flower buds. Their tongue is equipped with unique brush-like bristles that aid in extracting nectar from flowers and licking pollen from plants. They also have a simplified digestive system that helps them quickly extract sugar from the nectar they eat.

During the breeding season, male Coconut Lorikeets display elaborate courtship rituals to attract females. Once a pair has formed a bond, they search for suitable nesting sites. Their nests are typically constructed in tree hollows. The female lays 1 to 3 eggs, which both parents take turns incubating for 24 to 28 days. Chicks then stay in the nest for about 10 weeks until they are old enough to join the flock.

Coconut Lorikeets are considered Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to their large area. They have even become an invasive species in some areas, where they compete aggressively for tree hollows. Globally their population is decreasing.

Trichoglossus haematodus is found in eastern Indonesia, on Buru, Seram, Misool, Waigeo, Numfoor, Yapen and the Aru Islands, in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea on New Guinea, in the Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

The species occupies a wide range of lowland and wooded hill habitats, including mangroves, rainforest, nypa forest, swamps, savanna and woodland. It also occupies human-modified areas including coconut plantations, gardens, agricultural land and disturbed forest. It is found from sea level up to as high as 2,440 m (8,010 ft); this upper altitude level varies by location.