4-5-2020 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.

3-5-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa striata)

The Spotted Flycatcher, Muscicapa striata, is a modestly adorned yet charming small passerine bird belonging to the Old World flycatcher family. It is a migratory species, breeding across Europe and the Palearctic as far as Siberia, and spending the winter months in Africa and southwestern Asia. Despite its widespread presence, there is concern over its decline in certain areas.

Adult Spotted Flycatchers possess grey-brown upperparts and a somewhat pallid underbelly. Their crown and breast are streaked, which is the origin of their common name. They have short, black legs and a black bill shaped to suit their insectivorous diet. Juveniles can be distinguished by their browner plumage and the presence of spots on their upperparts.

These birds favor deciduous woodlands, parks, and gardens, particularly those with open spaces amidst trees.

The Spotted Flycatcher has a broad breeding range, extending from Europe to western Siberia and northwest Africa. During the non-breeding season, they migrate to southern Africa.

With an upright posture, these flycatchers are often seen hunting from prominent perches, darting out to snatch flying insects and frequently returning to the same spot.

The call of the Spotted Flycatcher is a soft, high-pitched, and slightly descending 'tssssseeeeeppppp'.

The Spotted Flycatcher constructs an open nest in a recess, often against a wall, and is amenable to using open-fronted nest boxes. Clutches typically consist of 4-6 eggs. Remarkably, they exhibit excellent egg recognition, a likely evolutionary response to past parasitism by the common cuckoo.

The Mediterranean flycatcher, previously considered a subspecies, is similar in appearance but has been recognized as a separate species due to genetic differences.

As aerial insectivores, Spotted Flycatchers feed on flying insects, which they catch in mid-air from their vantage points.

3-5-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EGYPTIAN LOCUST (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.

Anacridium aegyptium is one of the largest European grasshoppers. Adult males grow up to 30–56 mm (1.2–2.2 in) long, while females reach 46–70 mm (1.8–2.8 in) in length. Their bodies are usually gray, brown, or olive-coloured, and their antennae are relatively short and robust. The tibiae of the hind legs are blue, while the femora are orange. The hind femora have characteristic dark marks. They are also easily identified by their characteristic eyes, which have vertical black and white stripes. Their pronota show a dorsal orange stripe and several small white spots. The wings are clear with dark marks.

This species is a folivore, essentially feeding on leaves of various plants. It is a solitary species, harmless to crops. Adults are mainly seen in August and September, but they are active throughout the year. After mating, these grasshoppers overwinter as adults. Spawning occurs in spring just under the soil surface and the nymphs appear in April. These grasshoppers undergo several molts.  Nymphs differ from adults in appearance; their color varies from yellow to bright green and ocher and the wings are absent or small, as they are gradually developed after each molt.

3-5-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BARN SWALLOW (Hirundo rustica)

The barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) is a migratory passerine bird, recognized as the most widespread species of swallow in the world. It is a distinctive bird with blue upperparts and a long, deeply forked tail, known for its graceful flight and agile maneuvers. The adult male of the nominate subspecies is 17–19 cm in length, including elongated outer tail feathers, and has a wingspan of 32–34.5 cm. It is adorned with a rufous forehead, chin, and throat, which are set apart from the off-white underparts by a broad dark blue breast band. The outer tail feathers are elongated, contributing to the iconic "swallow tail."

The barn swallow can be identified by its steel blue upperparts, a rufous face, and a dark blue breast band that separates the rufous from the off-white underparts. The deeply forked tail is a key characteristic, with a line of white spots across the upper tail's outer end. Females resemble males but have shorter tail streamers and less glossy blue coloring. Juveniles are browner with paler rufous faces and whiter underparts, lacking the adult's long tail streamers.

28-11-2016 JURONG, SINGAPORE - RUDDY SHELDUCK (Tadorna ferruginea)

The Ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea) is a distinctive waterfowl that has a loud honking call. The ruddy shelduck mostly inhabits inland water-bodies and forms a lonf lasting pair bond. In central and eastern Asia, populations of this species are steady or rising, but in Europe, they are generally in decline.

The male Ruddy shelduck has orange-brown body plumage and a paler, orange-brown head and neck, separated from the body by a narrow black collar. The rump, flight feathers, tail-coverts, and tail feathers are black and there are iridescent green speculum feathers on the inner surfaces of the wings. Both upper and lower wing coverts are white, this feature being particularly noticeable in flight but hardly visible when the bird is at rest. The bill is black and the legs are dark grey. The female is similar but has a rather pale, whitish head and neck and lacks the black collar, and in both sexes, the coloring is variable and fades as the feathers age. The birds molt at the end of the breeding season and the male loses the black collar, but a further partial molt between December and April restores it. Juveniles are similar to the female but are a darker shade of brown.

2-5-2020 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, 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.

2-5-2020 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - YELLOW LEGGED GULL (Larus michahellis)

The yellow-legged gull is a large gull found in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, which has only recently achieved wide recognition as a distinct species. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of either the Caspian gull L. cachinnans, or more broadly as a subspecies of the herring gull L. argentatus.The genus name is from Latin Larus which appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird, and the species name honours the German zoologist Karl Michahelles.

The yellow-legged gull is a large gull, though the size does vary, with the smallest females being scarcely larger than a common gull and the largest males being roughly the size of a great black-backed gull. They range in length from 52 to 68 cm (20 to 27 in) in total length, from 120 to 155 cm (47 to 61 in) in wingspan and from 550 to 1,600 g (1.21 to 3.53 lb) in weight. Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 40.8 to 47.2 cm (16.1 to 18.6 in), the bill is 4.6 to 6 cm (1.8 to 2.4 in) and the tarsus is 5.6 to 7.5 cm (2.2 to 3.0 in). Adults are externally similar to herring gulls but have yellow legs. They have a grey back, slightly darker than herring gulls but lighter than lesser black-backed gulls. They are much whiter-headed in autumn, and have more extensively black wing tips with few white spots, just as lesser black-backed. They have a red spot on the bill as adults, like the entire complex. There is a red ring around the eye like in the lesser black-backed gull but unlike in the herring gull which has a dark yellow ring.

First-year birds have a paler head, rump and underparts than those of the herring gull, more closely resembling first-year great black-backed gulls in plumage. They have a dark bill and eyes, pinkish grey legs, dark flight feathers and a well-defined black band on the tail. They become lighter in the underparts and lose the upperpart pattern subsequently. By their second winter, birds are essentially feathered like adults, save for the patterned feathers remaining on the wing coverts. However, their bill tips are black, their eyes still dark, and the legs are a light yellow flesh colour.

The call is a loud laugh which is deeper and more nasal than the call of the herring gull.

The breeding range is centred on the Mediterranean Sea. In North Africa, it is common in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia and increasing in places. Recent breeding has occurred in Libya and Egypt. In the Middle East, a few breed in Israel and Syria with larger numbers in Cyprus and Turkey. In Europe, there are colonies all along the Mediterranean coast, and also on the Atlantic islands and coasts north to Brittany and west to the Azores. It also breeds on the western side of the Black Sea; here it overlaps with the Caspian gull but there is a difference in habitat, with the yellow-legged gull preferring sea cliffs and the Caspian gull flatter shores. In recent decades birds have spread north into central and western Europe. One to four pairs have attempted to breed in southern England since 1995 (sometimes hybrid pairs with lesser black-backed gulls), though colonisation has been very slow.

2-5-2020 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (BREEDING COLOURS) (Egretta garzetta)

The Little Egret, Egretta garzetta, is a dainty heron adorned in pure white plumage. It is characterized by a slender black beak, long black legs, and, notably in the western race, yellow feet. This elegant bird is a sight to behold with its graceful neck and poised stance.

Adult Little Egrets measure between 55–65 cm in length with a wingspan of 88–106 cm, and weigh 350–550 g. Their plumage is predominantly white, though some may exhibit bluish-grey coloration. Breeding adults boast ornate nape plumes reaching about 150 mm, along with distinctive feathers on the breast and elongated scapulars. The bill and lores are black, with greenish-grey skin at the base of the lower mandible and around the eye, which houses a yellow iris. Legs are black with contrasting yellow feet, though juveniles may have greenish-black legs and duller feet. The subspecies E. g. nigripes is distinguished by yellow skin between the bill and eye, and blackish feet.

The Little Egret frequents a variety of wetland habitats, from the shores of lakes and rivers to marshes and coastal regions. It is often found in open environments, such as mangroves, swamps, mudflats, and sandy beaches, as well as human-altered landscapes like rice fields.

The species has a broad breeding distribution across warm temperate to tropical regions of Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe. Northern populations are migratory, wintering in Africa and southern Asia, while others remain as permanent residents in warmer areas.

2-5-2020 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - SMALL WHITE BUTTERFLY (Pieris rapae)

Pieris rapae is a small- to medium-sized butterfly species of the whites-and-yellows family Pieridae. It is known in Europe as the small white, in North America as the cabbage white or cabbage butterfly, on several continents as the small cabbage white, and in New Zealand as the white butterfly. The butterfly is recognizable by its white color with small black dots on its wings, and it can be distinguished from P. brassicae by its larger size and the black band at the tip of its forewings.

The caterpillar of this species, often referred to as the "imported cabbageworm", is a pest to crucifer crops such as cabbage, kale, bok choy and broccoli. Pieris rapae is widespread in Europe and Asia; it is believed to have originated in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Europe, and to have spread across Eurasia thanks to the diversification of brassicaceous crops and the development of human trade routes. Over the past two centuries, it spread to North Africa, North America, New Zealand, and Australia, as a result of accidental introductions.

2-5-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GREAT TIT (Parus major)

The great tit (Parus major) is a small passerine bird, easily recognized by its black head and neck, striking white cheeks, olive upperparts, and vibrant yellow underparts. This bird is the most widespread species in the genus Parus, found across Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of North Africa.

Males are characterized by their bright plumage, with a black bib that extends down the belly, bordered by a lemon-yellow breast. Females and juveniles are similar but have duller coloration. The black line down the belly is also narrower and sometimes broken in these birds.

Great tits favor a variety of woodland habitats, including deciduous and mixed forests, forest edges, and even urban parks and gardens. They are also found in riverine woodlands and, in some regions, boreal taiga.

2-5-2020 ADOR CAMPO, VALENCIA - DARKLING BEETLE (Scaurus uncinus)

Scaurus uncinus is a species of darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) found in the Mediterranean region, particularly the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa. They are large (12–18 mm), black, flightless, and live in arid, open habitats. A notable, recent finding shows they use "brute force" to enter Messor barbarus ant nests.

Key Facts about Scaurus uncinus

Habitat and Distribution: They are common in arid and semi-arid areas, particularly in southeast Spain and parts of Morocco. They prefer open habitats and are less common in coastal plains.

Physical Characteristics:Appearance: They are black with a generally uniform, rough exterior (cuticle).

Morphology: They are large beetles with a large, rounded pronotum and elytra (wing covers) that enclose the abdomen.

Legs: They possess thick, club-shaped (mace-like) profémures (front thighs) with a strong, sharp hook on the inner side, which is used for defense or specialized behavior.Size: They typically measure 12 to 18 mm in length.

1-5-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLUE ROCK THRUSH (MALE) (Monticola solitarius)

Widespread throughout Southern Europe, North Africa and Southern Asia, the blue rock thrush is a large sized chat which is predominantly sedentary, although a partial migrant within specific narrow geographical areas.

Although named as a thrush this bird is actually a chat. The adult male of the nominate race has a dark blue body with darker brown coloured wings and tail. It is the same size as a starling and has a long thick spiky slate grey bill. From a distance the male can appear to be black although the head is a bright blue. The adult female is a dull browny blue grey on the upperparts extending from the forehead, across the crown and down the back. The face is pale and mottled with thin brown markings almost with the appearance of scales, which run down to the mid chest area. From the mid chest to the lower belly the body is pale with horizontal dark brown bars across the belly from flank to flank. Juveniles are similar to females but slighter darker with bolder underpart markings, although there is no blue colouration or shading on the plumage whatsoever. There are a total of five sub-species of blue rock thrush. The colour and patternation differences from the nominate of four of the sub-species are subtle, however the adult male of the sub-species Monticola solitarius philippensis is strikingly different, in that whilst the body of the bird is predominantly a bold blue, the breast, belly and undertail areas are a contrasting rufous to chestnut brown shade.

1-5-2020 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.

1-5-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - OLD WORLD SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY (Papilio machaon)

Papilio machaon, the Old World swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. The butterfly is also known as the common yellow swallowtail or simply the swallowtail (a common name applied to all members of the family, but this species was the first to be given the name). It is the type species of the genus Papilio. This widespread species is found in much of the Palearctic (it is the only swallowtail in most of Europe) and in North America.

This species is named after Machaon (Ancient Greek: Μαχάων, romanized: Makháōn) a figure in Greek mythology. He was a son of Asclepius.

This butterfly is present throughout the entire Palearctic region, ranging from Russia to China and Japan, (including the Himalayas and Taiwan), and across into Alaska, Canada, and the United States, and thus, is not restricted to the Old World, despite the common name. In Asia, it is reported as far south as Saudi Arabia, Oman, the high mountains of Yemen, Lebanon, Iran and Israel. In southern Asia, it occurs in Pakistan and Kashmir, northern India (Sikkim, to Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh), Nepal, Bhutan, and northern Myanmar.

This butterfly is widespread in Europe. In the United Kingdom, it is limited to a few areas in the Norfolk Broads of East Anglia. It is the UK's largest resident butterfly. The monarch (Danaus plexippus) is slightly larger, but is only a rare vagrant.

As P. machaon is widespread throughout Eurasia and often common, it is not threatened as a species. It is listed as "vulnerable" in the South Korean and Austrian Red Data Books, and in the Red Data Book of the former Soviet Union. In Armenia the species demonstrates stable population trend and is assessed as Least Concern.

In some countries, P. machaon and its subspecies are protected by law. Papilio machaon machaon is protected by law in six provinces of Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova. The species is protected in the United Kingdom, and subspecies verityi is protected in India.

The butterfly has a strong and fast flight, but frequently pauses to hover over flowering herbs and sip nectar. It frequents alpine meadows and hillsides, and males are fond of 'hilltopping', congregating near summits to compete for passing females. At lower elevations, it can be seen visiting gardens.

29-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WAVE MOTH (Idaea eugeniata)

Idaea eugeniata is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in Italy, France, Andorra, Spain, Portugal 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)

29-4-2020 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.

13-7-2017 MONTE ORONA, VALENCIA - CONTINENTAL STRIPED SHIELD BUG (Graphosoma italicum ssp italicum)

The so-called "striped bug" in Spanish, Graphosoma lineatum subsp. italicum (Müller, 1766) , is a subspecies of the so-called "shield bugs", due to the shape of its scutellum, and belongs to the Pentatomidae family . Pentatomidae comes from the Greek and means "in five parts", referring to its antennae composed of 5 segments, compared to the 4 of other bugs. According to some authors, the species Graphosoma lineatum (Linnaeus, 1758) is divided into two subspecies. The typical one, Graphosoma lineatum subsp. lineatum (Linnaeus, 1758) , seems to be distributed in northern Africa and possibly the Iberian Peninsula and southern France. The other, Graphosoma lineatum subsp. italicum (Müller, 1766) is more widely distributed, in the Mediterranean and Euro-Siberian areas, reaching as far north as Denmark. Other authors give the latter the status of species, and it is now called Graphosoma italicum (Müller, 1766) .

This is a showy bug, 8-12 mm long in both males and females, with a flattened, almost round body, similar in appearance to a shield, and with a face that clearly protrudes from the head. This shield ( escutellum ) covers almost the entire abdomen, is triangular in shape and is usually as long as the corium of the elytra.It is easily identifiable by its reddish aposematic colour, which warns potential predators of its unpleasant taste. In fact, like many other bugs, it has glands on the sides of its thorax that exude a repulsive-smelling liquid when held. On the red background, 6 longitudinal black bands run across the head, thorax and abdomen. The sides of the abdomen ( connexivum ) are red with many small black spots, with a checkered pattern. The ventral part of the abdomen is dotted. The tarsi have 3 segments and the legs are generally black (red in the typical subspecies lineatum ), except for the third tibia, which can be reddish. They have a pair of black antennae composed of 5 antennae or segments and prominent eyes. Sexual dimorphism consists of females showing a median suture on the eighth abdominal segment, not present in males.

12-10-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SATIN WAVE MOTH (Idaea subsericeata)

Idaea subsericeata, the satin wave, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Adrian Hardy Haworth in 1809. It is found from central and southern Europe, North Africa, Asia Minor to Transcaspia.

The ground colour is white with strong silky gloss, the lines grey, seldom strongly expressed, on the other hand usually all present, thus numbering five on the forewing and four on the hindwing; the outermost line (distal shading of subterminal) the oftenest absent; all except the median are parallel with the distal margin, but slightly wavy; the median on the forewing is usually somewhat oblique, but occasionally almost parallel with the others; that of the hindwing runs straighter across the wing, instead of following the curve of the strongly convex distal margin. Cellspots and terminal line wanting or rarely the former present, minute; fringe usually with a series of minute black dots at the base, which are sometimes in part, more rarely entirely obsolete. Forewing beneath often with a smoky suffusion, either basally or all over; median and postmedian lines present, often well developed; a small discal dot present. Hindwing beneath white, with discal dot and postmedian line. Male antennal ciliation little longer than diameter of shaft; hindtarsus short. 

28-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLUE ROCK THRUSH (MALE) (Monticola solitarius)

Widespread throughout Southern Europe, North Africa and Southern Asia, the blue rock thrush is a large sized chat which is predominantly sedentary, although a partial migrant within specific narrow geographical areas.

Although named as a thrush this bird is actually a chat. The adult male of the nominate race has a dark blue body with darker brown coloured wings and tail. It is the same size as a starling and has a long thick spiky slate grey bill. From a distance the male can appear to be black although the head is a bright blue. The adult female is a dull browny blue grey on the upperparts extending from the forehead, across the crown and down the back. The face is pale and mottled with thin brown markings almost with the appearance of scales, which run down to the mid chest area.

From the mid chest to the lower belly the body is pale with horizontal dark brown bars across the belly from flank to flank. Juveniles are similar to females but slighter darker with bolder underpart markings, although there is no blue colouration or shading on the plumage whatsoever. There are a total of five sub-species of blue rock thrush. The colour and patternation differences from the nominate of four of the sub-species are subtle, however the adult male of the sub-species Monticola solitarius philippensis is strikingly different, in that whilst the body of the bird is predominantly a bold blue, the breast, belly and undertail areas are a contrasting rufous to chestnut brown shade.

28-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLUE ROCK THRUSH (FEMALE) (Monticola solitarius)

The blue rock thrush (merill) is Malta's national bird. It is 20-23cm long and has a long slim bill. It nests in rock cavities and buildings near the sea, and usually lays 3-5 eggs. It eats a wide variety of insects in addition to berries.

An omnivore, the Blue Rock Thrush eats a wide variety of insects and small reptiles in addition to berries and seeds. This is a starling-sized bird, 21–23 cm in length with a long slim bill. The summer male is unmistakable, with all blue-grey plumage apart from its darker wings.

The Blue Rock-thrush is very territorial and guards its territory also outside of the breeding season. It chases away birds that invade the territory, even birds from other species. The Blue Rock-thrush is an "old world" bird from Morocco in the west to Japan in the east. 

28-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GREAT TIT (Parus major)

The great tit (Parus major) is a small passerine bird, easily recognized by its black head and neck, striking white cheeks, olive upperparts, and vibrant yellow underparts. This bird is the most widespread species in the genus Parus, found across Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of North Africa.

Males are characterized by their bright plumage, with a black bib that extends down the belly, bordered by a lemon-yellow breast. Females and juveniles are similar but have duller coloration. The black line down the belly is also narrower and sometimes broken in these birds.

Great tits favor a variety of woodland habitats, including deciduous and mixed forests, forest edges, and even urban parks and gardens. They are also found in riverine woodlands and, in some regions, boreal taiga.

28-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WALL BROWN BUTTERFLY (Lasiommata maera)

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.

Habitats include forest edges and clearings, shrubby areas in ravines and river valleys and sparse woodlands. It is also found in mountain habitats up to 0–3,000 metres (0–9,843 ft) above sea level.

The imago flies from April to October in two or three generations depending on locality and altitude. The larva feeds on grasses in the genera Festuca, Bromus, Deschampsia, Poa, Dactylis and Brachypodium.

24-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HAIRY ROSE BEETLE (Tropinota squalida)

Tropinota squalida is a species of beetle belonging to the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Cetoniinae.

These beetles are mainly found in France, Italy, Greece, Portugal, former Yugoslavia, Spain, in the Near East and in North Africa. They are not present in North or South America.

Larvae feed on roots, while the adults can be encountered from May through July feeding on flowers. They are 10–15 millimetres (0.39–0.59 in) long. The adults are considered an agricultural pest in many zones. They eat the flowers of a variety domestic plants, notably fruit trees, apple, pear, cherries, quince but also strawberries and flowers such as roses and irises. They will eat the pistil, stamens and petals leaving no possibility for fruit production. After feeding they will return to the soil in the area and come out again within a few days if the temperature is warm enough and continue feeding. Head, scutellum and elytra are dark-brown, with a thick and long tawny hair on elytra and abdomen. Elytra show two series of white spots on the sides of the central hull. Scutellun is rounded and hairy, but glabrous in the posterior. The fifth humeral slot is bifurcated.

27-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EMERALD MOTH (Phaiogramma etruscaria)

Phaiogramma etruscaria is a species of moth of the family Geometridae.

Phaiogramma etruscaria has a wingspan reaching 17.7-19.3 mm in males, 20-23.3 mm in the females. Wings are light green, with clearly visible white antemedial lines and small marbled striations. Hind tibia bear only terminal spurs in males, two pairs of spurs in females. Antennae are ciliate in males, while in females they are filiform. Adults are on wing from May to June. There is one generation per year. The pupae overwinter.

The larvae are polyphagous and feed on various Apiaceae (Anethum graveolens, Bupleurum, Foeniculum vulgare, Daucus, Ferula, Peucedanum) and on Thapsus, Lotus, Clematis and Rosmarinus.

It is found from the Mediterranean Sea area of Europe to central Asia. Records include Russia, Italy, France, the Crimea, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

This species inhabits warm scrubs and xerophilous hillsides.

27-4-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - OLD WORLD SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY (Papilio machaon)

Papilio machaon, the Old World swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. The butterfly is also known as the common yellow swallowtail or simply the swallowtail (a common name applied to all members of the family, but this species was the first to be given the name). It is the type species of the genus Papilio. This widespread species is found in much of the Palearctic (it is the only swallowtail in most of Europe) and in North America.

This species is named after Machaon (Ancient Greek: Μαχάων, romanized: Makháōn) a figure in Greek mythology. He was a son of Asclepius.

This butterfly is present throughout the entire Palearctic region, ranging from Russia to China and Japan, (including the Himalayas and Taiwan), and across into Alaska, Canada, and the United States, and thus, is not restricted to the Old World, despite the common name. In Asia, it is reported as far south as Saudi Arabia, Oman, the high mountains of Yemen, Lebanon, Iran and Israel. In southern Asia, it occurs in Pakistan and Kashmir, northern India (Sikkim, to Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh), Nepal, Bhutan, and northern Myanmar.

This butterfly is widespread in Europe. In the United Kingdom, it is limited to a few areas in the Norfolk Broads of East Anglia. It is the UK's largest resident butterfly. The monarch (Danaus plexippus) is slightly larger, but is only a rare vagrant.

As P. machaon is widespread throughout Eurasia and often common, it is not threatened as a species. It is listed as "vulnerable" in the South Korean and Austrian Red Data Books, and in the Red Data Book of the former Soviet Union. In Armenia the species demonstrates stable population trend and is assessed as Least Concern.

In some countries, P. machaon and its subspecies are protected by law. Papilio machaon machaon is protected by law in six provinces of Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova. The species is protected in the United Kingdom, and subspecies verityi is protected in India.

The butterfly has a strong and fast flight, but frequently pauses to hover over flowering herbs and sip nectar. It frequents alpine meadows and hillsides, and males are fond of 'hilltopping', congregating near summits to compete for passing females. At lower elevations, it can be seen visiting gardens.