Friday, 19 June 2020
Thursday, 18 June 2020
17-6-2020 CREU DE LONGA, VALENCIA - NORTHERN BANDED GROUNDLING (Brachythemis impartita)
Brachythemis impartita, the Northern banded groundling, is a species of dragonfly, a skimmer from the family Libellulidae from central and northern Africa, its range extending into southern Europe and the Middle East. It was previously considered to be conspecific with B. leucosticta.
Brachythemis impartita has a pale cream pterostigma in both sexes and their eyes appear to be striped. The female has a buffy abdomen and thorax, males are darker and mature males can be dark blue to black on the abdomen and thorax. Males have bands on the outer wings from the node to just short of the pterostigma, this is paler in teneral individuals but darkens as the dragonfly matures.
Where they overlap with B. leucosticta the males can be distinguished by the colour of the veins and the genital lobe, as well as by the ventral structure of segment 8. The females cannot yet be told apart. The length of this dragonfly is from 25 to 34 millimetres (0.98 to 1.34 in) and the span of the hindwings is 20 to 26 millimetres (0.79 to 1.02 in).
Brachythemis impartita is found from central Africa as far south as the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Tanzania north through Africa and to the Mediterranean Sea. Its range also extends into the Middle East where it has been recorded from the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Cyprus and southern Anatolia. It has colonised southern Europe and was first recorded there in Portugal in 1957 but it is now also found in Spain, Sardinia, Corsica, Sicily and by 2015 in mainland Italy.
17-6-2020 MUNTANYETA DEL SANS, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (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.
Little Egrets are social yet territorial when feeding. They exhibit a range of foraging behaviors, from active chasing to patient ambush. Their movements are often in response to the presence of other animals, which may stir up prey.
The Little Egret's vocalizations include croaking and bubbling sounds at breeding colonies and a harsh alarm call when disturbed. These calls are similar to those of the Black-crowned Night Heron and the Cattle Egret.
Tuesday, 16 June 2020
Monday, 15 June 2020
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