Saturday, 20 February 2021
20-2-2021 ADOR CAMPO, VALENCIA - COMMON CHAFFINCH (FEMALE) (Fringilla coelebs)
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The Eurasian chaffinch, or simply the chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), presents a striking dichotomy in plumage between the sexes. The male is resplendent with a blue-grey cap and rust-red underparts, while the female's attire is more subdued, though both genders boast two white wing bars and white sides to their tails. The male's robust voice is a herald of spring, as he sings from exposed perches to court a mate.
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To identify the male chaffinch, look for the black forehead, blue-grey crown, and rust-red breast, which fades to a pale creamy-pink on the belly. The wings feature a white panel on the coverts and a buff-white bar on the secondaries and inner primaries. Females and juveniles are more muted with grey-brown shades above and paler below, but retain the distinctive wing markings.
Chaffinches favor wooded environments, thriving in areas where the July isotherm ranges from 12 to 30°C. They are adaptable, however, and can be found in a variety of forested landscapes across their range.
20-2-2021 ADOR CAMPO, VALENCIA - BLACK REDSTART (MALE) (Phoenicurus ochruros)
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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.
Friday, 19 February 2021
19-2-2020 DECORAH IOWA, USA - BALD EAGLE (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) LIVE CAM
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The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), a majestic bird of prey indigenous to North America, is not actually bald. Its name derives from an older meaning of "white headed," referencing the striking contrast between its chocolate-brown body and its snow-white head and tail. The adult bald eagle is unmistakable within its range, with a robust build, a heavy head, and a powerful beak. The plumage of immature eagles is a mottled brown, with the distinctive white head and tail feathers not appearing until four to five years of age.
Adult bald eagles are primarily brown with a white head and tail, and their eyes, beak, and talons are bright yellow. Females are about 25 percent larger than males. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females being larger, averaging up to 5.6 kg (12 lb), compared to the males' average of 4.1 kg (9.0 lb). The beak is large, hooked, and yellow. Juveniles lack the white head and tail, featuring a brown plumage overlaid with white until they reach maturity.
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Bald eagles favor habitats near large bodies of open water with abundant fish and old-growth trees for nesting. They are found in environments ranging from the bayous of Louisiana to the Sonoran Desert and the deciduous forests of Quebec and New England.
The bald eagle's range spans most of Canada and Alaska, all of the contiguous United States, and northern Mexico. They are migratory in the northern parts of their range and resident in the southern parts.
Thursday, 18 February 2021
17-2-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - PRIMROSE JASMINE (Jasminum mesnyi)
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Primrose Jasmine (Jasminum mesnyi) is a vigorous, semi-evergreen shrub native to southern China and Vietnam. Known for its cascading, fountain-like habit and bright, semi-double yellow flowers, it serves as an excellent, low-maintenance ornamental plant for covering walls, slopes, or trellises.
Key Facts & Characteristics
Growth Habit: Acts as a sprawling shrub or climbing vine. Without support, it creates a mounding, arching fountain about 1.5 to 3 meters (5 to 10 feet) high and wide.
Flowers: Produces large, trumpet-shaped, semi-double yellow blossoms that resemble primroses. Unlike true white jasmines, they are generally non-fragrant.
Bloom Time: Blooms primarily from late winter to early spring, with sporadic flowers appearing into the summer.Foliage: Features glossy, dark green trifoliate leaves arranged oppositely along square, deep-green stems.
Wednesday, 17 February 2021
17-2-2021 EL PALMAR, VALENCIA - EURASIAN KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus)
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The common kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, is a bird of prey from the kestrel group within the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In the United Kingdom, it is often simply referred to as the "kestrel." This raptor is small compared to other birds of prey but larger than most songbirds, with long wings and a distinctive long tail.
Males and females exhibit sexual dimorphism in their plumage. The male has a blue-grey cap and tail with a black tip bordered by a narrow white rim. Its back is chestnut with black spots, and the underside is buff with black streaks. The female is larger and lacks the blue-grey coloring, having a brown back with black bars and a similar underside to the male. Both sexes have a prominent black malar stripe, bright yellow cere, feet, and eye-ring, with dark toenails, bill, and iris.
17-2-2021 SUECA, VALENCIA - YELLOW IRIS (Iris pseudacorus)
It used to grow in the ditch of the fortified city of Mdina, on the island of Malta, where water was readily available, but after the renovation of the ditch it has since vanished from the area.
In some regions (including the US and South Africa) where it is not native, it has escaped from cultivation to establish itself as an invasive aquatic plant which can create dense, monotypic stands, outcompeting other plants in the ecosystem. Where it is invasive, it is tough to remove on a large scale. Even ploughing the rhizomes is often ineffective. It has been banned in some areas but is still widely sold in others for use in gardens.
Iris pseudacorus is reported as invasive in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.
17-2-2021 RACO DE OLLA, 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.
The two forms gradually intergrade into each other. Subspecies P. a. oblita is a darker brown, often approaching black with white rather than cream spots. The underside of its hindwings has a marginal pale purple band and a row of conspicuous white spots. The spots of subspecies P. a. insula are a tawny orange rather than a cream color. The underside of the forewings has patches of pale orange, and the underside of the hindwing has a purple-tinged band. Although there is considerable variation with each subspecies, identification of the different subspecies is manageable.
Tuesday, 16 February 2021
Monday, 15 February 2021
15-2-2021 JALON, VALENCIA - 15-2-2021 JALON, VALENCIA - MALLARD X MUSKOVY DUCK (Anas platyrhynchos × cairina moschata)
The cross between a Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and a Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata) produces a unique hybrid often called a Mulard or Mule Duck. Because these two species belong to different genera, their offspring are almost always sterile, meaning they cannot reproduce.Quick Comparison & Hybrid Types
Mule Duck: Produced when the father is a Muscovy and the mother is a Mallard (or Mallard-derived breed like a Pekin). These are typically larger and used in the commercial meat industry.
Hinny: Produced when the father is a Mallard and the mother is a Muscovy. These are less common and generally smaller than Mule Ducks.
Key Facts & CharacteristicsAppearance:
Hybrids often exhibit a "mixed" look. They may have the iridescent green sheen of a Mallard head but with the larger body and slight red or black caruncles (fleshy growths) around the bill typical of a Muscovy.
Voice: They are generally quieter than Mallards. While female Mallards are famous for their loud quack, these hybrids may only produce soft hisses, trills, or muffled quacks.
Behavior: They often display a blend of habits. They may prefer terrestrial foraging like a Muscovy but are also capable swimmers like a Mallard.
Commercial Use: In agriculture, Mulards are highly valued for their meat and foie gras production. They are considered hardier and grow faster than many purebred ducks.
Commonality: While rare in the wild, they are frequently seen in urban parks and lakes where domestic ducks of both species are often abandoned and interbreed.
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