Friday, 5 March 2021
Thursday, 4 March 2021
4-3-2021 DEVESA PLAYA, VALENCIA - EURASIAN GREAT CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax carbo)
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The great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), a robust seabird, is cloaked in predominantly black plumage. It is a member of the cormorant family, with a widespread distribution. The species exhibits considerable size variation across its range, with males generally larger than females. Notable features include a longish tail and a distinctive yellow throat-patch. During the breeding season, adults boast white patches on their thighs and throat.
To identify the great cormorant, look for its large size, heavy build, and thick bill. It lacks a crest and its plumage does not have a green tinge, distinguishing it from the common shag. In North America, it is bulkier than the double-crested cormorant and has less yellow on the throat and bill. The white thigh patches are a key identifier.
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Great cormorants are found in a variety of aquatic environments including seas, estuaries, freshwater lakes, and rivers. They often nest in colonies close to these water bodies.
This species has a broad distribution, breeding across the Old World, Australia, and the Atlantic coast of North America. Northern populations tend to migrate southward in winter, seeking coasts rich in fish.
Great cormorants are generally silent but may emit guttural noises at breeding colonies. They are known for their wing-drying posture, often seen with wings outstretched to dry after diving.
Mostly silent, the great cormorant vocalizes with guttural sounds in the vicinity of its breeding colonies.
Great cormorants typically nest in colonies near wetlands, rivers, or sheltered inshore waters, often returning to the same site annually. Their nests are constructed from sticks and can be located in trees, on cliff ledges, or on predator-free ground. They lay clutches of three to five pale blue or green eggs, which are incubated for about 28 to 31 days.
4-3-2021 ULLAL DE BALDOVI, VALENCIA - WILD MUSTARD (Sinapis arvensis)
Wild Mustard (Sinapis arvensis) is an edible, fast-growing winter annual weed belonging to the cabbage family (Brassicaceae). Native to the Mediterranean region, it thrives in sunny, disturbed soils—like roadsides and vacant lots. Easily identified by its bright yellow, four-petaled flowers, its seeds can survive in the soil for up to 60 years.
Physical Characteristics
Height & Stems: Grows erect, reaching up to 1 to 1.5 meters. The stems are slightly hairy, sometimes with reddish patches at the branching nodes.
Leaves: Alternate leaves that are not arranged in a basal rosette. Lower leaves are lobed and toothed, while upper leaves are smaller, stalkless, and narrower.
Flowers: Bright yellow blooms with four petals grouped in dense clusters.
Seed Pods: Following the bloom, the plant produces elongated, cylinder-shaped pods (called siliques) that contain round, black-to-purple seeds.
Ecology & Agricultural Impact
Habitat: Commonly found in agricultural grainfields, pastures, waste grounds, and roadsides. It strongly prefers sunny conditions and calcareous (lime-rich) soils.
Persistence: Individual plants can produce 2,000 to 3,500 seeds, which can remain viable in the soil for over half a century.
Weed Status: Considered an invasive and harmful agricultural weed, it is notorious for hosting crop pests, nematodes, and fungi that damage cultivated vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, and canola.
Toxicity: The seeds contain glucosinolates, which can cause severe digestive illness in livestock and mammals if consumed in large quantities.
Foraging & Culinary Use
Edibility: All above-ground parts of the plant are edible. The young leaves have a hot, peppery, and distinctively mustard-like taste, and the flowers can be used as a colorful, spicy garnish.
Historical Significance: During the 18th-century European famine crises (especially in Ireland), the plant served as a survival food for many, although excessive consumption caused diarrhea.
Seeds: When crushed, the seeds can be used to make a spicy condiment, and an oil can be extracted from them for industrial machinery.
Caution: Because wild mustard can accumulate nitrates, consult authoritative urban foraging guides such as Pip Magazine or the North Carolina Extension Gardener Toolbox before consuming any wild-harvested plants.
4-3-2021 ULLAL DE BALDOVI, VALENCIA - CURSED CROWFOOT (Ranunculus sceleratus)
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Key Facts About Cursed Crowfoot
The Name Origin: The genus name Ranunculus stems from the Latin for "little frog", referencing its preferred habitat in marshes, wet ditches, and streambanks.
Toxicity: All parts of the plant contain protoanemonin. While the toxin degrades as the plant dries out, handling it fresh can result in painful dermatitis, blisters, and inflammation. If ingested, it causes burning of the mouth and severe gastrointestinal distress.
Historical Folklore: Legend states that ancient beggars used the irritating sap to induce artificial sores and rashes on their skin to provoke public pity and boost their earnings.
Appearance: It features stout, smooth, hollow stems reaching up to 2 feet tall. It produces tiny, bright yellow flowers (about \(\frac{1}{3}\) inch across) with five petals and a very distinct, elongated cylindrical seed head in the center.
Ecological Status: Despite its toxicity to livestock and humans, it holds a "Least Concern" conservation status and serves as a naturalized wetland feature throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere.
4-3-2021 CREU DE LONGA, VALENCIA - LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL (JUVENILE) (Larus fuscus)
The lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) is a large gull, distinguishable by its size and the coloration of its plumage. It is smaller than the European herring gull and exhibits a range of mantle colors across its subspecies, from dark grey to jet black.
Adult lesser black-backed gulls have yellow legs and a yellow bill with a red spot. Their wings and back are either black or dark grey, depending on the subspecies. In winter, the head becomes greyer. Juveniles display scaly black-brown upperparts and a distinctive wing pattern. They can be differentiated from juvenile herring gulls by their darker, unbarred tertial feathers.
This species is found along coasts and lakes, where it breeds and feeds. It has adapted to urban environments in some cities, nesting alongside herring gulls.
The lesser black-backed gull breeds on the Atlantic coasts of Europe and is migratory, wintering from the British Isles to West Africa. It has expanded its range to North America, particularly along the east coast, where it is now present year-round in increasing numbers.
Wednesday, 3 March 2021
2-3-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HORSE CHESTNUT MOTH (Pachycnemia hippocastanaria)
The Horse Chestnut Moth (Pachycnemia hippocastanaria) is a geometer moth species with a wingspan of 28-32 mm. Despite its scientific and common names, its larvae feed exclusively on heaths like Heather (Calluna) and Cross-leaved Heath (Erica).
Key Biological and Habitat Facts:
Distribution: Found throughout Europe, it is classified as "Least Concern" but is considered "Nationally Scarce" in certain areas like Britain.
Habitat: Typically thrives in sandy areas, heathlands, moorlands, and pine forests.
Flight Period: Bivoltine, flying in two broods: a primary flight in April and May, and a partial, smaller second brood in August.
Life Cycle: The larvae consume leaves from the Ericaceae family and the species over-winters in the pupal stage.
Identification:The moth is distinct but can easily be mistaken for a micro-moth due to its size and resting posture, though it is technically a macro-moth.The name remains a mystery as the adult moths have absolutely no documented association with Horse Chestnut trees.
2-3-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HORSE CHESTNUT MOTH (Pachycnemia hippocastanaria)
The Horse Chestnut Moth (Pachycnemia hippocastanaria) is a geometer moth species with a wingspan of 28-32 mm. Despite its scientific and common names, its larvae feed exclusively on heaths like Heather (Calluna) and Cross-leaved Heath (Erica).
Key Biological and Habitat Facts:
Distribution: Found throughout Europe, it is classified as "Least Concern" but is considered "Nationally Scarce" in certain areas like Britain.
Habitat: Typically thrives in sandy areas, heathlands, moorlands, and pine forests.
Flight Period: Bivoltine, flying in two broods: a primary flight in April and May, and a partial, smaller second brood in August.
Life Cycle: The larvae consume leaves from the Ericaceae family and the species over-winters in the pupal stage.
Identification:The moth is distinct but can easily be mistaken for a micro-moth due to its size and resting posture, though it is technically a macro-moth.The name remains a mystery as the adult moths have absolutely no documented association with Horse Chestnut trees.
Tuesday, 2 March 2021
17-4-2018 CHOBE RIVER, BOTSWANA - BLACK HERON (Egretta ardesiaca)
The black heron, also known as the black egret, is a medium-sized bird, cloaked in an alluring black plumage that is complemented by a similarly hued bill and contrasting yellow feet. During the breeding season, it adorns itself with elegant long plumes that grace its crown and nape, adding to its mystique.
To identify the black heron, look for its distinctive black coloration and yellow feet. The bird stands between 42.5 to 66 cm tall and weighs approximately 0.27 to 0.39 kg. The breeding plumage, with its extended plumes on the head and neck, is particularly noteworthy.
The black heron is partial to shallow open waters, where it can be found along the edges of freshwater lakes and ponds. Its habitat also extends to marshes, riverbanks, rice fields, and seasonally flooded grasslands. In coastal regions, it frequents tidal rivers, creeks, alkaline lakes, and tidal flats.
This species is patchily distributed throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal and Sudan down to South Africa, with a strong presence on the eastern half of the continent and in Madagascar. There have been occasional sightings in Greece and Italy.
The black heron is renowned for its unique hunting method known as canopy feeding, where it creates a shade with its wings to lure fish—a behavior that has captivated audiences in documentaries. It can feed solitarily or in groups, sometimes amassing in numbers up to 200. These herons are diurnal feeders with a preference for dusk and roost communally at night. Coastal flocks are known to roost at high tide.
Adept at fishing, the black heron's diet primarily consists of small fish, but it will also consume aquatic insects, crustaceans, and amphibians to satisfy its nutritional needs.
The black heron nests at the onset of the rainy season, either alone or in mixed-species colonies that can number in the hundreds. Its nests are constructed from twigs and are situated over water in trees, bushes, or reed beds. The eggs are described as dark blue, and a typical clutch comprises two to four eggs.
17-4-2018 CHOBE RIVER, BOTSWANA - WHITE HEADED LAPWING (Vanellus albiceps)
The White-crowned Lapwing, also known as the White-headed Lapwing, White-headed Plover, or White-crowned Plover, is a medium-sized wader that presents a striking appearance. Its upper body is adorned with a brown back, while the wings and tail exhibit a bold black and white pattern. The underparts are a clean white. The head is particularly distinctive with a grey base, a brilliant white crown, and a white foreneck. Adding to its unique visage are the yellow eyering, facial wattles, and legs. Both sexes and juveniles share a similar plumage, making them indistinguishable in the field.
When attempting to identify the White-crowned Lapwing, look for the unmistakable combination of its white crown, grey head, and the contrasting black and white patterns on its wings and tail. The yellow eyering and wattles are also key features that aid in its identification.
This species is typically found in tropical Africa, favoring habitats near large rivers. It thrives in areas where sand or shingle is exposed, providing suitable breeding grounds.
The White-crowned Lapwing is a resident bird throughout tropical Africa, maintaining a presence year-round near its preferred riverine environments.
The White-crowned Lapwing is known for its breeding behavior, where it lays 2-3 eggs in a ground scrape near rivers. It is fiercely protective of its nest and young, defending them with vigor against any potential threats, regardless of size. Outside of breeding season, it is common to see these birds feeding in small flocks, where they forage for insects and other small invertebrates.
17-4-2018 CHOBE RIVER, BOTSWANA - GREATER KUDU (Tragelaphus Strepsiceros)
The Greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a woodland antelope found in Africa. Despite occupying such widespread territory, Greater kudus are sparsely populated in most areas due to declining habitat, deforestation, and poaching.
Greater kudus have a narrow body with long legs, and their coats can range from brown/bluish-grey to reddish-brown. They possess between 4 and 12 vertical white stripes along their torso. The head is usually darker in color than the rest of the body and exhibits a small white v-shaped mark that runs between the eyes. Bulls tend to be much larger than cows, and vocalize much more; they also have beards running along their throats and large horns with two and a half twists.
The range of Greater kudu extends from the east in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Eritrea, and Kenya into the south where they are found in Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Other regions where they occur are the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, Swaziland, and Uganda. These antelopes live in mixed scrub woodlands and bush on abandoned fields and degraded pastures, mopane bush, and acacia in lowlands, hills, and mountains. They will occasionally venture onto plains only if there is a large abundance of bushes but normally avoid such open areas to avoid becoming an easy target for their predators.
Greater kudus are social animals that live in groups within their home areas. Females usually form small groups of 6-10 with their offspring, but sometimes they can form a herd of up to 20 individuals. Male kudus may form small bachelor groups, but they are more commonly found as solitary and widely dispersed individuals. Solitary males will join the group of females and calves only during the mating season. Home ranges of maternal herds can overlap with other maternal herds while home ranges of adult males generally encompass the ranges of two or three female groups. Greater kudus may be active throughout the 24-hour day. During the day, they normally cease to be active and instead seek cover under woodland, especially during hot days. They feed and drink in the early morning and late afternoon, acquiring water from waterholes or roots and bulbs that have high water content. When a herd is threatened by predators, an adult (usually female) will issue a bark to alert the rest of the herd. Greater kudus communicate using many other vocalizations, including low grunts, clucks, humming, and gasping.
Monday, 1 March 2021
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