Friday, 4 June 2021
25-5-2021 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - COMMON MALLOW (Malva sylvestris)
M. sylvestris is a vigorous plant with showy flowers of bright mauve-purple, with dark veins, standing 0.91–1.22 metres (3–4 ft) high and growing freely in meadows, hedgerows and in fallow fields.
25-5-2021 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - EURASIAN COOT (FEMALE AND JUVENILE) (Fulica atra)
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The Eurasian coot, Fulica atra, also known as the common coot or Australian coot, is a distinctive waterbird with a slaty-black body, a glossy black head, and a striking white bill topped with a white frontal shield. This bird is a member of the Rallidae family, which includes rails and crakes. Both sexes exhibit similar plumage, making them indistinguishable in the field.
Adult Eurasian coots measure 36–38 cm in length with a wingspan of 70–80 cm. Males are slightly heavier than females, weighing around 890 g compared to the females' 750 g. The species is characterized by its white bill and frontal shield, which contrast sharply with its all-black body. Juveniles are paler with a whitish breast and lack the facial shield, which develops fully by one year of age.
Thursday, 3 June 2021
1-6-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - FALSE BLISTER BEETLE (Family Oedemeridae)
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25-5-2021 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - GREAT REED WARBLER (Acrocephalus arundinaceus)
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The great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus ) is a Eurasian passerine in the genus Acrocephalus.
The genus name Acrocephalus is from Ancient Greek akros, "highest", and kephale, "head". It is possible that Naumann and Naumann thought akros meant "sharp-pointed". The specific arundinaceus is from Latin and means "like a reed", from arundo, arundinis, "reed".
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It used to be placed in the Old World warbler assemblage, but is now recognized as part of the marsh and tree-warbler family (Acrocephalidae). Great reed warblers are medium-sized birds and are the largest of the European warblers. They breed throughout mainland Europe and the west Palearctic and migrate to sub-Saharan Africa in the winter. Great reed warblers favour reed beds as their habitat during breeding months, while living in reed beds, bush thickets, rice fields, and forest clearings during the winter. Great reed warblers exhibit relatively low sexual dimorphism, and both genders of the species are similar in appearance. This species mates both polygynously and monogamously.
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The thrush-sized warbler is one of the largest species of the former family, the Old World warblers and it stands as one of the largest species in the family Acrocephalidae. It measures 16–21 cm (6.3–8.3 in) in length, 25 to 30 cm (9.8 to 11.8 in) in wingspan and weighs 22 to 38 g (0.78 to 1.34 oz). The adult has unstreaked brown upperparts and dull buffish-white chin and underparts. The forehead is flattened, and the bill is strong and pointed. It looks very much like a giant Eurasian reed warbler (A. scirpaceus ), but with a stronger supercilium.
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The sexes are identical, as with most old world warblers, but young birds are richer buff below.
The warbler's song is very loud and far-carrying. The song's main phrase is a chattering and creaking carr-carr-cree-cree-cree-jet-jet, to which the whistles and vocal mimicry typical of marsh warblers are added.
The great reed warbler undergoes marked long-term population fluctuations, and it is able to expand its range quickly when new habitat becomes available. This common and widespread bird is considered a species of least concern by the IUCN. Population size can be calculated with a suitability model, but direct counts of territorial males in suitable habitat and sampling the population sex-ratio can be a proper alternative to inference-rich predictive modeling based on imperfect habitat-extrapolation of densities of reed warblers at large spatial scales.
25-5-2021 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - EUROPEAN MOORHEN (JUVENILE) (Gallinula chloropus)
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The common moorhen, known scientifically as Gallinula chloropus, is a bird of the rail family, Rallidae. It is a bird of striking appearance, with a mix of black and brown plumage, a white under-tail, and white streaks along its flanks. Its legs are a vibrant yellow, and it sports a distinctive red frontal shield. The bill is a matching red with a yellow tip. Juveniles are a duller brown and do not have the red shield.
Adult moorhens can be identified by their red frontal shield, which has a rounded top and fairly parallel sides. The tailward margin of the red unfeathered area is smoothly curved. Their yellow legs and the combination of their black and brown plumage with white markings make them quite distinctive. The young are browner and lack the red shield, making them less conspicuous.
The common moorhen is found in a variety of wetland habitats, including marshes, ponds, canals, and lakes that are rich in vegetation. It is also known to inhabit city parks with suitable water bodies.
25-5-2021 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - COMMON POCHARD (MALE) (Aythya ferina)
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The Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) is a medium-sized diving duck, belonging to the family Anatidae. It is a bird of robust build, with a sloping forehead and a relatively long bill. The male is distinguished by its chestnut head and neck, black breast and tail, and pale grey body with fine vermiculations. The female is more subdued in coloration, with a brownish body and a less vibrant head and neck.
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Males can be identified by their striking chestnut head and neck, black breast, and pale grey body. They have a dark grey bill with a blue-grey band and yellow-orange to red irises, which intensify during the breeding season. Females and juveniles are less colorful, with brownish tones and grey legs and feet. The female's iris is brown, sometimes with a yellowish tinge, while juveniles have a yellow-olive iris that darkens with age.
25-5-2021 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - COMMON NIGHTINGALE (Luscinia megarhynchos)
It is a migratory insectivorous species breeding in forest and scrub in Europe and the Palearctic, and wintering in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is not found naturally in the Americas. The distribution is more southerly than the very closely related thrush nightingale Luscinia luscinia. It nests on or near the ground in dense vegetation. Research in Germany found that favoured breeding habitat of nightingales was defined by a number of geographical factors.
less than 400 m (1,300 ft) above mean sea level
mean air temperature during the growing season above 14 °C (57 °F)
more than 20 days/year on which temperatures exceed 25 °C (77 °F)
annual precipitation less than 750 millimetres (30 in)
aridity index lower than 0.35
no closed canopy
In the U.K., the bird is at the northern limit of its range which has contracted in recent years, placing it on the red list for conservation. Despite local efforts to safeguard its favoured coppice and scrub habitat, numbers fell by 53 percent between 1995 and 2008. A survey conducted by the British Trust for Ornithology in 2012 and 2013 recorded some 3,300 territories, with most of these clustered in a few counties in the southeast of England, notably Kent, Essex, Suffolk, and East and West Sussex.
By contrast, the European breeding population is estimated at between 3.2 and 7 million pairs, giving it green conservation status (least concern.
Wednesday, 2 June 2021
25-5-2021 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - COMMON NIGHTINGALE (Luscinia megarhynchos)
The Common Nightingale, also known as the Rufous Nightingale or simply Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos), is a small passerine bird celebrated for its powerful and enchanting song. This bird, once thought to be a member of the thrush family, is now classified among the Old World flycatchers, Muscicapidae. It is part of a group often referred to as chats, which are more terrestrial in nature.
The Common Nightingale is slightly larger than the European Robin, measuring approximately 15–16.5 cm in length. It has a plain brown upper body contrasted by a reddish tail, while its underparts range from buff to white. Both sexes appear similar, with the eastern and Caucasian subspecies displaying paler upper parts and a more pronounced facial pattern, including a pale supercilium.
Nightingales favor breeding in forests and scrublands within the Palearctic region. They nest on or near the ground amidst dense vegetation, avoiding areas with closed canopies.
As migratory birds, nightingales breed across Europe and parts of the Palearctic, journeying to Sub-Saharan Africa to overwinter. Their distribution is more southerly compared to their close relative, the Thrush Nightingale.
Its song is particularly noticeable at night because few other birds are singing. This is why its name includes "night" in several languages. Only unpaired males sing regularly at night, and nocturnal song probably serves to attract a mate. Singing at dawn, during the hour before sunrise, is assumed to be important in defending the bird's territory. Nightingales sing even more loudly in urban or near-urban environments, in order to overcome the background noise. The most characteristic feature of the song is a loud whistling crescendo that is absent from the song of its close relative, the thrush nightingale (Luscinia luscinia). It has a frog-like alarm call.
The bird is a host of the acanthocephalan intestinal parasite Apororhynchus silesiacus.
The male Common Nightingale is renowned for its nocturnal singing, which is thought to attract a mate. Unpaired males are the most frequent nighttime vocalists. The bird's song is also a territorial anthem, particularly at dawn. In urban areas, nightingales sing more loudly to overcome background noise.
The male's song is a complex symphony of whistles, trills, and gurgles, noted for its loud, whistling crescendo. The nightingale also emits a frog-like alarm call when disturbed.
The Common Nightingale's breeding preferences are influenced by geographical factors such as altitude, temperature, precipitation, and aridity. They are ground nesters, often choosing sites with ample cover.
As insectivorous birds, nightingales feed on a variety of insects and their larvae, which they forage for on the ground.
25-5-2021 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - EURASIAN REED WARBLER (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)
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The common reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) is an Old World warbler in the genus Acrocephalus. It breeds across Europe into the temperate western Palaearctic where it is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. It is also a resident species over large parts of Africa.
This is a medium-sized warbler, 13 cm (5.1 in) in length with a wing-span of 17–21 cm (6.7–8.3 in).[13] The adult has an unstreaked brown back and buff underparts. The forehead is flattened, and the bill is strong and pointed. The sexes are identical, as with most warblers, but young birds are richer buff below. The common reed warbler looks similar to the great reed warbler, but the great reed warbler is larger in size and has a stronger supercilium.
The song is a slow, chattering jit-jit-jit with typically acrocephaline whistles and mimicry added.
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The common reed warbler or Eurasian reed-warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) is an Old World warbler in the genus Acrocephalus. It breeds across Europe into the temperate western Palaearctic where it is migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa. It is also a resident species over large parts of Africa.
This is a medium-sized warbler, 13 cm (5.1 in) in length with a wing-span of 17–21 cm (6.7–8.3 in). The adult has an unstreaked brown back and buff underparts. The forehead is flattened, and the bill is strong and pointed. The sexes are identical, as with most warblers, but young birds are richer buff below. The common reed warbler looks similar to the great reed warbler, but the great reed warbler is larger in size and has a stronger supercilium.
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The song is a slow, chattering jit-jit-jit with typically acrocephaline whistles and mimicry added.
This small passerine bird is a species found almost exclusively in reed beds, usually with some bushes. They can also be found in damp scrub.
Like most warblers, it is insectivorous, but will occasionally take plant material such as berries.
25-5-2021 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - GRASS LYNX SPIDER (Oxyopes heterophthalmus)
Oxyopes is a genus of lynx spiders found worldwide. It includes arounds 300 species and is classified under the lynx spider family Oxyopidae.
Like other lynx spiders, they are easily recognizable by the six larger eyes arranged hexagonally on top of the head (prosoma), with the remaining smaller two eyes in front. They are also characterized by long spine-like bristles (setae) on their legs. They are ambush predators, actively hunting prey by sight. Though they produce and use silk, they do not build webs to capture prey.
The genus was first established in 1804 by the French zoologist Pierre André Latreille. The generic name means "keen-eyed", from Ancient Greek ὀξύς (oxús, "sharp") and ὤψ (ṓps, "eye").
Grass Lynx Spiders, belonging to the genus Oxyopes, are a large, globally distributed group of active hunting spiders. First established in 1804 by zoologist Pierre André Latreille, the genus name translates from Ancient Greek to mean "keen-eyed" or "sharp-sighted". Unlike typical web-weaving spiders, Oxyopes species are cursorial, ambush predators that use exceptional vision and speed to stalk and pounce on insect prey.
Physical Characteristics
Hexagonal Eyes: Six of their eight eyes form a distinct hexagon on top of the head, with two smaller eyes positioned below.
Spiky Legs: Their legs feature long, prominent, spine-like bristles (setae) used to basket and trap prey.
Cryptic Coloration: Their bodies are covered in yellow, gray, orange, or brown scales to blend seamlessly into foliage.
25-5-2021 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - CHEQUERED BEETLE (Trichodes octopunctatus)
The chequered beetle (Trichodes octopunctatus), also known as the eight-pointed beetle, is a striking predatory insect belonging to the family Cleridae. Known for its vivid coloration and elongated body, this species plays an active role in its local ecosystems as a voracious hunter of other insects.
Distribution & Habitat
Primary Range: This species is natively found across Southern Europe, primarily in Spain, France, Italy, and the Balearic Islands.
Habitat Preferences: They typically inhabit sun-drenched, warm Mediterranean meadows, forest edges, and areas dense with flowering plants where their prey is abundant.
Physical Characteristics
Coloration: They feature a bright, metallic blue-black or greenish-black body heavily contrasted by bold red or orange elytra (wing covers).The "Eight Points": True to its scientific name (octopunctatus meaning eight-spotted), its elytra feature distinct dark spots or bands that traditionally sum up to eight markings, though slight variations can occur in nature.
Body Shape: They have an elongated, robust silhouette with a distinctly hairy body, characteristic of the Cleridae family of checkered beetles.
Diet & Behavior
Adults: Adult beetles are highly active during the day (diurnal) and are frequently seen perched on flowers. While they feed heavily on pollen and nectar, they are also opportunistic predators that hunt smaller visiting insects.
Larvae: The larvae are terrestrial predators. They often live in the nests of solitary bees or wasps, where they feed on the host's larvae and stored food reserves.
25-5-2021 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - COMB CLAWED DARKLING BEETLE (Heliotaurus ruficollis)
Heliotaurus ruficollis (Fabricius, 1781) is a common Mediterranean comb-clawed beetle (family Tenebrionidae) recognized by its shiny black body, dark red thorax (pronotum), and 9–11 mm size. Often called the "toro del sol" (sun bull), these diurnal beetles are found in sunny, flower-rich habitats from April to June, where they feed on pollen and nectar, acting as pollinators.
Key Facts about Heliotaurus ruficollis:
Appearance: They have a black head, reddish thorax (pronotum), and black elytra (wing covers) that may show subtle blue tints, along with long legs.
Habitat and Distribution: Highly common in the Western Mediterranean region, including Spain and North Africa, residing in meadows, gardens, and shrublands.
Diet and Behavior: Adults are strictly floricolous (flower-living), feeding on pollen and nectar. They are highly active during the hottest, sunniest hours.
Larval Stage: Larvae are saprophagous, living in the soil or decaying wood, where they contribute to nutrient recycling.
Ecological Role: They are considered beneficial pollinators, though they can sometimes be seen in large numbers on flowers.
Seasonality: Visible primarily during spring, from April to June.
Classification: Belong to the order Coleoptera, family Tenebrionidae (darkling beetles), and subfamily Alleculinae.
24-5-2021 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - DARKLING BEETLE (Genus Akis)
Akis is a genus of desert-dwelling darkling beetles belonging to the family Tenebrionidae and the tribe Akidini.
Overview and Characteristics
Appearance: Robust, typically black insects measuring roughly 15 to 20 mm in length, adapted to arid conditions.
Distribution: Species within the Genus Akis are primarily found across the Palearctic realm, including parts of southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East (such as Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Iran), and central Asia.
Behavior: Many Akis species are nocturnal or active during cooler nighttime hours, often navigating sandy or arid environments using vegetation for shelter and temperature regulation.
24-5-2021 TABLAS DE DAIMIEL, LA MANCHA - RED CRESTED POCHARD (MALE) (Netta rufina)
The red-crested pochard (Netta rufina ) is a large diving duck. The scientific name is derived from Greek Netta "duck", and Latin rufina, "golden-red" (from rufus, "ruddy"). Its breeding habitat is lowland marshes and lakes in southern Europe and it extends from the steppe and semi-desert areas on the Black Sea to Central Asia and Mongolia, wintering in the Indian Subcontinent and Africa. It is somewhat migratory, and northern birds winter further south into north Africa.
The adult male is unmistakable. It has a rounded orange head, red bill and black breast. The flanks are white, the back brown, and the tail black. The female is mainly a pale brown, with a darker back and crown and a whitish face. Eclipse males are like females but with red bills. They are gregarious birds, forming large flocks in winter, often mixed with other diving ducks, such as common pochards. They feed mainly by diving or dabbling. They eat aquatic plants, and typically upend for food more than most diving ducks.
A wheezing veht call can be given by the male. Series of hoarse vrah-vrah-vrah calls can also be heard from females.
Red-crested pochards build nests by the lakeside among vegetation and lay 8–12 pale green eggs. The birds' status in the British Isles is much confused because there have been many escapes and deliberate releases over the years, as well as natural visitors from the continent. However, it is most likely that they are escapees that are now breeding wild and have built up a successful feral population. They are most numerous around areas of England including Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and also spotted in Leicestershire.
The red-crested pochard is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
The red-crested pochard is naturally found in a wide range extending from southern and central Europe across central Asia, as far west as Mongolia. Its attractive appearance has made it a popular bird in wildfowl collections in the UK. Over the years, red-crested pochards have escaped from collections and nested in the wild, leading to an established population in England.
It's possible that some of the red-crested pochards seen in the UK, particularly in southeast England, have arrived on their own from continental Europe. Over the last century, the European population has spread north into the Netherlands and Germany. They are migratory, flying between breeding grounds and wintering sites.
Red-crested pochards are usually found on freshwater lakes and pools, particularly with reedbeds. They often feed at the surface, but can also dive for food. In winter they gather in large flocks.
2-6-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - PINK CRAB SPIDER (Thomisus onustus)
Thomisus onustus is a crab spider belonging to the genus Thomisus. These spiders are found across Europe, North Africa, and parts of the Middle East and Asia. T. onustus reside in flowers in lowland vegetation. Females are distinguished by their larger size and ability to change color between white, yellow, and pink as a means of matching flower color. This cryptic mimicry allows them to both evade predators and enhance insect prey capture abilities. Males are smaller, more slender, and drab in coloration, usually green or brown. T. onustus is also distinguished from other relatives by its distinct life cycle patterns in which spiderlings emerge in either late summer or early spring. Furthermore, T. onustus have developed a mutualistic relationship with host plants where spiders feed on and/or deter harmful florivores while benefiting from the plant's supply of pollen and nectar, which T. onustus spiders are able to use as food sources, especially during periods of low insect prey abundance.
T. onustus is a medium-sized spider that exhibits sexual dimorphism, with females between lengths of 7–11 mm and smaller males ranging between lengths of 2–4 mm. Females are heavy-bodied and mostly stationary, whereas males are slender and more motile. Females have a pink, yellow, or white prosoma and males are brown to green-yellow in color. Both sexes have a triangular opisthosoma. This species can be distinguished from its close relative Thomisus zyuzini by its long ventral tibial apophysis and retrolateral tibial apophysis, the arrangement of the basal tibia tubercle on the male palp, and the circular intromittent orifice, which is oriented anteriad in the epigynum.
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