Sunday, 2 January 2022
Saturday, 1 January 2022
29-5-2019 SOMALISA CAMP, ZIMBABWE - WHITE BROWED SPARROW WEAVER (Plocepasser mahili)
The white-browed sparrow-weaver (Plocepasser mahali) is a predominantly brown, sparrow-sized bird found throughout central and north-central southern Africa It is found in groups of two to eleven individuals consisting of one breeding pair and other non-reproductive individuals.
During his expedition to the interior of southern Africa in 1834–35, Andrew Smith collected specimens of the white-browed sparrow weaver at the Modder River, which he described in 1836, giving it the scientific name Plocepasser mahali.
Smith did not provide an explanation for the species epithet mahali, but is clear it is not a Latin name. Probably it is derived from the vernacular name for the bird in Setswana mogale or from the Sesotho word mohale, a brave or fierce person, which suggests the bird's name may refer to its angry scolding.
It ranges from 17 to 19 cm (6.7 to 7.5 in) in length and is characterized by a broad, white eyebrow stripe and white rump visible in flight. While the male white-browed sparrow-weaver sports a black bill, the female's bill is horn-colored (light gray); that of the juvenile is pinkish-brown. In Zimbabwe, the white-browed sparrow-weaver shows faint brown spotting across its white breast.
The white-browed sparrow-weaver may emit either a brief chik-chick or a loud, fluid, cheoop-preeoo-chop whistle.
The white-browed sparrow-weaver is found in greatest numbers in north-central southern Africa. While this species most densely populates dry regions with woodland or wooded grassland at northern South Africa, its range includes Botswana, northern and central Namibia, and western Zimbabwe. It is seen very often in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia and southern Malawi. Populations may be found as far north as Ethiopia. Populations are sedentary.
This species nests in colonies along thornveld and scrubby, dry riverbanks.
Breeding has been observed year round, but occurs mainly in warmer months. Year round, groups of the white-browed sparrow-weaver are active and nest-building. Groups of ten to sixty inverted-U-shaped nests of dry grass appear in the outside limbs of trees, although only several are used for breeding or roosting. While breeding nests have only one entrance, roosting nests have an entrance located at each of the two nest extremities. The construction of these nests shows cultural variations. Research has shown that, throughout a region, nests are located at the leeward side of a tree. This behavior preserves a greater number of intact nests for breeding and roosting. White-browed sparrow-weaver nests are sometimes used by other birds, such as the red-headed finch and ashy tit.
Different populations of this species vary in their ability to regulate their body temperature when there are changes in air temperature. White-browed sparrow-weavers from hotter and drier parts of the desert maintained higher body temperatures and let their bodies heat up comparatively more during the warmest part of the day compared to birds from a milder semi-desert site. This daily heterothermy means that desert birds do not need to use as much evaporative cooling and therefore can conserve body water. Within the population of semi-desert birds, there were also seasonal changes in daily heterothermy, with higher heterothermy during the dry season compared to the wet season. When air temperatures are very high, white-browed sparrow weavers also spend less time foraging in direct sunlight and more time in shaded areas.
The white-browed sparrow-weaver is becoming more abundant, expanding its range on southern, northern, and eastern fronts.
29-5-2019 THORNTREE CAMP, ZAMBIA - SOUTHERN WHITE RHINOCEROS (Ceratotherium simum ssp simum)
The southern white rhinoceros or southern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum simum) is one of the two subspecies of the white rhinoceros (the other being the much rarer northern white rhinoceros). It is the most common and widespread subspecies of rhinoceros.
The southern white rhinoceros is the nominate subspecies; it was given the scientific name Ceratotherium simum simum by the English explorer William John Burchell in the 1810s. The subspecies is also known as Burchell's rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum burchellii) after Burchell and Oswell's rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum oswellii) after William Cotton Oswell, respectively. However, these are considered synonyms of its original scientific name.
Ceratotherium simum kiaboaba (or Rhinoceros kiaboaba), also known as straight-horned rhinoceros, was proposed as a different subspecies (or species) found near Lake Ngami and north of the Kalahari Desert. However, it is now considered part of the southern white rhinoceros and ranges throughout southern Africa.
Lifespan is up to 50 years in the wild.
Following the phylogenetic species concept, research in 2010 suggested the southern and northern white rhinoceros may be different species, rather than subspecies, in which case the correct scientific name for the northern subspecies is Ceratotherium cottoni and the southern subspecies should be known as simply Ceratotherium simum. Distinct morphological and genetic differences suggest the two proposed species have been separated for at least a million years.
The southern white rhinoceros is one of largest and heaviest land animals in the world. It has an immense body and large head, a short neck and broad chest. Females weigh around 1,600–1,700 kg (3,530–3,750 lb) and males around 2,000–2,300 kg (4,410–5,070 lb), with specimens of up to 3,600 kilograms (7,940 lb) considered reliable, and larger sizes up to 4,500 kg (9,920 lb) claimed but not verified. The head-and-body length is 3.35–4 m (11.0–13.1 ft) and a shoulder height of 160–186 cm (5.25–6.10 ft). It has two horns on its snout. The front horn is larger than the other horn and averages 60 cm (24 in) in length and can reach 166 cm (65 in) in females.
Females usually have longer but thinner horns than the males, who have larger but shorter ones. The southern white rhinoceros also has a prominent muscular hump that supports its large head. The colour of this animal can range from yellowish brown to slate grey. Most of its body hair is found on the ear fringes and tail bristles, with the rest distributed sparsely over the rest of the body. The southern white rhino has a distinctive flat, broad mouth that is used for grazing. Southern white rhinos are strictly herbivores (graminivores) that feed on short grasses.
Little is known about southern white rhinoceros mating habits, but females reproduce every 2–3 years. They give birth to a single calf, after a gestation period that lasts around 16 months. Males are never directly involved in the raising of calves; in rare instances, certain rogue individuals may even kill calves that they perceive as future competition, both for resources and bloodline dominance. Newborn calves weigh about 45 kg (100 pounds) at birth. Young usually become independent in 2–3 years.
The southern white rhino lives in the grasslands, savannahs, and shrublands of southern Africa, ranging from South Africa to Zambia. About 98.5% of southern white rhino live in just five countries: South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Uganda.
The southern white rhino is listed as Near Threatened; it is mostly threatened by habitat loss and poaching for rhino horn for use in traditional Chinese medicine.
29-5-2019 THORNTREE CAMP, ZAMBIA - SOUTHERN WHITE RHINOCEROS (Ceratotherium simum ssp simum) (JUVENILE)
The Southern White Rhino is Africa's largest rhino, a grazer with a broad, square lip for eating grass, known for its impressive comeback from near extinction, now classified as Near Threatened, living in herds (cows/calves) or solitary (bulls), and relying on excellent hearing/smell despite poor eyesight, using its keratin horns for defense and social cues.
Key Facts:
Size: Massive, up to 2,500 kg (5,500 lbs) or more, making them the third-largest land mammal.
Diet: Herbivore (grazer) with a distinctive wide, flat mouth for cropping grasses.
Horns: Two horns, front one longer, made of keratin (like fingernails).
Social Behavior: Semi-social; females & young form herds (crashes), while mature males (bulls) are usually solitary and territorial.
Senses: Poor eyesight but excellent hearing and sense of smell.
Habitat: Grasslands and savannahs in Southern Africa, with strongholds in South Africa.
Conservation: Once nearly extinct, conservation efforts saved them; now Near Threatened, but still vulnerable to poaching.
Fun Fact: They love mud baths (wallowing) to cool down and protect skin from sun/insects.
29-5-2019 THORNTREE CAMP, ZAMBIA - SOUTH AFRICAN GIRAFFE (Giraffa camelopardalis ssp. giraffa)
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The South African giraffe or Cape giraffe (Giraffa giraffa or Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa) is a species or subspecies of giraffe found in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Mozambique. It has rounded or blotched spots, some with star-like extensions on a light tan background, running down to the hooves.
In 2016, the population was estimated at 31,500 individuals in the wild.
The IUCN currently recognizes only one species of giraffe with nine subspecies.The Cape giraffe, along with the whole species, were first known by the binomen Camelopardalis giraffa as described by German naturalist Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber in his publication Die Säugethiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen (The Mammals Illustrated from Nature with Descriptions) during his travel in the Cape of Good Hope in 1784. Dutch naturalist Pieter Boddaert also described it under the binomial name Giraffa giraffa whilst also identifying the nominate specimen of said species under the ternary name Giraffa camelopardalis giraffa in 1785.
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The South African giraffe has dark, somewhat rounded patches "with some fine projections" on a tawny background colour. The spots extend down the legs and get smaller. The median lump of males is less developed.
The South African giraffe is found in northern South Africa, southern Botswana, southern Zimbabwe, and south-western Mozambique. After local extinctions in various places, South African giraffes have been reintroduced in many parts of Southern Africa, including in Eswatini. They are common in both in and outside of protected areas. South African giraffes usually live in savannahs and woodlands where food plants are available. Giraffes are herbivorous. They feed on leaves, flowers, fruits and shoots of woody plants such as Acacia.
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South African giraffes live in a fission–fusion society system based on factors such as sex, age, season, and kinship. This allows them to adapt to environmental changes.
The South African giraffe population is estimated at 37,000 individuals, showing an increase of over 150% over the past three decades. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the body that administers the world's official endangered species list, announced in 2016 that it was moving the giraffe from a species of Least Concern to Vulnerable status in its Red List of Threatened Species report. That means the animal faces extinction in the wild in the medium-term future if nothing is done to minimize the threats to its life or habitat.
South African giraffes are uncommon in captivity. As of 2010, there are around 45 South African giraffes breeding in zoos. Approximately 12,000 privately owned farms, ranches, and national parks maintain populations of this giraffe.
Friday, 31 December 2021
31-12-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - LANG'S SHORT TAILED BLUE BUTTERFLY (Leptotes pirithous)
Leptotes pirithous, commonly known as Lang's short-tailed blue or common zebra blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.
Leptotes pirithous is a small butterfly with a wingspan of 21–29 mm (0.83–1.14 in) in males and 24–30 mm (0.94–1.18 in) in females. The uppersides of the wings are purple bluish in males, bluish brown in female. The undersides are dark beige striped with white lines. The hindwings show marginal orange and black spots and two small tails. For the design of the undersides of the wings they can be confused with Lampides boeticus and Cacyreus marshalli.
These butterflies fly from February to November depending on the location. They are regular migrants.
28-12-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - VESPERID BEETLE (Vesperus fuentei)
The Vesperid beetle (Vesperus fuentei) is an endemic species to Spain belonging to the family Vesperidae. It is known for its extreme sexual dimorphism, subterranean larval stages, and nocturnal flying habits.
Here are the key facts about the Vesperus fuentei:
Taxonomy & Distribution
Family: VesperidaeEndemic to: Spain (Specifically found in regions like central and southern Spain).
Scientific Name: Vesperus fuentei (described by Pic in 1905).Physical Characteristics & DimorphismThese beetles exhibit highly distinct differences between males and females:
Males: Small, winged, and fully capable of flight. They have longer antennae to actively locate females at dusk.
Females: Larger with a swollen abdomen (physogastry) designed to carry enlarged ovaries. Their wings are severely reduced or absent (brachypterous), meaning they cannot fly and spend most of their time near the ground.
Life Cycle & EcologyActivity Period: Adults are nocturnal and generally emerge in late summer to autumn (August to October).
Larval Stage: Larvae live underground and feed on the roots of various host plants.
Life Span: Like many Vesperus species, the life cycle of these beetles is believed to span over 2 to 3 or more years.
BehaviorMating: The flying males become highly active at dusk and are known to be strongly attracted to artificial lights, which is often when they are spotted by researchers and locals.
28-12-2021 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MEDITERRANEAN KATYDID (Phaneroptera nana)
Phaneroptera nana, common name southern sickle bush-cricket, is a species in the family Tettigoniidae and subfamily Phaneropterinae.[2] It has become an invasive species in California where it may be called the Mediterranean katydid.
This bush cricket is native to mainland Europe, the Near East and North Africa. The Indo-Malayan species Phaneropera subcarinata, described by Bolívar, is morphologically similar to P. nana, and was classified under the P. nana name by Carl Brunner von Wattenwyl. As an invasive species, it has spread to the San Francisco Bay Area and may be widespread in the Los Angeles Basin, with records of its presence in California dating from at least 1952. In addition, it has been recorded in Portland, Oregon since 2015 and South America and hypothesized in the Annals of Carnegie Museum to have spread via shipping.
It mainly inhabits sunny and dry habitats, especially shrubs and low branches of trees.
The adult males grow up to 13–15 millimetres (0.51–0.59 in) long, while females can reach 15–18 millimetres (0.59–0.71 in) of length. In both sexes, the basic coloration of the body is light green, with many small black spots. The eyes are bright orange. In some individuals, there may be a brown dorsal stripe where the forewings (tegmina) meet, though the stripe does not extend onto the pronotum. The hindwings are longer than the tegmina, with the tegmina approximately three-fourths of the length of the hindwings. In some specimens, the tegmina reach the apex of the posterior femurs. In adult males, the cerci are prominent and curved, while in adult females, the ovipositor is about 5 millimetres (0.20 in) long and has the shape of a sickle.
P. nana and P. falcata are similar in appearance and may be confused for each other in parts of Europe, and elsewhere where the ranges of the two species overlap. These two species may be distinguished by the appearance of the male subgenital plate and the protonum. In P. nana, the male subgenital plate tapers near the end of the body, while in P. falcata, it diverges into two lobes. The protonum of P. nana is narrower than it is tall, while in P. falcata, the protonum is roughly the same width and length, if not longer than tall.
The Mediterranean katydid (Phaneroptera nana) female sings in response to the male, prompting the male to move towards the female. This is unique to the species, because in other species of katydids, it is usually the female moving towards the male in response to hearing their chirps. However, because the females stay static while the males move to locate them, the females are at less risk of encountering threats and predators. However, the males will not decide to interact with a female unless they elicit a response within 60 milliseconds, ensuring that the female is close enough to them.
The females are selective of the males they respond to, and generally they prefer longer chirps. At least two chirps from the males are needed for the female to entertain the males and reply to them. However, more chirps than that from the males do not make the females more likely to duet with the males.
The female Mediterranean katydids lay their eggs in the lamina of plants. The female does this by bending her abdomen and chewing on the lamina to create an opening. The eggs she lays around 3mm in size on average. Those eggs usually hatch in summertime but that can vary. The timing means that P. nana is usually easily encountered through the summer and fall seasons.
P. nana is known to cause damage in pear orchards, feeding on pears that have not ripened. In addition, it has been recorded to consume the pupae of L. botrana.
29-12-2021 EL PALMAR, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN STONECHAT (MALE) (Saxicola rubicola)
The European stonechat, Saxicola rubicola, is a small, charming passerine bird, once thought to be a member of the thrush family but now placed within the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. This species exhibits a striking sexual dimorphism, with males donning a black plumage with vibrant orange throats and females wearing a more subdued brown.
Males in their summer plumage are unmistakable with their black heads, orange throats, and white bellies. They also sport a distinctive white half-collar and small white patches on the wings and rump. Females, on the other hand, are predominantly brown with less pronounced white wing patches. Both sexes have notably short wings, which are shorter than those of their migratory relatives.
The European stonechat favors heathlands, coastal dunes, and open grasslands dotted with shrubs, brambles, and heather. These habitats provide the perfect backdrop for their active foraging and breeding behaviors.
29-12-2021 EL PALMAR, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN STONECHAT (FEMALE) (Saxicola rubicola)
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The European stonechat, Saxicola rubicola, is a small, charming passerine bird, once thought to be a member of the thrush family but now placed within the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. This species exhibits a striking sexual dimorphism, with males donning a black plumage with vibrant orange throats and females wearing a more subdued brown.
Males in their summer plumage are unmistakable with their black heads, orange throats, and white bellies. They also sport a distinctive white half-collar and small white patches on the wings and rump. Females, on the other hand, are predominantly brown with less pronounced white wing patches. Both sexes have notably short wings, which are shorter than those of their migratory relatives.
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The European stonechat favors heathlands, coastal dunes, and open grasslands dotted with shrubs, brambles, and heather. These habitats provide the perfect backdrop for their active foraging and breeding behaviors.
This species is widely distributed across Europe, reaching as far east as Ukraine and the South Caucasus, and can also be found in parts of North Africa.
Stonechats are known for their lively presence, often perching conspicuously as they keep a vigilant eye on their surroundings. They exhibit a partial migratory pattern, with some populations moving southward to escape the colder winters.
The male stonechat's song is a delightful, high-pitched twitter, reminiscent of a dunnock's melody. Both sexes communicate with a distinctive call that evokes the sound of two stones being tapped together.
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European stonechats are monogamous during the breeding season and commence their reproductive efforts at one year of age. They raise two to three broods per season, with the female constructing the nest and both parents tending to the young.
The European stonechat can be confused with the Siberian stonechat and the African stonechat, but genetic evidence supports their distinction as separate species.
29-12-2021 EL PALMAR, VALENCIA - EURASIAN TREE SPARROW (MALE) (Passer montanus)
The Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) is a charming passerine bird, easily recognized by its rich chestnut crown and nape, and a distinctive black patch on each pure white cheek. Both sexes are similarly adorned, and the juveniles mirror the adults, albeit with slightly duller hues. This species is somewhat smaller than the closely related house sparrow, and its size is approximately 12.5–14 cm in length, with a wingspan of about 21 cm.
To identify the Eurasian tree sparrow, look for the kidney-shaped black ear patch on each white cheek, the black chin and throat, and the light brown upperparts streaked with black. The wings bear two narrow white bars, and the legs are pale brown. The bill is lead-blue in summer, darkening almost to black in winter. Unlike the house sparrow, there is no sexual dimorphism in plumage, making both males and females equally easy to identify.
In Europe, the Eurasian tree sparrow is typically found in lightly wooded open countryside, while in eastern Asia, it is more common in urban settings. It prefers nesting in natural cavities, holes in buildings, or even the abandoned nests of other large birds. This species is not typically found in mountainous regions, despite its scientific name suggesting otherwise.
The Eurasian tree sparrow has a broad distribution across temperate Eurasia and Southeast Asia, and it has been introduced to other regions such as the United States. Its range extends from Europe across Asia to the Lena River and south to the northern regions of Turkey, the Caucasus, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and North Korea.
29-12-2021 MUNTANYETA DEL SANS, VALENCIA - NORTHERN LAPWING (Vanellus vanellus)
The northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), also known as the peewit or pewit, tuit or tewit, green plover, or (in Ireland and Great Britain) pyewipe or just lapwing, is a bird in the lapwing subfamily. It is common through temperate Eurosiberia.
The northern lapwing was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Tringa vanellus. The species is now placed with the other lapwings in the genus Vanellus that was introduced by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760. The scientific name Vanellus is Medieval Latin for the northern lapwing and derives from vannus, a winnowing fan. The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.
The name lapwing has been variously attributed to the "lapping" sound its wings make in flight, to its irregular flight path due to its large wings (the Oxford English Dictionary derives this from an Old English word meaning "to totter"), or from its habit of drawing potential predators away from its nest by trailing a wing as if it were broken. The names peewit, pewit, tuit or tew-it are onomatopoeic and refer to the bird's characteristic call.
The northern lapwing is a 28–33 cm (11–13 in) long bird with a 67–87 cm (26–34 in) wingspan and a body mass of 128–330 g (4.5–11.6 oz).[10] It has rounded wings and a crest. It is also the shortest-legged of the lapwings. Its plumage is mainly black and white, but its back is tinted green. The male has a long crest and a black crown, throat and breast, which contrast with an otherwise white face. Females and young birds have shorter crests and less distinct markings on their heads, but their plumage is otherwise quite similar.
This is a vocal bird during the breeding season, with constant calling while the male performs his crazed tumbling display flight. The typical contact call is a loud, shrill "pee-wit" which gives them their alternative name of peewit. Displaying males usually make a wheezy "pee-wit, wit wit, eeze wit" during their display flight. These birds also make squeaking or mewing sounds.
It is highly migratory over most of its extensive range, wintering as far south as North Africa, northern India, Nepal, Bhutan and parts of China. It migrates mainly by day, often in large flocks. Lowland breeders in most westerly parts of Europe are resident. Occasionally, it is a vagrant to North America, especially after storms, as evidenced by sightings in Canada in December 1927 and in January 1966.
It is a wader that breeds in cultivated areas and other habitats with short vegetation. Three to four eggs are laid in a scrape in the ground. Both the nest and the young are fiercely defended against all intruders, including horses and cattle.
In winter, it forms huge flocks on open land, particularly arable land and mud-flats.
Its diet consists mainly of insects and other small invertebrates. This species often feeds in mixed flocks with golden plovers and black-headed gulls. The latter often rob the two plovers but also provide a degree of protection against predators. They also beat the ground with one leg until worms surface, a technique known as worm charming.
Like the golden plovers, this species prefers to feed at night when there is moonlight.
The northern lapwing is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.
National surveys in England and Wales have shown a decline in the population between 1987 and 1998. Since 2009, the northern lapwing has had Red List conservation status in the United Kingdom. Intensive agricultural techniques have had an adverse effect on the numbers of this species. In the lowlands, this includes the loss of rough grassland and its conversion into arable or improved grassland, loss of mixed farms, and switch from spring- to autumn-sown crops. In the uplands, losses may be due to increased grazing density. Natural England provides grant aid to help restore lapwing habitats as part of its Environmental Stewardship Scheme. The organisation suggests an option within this scheme called 'Fallow plots for ground-nesting birds'. Uncropped plots of at least 2 ha (4.9 acres) in size provide nesting habitat and are located in suitable arable fields, which provide additional foraging habitat. Locating the plots within 2 km (1.2 mi) of extensively grazed grassland will provide additional foraging habitat. The plots are cultivated in the spring to produce a rough fallow, which is maintained without the input of fertiliser or pesticides.
In addition to agricultural intensification and land-use change, predation of nests and chicks contributes to wader declines, including of lapwing. By radio-tagging lapwing chicks, and using automatic radio tracking systems, the timing of chick predation can be revealed, which provides additional insights into the importance of different predators. Lapwing chicks are predated both in the day and at night, with mammalian predators having the greatest impact.
In Armenia, the decline in population and loss of breeding habitats has also been documented. The threats are thought to be the intensification of land use and hunting, but further investigations are required to clarify the threats. In the Middle East, the northern lapwing is threatened by overhunting, as large numbers of them are along their winter migration routes. Several photos surfacing from the region show large numbers of Northern lapwings alongside other migratory birds, including the threatened European turtle dove and European golden-plover.
Thursday, 30 December 2021
Wednesday, 29 December 2021
29-12-2021 EL PALMAR, VALENCIA - COMMON WATER CROWFOOT (Ranunculus aquatilis)
A member of the buttercup family, Common water-crowfoot displays white, buttercup-like flowers with yellow centres. It can form mats in ponds, ditches and streams during spring and summer.
Ranunculus aquatilis, the common water-crowfoot or white water-crowfoot, is a plant species of the genus Ranunculus, native throughout most of Europe and western North America, and also northwest Africa.
This is an aquatic plant, growing in mats on the surface of water. It has branching thread-like underwater leaves and toothed floater leaves. In fast flowing water the floaters may not be grown. The flowers are white petaled with yellow centres and are held a centimetre or two above the water. The floater leaves are used as props for the flowers and are grown at the same time.
It can be seen in the UK from May to September.
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