30-3-2016 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - COMMON WOOD PIGEON (Columba palumbus)

The Common wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) is a member of the dove and pigeon family (Columbidae), native to the western Palearctic. It has historically been known as the Ring dove, and is locally known in southeast England as the "culver"; the latter name has given rise to several areas known for keeping pigeons to be named after it, such as Culver Down.

The Common wood pigeon is a large member of the dove and pigeon family. Adult birds bear a series of green and white patches on their necks and a pink patch on their chest. Juvenile birds do not have white patches on either side of the neck. When they are about six months old they gain small white patches on both sides of the neck; these patches gradually enlarge until they are fully formed when the bird is about 6-8 months old. Juvenile birds also have a greyer beak and an overall lighter grey appearance than adults.

Common wood pigeons occur in Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. In the colder northern and eastern parts of Europe and western Asia they are migrants, but in southern and western Europe populations are often abundant residents. Wood pigeons inhabit deciduous or coniferous woodlands, shrubland, and cultivated areas. They are also commonly seen in parks, gardens, towns, and cities.

Population size

51-73 Mlnlnn

Life Span

3-17 years

Weight

300-615

goz

g oz 

Length

38-44.5

cminch

cm inch 

Wingspan

68-80

cminch

28-3-2016 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EGYPTIAN LOCUST (Anacridium aegyptium)

Anacridium aegyptium is one of the largest European grasshoppers. Adult males grow up to 30–56 mm (1.2–2.2 in) long, while females reach 46–70 mm (1.8–2.8 in) in length. Their bodies are usually gray, brown, or olive-coloured, and their antennae are relatively short and robust. The tibiae of the hind legs are blue, while the femora are orange. The hind femora have characteristic dark marks. They are also easily identified by their characteristic eyes, which have vertical black and white stripes. Their pronota show a dorsal orange stripe and several small white spots. The wings are clear with dark marks.

A fairly common species, the Egyptian grasshopper is present in most of Europe, the Afrotropical realm, eastern Palearctic realm, the Near East, and North Africa, and has recently been observed in Cape Town, South Africa.

These grasshoppers inhabit trees and shrubs, scrub land, maquis, and orchards in warm and bright environments, at an elevation from sea level to 1,500 m.

Anacridium aegyptium is one of the largest European grasshoppers. Adult males grow up to 30–56 mm (1.2–2.2 in) long, while females reach 46–70 mm (1.8–2.8 in) in length. Their bodies are usually gray, brown, or olive-coloured, and their antennae are relatively short and robust. The tibiae of the hind legs are blue, while the femora are orange. The hind femora have characteristic dark marks. They are also easily identified by their characteristic eyes, which have vertical black and white stripes. Their pronota show a dorsal orange stripe and several small white spots. The wings are clear with dark marks.

This species is a folivore, essentially feeding on leaves of various plants. It is a solitary species, harmless to crops. Adults are mainly seen in August and September, but they are active throughout the year. After mating, these grasshoppers overwinter as adults. Spawning occurs in spring just under the soil surface and the nymphs appear in April. These grasshoppers undergo several molts. Nymphs differ from adults in appearance; their color varies from yellow to bright green and ocher and the wings are absent or small, as they are gradually developed after each molt.

29-3-2016 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (Charadrius dubius)

The little ringed plover (Charadrius dubius) is a small plover. The genus name Charadrius is a Late Latin word for a yellowish bird mentioned in the fourth-century Vulgate. It derives from Ancient Greek kharadrios a bird found in river valleys (kharadra, "ravine"). The specific dubius is Latin for doubtful, since Sonnerat, writing in 1776, thought this bird might be just a variant of common ringed plover.

Adult little ringed plovers have a grey-brown back and wings, a white belly and a white breast with one black neckband. They have a brown cap, a white forehead, a black mask around the eyes with white above and a short dark bill. The legs are flesh-coloured and the toes are all webbed.

This species differs from the larger ringed plover in leg colour, the head pattern, and the presence of a clear yellow eye-ring.

Their breeding habitat is open gravel areas near freshwater, including gravel pits, islands and river edges across the Palearctic including northwestern Africa. They nest on the ground on stones with little or no plant growth. Both males and females take turns incubating the eggs.

They are migratory and winter in Africa. These birds forage for food on muddy areas, usually by sight. They eat insects and worms.

The Little Ringed Plover is a small plover with a distinctive black and white head pattern, similar to the Ringed Plover. It has a black beak and pale (not orange) legs. Close views reveal a distinctive yellow eye-ring. In flight, it shows a plain brown wing without the white wing stripe that Ringed Plover has. It first bred in the UK in 1938 and is now a year-round resident of a large part of England and Wales – thanks to man-made habitats such as gravel pits. It's listed as a Schedule 1 species under The Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Waders exploit the resources of the banks depending on the size of their legs and bills. They do not go into the water beyond what the length of their bill and legs allow them to. Thus, the Little Ringed Plover is one of the least able to enter the water, using only surface water. 

The Little Ringed Plover is resident on Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura, and is a passage migrant to all the other Canary Islands. I have seen several on La Palma in recent years, more frequently at the irrigation basins in Las Martelas (Los Llanos de Aridane).

29-3-2016 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)

The Little egret (Egretta garzetta) is small elegant heron in the family Ardeidae. As an aquatic bird, it feeds in shallow water and on land, consuming a variety of small creatures. At one time common in Western Europe, the Little heron was hunted extensively in the 19th century to provide plumes for the decoration of hats and became locally extinct in Northwestern Europe and scarce in the south. Around 1950, conservation laws were introduced in southern Europe to protect the species and their numbers began to increase.

The plumage of the Little egret is normally entirely white, although there are dark forms with largely bluish-grey plumage. In the breeding season, the adult has two long plumes on the nape that form a crest. These plumes are about 150 mm (6 in) and are pointed and very narrow. There are similar feathers on the breast, but the barbs are more widely spread. 

There are also several elongated scapular feathers that have long loose barbs and may be 200 mm (8 in) long. During the winter the plumage is similar but the scapulars are shorter and more normal in appearance. The bill is long and slender and it and the lores are black. There is an area of greenish-grey bare skin at the base of the lower mandible and around the eye which has a yellow iris. The legs are black and the feet yellow. Juveniles are similar to non-breeding adults but have greenish-black legs and duller yellow feet, and may have a certain proportion of greyish or brownish feathers. The subspecies nigripes differs in having yellow skin between the bill and eye, and blackish feet. During the height of courtship, the lores turn red and the feet of the yellow-footed races turn red.

28-3-2016 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - HOUSE SPARROW (MALE) (Passer domesticus)

The House sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a small passerine bird found in most parts of the world. The extent of its range makes it the most widely distributed wild bird on the planet. Because of its numbers, ubiquity, and association with human settlements, the House sparrow is culturally prominent. It is extensively, and usually unsuccessfully, persecuted as an agricultural pest. It has also often been kept as a pet and was a food item. Though it is widespread and abundant, its numbers have declined in some areas.

Population size

896-1.3 Mln

Life Span

2-23 years

Top speed

40

km/hmph

km/h mph 

Weight

24-40

goz

g oz 

Length

14-18

cminch

cm inch 

Wingspan

19-25

cminch

cm inch 

29-7-2012 SEVASTOPOL, CRIMEA - SOUTHERN WHITE ADMIRAL BUTTERFLY (Limenitis reducta)

24-11-2015 SINGAPORE - BROWN ANOLE LIZARD (Anolis sagrei)

The brown anole (Anolis sagrei), also known commonly as the Cuban brown anole, or De la Sagra's anole, is a species of lizard in the family Dactyloidae. The species is native to Cuba and the Bahamas. It has been widely introduced elsewhere, via the importation and exportation of plants where the anole would lay eggs in the soil of the pots, and is now found in Florida and as far north in the United States as southern Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Hawaii, and Southern California.] It has also been introduced to other Caribbean islands, Mexico, and Taiwan.

This species is highly invasive. In its introduced range, it reaches exceptionally high population densities, is capable of expanding its range very quickly, and both outcompetes and consumes many species of native lizards, like the green anole. The brown anole's introduction into the United States in the early 1970s has altered the behavior and negatively affected populations of the native Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis, also known as the green anole), which have since generally been relegated to the treetops.

The first record of the Anolis sagrei in Taiwan was in September 2000 at the Sanjiepu Township of Chiayi County. The source of the invasion was unknown. It was speculated that the egg from this animal is being hidden in potted plants heading to Taiwan and being introduced to Taiwan unintentionally. Wild groups are being discovered in the Ci Sing Tan Scenic Spot of the Hua-lian City in 2008. Monitoring removal plan was being carried out in 2009.

The brown anole is normally a light brown color with darker brown to black markings on its back, and several tan to light color lines on its sides. Like other anoles, it can change color, in this case a darker brown to black. Its dewlap ranges from yellow to orange-red.

Brown anoles are typically 5.0 to 8.5 inches long. The males can grow as large as their male Carolina anole counterparts, around 17.8–20.3 cm (7.0–8.0 in) long, with some individuals topping 22.9 cm (9.0 in). The females are also around the size of female Carolina anoles, which ranges from 7.6–15 cm (3.0–5.9 in). The male brown anole's head is smaller than that of the male Carolina anole.

The brown anole's tail has a ridge that travels all the way up to behind the head, a feature that the Carolina anole lacks. Female anolis lizards exhibit heritable polymorphism in their dorsal patterning. A study in Gainesville, Florida reported that one-third of A. sagrei females displayed a male-like chevron dorsal pattern, while other females had a striped dorsal pattern with continuous variation.

24-12-2015 KOH KOON, THAILAND - BURNET MOTH (Cyclosia midamia)

Cyclosia midamia is a moth in the family Zygaenidae. It is found in Malaysia and on Borneo. Five subspecies recognized.

It disguises itself to resemble the spotted blue crow. It secretes liquid hydrogen cyanide through their legs as little droplets. Though unlike the butterfly, and so many other insects, Cyclosia midamia produces its own poison made out of the chemical compound cyanide.

Cyclosia midamia (Herrich-Schäer, [1853]) is a day-ying moth that belongs to the order Lepidoptera of the family Zygaenidae (subfamily Chalcosiinae).  It looks fascinating and mimics the Spotted Blue Crow.

Mimicry and aposematic (denoting colouration to repel predators) in this species is due to the high concentrations of two chemicals lotaustralin and cyanoglucosides linamarin. They release hydrocyanic acid by decomposition of these two chemicals which is poisonous to birds and predators. 

26-3-2016 XATIVA, VALENCIA - HOUSE SPARROW (MALE) (Passer domesticus)

The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of 16 cm (6.3 in) and a mass of 24–39.5 g (0.85–1.39 oz). Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, and males have brighter black, white, and brown markings. One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the house sparrow is native to most of Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and a large part of Asia. Its intentional or accidental introductions to many regions, including parts of Australasia, Africa, and the Americas, make it the most widely distributed wild bird.

The house sparrow is strongly associated with human habitation, and can live in urban or rural settings. Though found in widely varied habitats and climates, it typically avoids extensive woodlands, grasslands, polar regions, and hot, dry deserts far away from human development. For sustenance, the house sparrow routinely feeds at home and public bird feeding stations, but naturally feeds on the seeds of grains, flowering plants and weeds. However, it is an opportunistic, omnivorous eater, and commonly catches insects, their larvae, caterpillars, invertebrates and many other natural foods.

26-3-2016 XATIVA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN GREENFINCH (Chloris chloris)

The European greenfinch (Chloris chloris) is a small passerine bird widespread throughout Europe, North Africa and Southwest Asia. It has also been introduced into Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, and Argentina.

The European greenfinch is similar in size and shape to a House sparrow, but is mainly green, with yellow in the wings and tail. The female and young birds are duller and have brown tones on the back. The bill is thick and conical. The song contains a lot of trilling twitters interspersed with wheezes, and the male has a "butterfly" display flight.

European greenfinches are widespread throughout Europe, North Africa, and Southwest Asia. They are mainly residents, but some northernmost populations migrate further south. Greenfinches inhabit forests, woodland edges, farmland hedges, plantations, gardens with relatively thick vegetation, and parks.

Population size

48-74 Mlnlnn

Life Span

2-13 years

Weight

25-31

goz

g oz 

Length

15

cminch

cm inch 

Wingspan

25-28

cminch

26-3-2016 XATIVA, VALENCIA - EURASIAN BLACKCAP (MALE) (Sylvia atricapilla)

The Eurasian blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) is a common and widespread warbler that breeds in much of Europe, western Asia, and northwestern Africa. Its rich and varied song has led to the blackcap being described as the "mock nightingale" and it has been featured in literature, films, and music.

The Eurasian blackcap is mainly grey in color with distinct male and female plumages. The adult male has olive-grey upperparts, other than a paler grey nape and a neat black cap on the head. The underparts are light grey, becoming silvery white on the chin, throat, and upper breast. The tail is dark grey, with an olive tint to the outer edge of each feather. The bill and long legs are grey, and the iris is reddish brown. The female resembles the male but has a reddish-brown cap and a slightly browner tone to the grey of the upperparts. Juveniles are similar to the female, but their upperparts have a slight rufous tinge, and the breast and flanks have a more olive tone; young males have darker brown cap than their female counterparts.

Population size

101-161 Mlnlnn

Life Span

2-13 years

Top speed

75

km/hmph

km/h mph 

Weight

16-25

goz

g oz 

Length

13-14

cminch

cm inch