Friday, 13 January 2017
Thursday, 12 January 2017
12-1-2017 ALBUFERA, 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.
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.
Wednesday, 11 January 2017
11-1-2017 XALO, ALICANTE - EUROPEAN ROBIN (Erithacus rubecula)
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The European robin (Erithacus rubecula), known simply as the robin or robin redbreast in Great Britain and Ireland, is a small insectivorous passerine bird, a member of the chat subfamily of the Old World flycatcher family. It is a plucky little bird, with a length of about 12.5–14.0 cm and a weight of 16–22 g. Both sexes are similarly adorned with an orange breast and face, lined with grey, brown upper-parts, and a whitish belly.
Adult robins can be identified by their orange breast and face, bordered by a bluish-grey on the sides of the neck and chest. The upperparts are brownish, or olive-tinged in British birds, and the belly is whitish. The bill and eyes are black. Juvenile robins are distinguishable by their spotted brown and white plumage, with patches of orange gradually appearing as they mature.
The European robin is a bird of diverse habitats, found in woodlands, gardens, and parks across its range. It is particularly associated with areas where the soil is dug or disturbed, allowing it easy access to its invertebrate prey.
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This bird has a wide distribution across Europe, extending east to Western Siberia and south to North Africa. It is sedentary in most of its range except the far north, where it is migratory.
The robin is diurnal and is known for its boldness in human presence, often seen investigating gardeners at work. It is territorial, with males known to fiercely defend their territory. The robin's diet is primarily composed of insects and worms, but it will also consume berries and fruit, especially in autumn and winter.
The robin's song is a delightful fluting warble, more plaintive during the winter months. Both sexes sing, with the male's song typically starting before dawn and ending after dusk. Urban robins may sing at night, possibly to avoid noise pollution during the day.
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Robins are versatile in their choice of nesting sites, often opting for unusual locations such as nooks in machinery or even discarded clothing. They typically lay two or three clutches of eggs per season, with the eggs being cream, buff, or white and speckled with reddish-brown.
The European robin is unique among the Erithacus genus, with its closest relatives being the Japanese robin and the Ryukyu robin, which are now placed in a different genus.
Robins primarily feed on insects, spiders, and worms. During colder months, their diet is supplemented with berries and fruit. They are also known to visit bird tables for seed mixtures and suet.
The European robin is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a stable and possibly increasing population. It does not face any significant threats that would warrant concern for its long-term survival.
Tuesday, 10 January 2017
Monday, 9 January 2017
Sunday, 8 January 2017
Friday, 6 January 2017
6-1-2017 VILLALONGA RESERVOIR, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta)
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The Little Egret, Egretta garzetta, is a dainty heron adorned in pure white plumage. It is characterized by a slender black beak, long black legs, and, notably in the western race, yellow feet. This elegant bird is a sight to behold with its graceful neck and poised stance.
Adult Little Egrets measure between 55–65 cm in length with a wingspan of 88–106 cm, and weigh 350–550 g. Their plumage is predominantly white, though some may exhibit bluish-grey coloration. Breeding adults boast ornate nape plumes reaching about 150 mm, along with distinctive feathers on the breast and elongated scapulars. The bill and lores are black, with greenish-grey skin at the base of the lower mandible and around the eye, which houses a yellow iris. Legs are black with contrasting yellow feet, though juveniles may have greenish-black legs and duller feet. The subspecies E. g. nigripes is distinguished by yellow skin between the bill and eye, and blackish feet.
The Little Egret frequents a variety of wetland habitats, from the shores of lakes and rivers to marshes and coastal regions. It is often found in open environments, such as mangroves, swamps, mudflats, and sandy beaches, as well as human-altered landscapes like rice fields.
The species has a broad breeding distribution across warm temperate to tropical regions of Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe. Northern populations are migratory, wintering in Africa and southern Asia, while others remain as permanent residents in warmer areas.
Thursday, 5 January 2017
28-4-2014 MOROS MARSHES, SAGUNTO - QUEEN OF SPAIN FRITILLARY BUTTERFLY (Issoria lathonia)
The Queen of Spain Fritillary is a large and distinctive butterfly with a wingspan of 3.8 to 4.5cm. Its hindwings are more sharply angular than most other fritillaries, and the upperwings have regular rows of rounded spots.
The undersides of the hindwings are decorated with large pearly spots - visible in the pictures immediately above and below.
The Queen of Spain Fritillary is a very rare migrant to southern Britain. Its native range covers most of mainland Europe, however, except for the far north of Scandinavia, and extends southwards into northern Africa and eastwards through Asia as far as eastern China.
This migrant species is found in a variety of mainly dryish habitats including heathland and herb-rich meadows, but also in fields with arable crops, on rocky hill slopes, and on woodland edges.
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