4-8-2015 CANAL DES FONTS OLIVA, VALENCIA - GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea)

The Grey Heron is a distinctive species with grey, black, and white plumage. It is often seen along rivers or lake margins, or standing in flooded fields.

In flight their large size, impressive wingspan, long legs, and folded neck give them an unmistakable silhouette. Largely silent away from colonies, flight is sometimes accompanied by a harsh ‘kraank’ call.

Grey Herons gather to nest in treetop sites called heronries, some of which have been occupied for many decades. These have been monitored in the UK since 1928 through the Heronries Census. Overall the UK's breeding population has increased, with numbers peaking in the early 2000, but with some more recent declines.

1-8-2015 LAGUNA DE GALLOCANTA, CUENCA - GREAT BUSTARD (Otis tarda)

The great bustard (Otis tarda) is a bird in the bustard family, and the only living member of the genus Otis. It breeds in open grasslands and farmland from northern Morocco, South and Central Europe to temperate Central and East Asia. European populations are mainly resident, but Asian populations migrate farther south in winter. Endangered as of 2023, it had been listed as a Vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List since 1996.

Portugal and Spain now have about 60% of the world's great bustard population. It was driven to extinction in Great Britain, when the last bird was shot in 1832. Since 1998 The Great Bustard Group have helped reintroduce it into England on Salisbury Plain, a British Army training area. Here, the lack of public access and disturbance allows them the seclusion they desire as a large, ground-nesting bird.

The adult male great bustard is amongst the heaviest living flying animals. A male is typically 90–105 cm (2 ft 11 in – 3 ft 5 in) tall, with a length of around 115 cm (3 ft 9 in) and has a 2.1–2.7 m (6 ft 11 in – 8 ft 10 in) wingspan. The male can range in weight from 5.8 to 18 kg (13 to 40 lb). The heaviest verified specimen, collected in Manchuria, was about 21 kg (46 lb), a world record for heaviest flying bird. In a study in Spain, one male weighed as much as 19 kg (42 lb). Larger specimens have been reported but remain unverified. Average male weights as reported have been fairly variable: in Russia, males weighed a median of 9.2 kg (20 lb); in Spain, males weighed a mean of 11.62 kg (25.6 lb) during breeding season and 9.65 kg (21.3 lb) during non-breeding; in Germany, males weighed a mean of 11.97 kg (26.4 lb); and the Guinness World Records has indicated that male bustards in Great Britain weighed an average of 13.5 kg (30 lb). Average weight of males is almost an exact match to that of male Kori bustards. Among all flying animals and land birds, male Andean condors (Vultur gryphus) may match or exceed the mean body masses of these male bustards but not their maximum weights. Furthermore, male swans of the two largest species (trumpeter and mute) may attain a similar average mass depending on season and region. Among both bustards and all living birds, the upper reported mass of this species is rivaled by that of the kori bustard (Ardeotis kori), which, because of its relatively longer tarsi and tail, is both longer and taller on average and is less sexually dimorphic. In terms of weight ranges reported, the great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps) also only lags slightly behind these species.

30-6-2020 GANDIA, VALENCIA - EURASIAN BLACKBIRD (MALE) (Turdus merula)

26-7-2015 MONTE CORONA, ADOR - GREY WAGTAIL (Motacilla cinerea)

The Grey Wagtail, with its glowing, bobbing, bright yellow undertail can be found close to rivers and other waterbodies across Britain & Ireland.

Primarily a bird of fast flowing water the Grey Wagtail can also be seen along slower moving rivers and around the edges of lakes and ponds in our towns and cities, where its hunts aquatic insects. It is widespread in Britain & Ireland, but is found less on higher ground in the winter months.

Grey Wagtail is a partial migrant. As such, it can be affected by freezing conditions and during the autumn can be seen flying over migration watchpoints on the way to warmer climes further south, as far away as North Africa. Its UK population has fluctuated and the species is currently on the Amber List.

24-7-2015 MONTE CORONA, ADOR - HOUSE SPARROW (JUVENILE) (Passer domesticus)

1-11-2006 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN MANTIS (FEMALE) (Mantis religiosa)

7-7-2015 REAL DE GANDIA, VALENCIA - SARDINIAN WARBLER (FEMALE) (Sylvia melanocephala)

The Sardinian Warbler appears like the most widespread of the southern species of genus Sylvia. Very secretive, this pretty warbler frequents the maquis scrub. This is a bulky and robust warbler.

The adult male has dark ash-grey upperparts and wing-coverts, whereas mantle and scapulars are tinged brown. The flight feathers are blackish with grey edges. The tail is blackish with whitish edges and white tip.

The underparts are greyish-white. Chin and throat are white.

The head is glossy black. The bill is blackish with paler base of lower mandible. The eyes are red-brown, surrounded by reddish eye-ring. Legs and feet are brownish.

In non-breeding plumage, the male has more olive upperparts and less blackish head.

The adult female in breeding plumage is duller than male with dull grey head, brownish upperparts and cream-buff underparts with brownish-olive body sides. Bare parts are often paler than in male.

In non-breeding plumage, she has tinged brownish head and duller contrasts.

The juvenile resembles female but it is duller and browner. Its eyes are greyish with pale reddish eye-ring.

12-2000 SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - BLUE WINGED KOOKABURRA (Dacelo leachii)

12-2000 SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - EASTERN CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis ssp. coromandus)

12-2000 SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - INDIAN BLUE PEAFOWL (Pavo cristatus

12-2000 SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - EASTERN GREY KANGAROO (Macropus giganteus)

1989 EVERGLADES NAT PARK, FLORIDA - WHITE PEACOCK BUTTERFLY (Anartia jatrophae)

Anartia jatrophae, the white peacock, is a species of butterfly found in the southeastern United States, Central America, and throughout much of South America. The white peacock's larval hosts are water hyssop (Bacopa monnieri), lemon bacopa (Bacopa caroliniensis), tropical waterhyssop (Bacopa innominata), frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora), lanceleaf frogfruit (Phyla lanceolata), and Carolina wild petunia (Ruellia caroliniana). The males of the species display a unique territorial behavior, in which they stake out a territory typically 15 meters in diameter that contains larval host plants. They perch in this area and aggressively protect it from other insects and other male white peacocks.

1989 EVERGLADES NAT PARK, FLORIDA - AMERICAN ALLIGATOR (Alligator mississippiensis)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_alligator

28-6-2017 SOLLANO, VALENCIA - GREY HERON (Ardea cinerea)

28-6-2017 BONAIRE, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN BEE-EATER (Merops apiaster)

Spectacularly colorful and unmistakable long-billed insect-eater with a bright yellow throat, gemstone-blue belly, and flame-colored back. Found in open and semiopen country, mainly in drier areas; nests colonially in burrows dug into sand banks, often river banks. Usually seen perched on wires or circling in swallowlike flight, often in small groups; feeds by catching insects (especially bees) on the wing. Quite vocal, often giving distinctive pipping calls.

European Bee-eater feeds mainly on insects such as Hymenoptera, Diptera and Odonata, and also termites, butterflies and grasshoppers. It hunts while flying, or by sallies from exposed perches. The bees, wasps, hornets and similar species are killed by striking against a hard surface to remove the sting.

The Bee-eater is only an occasional breeder in the UK and since the first recorded nesting in Scotland in 1920, there have only been 11 documented instances of breeding.

As their name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat flying insects, especially bees and wasps, which are caught on the wing from an open perch.

The best time to take pictures is 2 hours after sunrise and 3 hours before sunset. At those times the lighting is soft, the tones are warm and emphasize the vivid colors of the birds. Bee-eaters are active all day long but the distribution of light and shade might be burnt under the midday sun.

It's the European Bee-eater. These technicolour wonders normally nest in southern Europe and north Africa before heading down to southern Africa in winter. Like many Bee-eaters, they like company, nesting together in small groups where they can be heard chattering away with a “prrrp prrrp prrrp” call.

Bee eaters tend to have a lifespan of approximately six years, although certain species, such as the green bee eater, can live up to 20 years when cared for in captivity.

The difficulties of migration and avoiding predators along the way affect every bird. Bee-eaters today also find it harder to find food, as there are fewer insects around as a result of pesticides. Breeding sites are also disappearing, as rivers are turned into concrete-walled canals.

The European bee-eater is a richly-coloured bird of approximately 28 cm in length and a slightly downturned thin beak. They catch large insects in flight by sorts from a perch. An exceptional eyesight allows them to locate preys at a distance up to 20 meters, so they eat flies, dragonflies, butterflies wasps and of course bees, hence its common name.

Bee-eaters nest in almost every kind of habitat but they avoid high mountain areas and dense forests. They dig their nests in slopes or banks where they build a small chamber to lay 4 to 6 eggs that will be brood for approximately 20 days. Three weeks later the newly hatched birds will show their heads out of the nest and on the fourth week they will start flying.

This species belongs to the Meropidae family distributed along southern Europe, central Russia, west of Siberia, Lower Asia, Middle East, Mediterranean Islands, North Africa and South Africa.

28-6-2017 TANCAT DE MILLIA, VALENCIA - BLACK WINGED STILT (Himantopus himantopus)

27-6-2017 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. 

Little Egrets first bred in Britain in 1996 and since then have successfully colonised much of southern Britain and Ireland. Most of the breeding colonies have been established within existing Grey Heron colonies, the two species nesting alongside one another.

The winter distribution is also currently restricted to the southern half of Britain & Ireland, despite the fact that young birds are known to move some distance from their natal site.

28-5-2015 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WAVE MOTH (Scopula submutata)

 

Scopula submutata, the Mediterranean lace border, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found in southern Europe, North Africa and the Near East. The habitat consists of open, dry grassland and rocky slopes.

The wingspan is 20–25 millimetres (0.79–0.98 in). There are two generations per year, with adults on wing from May to October.

The larvae feed on Thymus species and Origanum vulgare.

25-6-2017 FONT EN CARROS, VALENCIA - LITTLE OWL (Athene noctua)

The Little owl (Athene noctua) is a small cryptically colored bird that inhabits much of the temperate and warmer parts of Europe, the Palearctic east to Korea, and North Africa. This owl is a member of the typical or true owl family Strigidae, which contains most species of owl, the other grouping being the barn owls, Tytonidae.

The Little owl has a flat-topped head, a plump, compact body, and a short tail. The facial disc is flattened above the eyes giving the bird a frowning expression. The plumage is greyish-brown, spotted, streaked, and barred with white. The underparts are pale and streaked with a darker color. The Little owl has a large head, long legs, and yellow eyes, and its white "eyebrows" give it a stern expression. Juveniles are duller and lack the adult's white crown spots. This species has a bounding flight like a woodpecker. Moult begins in July and continues to November, with the male starting before the female.

Little owls are common and widespread and not considered globally threatened. However, in some areas of their range, these birds suffer from habitat loss, farming practices, serve winters, pesticides, road traffic deaths at night, and persecution.

Little owls are widespread across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Their range in Eurasia extends from the Iberian Peninsula and Denmark eastwards to China and southwards to the Himalayas. In Africa, they are present from Mauritania to Egypt, the Red Sea, and Arabia. These are sedentary birds which are found in open countryside in a great range of habitats. These include agricultural land with hedgerows and trees, orchards, woodland verges, parks, and gardens, as well as steppes and stony semi-deserts. They are also present in treeless areas such as dunes, and in the vicinity of ruins, quarries, and rocky outcrops. They sometimes venture into villages, suburbs, and urban areas.

Little owls are generally solitary and mainly active at dawn and dusk. They usually perch in an elevated position ready to swoop down on any small creature they notice. These birds may also pursue prey on the ground and they cache surplus food in holes or other hiding places. Little owls are territorial and the males normally remain in one territory for life. The home range, in which the bird actually hunts for food, varies with the type of habitat and time of year. If a male intrudes into the territory of another, the occupier approaches and emits its territorial calls. If the intruder persists, the occupier flies at him aggressively. If this is unsuccessful, the occupier repeats the attack, this time trying to make contact with his claws. In retreat, an owl often drops to the ground and makes a low-level escape. Little owls become more vocal at night. Their call is a querulous kiew, kiew. They may also utter various whistling or trilling calls. In the breeding season, pairs may call in duet and various yelping, chattering, or barking sounds are usually made in the vicinity of the nest.

Little owls are monogamous; pairs often remain together all year round and the bond may last until one partner dies. They usually breed in late spring. The nesting location varies with habitat and can be located in holes in trees, in cliffs, quarries, walls, old buildings, river banks, and even rabbit burrows. The female lays a clutch of 3 to 5 eggs (occasionally 2 to 8) which are broadly elliptical, white in color, and without gloss. They are incubated by the female who sometimes starts sitting after the first egg is laid. While she is incubating the eggs, the male brings food for her. The eggs hatch after 28 or 29 days. At first, the chicks are brooded by the female and the male brings in food which she distributes to them. Later, both parents are involved in hunting and feeding the young. The fledglings leave the nest at about 7 weeks and can fly a week or two later. Usually, there is a single brood but when food is abundant, there may be two. When the young disperse, they seldom travel more than about 20 kilometers (12 mi). Reproductive maturity is usually reached at 1 year of age.

25-6-2017 RAFELCOFER, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN SERIN (MALE) (Serinus serinus)

25-6-2017 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - RED VEINED DARTER DRAGONFLY (FEMALE) (Sympetrum fonscolombii)

The red-veined darter or nomad (Sympetrum fonscolombii) is a dragonfly of the genus Sympetrum.

There is genetic and behavioural evidence that S. fonscolombii is not closely related to the other members of the genus Sympetrum and it will at some time in the future be removed from this genus.

Sympetrum fonscolombii was named under the protonym Libellula fonscolombii by the Belgian entomologist Edmond de Sélys Longchamps, in 1840, in honor of the French entomologist Étienne of Fonscolombe (hence the species name). Its name is sometimes spelt fonscolombei instead of fonscolombii but Askew (2004) gives the latter as the correct spelling.

Sympetrum fonscolombii is a widespread and common species in much of central and southern Europe including most Mediterranean islands, North Africa, the Middle East, Mongolia, south-western Asia, including the Indian Subcontinent, the Indian Ocean Islands and Sri Lanka. In Europe it is resident in the south of its range but in some years it migrates northward. From the 1990s onwards has increasingly been found in northwest Europe, including Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Britain and Ireland. It is the only Libellulidae to be found in the Azores and it is also found on the Canary Islands and Madeira.

It breeds in a wide range of habitats including marshes, lakes, ponds, permanent and seasonal rivers. It is able to recolonize dry areas after a rainfall.

25-6-2017 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - PURPLE HERON (Ardea purpurea)

The Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea), a statuesque avian, stands with a height ranging from 70 to 94 cm and boasts a wingspan of 120 to 152 cm. Despite its grand stature, it is a slender creature, tipping the scales at a mere 0.5 to 1.35 kg. This bird is slightly smaller and more svelte than its cousin, the Grey Heron, and is adorned with darker, reddish-brown plumage.

Adult Purple Herons are distinguished by their black foreheads and crowns, with a dark stripe cascading down the back of the neck, culminating in a modest, dangling crest. Their heads and necks are a buffish chestnut, streaked with dark lines, while the mantle dons an oily brown hue. The upper parts and tail are a brownish grey, and the underparts are a mix of chestnut and black. During the breeding season, the beak of the adult brightens, and the eyes gleam with a yellow iris.

The Purple Heron is a denizen of marshes, lagoons, and lakes, often shrouded by dense vegetation. It has a penchant for freshwater habitats, particularly those with expansive reed beds of Phragmites. Coastal mangrove swamps are also within its realm, though less frequently visited.

This heron has a broad range that spans Africa, central and southern Europe, and the southern and eastern Palearctic. While the Western Palearctic populations are migratory, their African and tropical-Asian counterparts are mostly sedentary, save for occasional dispersive movements.

The Purple Heron is a creature of stealth and grace, often retreating to the sanctuary of reed beds. It exhibits a slow, deliberate flight, with its neck retracted and legs trailing behind. On land, it moves with long toes that allow it to traverse floating vegetation or even bushwalk without grasping the branches. Dawn and dusk are its preferred times for activity, with the bird often seen stalking or standing in ambush for its prey.

Purple Herons are colonial breeders, constructing bulky nests from dead reeds or sticks in close proximity to water. They lay about five bluish-green eggs, with both parents sharing incubation duties. The young emerge after approximately four weeks and take their first flight six weeks later.

25-6-2017 PEGO MARJAL, ALICANTE - LITTLE RINGED PLOVER (Charadrius dubius)

The Little Ringed Plover, Charadrius dubius, presents itself as a small and sprightly bird. Its plumage is a subtle blend of grey-brown on the back and wings, while its underparts remain a crisp white. A distinctive black neckband adorns its white breast, complementing the brown cap atop its head. A striking black mask encircles the eyes, set against a white forehead, and is accentuated by a clear yellow eye-ring—a feature unique to this species. Its bill is short and dark, and the legs exhibit a flesh-coloured hue, with all toes connected by webbing.

To distinguish the Little Ringed Plover from its close relatives, one should note the colour of its legs, the pattern on its head, and the presence of the yellow eye-ring. These characteristics set it apart from the larger Ringed Plover, which lacks these specific traits.

The preferred breeding grounds of the Little Ringed Plover are open gravel areas adjacent to freshwater sources. These include gravel pits, river edges, and islands, where vegetation is sparse or non-existent.

This bird boasts a wide range across the Palearctic, extending to northwestern Africa. It is a migratory species, retreating to the warmer climates of Africa during the winter months.

The Little Ringed Plover is known for its foraging habits on muddy terrains, where it primarily relies on sight to locate its prey. It is a ground-nesting bird, with both males and females sharing the responsibility of incubating the eggs.

The call of the Little Ringed Plover is a distinctive sound, contributing to the rich tapestry of bird songs in its habitat.

During the breeding season, these birds exhibit a fascinating mating ritual where the male bird may be observed tapping the cloaca of the female.

While similar in appearance to the larger Ringed Plover, the Little Ringed Plover can be differentiated by its leg colour, head pattern, and the conspicuous yellow eye-ring.

The diet of the Little Ringed Plover consists of insects and worms, which it diligently searches for in muddy areas.

The Little Ringed Plover is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN. It is also protected under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), ensuring international efforts are made to safeguard its future.

25-6-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SPOTTED FLYCATCHER (Muscicapa striata)

Spotted flycatchers are one of our summer migrants that spend the winter in Africa. They are one of the latest migrants to reach us, with a few trickling into the country from late April and most arriving from mid-May.

Despite arriving relatively late, spotted flycatchers manage to rear two broods of young before departing at the end of August. The success of the second clutch is increased by fewer eggs being laid, meaning less mouths to fill. They will nest in gardens but the nest is usually well hidden on ledges or behind climbing plants.

Spotted flycatchers prefer large flying insects, including flies and butterflies. However, if the weather is cool and insects aren’t flying, they will take smaller invertebrates from leaves and branches. If poor weather persists, many nests fail as these smaller invertebrates tend to be eaten by the parents rather than fed to the young.

In order to reduce the chances of their invertebrate prey escaping, spotted flycatchers have a series of modified feathers, like bristles, down the sides of the bill. They have also adapted to catch stinging insects. They rub the sting end on their perch to remove it, making the prey safe to eat.

The spotted flycatcher is red listed due to its rapid and consistent population decline with an 89 per cent decrease between 1967 and 2012. Evidence suggests that this is due to poor annual survival rates of first year birds, but conditions in their wintering grounds in Africa may also have contributed to the decline.

25-6-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MOORISH GECKO (Tarentola mauritanica)

Tarentola mauritanica, known as the common wall gecko, is a species of gecko (Gekkota) native to the western Mediterranean area of North Africa and Europe. It has been introduced to Madeira and Balearic Islands, and the Americas (in Montevideo, Buenos Aires and California). A nocturnal animal with a predominantly insectivorous diet, it is commonly observed on walls in urban environments in warm coastal areas; it can be found further inland, especially in Spain where it has a tradition of cohabitation with humans as an insect hunter. A robust species, up to 15 centimetres (5.9 in) long, its tubercules are enlarged and give the species a spiny armoured appearance.

The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. It is also known as moorish gecko, crocodile gecko, European common gecko, and, regionally, as osga (in Portuguese), salamanquesa (in Spanish) and dragó (in Catalan).