23-3-2017 TARCOLES RIVER, COSTA RICA - SLATY TAILED TROGON (MALE) (Trogon massena)

The slaty-tailed trogon (Trogon massena ) is a near passerine bird in the family Trogonidae, the quetzals and trogons. It is found in Mexico, throughout Central America, and in Colombia and Ecuador.

Trogons have distinctive male and female plumages, with soft, often colorful, feathers. The slaty-tailed trogon is 30 to 35.5 cm (12 to 14 in) long and weighs about 140 to 155 g (4.9 to 5.5 oz). The nominate male has an orange-red bill and a dull black face, chin, and upper throat with a red to orange ring around the eye. The upperparts are metallic green that tends to golden green on the back and bluish green on the crown and rump. The breast is metallic green and the belly and vent deep red. The folded wing has fine black and white vermiculation that looks gray at a distance. The upperside of the four central tail feathers are metallic green to bronzy green with black tips, the next pair mostly black, and the outermost pair entirely black. The undersides of the tail feathers are slate gray with black tips. The female replaces most of the male's green with gray that is paler on the upper breast than on the upperparts. The upperside of the tail is black. The female's maxilla is dusky gray.

The male T. m. hoffmanni 's plumage is essentially the same as the nominate's but the upperside of the tail is more golden. T. m. australis is smaller than the nominate. Compared to the nominate, the male's uppertail is bluish green and the female's darker gray. The male's undertail is browner than the nominate's and there is more metallic green on the face and throat.

The nominate subspecies of slaty-tailed trogon is found on the Caribbean slope from southern Mexico through Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala into Nicaragua. T. m. hoffmanni is found on the Caribbean and Pacific slopes of Costa Rica and Panama, and also in extreme northwestern Colombia. T. m. australis is found in western Colombia and far northwestern Ecuador. The species primarily inhabits the midstory to the canopy of tropical evergreen forest and mature secondary forest, and can also be found in gallery forest, coffee plantations, and mangroves. It is a bird of the lowlands, reaching only 600 m (2,000 ft) in Mexico and northern Central America. It is found locally as high as 1,200 m (3,900 ft) in Costa Rica, 1,400 m (4,600 ft) in Panama, and 1,100 m (3,600 ft) in Colombia.

The slaty-tailed trogon forages for fruits and insects by sallying or hover gleaning from a perch. It often follows white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus and C. imitator ) to catch insects displaced by them.

The slaty-tailed trogon's breeding season varies geographically, but appears to span from February to July overall. Males and females display to each other by raising the tail and fluffing the uppertail covert feathers. It nests as high as 15 m (49 ft) in a cavity excavated in an occupied termite nest or decaying tree trunk. Both sexes excavate the nesting chamber. The typical clutch is two or three white or bluish-white eggs, and both sexes incubate them.

The IUCN has assessed the slaty-tailed trogon as being of Least Concern. It has a large range, and though its population has not been quantified it is believed to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified. However, "The primary threats to this species are logging of mature forests, and habitat conversion for agriculture."

12-7-2017 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - COMMON TERN (Sterna hirundo)

12-7-2017 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - BLACK WINGED STILT (Himantopus himantopus)

The Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus, is a slender wader known for its strikingly long, pink legs and contrasting black-and-white plumage. This elegant bird is a member of the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae.

Adult Black-winged Stilts measure 33–36 cm in length. They possess a long, thin black bill and display a distinctive black and white coloration. The head and neck are predominantly white, with variable black markings depending on the sex and subspecies. Males typically have a glossy or greenish sheen on their black backs, while females exhibit a more brownish tinge. During flight, their long legs trail behind, and their wingbeats are steady.

These birds favor marshes, shallow lakes, and ponds as their breeding grounds. They are also known to inhabit coastal areas during migration and in the winter months.

The Black-winged Stilt has a wide range, extending across Europe, Asia, and Africa. Some populations migrate to coastal regions in winter, while others in milder climates may remain resident or engage in short-range movements.

Black-winged Stilts are often seen foraging in shallow waters, gracefully picking insects and crustaceans from the surface. They are known to nest in small groups, sometimes alongside avocets, and exhibit a variety of courtship behaviors, including intricate displays and duets.

The flight call of the Black-winged Stilt is a sharp and clear kleek, typically heard during its aerial maneuvers.

Nests are simple bare spots on the ground near water. These birds are communal nesters and may breed in loose colonies. They have been known to breed as far north as Britain, with recent successful breeding events recorded in Southern and Northern England.

The Black-winged Stilt can be confused with other stilt species, such as the Black-necked Stilt (H. mexicanus) in the Americas, the White-backed Stilt (H. melanurus), and the Pied Stilt (H. leucocephalus) in Australasia and New Zealand.

Their diet consists mainly of insects and crustaceans, which they deftly pick from the water's surface or from wet sand.

The IUCN lists the Black-winged Stilt as Least Concern, indicating a stable global population. However, they are protected under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds, highlighting the importance of international cooperation in their conservation.

12-7-2017 EL PALMAR, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN SAND MARTIN (Riparia riparia)

12-7-2017 EL PALMAR, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN SAND MARTIN (JUVENILE) (Riparia riparia)

The sand martin (Riparia riparia ), also known as the bank swallow (in the Americas), collared sand martin, or common sand martin, is a migratory passerine bird in the swallow family. It has a wide range in summer, embracing practically the whole of Europe and the Mediterranean countries and across the Palearctic to the Pacific Ocean. It is a Holarctic species also found in North America. It winters in eastern and southern Africa, South America, and the Indian Subcontinent.

The Sand martin is a small migratory bird in the swallow family. It is brown above and white below with a narrow brown band on the breast. Its bill is black and the legs are brown. The brown back, white throat, small size, and quick jerky flight of the Sand martin separate it at once from similar swallows, such as the Common house martin, the American cliff swallow.

Sand martins have a wide range in summer, embracing practically the whole of Europe and the Mediterranean countries and across the Palearctic to the Pacific Ocean. They are also found in North America. Sand martins winter in eastern and southern Africa, South America, and the Indian Subcontinent. These birds are generally found near larger bodies of water, such as rivers, lakes, or even the ocean, throughout the year. They forage in open areas such as grassland and farmland and tend to avoid dense forests and mountainous areas.

Sand martins are very social birds that live and nest in colonies. They are active during the day and spend their time foraging, preening, and often sunbathe in groups. At night they gather in communal roosts. Sand martins are fast and agile fliers. They rarely land on the ground and are often seen perching or in flight. These birds usually forage in the morning singly or in groups; they catch insects on the wing and occasionally on the ground or over the water. Sand martins constantly communicate with each other; their twittering song is continuous when the birds are on the wing and becomes a conversational undertone after they have settled in the roost. The harsh alarm is usually heard when a passing falcon, crow, or other suspected predator requires combined action to drive it away.

Sand martins are serially monogamous and pairs remain together for the nesting season. They appear on the breeding grounds starting towards the end of March and leave by the end of September. Sand martins are sociable in their nesting habits; from a dozen to many hundred pairs will nest close together, according to available space. The burrow is excavated by the male first and then he will perform territorial circle flights around the burrow entrance while singing, trying to attract females. When the pair is formed, both birds complete this work. The tunnel is dug in sand or gravel soils. The nests are placed at the end of tunnels which are 50 to 100 cm long and lined with straw and feathers. The female lays 4-5 white eggs and both parents incubate them for 14-15 days. Pairs usually produce two broods in one breeding season. The chicks are helpless (altricial) and cared for by both adults. They fledge and leave the nest around 18 to 22 days after hatching but remain dependant on their parents for up to a week more. The young will then reach reproductive maturity in their first year of age.

12-7-2017 RACO DE OLLA, VALENCIA - PIED AVOCET (Recurvirostra avosetta)

12-7-2017 ULLAL DE BOLDOVI, VALENCIA - OLD WORLD SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY (Papilio machaon)

Papilio machaon, the Old World swallowtail, is a butterfly of the family Papilionidae. The butterfly is also known as the common yellow swallowtail or simply the swallowtail (a common name applied to all members of the family, but this species was the first to be given the name). It is the type species of the genus Papilio. This widespread species is found in much of the Palearctic (it is the only swallowtail in most of Europe) and in North America.

This species is named after Machaon (Ancient Greek: Μαχάων, romanized: Makháōn) a figure in Greek mythology. He was a son of Asclepius.

The imago typically has yellow wings with black vein markings, and a wingspan of 65–86 millimetres (2.6–3.4 in). The hindwings of both sexes have a pair of protruding tails which give the butterfly its common name from the resemblance to the birds of the same name. Just below each tail is one red and six blue eye spots.

In the caterpillar stage, P. machaon has a length of 45 millimetres (1.8 in). When young, the caterpillar resembles a bird dropping, giving it camouflage. The caterpillar also protects itself using a large orange fork which protrudes behind its head.

It can be distinguished from Papilio hospiton, which occurs sympatrically with it on Corsica and Sardinia, by the longer "tails" on the hindwings. It can be told apart from the Algerian species Papilio saharae only by counting the segments on the antennae.

This butterfly is present throughout the entire Palearctic region, ranging from Russia to China and Japan, (including the Himalayas and Taiwan), and across into Alaska, Canada, and the United States, and thus, is not restricted to the Old World, despite the common name. In Asia, it is reported as far south as Saudi Arabia, Oman, the high mountains of Yemen, Lebanon, Iran and Israel. In southern Asia, it occurs in Pakistan and Kashmir, northern India (Sikkim, to Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh), Nepal, Bhutan, and northern Myanmar.

This butterfly is widespread in Europe. In the United Kingdom, it is limited to a few areas in the Norfolk Broads of East Anglia. It is the UK's largest resident butterfly. The monarch (Danaus plexippus) is slightly larger, but is only a rare vagrant.

As P. machaon is widespread throughout Eurasia and often common, it is not threatened as a species. It is listed as "vulnerable" in the South Korean and Austrian Red Data Books, and in the Red Data Book of the former Soviet Union. In Armenia the species demonstrates stable population trend and is assessed as Least Concern.

In some countries, P. machaon and its subspecies are protected by law. Papilio machaon machaon is protected by law in six provinces of Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova. The species is protected in the United Kingdom, and subspecies verityi is protected in India.

The butterfly has a strong and fast flight, but frequently pauses to hover over flowering herbs and sip nectar. It frequents alpine meadows and hillsides, and males are fond of 'hilltopping', congregating near summits to compete for passing females. At lower elevations, it can be seen visiting gardens.

Unlike other swallowtails which specialise on Rutaceae, this species mostly feeds on plants of family Umbelliferae, females laying eggs singly. Milk parsley (also known as marsh hog's fennel) is normally the only food plant used by the caterpillars of the British subspecies. The food plants of the swallowtail in Europe, Asia, and North America are more varied than in the UK. It uses a wide variety of umbellifers including wild carrot (Daucus carota), wild angelica (Angelica sylvestris), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), and hogweeds (Heracleum). In the Maltese Islands, the caterpillar feeds on plants such as rue (Ruta chalepensis) in addition to Umbelliferae such as fennel.

In Kashmir, the common yellow swallowtail, as Papilio machaon is called there, inhabits alpine meadows in the Himalayas occurring from 2,000 feet (610 m) in Kashmir valley to 16,000 ft (4,900 m) in the Garhwal Himalayas. In India, in Himachal Pradesh, it is found over 4,000 ft (1,200 m) only and in Sikkim over 8,000 ft (2,400 m) only.

At lower elevations, these butterflies fly from March to September; at higher elevations, they are limited by the short summer seasons.

The British subspecies P. m. brittanicus is less mobile than its European continental counterpart and stays within, or close by, its fenland habitat.

There are usually two to three broods in a year, but in northern areas, the species may be univoltine. In some places such as the UK, some will pupate and emerge in the same year and others will overwinter as pupae before emerging the following year, a situation known as being partially bivoltine.

The caterpillar spends the first part of its life with the appearance of a bird dropping, an effective defense against predators. As the caterpillar grows larger, it becomes green with black and orange markings. It has a defense against predators in the form of an osmeterium, which consists of retractable, fleshy projections behind its head that can release a foul smell if disturbed, which deters insects, but not birds.

Old World swallowtails can easily be bred in captivity. Butterflies can be lured to lay eggs in a backyard garden by keeping plenty of caterpillar food plants in it. Common rue plants are highly appropriate for this.

Once eggs or young caterpillars have been collected, they can be kept in a pot with holes on its top to allow air circulation. More than one caterpillar may be kept in a single pot since they do not attack each other (although they might sometimes get frightened by other caterpillars moving). They can be fed any of their food plants. Fennel is one of the easiest to find in the wild. Care must be taken with fennel as well as dill, though, because they will not eat hard, woody stems; they need to be fed the tender leaves. They can also be fed rue or milk parsley. Feeding them with unsuitable plants will lead to death from starvation.

Caterpillars are very fast eaters; they will spend their time eating or resting before they resume their eating again. Once a sufficient size has been attained, they will attach themselves to any available structure with their silky threads. They will then stay still until they become pupae. This will take about a day.

Once in the pupa stage, they can be very carefully removed from the pot and placed in a warm location. The time the butterfly takes to form and come out depends on the temperature. If kept in warm summer temperatures, it will take about one or two weeks to form. On the other hand, if the temperature is lower, it might take as long as several months until it feels the weather is warm enough.

Pupae should not be kept on an impermeable surface, since when they eclose a bit of liquid will be released, this means the butterfly would stay wet and might not be able to fly. Absorbing paper such as the one used in kitchens is advisable.

11-7-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN SERIN (MALE) (Serinus serinus)

11-7-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - GREAT CAPRICORN BEETLE (Cerambyx cerdo)

11-7-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - CONTINENTAL STRIPED SHIELD BUG (Graphosoma italicum ssp italicum)

The so-called "striped bug" in Spanish, Graphosoma lineatum subsp. italicum (Müller, 1766) , is a subspecies of the so-called "shield bugs", due to the shape of its scutellum, and belongs to the Pentatomidae family . Pentatomidae comes from the Greek and means "in five parts", referring to its antennae composed of 5 segments, compared to the 4 of other bugs. According to some authors, the species Graphosoma lineatum (Linnaeus, 1758) is divided into two subspecies. The typical one, Graphosoma lineatum subsp. lineatum (Linnaeus, 1758) , seems to be distributed in northern Africa and possibly the Iberian Peninsula and southern France. The other, Graphosoma lineatum subsp. italicum (Müller, 1766) is more widely distributed, in the Mediterranean and Euro-Siberian areas, reaching as far north as Denmark. Other authors give the latter the status of species, and it is now called Graphosoma italicum (Müller, 1766).

11-7-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - LARGE PSAMMODROMUS LIZARD (Psammodromus algirus)

Psammodromus algirus is found in North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia) and in Southwestern Europe (Iberian Peninsula: Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Gibraltar; southernmost France, and Italy near Lampedusa).

The IUCN assessment from 2009 treats Psammodromus algirus nollii and Psammodromus algirus ketamensis as full species and restricts Psammodromus algirus to North Africa.

P. algirus typically occurs in dense bushy vegetation, but it can also venture to more open areas. It can be found at at elevations up to 2,600 m (8,500 ft) above sea level, but it is more common at lower elevations.

Psammodromus algirus mainly feeds on terrestrial arthropods, specifically Orthoptera, Formicidae, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Araneae.

P. algirus is threatened by habitat loss.

P. algirus commonly reaches a snout–vent length of about 7.5 cm (3.0 in), occasionally 9 cm (3.5 in). The tail is 2–3 times the body length. Dorsal colouration is usually metallic brownish with a pair of conspicuous white or yellowish stripes on both sides.

10-7-2017 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - RED CROSSBILL (MALE) (Loxia curvirostra)

The Red Crossbill, known as Loxia curvirostra, is a small passerine bird belonging to the finch family Fringillidae. This species exhibits a unique adaptation: its mandibles, which cross at the tips, are specialized for extracting seeds from conifer cones and other fruits. Adult males typically display vibrant red or orange plumage, while females are adorned in shades of green or yellow. However, there is considerable variation in both beak size and shape, as well as call types, across its range.

The Red Crossbill is readily identified by its distinctive crossed mandibles, a feature that sets it apart from most other bird species. However, it shares this characteristic with the similar Two-barred Crossbill. The Red Crossbill can be distinguished by its uniformly brownish-black wings, lacking the bright white wing bars present in the Two-barred Crossbill. While there are other closely related crossbills within its range, such as the Parrot, Scottish, and Cassia Crossbills, these are best identified by their calls, as visual differences are minimal.

Red Crossbills inhabit a variety of coniferous forests across North America and Eurasia, where they are closely associated with the availability of conifer seeds.

The Red Crossbill is a widespread species, breeding and residing in coniferous forests across North America and Eurasia. Its presence can be irregular, as it may appear in certain areas only in years when the cone crop is abundant.

This species is known for its nomadic and irruptive behavior, with movements closely tied to the availability of conifer seeds. Red Crossbills typically breed in late summer when conifer seeds mature but may breed at any time of year if a suitable cone crop is found. They are known to disperse widely in search of food, and their occurrence can be quite unpredictable. Some populations, such as the Newfoundland Crossbill, are resident and do not exhibit significant movements.

The Red Crossbill is primarily identified by its call, a single note "chip" that varies between the different types. These calls are frequently given and are key to distinguishing between the various populations.

Breeding occurs in coniferous forests, with timing closely linked to the maturation of conifer seeds. Red Crossbills may nest at any time of year if they find an area with an adequate cone crop.

Similar species include the Two-barred Crossbill, Parrot Crossbill, Scottish Crossbill, and Cassia Crossbill. These species were once considered subspecies of the Red Crossbill but are now recognized as distinct, primarily based on call differences.

The diet of the Red Crossbill is specialized, consisting primarily of seeds from conifer cones. They use their unique bill shape to pry apart the scales of cones and access the seeds within.

The Red Crossbill is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that it is not at immediate risk of widespread decline.

18-10-2015 MALDON, ESSEX - EUROPEAN MOORHEN (JUVENILE) (Gallinula chloropus)