10-4-2024 NEW DELHI, INDIA - COMMON MYNA (Acridotheres tristis) NIKON P950

The Common myna (Acridotheres tristis) is a tropical bird with a strong territorial instinct, which has adapted extremely well to urban environments. The range of the Common myna is increasing at such a rapid rate that in 2000 the IUCN Species Survival Commission declared it one of the world's most invasive species and one of only three birds listed among "100 of the World's Worst Invasive Species" that pose a threat to biodiversity, agriculture, and human interests.

Common mynas can be recognized by their brown body, black hooded head, and the bare yellow patch behind the eye. Their bill and legs are bright yellow. There is a white patch on the outer primaries and the wing lining on the underside is white. The male and female look similar and are usually seen in pairs.

Common mynas are native to Asia with their home range spanning from Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka; as well as Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Myanmar, to Malaysia, Singapore, peninsular Thailand, Indo-China, Japan (both mainland Japan and the Ryukyu Islands) and China. These birds are typically found in a wide range of habitats with access to water; they inhabit open woodland, mangroves, grasslands, farmlands, orchards, and urban areas.

Common mynas are social birds that roost communally throughout the year, either in pure or mixed flocks with jungle mynas, rosy starlings, house crows, jungle crows, cattle egrets, and other birds. These roosts can contain less than one hundred and up to thousands of birds. Birds start to gather in roosts before sunset and depart before sunrise. Mynas often perform communal displays (pre-roosting and post-roosting) which consist of aerial maneuvers and are exhibited in the pre-breeding season (November to March). It is assumed that this behavior is related to pair formation. During the day, Common mynas spend most of their time foraging and may travel up to 10 km between their roosting and feeding sites each day. They feed on the ground walking with occasional hops among grass looking for insects, especially grasshoppers. When mynas need to communicate with each other, they use croaks, squawks, chirps, clicks, whistles, and 'growls'; they also often fluff their feathers and bob their head in singing. They also screech warnings to their mate or other birds in cases of predators in proximity or when they are about to take off flying. Before sleeping in communal roosts, mynas vocalize in unison, which is known as "communal noise".

Common mynas are monogamous and believed to pair for life. They breed through much of the year depending on the location, building their nest in a hole in a tree or wall. Nesting material used in nest construction includes twigs, roots, tow, and rubbish. During the breeding, season mynas become highly territorial, and neighboring pairs often fight furiously. The normal clutch size is 4-6 eggs which are incubated by the female within 17-18 days. The chicks are altricial; they are born helpless, with reddish bodies, and blind. The young usually fledge at 22 to 24 days of age and become independent 3 weeks later.

9-4-2024 NEW DELHI, INDIA - HOUSE CROW (Corvus splendens) NIXON P950

The House crow is relatively small and slim-bodied, with long legs and plumage that is mostly black or blackish-slate. ‘Shining raven’ is the meaning of its scientific name, referring to its glossy, jet-black feathers around the face, chin, crown, and throat. Males and females are similar in appearance. Juveniles have duller plumage which does not feature the adults’ glossy black sheen.

The House crow is widely distributed throughout southern Asia, from southern Iran through Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh and into south-western China, southern Tibet, and central Thailand, as well as the Maldives. It has been introduced to places in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and several islands, such as Mauritius. A small population is established around St. Petersburg, Florida. It is typically a lowland species, found in both tropical and subtropical areas. Some, however, have been seen in Himalayan military bases. This bird is strongly associated with humans, living in cities, towns, and villages. Interestingly, no populations are known to live in areas where there are no people.

A House crow is very intelligent and is always wary and alert, walking or hopping along while flicking its wings nervously. It is a diurnal, non-migratory, social species and gathers in noisy flocks and forms massive roosts. The flocks may consist of hundreds or thousands of birds, and this species will also gather with parakeets and mynahs in plantations and mangroves. House crows return to their foraging grounds just prior to dawn. It is a very noisy species, with a rather dry, flat, toneless call described as a ‘kaaan-kaaan’ or ‘kaa-kaao’. During social interactions, they also make a wide range of softer, nasal calls.

The House crow is relatively small and slim-bodied, with long legs and plumage that is mostly black or blackish-slate. ‘Shining raven’ is the meaning of its scientific name, referring to its glossy, jet-black feathers around the face, chin, crown, and throat. Males and females are similar in appearance. Juveniles have duller plumage which does not feature the adults’ glossy black sheen.

9-4-2024 NEW DELHI, INDIA - YELLOW FOOTED GREEN PIGEON (Treron phoenicopterus) NIKON P950

The Yellow-footed green pigeon (Treron phoenicopterus) is a species of green pigeon. It is the state bird of Maharashtra. In Marathi, it is called Haroli or Hariyal. It is known as Haitha in Upper Assam and Haitol in Lower Assam.

Male Yellow-footed green pigeon is olive-green above and has an olive-yellow collar, and a lilac-red patch on the shoulder which is usually absent in females. Its legs legs and underbody are yellow in color. Female Yellow-footed green pigeon is slightly duller than males.

Yellow-footed green pigeons are found in the Indian subcontinent, parts of Southeast Asia and China. They inhabit moist tropical forests both in lowlands and in mountainous areas, shrubland, rural gardens, and urban areas. Yellow-footed green pigeons don't migrate but during winter they move from higher altitudes to lower areas.

Yellow-footed green pigeons are social birds and forage in flocks. They are active during the daylight hours and in the early morning, they are often seen sunning on the tops of emergent trees. The common call of these birds is a whistling 'kwa-kow'.

Yellow-footed green pigeons are monogamous. They form pairs and are territorial during the breeding season. They usually breed from March until June depending on location. Yellow-footed green pigeons nest on tree branches and sometimes on shrubs. Females lay on average 2 eggs. The chicks are altricial; they hatch blind and helpless and require parental care.

9-4-2024 NEW DELHI, INDIA - RED VENTED BULBUL (Pycnonotus cafer) NIKON P950

The red-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer ) is a member of the bulbul family of passerines. It is a resident breeder across the Indian subcontinent, including Sri Lanka extending east to Burma and parts of Bhutan and Nepal. It has been introduced in many other parts of the world and has established itself in New Zealand, Argentina, Tonga and Fiji, as well as parts of Samoa, Australia, USA and Cook Islands. It is included in the list of the world's 100 worst invasive alien species.

The Red-vented bulbul is a medium-sized songbird that can be found across the Indian subcontinent. It can be easily identified by its short crest giving the head a squarish appearance. The body of this bird is dark brown with a scaly pattern while the head is darker or black. The rump is white while the vent is red. It has a long black tail, tipped in white. The males and the females of this species look similar, but young birds are duller than adults.

Red-vented bulbuls are monogamous and form long-lasting pair bonds. They breed from June to September and lay 2 or 3 eggs in a typical clutch. The eggs are pale-pinkish with spots of darker red denser at the broad end. Red-vented bulbuls build their nests in bushes at a height of around 2-3 m (6.6-9.8 ft). However, they may occasionally nest inside houses, in a hole in a mud bank, or in tree cavities. Their nests are small flat cups made of small dry twigs and spider webs. The eggs hatch after about 14 days and both parents take part in feeding their chicks.

This species is not considered threatened at present. However, fires, heavy rains, and predators are the main causes of fledgling mortality in scrub habitats in southern India.

7-4-2024 CASTELLDEFELS, BARCELONA - SAND STOCK (Malcolmia littorea) NIKON P950

This delightful, bright pink flower grows in the harsh, dry and sandy conditions on the coast of the Mediterranean region from the west (Portugal and Spain) as far east as Italy. It flowers from February until May. Malcolmia is a member of the Cabbage (Brassicaceae) family of plants formerly known as the Cruciferae.

Malcolmialittorea is a perennial plant with a lot of woody stalks at the base. Stalks are lying on the floor, have woody base, and they are from 10 to 40 cm long. They are ash-white colour and covered in dense off-white hairs or 'trichomes'. More or less oval leaves with margins (with or without teeth) lean on the stalks. Flowers display in groups of 5 to 20, and have some off-white cover. Their four petals are purple or lilac-pink. Seeds are small with dark chestnut colour and ovoid shape. Their surface is rough.

Malcolmialittoreais distributed all over Málaga county on coastal dunes, above all on secondary and grey dunes (those covered by a continuous layer of herbaceous vegetation), up to 600 m of altitude, although they can also be found in primary dunes or embryonic shifting dunes, where the wind is stronger and salinity is higher, and they can even live in rocky and stony areas.

7-4-2024 CASTELLDEFELS, BARCELONA - EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris) NIKON P950

Common starlings are native to Eurasia and are found throughout Europe, northern Africa (from Morocco to Egypt), India (mainly in the north but regularly extending further south and extending into the Maldives) Nepal, the Middle East including Syria, Iran, and Iraq and north-western China. Common starlings in the south and west of Europe are mainly resident, although other populations migrate from regions where the winter is harsh. Most birds from northern Europe, Russia, and Ukraine migrate southwestwards or southeastwards. In the autumn, when immigrants are arriving from eastern Europe, many of Britain's common starlings are setting off for Iberia and North Africa. Common starlings prefer urban or suburban areas, reedbeds, grassy areas such as farmland, grazing pastures, playing fields, golf courses, and airfields where short grass makes foraging easy. They occasionally inhabit open forests and woodlands and are sometimes found in shrubby areas. These birds are also found in coastal areas, where they nest and roost on cliffs and forage amongst the seaweed.

8-4-2024 CASTELLDEFELS, BARCELONA - WHITE WAGTAIL (Motacilla alba) NIKON P950

The white wagtail (Motacilla alba) is a small passerine bird in the family Motacillidae, which also includes pipits and longclaws. The species breeds in much of Europe and the Asian Palearctic and parts of North Africa. It has a toehold in Alaska as a scarce breeder. It is resident in the mildest parts of its range, but otherwise migrates to Africa. In Ireland and Great Britain, the darker subspecies, the pied wagtail or water wagtail (M. a. yarrellii) predominates; this is also called in Ireland willie wagtail, not to be confused with the Australian species Rhipidura leucophrys which bears the same common name. In total, there are between 9 and 11 subspecies of M. alba.

The white wagtail is an insectivorous bird of open country, often near habitation and water. It prefers bare areas for feeding, where it can see and pursue its prey. In urban areas it has adapted to foraging on paved areas such as car parks. It nests in crevices in stone walls and similar natural and human-made structures.

It is the national bird of Latvia and has featured on the stamps of several countries. Though it is 'of least concern', there are several threats against it, like being kept as pets and being used as food.

7-4-2024 CASTELLDEFELS, BARCELONA - EURASIAN MAGPIE (Pica pica) NIKON P950

The Eurasian magpie is believed to be not only among the most intelligent of birds, but also among the most intelligent of all animals. Along with the western jackdaw, the Eurasian magpie's nidopallium is approximately the same relative size as those in chimpanzees and humans and significantly larger than the gibbons. Like other corvids, such as ravens and crows, their total brain-to-body mass ratio is equal to most great apes and cetaceans. A 2004 review suggests that the intelligence of the corvid family to which the Eurasian magpie belongs is equivalent to that of the great apes (bonobos, gorillas and orangutans) in terms of social cognition, causal reasoning, flexibility, imagination and prospection.

The Eurasian magpie is glossy black in color with a metallic green and violet sheen; the belly and scapulars (shoulder feathers) are pure white. The graduated tail is black, glossed with green and reddish-purple. The plumage of the sexes is similar but females are slightly smaller. The young resemble the adults but are at first without much of the gloss on the sooty plumage. The young have the malar region pink and somewhat clear eyes. Their tail is much shorter than the adults.

8-11-2015 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SOUTHERN FIELD CRICKET (Gryllus bimaculatus) NIKON P900

Gryllus bimaculatus is a species of cricket in the subfamily Gryllinae. Most commonly known as the two-spotted cricket, it has also been called the "African" or "Mediterranean field cricket", although its recorded distribution also includes much of Asia, including China and Indochina through to Borneo. It can be discriminated from other Gryllus species by the two dot-like marks on the base of its wings.

The species is popular for use as a food source for insectivorous animals like spiders and reptiles kept as pets or in zoos. They are easy to raise and do not require prolonged exposure to cold in order to complete their life cycle.

In the wild, male crickets do not tolerate one another and will fight until there is a winner. The loser usually retreats without serious injury. The fighting method involves opening the mandibles as wide as possible, gripping the opponent's mandibles and pushing with the hind legs.

Male crickets of this species produce several distinctive chirps, though each sound is made by rubbing the two outer wings together. Loud and steady chirps made throughout the night are to attract females and to warn off other males. Loud fast-frequency chirps are emitted when males encounter one another and are preparing to fight. They are intended to frighten off the rival male. There are two other chirp patterns that can be observed in their mating behaviors. A soft clipping sound, 'calling' song, is made when a female is known to be nearby but in a certain distance, and more rigorous sound, 'courtship' song, is made when a female is close enough to mate (mounting on the male's back). These two songs can be easily distinguished by human ears based on its chirp patterns and frequency components.

Whether cricket song pattern (e.g. frequency spectrum) reflect song-emitter's body size is controversial. A recent study failed to detect body-size effect on both calling and courtship songs of G. bimaculatus.

These crickets hide under logs, in grasses, and in crevices. They also create homes by digging holes in the ground or live in holes created by other animals. Males are territorial and will fight off other males, but allow any number of females to coexist in the same shelter.

Cannibalism is extremely rare, but females have been observed to eat males if there is not enough food to eat.

Females have a tubular organ at the rear, known as an ovipositor, which is used to lay eggs into the ground. They lay their eggs into humid soil or sand and hatchlings emerge from the eggs in about two weeks.

Gryllus bimaculatus exhibit polygamy. Polyandry is the most common form of polygamy practiced in G. bimaculatus. This means that female crickets will mate with more than one male. Male crickets do not exhibit polygyny. The more sperm that is deposited results in greater fertilization success because more eggs are able to hatch. The order in which various males mate with one female before fertilization also affects fertilization success. The last male that mates with a female tends to have the highest fertilization success. Traits that increase the ability of a male's sperm to successfully fertilize a female's egg compared to that of another male are most advantageous. This is because these traits have been selected for over traits that have lower fertilization success.

Females prefer to mate with certain males more than others, with preference for mating with new males. Female G. bimaculatus mate with at least two males before zygote production occurs. These males have to invest even more resources into each reproductive opportunity when a mate competitor is in their environment. The greater the amount of resources a male invests in producing a large amount of sperm, the greater the chances of successful fertilization.

Sperm competition also helps to prevent crickets that have genomes that are too similar from mating. Inbreeding, which is when individuals who have closely related genomes mate, decreases the viability of cricket offspring and results in offspring with lower fitness. As a result, male crickets that are genetically similar to female mates tend to be less effective in producing healthy offspring that have high fitness. Females can avoid the costs of inbreeding by selecting sperm that are not genetically similar to their eggs.

Females of G. bimaculatus species prefer to mate with new, or "novel", mates. The Novel Mate hypothesis states that a female will avoid mating with males they have already mated with. The differentiation between previous mates and novel ones allows females to search for genetically superior males. Females are able to differentiate between novel and previous mates through odor cues. These are left behind by the female on the male to allow for sensory-differentiation. This self-referent chemosensory signaling is both a reliable and simple means for a female to maximize the benefits of polyandry. Females can also use palpation and antennation before mating to deduce whether or not a mate is novel.

6-4-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - BLUE ROCK THRUSH (MALE) (Monticola solitarius) NIKON P950

The blue rock thrush is a starling-sized bird, 21–23 cm (8.3–9.1 in) in length with a long slim bill. The breeding male of the nominate subspecies is unmistakable, with all blue-grey plumage apart from its darker wings. Females and immatures are much less striking, with dark brown upperparts, and paler brown scaly underparts. The male of the subspecies M. s. philippensis has rufous-chestnut plumage from the mid-breast down to the undertail. Both sexes lack the reddish outer tail feathers of rock thrush.

The male blue rock thrush sings a clear, melodious call that is similar to, but louder than the call of the rock thrush.

The European, north African and southeast Asian birds are mainly resident, apart from altitudinal movements. Other Asian populations are more migratory, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa, India and southeast Asia. This bird is a very uncommon visitor to northern and western Europe.

Blue rock thrush breeds in open mountainous areas. It nests in rock cavities and walls, and usually lays 3-5 eggs. An omnivore, the blue rock thrush eats a wide variety of insects and small reptiles in addition to berries and seeds.

Blue Rock Thrushes are a resident species that is widespread but localised. They prefer rocky environs and cliffs as a breeding habitat so one can find them on the coast as well as inland, but they will also breed in old ruins, even close to Man, though in these circumstances they are wary and shy.

6-4-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN PAPER WASP (Polistes dominula) NIKON P950

The European paper wasp (Polistes dominula) is one of the most common and well-known species of social wasps in the genus Polistes. Its diet is more diverse than those of most Polistes species—many genera of insects versus mainly caterpillars in other Polistes—giving it superior survivability compared to other wasp species during a shortage of resources.

The dominant females are the principal egg layers, while the subordinate females ("auxiliaries") or workers primarily forage and do not lay eggs. This hierarchy is not permanent, though; when the queen is removed from the nest, the second-most dominant female takes over the role of the previous queen Dominance in females is determined by the severity of the scatteredness in the coloration of the clypeus (face), whereas dominance in males is shown by the variation of spots of their abdomens. P. dominula is common and cosmopolitan due to their exceptional survival features such as productive colony cycle, short development time, and higher ability to endure predator attacks.

These wasps have a lek-based mating system. Unlike most social insects, 35% of P. dominula wasps in a colony are unrelated. It is considered an invasive species in Canada and the United States.

6-4-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN SERIN (MALE) (Serinus serinus) NIKON P950

The European serin, or simply the serin (Serinus serinus ), is the smallest European species of the family of finches (Fringillidae) and is closely related to the Atlantic canary. Its diet consists mainly of a combination of buds and seeds.

The European serin is a small short-tailed bird, 11–12 cm in length. The upper parts are dark-streaked greyish green, with a yellow rump. The yellow breast and white belly are also heavily streaked. The male has a brighter yellow face and breast, yellow wing bars and yellow tail sides. The song of this bird is a buzzing trill, very familiar in Mediterranean countries.

It breeds across southern and central Europe and North Africa. Southern and Atlantic coast populations are largely resident, but the northern breeders migrate further south in Europe for the winter. Open woodland and cultivation, often with some conifers, is favoured for breeding. It builds its nest in a shrub or tree, laying 3–5 eggs. It forms flocks outside the breeding season, sometimes mixed with other finches.

The food is mainly seeds, and, in the breeding season, insects. This small serin is an active and often conspicuous bird.

5-4-2024 POTRIES, VALENCIA - COPPER DEMOISELLE DAMSELFLY (FEMALE) (Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis) NIKON P950

Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis is a species of damselfly in the family Calopterygidae known by the common names copper demoiselle and Mediterranean demoiselle.

This species is native to the western Mediterranean Basin in Europe (Iberia, southern France, Italy, Monaco) and North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia). It is common in much of its range.

It lives along rivers and streams, but also in sunny larger waters. Though it may be affected by habitat changes such as water pollution.

Calopteryx haemorrhoidalis can reach a body length of about 45–48 millimetres (1.8–1.9 in). The abdomen length is of about 34–43 millimetres (1.3–1.7 in) in males, of 31–43 millimetres (1.2–1.7 in) in females. The length of the wings is of 23–32 millimetres (0.91–1.26 in) in males, of 25–37 millimetres (0.98–1.46 in) in the females.

The males have a dark, metallic shining body, the color of which can be red-violet, golden or copper-colored. On the underside of the last three abdominal segments there red area, the so-called "red lantern" (hence the Latin species name haemorrhoidalis, meaning "blood flow"). The wings of males show a large dark area, while the females have a brown band to the wing tip and a metallic-green to bronze-colored body, with a brown belt on the back.

5-4-2024 POTRIES, VALENCIA - WALL BROWN BUTTERFLY (Lasiommata megera) NIKON P950

Lasiommata megera, the wall or wall brown, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae (subfamily Satyrinae). It is widespread in the Palearctic realm with a large variety of habitats and number of generations a year.

Above reddish yellow, with a black mark which traverses the distal band from the cell of the forewing to the abdominal margin of the hindwing, short black stripes crossing the disc and the cell of the forewing.

The species lives in North Africa, Europe, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, the Middle East, western Siberia, northern Tian Shan, Dzungarian Alatau, Kazakhstan and Dzungaria.

Habitats include forest edges and clearings, shrubby areas in ravines and river valleys and sparse woodlands. It is also found in mountain habitats up to 0–3,000 metres (0–9,843 ft) above sea level.

The imago flies from April to October in two or three generations depending on locality and altitude. The larva feeds on grasses in the genera Festuca, Bromus, Deschampsia, Poa, Dactylis and Brachypodium.

5-4-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - HUNTSMAN SPIDER (Olios argelasius) NIKON P900

Olios argelasius is a species of huntsman spider found in the Mediterranean Basin. It was first described by Charles Athanase Walckenaer in 1805.

The Olios argelasius can cause toxic reactions with a wide range of severity. However, the toxins are typically targeted at their prey and predators. They are usually not fatal to humans.

The Olios argelasius can be identified with their yellowish-brown coloring and two sets of four eyes stack on top of each other. It lives in dry areas and tends to be jumpy with approaching humans. They can hardly hurt people. So don't yell at them, you'll freak them out.

4-4-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - SARDINIAN WARBLER (FEMALE) (Sylvia melanocephala) NIKON P950

The Sardinian warbler (Curruca melanocephala ) is a common and widespread typical warbler from the Mediterranean region. Like most Curruca species, it has distinct male and female plumages. The adult male has a grey back, whitish underparts, black head, white throat and red eyes. Plumages are somewhat variable even in the same locality, with the intensity of a reddish hue on upper- and/or underside that varies from absent to (in some subspecies) pronounced. The female is mainly brown above and buff below, with a grey head. The Sardinian warbler's song is fast and rattling, and is very characteristic of the Mediterranean areas where this bird breeds.

It breeds in the southernmost areas of Europe and just into Asia in Turkey and the eastern end of the Mediterranean. This small passerine bird, unlike most "warblers", is not particularly migratory, but some birds winter in north Africa, and it occurs as a vagrant well away from the breeding range, as far as Great Britain.

This is a bird of open country and cultivation, with bushes for nesting. The nest is built in low shrub or brambles, and 3-6 eggs are laid. Like most "warblers", it is insectivorous, but will also take berries and other soft fruit.

4-4-2024 RIO SERPIS VILLALONGA, VALENCIA - LITTLE EGRET (Egretta garzetta) NIKON P950

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.

Little egrets are sociable birds and are often seen in small flocks. They are diurnal birds and feed mainly in the early morning and in the late afternoon. They use a variety of methods to procure their food; they stalk their prey in shallow water, often running with raised wings or shuffling their feet to disturb small fish, or may stand still and wait to ambush prey. Little egrets also make use of opportunities provided by cormorants disturbing fish or humans attracting fish by throwing bread into the water. On land, they walk or run while chasing their prey, feed on creatures disturbed by grazing livestock and ticks on the livestock, and even scavenge occasionally. Little egrets are silent birds in general, however, at their breeding colonies, they make various croaking and bubbling calls. When disturbed, they produce a harsh alarm call.

4-4-2024 POTRIES, VALENCIA - RAPESEED (Brassica napus) NIKON P950

Rapeseed (Brassica napus subsp. napus), also known as oilseed rape, is a bright-yellow flowering member of the family Brassicaceae (mustard or cabbage family), cultivated mainly for its oil-rich seed, which naturally contains appreciable amounts of erucic acid. The term "canola" denotes a group of rapeseed cultivars that were bred to have very low levels of erucic acid and which are especially prized for use as human and animal food. Rapeseed is the third-largest source of vegetable oil and the second-largest source of protein meal in the world.

Brassica napus grows to 100 centimetres (39 inches) in height with hairless, fleshy, pinnatifid and glaucous lower leaves which are stalked whereas the upper leaves have no petioles.

Rapeseed flowers are bright yellow and about 17 millimetres (3⁄4 in) across. They are radial and consist of four petals in a typical cross-form, alternating with four sepals. They have indeterminate racemose flowering starting at the lowest bud and growing upward in the following days. The flowers have two lateral stamens with short filaments, and four median stamens with longer filaments whose anthers split away from the flower's center upon flowering.

The rapeseed pods are green and elongated siliquae during development that eventually ripen to brown. They grow on pedicels 1 to 3 cm (3⁄8 to 1+3⁄16 in) long, and can range from 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in) in length. Each pod has two compartments separated by an inner central wall within which a row of seeds develops. The seeds are round and have a diameter of 1.5 to 3 mm (1⁄16 to 1⁄8 in). They have a reticulate surface texture, and are black and hard at maturity.

22-3-2024 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - COMMON OSTRICH (Struthio camelus) NIKON P900

The Common ostrich (Struthio camelus), or simply ostrich, is a species of flightless bird native to certain large areas of Africa and is the largest living bird species. It is one of two extant species of ostriches, the only living members of the genus Struthio in the ratite order of birds. The other is the Somali ostrich (Struthio molybdophanes), which was recognized as a distinct species. The ostrich is distinctive in its appearance and can run for a long time at a speed of 55 km/h (34 mph) with short bursts up to about 70 km/h (40 mph), the fastest land speed of any bird. It is the largest living species of bird and the largest living dinosaur. It lays the largest eggs of any living bird (the extinct elephant birds of Madagascar and the giant moa of New Zealand laid larger eggs).

The feathers of adult males are mostly black, with white primaries and a white tail. However, the tail of one subspecies is buff. Females and young males are grayish-brown and white. The head and neck of both male and female ostriches are nearly bare, with a thin layer of down. The skin of the female's neck and thighs is pinkish gray, while the male's is gray or pink dependent on the subspecies. The long neck and legs keep the head of these birds up to 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) above the ground, and their eyes are said to be the largest of any land vertebrate - 50 mm (2 in) in diameter - helping them to see predators at a great distance. The eyes are shaded from sunlight from above. Their skin varies in color depending on the subspecies, with some having light or dark gray skin and others having pinkish or even reddish skin. The strong legs of the common ostrich are unfeathered and show bare skin, with the tarsus (the lowest upright part of the leg) being covered in scales: red in the male, black in the female. The tarsus of the common ostrich is the largest of any living bird, measuring 39 to 53 cm (15+1⁄2 to 21 in) in length. The bird is didactyl, having just two toes on each foot (most birds have four), with the nail on the larger, inner toe resembling a hoof. The outer toe has no nail. The reduced number of toes is an adaptation that appears to aid in running, useful for getting away from predators. New chicks are fawn in color, with dark brown spots. After three months they start to gain their juvenile plumage, which is steadily replaced by adult-like plumage during their second year. At four or five months old, they are already about half the size of an adult bird, and after a year they reach adult height, but not till they are 18 months old will they be fully as heavy as their parents.

22-3-2024 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - COMMON DWARF MONGOOSE (Helogale parvula) NIKON P900

The common dwarf mongoose (Helogale parvula ) is a mongoose species native to Angola, northern Namibia, KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, Zambia and East Africa. It is part of the genus Helogale and as such is related to H. hirtula.

Common dwarf mongooses are the smallest African carnivores. They have a large pointed head, small ears, a long tail, short limbs, and long claws. Their soft fur is very variable in color, ranging from yellowish red to very dark brown.

Common dwarf mongooses range from East to southern Central Africa, from Ethiopia to the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in the Republic of South Africa. These animals are usually found in dry grassland, open woodlands, wooded savannas, and bushland. They are especially common in areas with many termite mounds and avoid dense forests and deserts.

Common dwarf mongooses are diurnal animals. They are highly social and live in extended family groups of 2 to 30 animals. There is a strict hierarchy among same-sexed animals within a group, headed by the dominant pair (normally the oldest group members). All group members cooperate in helping to rear the pups and in guarding the group against predators. Dwarf mongooses are territorial, and each group uses an area of approximately 30-60 hectares. They sleep at night in disused termite mounds, although they occasionally use piles of stones, hollow trees, etc. Mongooses mark their territory with anal gland and cheek gland secretions and latrines. Territories often overlap slightly, which can lead to confrontations between different groups, with the larger group tending to win. Common dwarf mongooses begin and end each day sunbathing and socializing with the members of their groups. The rest of the day these animals spend looking for food among brush and rocks. They communicate with each other with the help of twitters, whistles, trills, and vibrations. 

22-3-2024 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - ADDAX (MALE) (Addax nasomaculatus) NIKON P900

The addax (Addax nasomaculatus) is an antelope native to the Sahara Desert. The only member of the genus Addax, it was first described scientifically by Henri de Blainville in 1816. Addax are well-adapted to exist in their desert habitat, as they can live without water for long periods of time. Although extremely rare in their native habitat due to unregulated hunting, addax are quite common in captivity. They were once abundant in North Africa but currently are only native to a few countries. They are extirpated from Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, and Western Sahara, but have been reintroduced into Morocco and Tunisia.

The addax is a spiral-horned antelope. The horns, which are found on both males and females, have two to three twists and are typically 55-80 cm (22-31 in) in females and 70-85 cm (28-33 in) in males, although the maximum recorded length is 109.2 cm (43.0 in). The lower and middle portions of the horns are marked with a series of 30 to 35 ring-shaped ridges. The coloring of the addax's coat varies with the season. In the winter, it is greyish-brown with white hindquarters and legs, and long, brown hair on the head, neck, and shoulders. In the summer, the coat turns almost completely white or sandy blonde. Their head is marked with brown or black patches that form an 'X' over their noses. They have scraggly beards and prominent red nostrils. Long, black hairs stick out between their curved and spiraling horns, ending in a short mane on the neck. The tail is short and slender, ending in a puff of black hair. The hooves are broad with flat soles and strong dewclaws to help them walk on soft sand. All four feet possess scent glands. The females of this species are smaller than the males.

22-3-2024 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - GRANT'S ZEBRA (Equus quagga ssp. boehmi) NIKON P900

Grant's zebra (Equus quagga boehmi ) is the smallest of the seven subspecies of the plains zebra. This subspecies represents the zebra form of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem.

This northern subspecies is vertically striped in front, horizontally on the back legs, and diagonally on the rump and hind flanks. Shadow stripes are absent or only poorly expressed. The stripes, as well as the inner spaces, are broad and well defined. Northerly specimens may lack a mane. Grant’s zebras grow to be about 182 to 243 cm (6-8 ft) long and 120 to 140 cm (3.9 to 4.6 ft) tall, and generally weigh about 300 kg (660 lb). The zebras live in family groups of up to 18 zebras, and they are led by a single stallion. Grant’s zebras typically live 20 years.

22-3-2024 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - NORTHERN PINTAIL (Anastasia acuta) NIKON P900

The Northern pintail (Anas acuta) is a duck species that has a wide geographic distribution. Unusually for a bird with such a large range, it has no geographical subspecies if the possibly conspecific duck Eaton's pintail is considered to be a separate species. The Northern pintail is a large bird, and the male's long central tail feathers give rise to the species' English and scientific names.

Northern pintails breed across northern areas of the Palearctic south to about Poland and Mongolia, and in Canada, Alaska, and the Midwestern United States. Mainly in winters south of their breeding range, reaches almost to the equator in Panama, northern sub-Saharan Africa, and tropical South Asia. Small numbers migrate to Pacific islands, particularly Hawaii, where a few hundred birds winter on the main islands. In parts of the range, such as Great Britain and the northwestern United States, pintails may be present all year. The breeding habitat of Northern pintails is open unwooded wetlands, such as wet grassland, lakeside, or tundra. In winter, they can be found in a wider range of open habitats, such as sheltered estuaries, brackish marshes, coastal lagoons, and flooded and dry agricultural fields.

The Northern pintail broadly overlaps in size with the similarly widespread mallard, but is more slender, elongated, and gracile, with a relatively longer neck and (in males) a longer tail. The unmistakable breeding plumaged male has a chocolate-brown head and white breast with a white stripe extending up the side of the neck. Its upperparts and sides are grey, but elongated grey feathers with black central stripes are draped across the back from the shoulder area. The vent area is yellow, contrasting with the black underside of the tail, which has the central feathers elongated to as much as 10 cm (3.9 in). The bill is bluish and the legs are blue-grey. The adult female is mainly scalloped and mottled in light brown with a more uniformly grey-brown head, and its pointed tail is shorter than the male's; it is still easily identified by its shape, long neck, and long grey bill. In non-breeding (eclipse) plumage, the drake pintail looks similar to the female but retains the male upperwing pattern and long grey shoulder feathers. Juvenile birds resemble the female, but are less neatly scalloped and have a duller brown speculum with a narrower trailing edge.

18-10-2015 LAKELAND, THURROCK - CANADA GOOSE (Branta canadensis) (JUVENILE) NIKON P900

 

A big, brownish, black and white goose. Differs from Barnacle Goose by a light brownish breast and a more brownish body. Base of bill and forehead black. White tail-coverts but black tail-feathers, and uniformly dark brown wings. Generally gives a large and long-necked impression, but different subspecies shows a lot of variation.

In recent years, Canada goose populations in some areas have grown substantially, so much so that many consider them pests for their droppings, bacteria in their droppings, noise, and confrontational behavior. This problem is partially due to the removal of natural predators and an abundance of safe, human-made bodies of water near food sources, such as those found on golf courses, in public parks and beaches, on sports fields, and in planned communities. Due in part to the interbreeding of various migratory subspecies with the introduced non-migratory giant subspecies, Canada geese are frequently a year-round feature of such urban environments.

22-3-2024 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - AFRICAN SPOONBILL (Platalea alba)

The African spoonbill (Platalea alba ) is a long-legged wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae. The species is widespread across Africa and Madagascar, including Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

The African spoonbill is a long-legged wading bird that is almost unmistakable through most of its range. During the breeding season, the bird is all white except for its red legs and face and long grey spatulate bill. Immature birds lack the red face and have a yellow bill. Unlike herons, spoonbills fly with their necks outstretched.

African spoonbills are widespread across sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar, including Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. They live in marshy wetlands with some open shallow water; these include river banks, lake shores, marshes, flood plains, reservoirs, and sometimes coastal lagoons and estuaries.

African spoonbills are social birds that are active during the day. Outside of the breeding season, they can be found singly, in pairs, or in small groups. These birds spend most of their time walking slowly in shallow water searching for food. They fish using their open bill to catch prey items by swinging it from side-to-side in the water. The moment any small aquatic creature touches the inside of the bill it is snapped shut. Long legs and thin, pointed toes enable them to walk easily through varying depths of water. When not foraging African spoonbills rest along the shores, often in groups; they are usually silent and only when alarmed produce loud grunts.

African spoonbills are monogamous and form pairs, however, some males may attempt to mate with more than one female during the breeding season (polygynous behavior). The birds begin breeding in the winter, which lasts until spring. They nest in colonies in trees or reedbeds. Their nest is built from sticks and reeds and lined with leaves. The female lays 3 to 5 eggs, usually during the months of April or May. The eggs are incubated by both parents for up to 29 days. Upon hatching the chicks are cared for by both parents for around 20 to 30 days and are ready to leave the nest soon afterward. They begin flying after another 4 weeks.

22-3-2024 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - EUROPEAN MOORHEN (Gallinula chloropus)

The Common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) is a bird species in the rail family (Rallidae) found across many parts of the Old World. These birds live around well-vegetated marshes, ponds, canals, and other wetlands. The word 'moor' as a part of their name is an old sense meaning marsh.

 Common moorhens have predominantly black and brown plumage, with the exception of a white under-tail, white streaks on the flanks, yellow legs, and a red frontal shield. The bill is red with a yellow tip. The young are browner and lack the red shield. The frontal shield of the adult has a rounded top and fairly parallel sides; the tailward margin of the red unfeathered area is a smooth waving line.

Сommon moorhens are widespread across Europe, Asia, and Africa. Populations in areas where the waters freeze, such as eastern Europe, will migrate to more temperate climates. In China, Common moorhens are largely resident south of the Yangtze River, whilst northern populations migrate in the winter. These birds live around well-vegetated marshes, ponds, canals, and other wetlands. They can even be found in city parks and urban areas.

2-4-2024 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WAVE MOTH (idaea cervantaria)

Small moth of the Geometridae family; It is distributed in southeastern France, the Iberian Peninsula and northwest Africa; present in the warm areas of the Iberian Peninsula.

Geometric shape, with the front wings ending in a sharp edge and the rear wings with a wide and rounded shape; gray background color, this gray can be darker, lighter or with an ocher tone; Two irregular lines are drawn on the wings, one proximal and one distal on the wing dorsum, a dark dot on each wing, a subterminal dark line formed by small black strokes, unlike other Idaea, which only have a subterminal dotted line; long ocher fimbriae.

It lives in dry and sunny places, rocky slopes.

I do not know the food plants for the larvae, but this photograph corresponds to an open area of ​​dryland crops, where trees and shrubs are scarce and grasses and other wild herbaceous plants are abundant.

They fly in one generation a year, the months of May to July

22-3-2024 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - AFRICAN SPURRED TORTOISE (Centrochelys sulcata)

The African spurred tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata), also called the sulcata tortoise, is an endangered species of tortoise inhabiting the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, the Sahel, in Africa. It is the largest mainland species of tortoise in Africa, and the third-largest in the world, after the Galapagos tortoise and Aldabra giant tortoise. It is the only living species in its genus, Centrochelys, with the five other species in the family already extinct.

In 1779 the English illustrator John Frederick Miller included a hand-coloured plate of the African spurred tortoise in his Icones animalium et plantarum and coined the binomial name Testudo sulcata.[4] Its specific name sulcata is from the Latin word sulcus meaning "furrow" and refers to the furrows on the tortoise's scales.[5] The species was subsequently given other binomial names. There are no recognized subspecies despite there being two separate populations, one in Western Africa and the other in Eastern Africa. There are also three different, yet similar, haplotypes. One haplotype is found in and closely around Sudan, another is found in the western portion of their range, and the last haplotype is found in Senegal, Mali, and Sudan.

22-3-2024 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - SAVANNAH ELEPHANT (Loxodonta Africana)

The African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), also known as the African savanna elephant, is one of two extant African elephant species and one of three extant elephant species. It is the largest living terrestrial animal, with bulls reaching an average shoulder height of 3.04–3.36 metres (10.0–11.0 ft) and a body mass of 5.2–6.9 t (5.7–7.6 short tons) (with the largest recorded specimen having a shoulder height of 3.96 m (13 ft 0 in) and a body mass of 10.4 t (11.5 short tons)).

It is distributed across 37 African countries and inhabits forests, grasslands and woodlands, wetlands and agricultural land. Since 2021, it has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. It is threatened foremost by habitat destruction, and in parts of its range also by poaching for meat and ivory.

It is a social mammal, travelling in herds composed of cows and their offspring. Adult bulls usually live alone or in small bachelor groups. It is a herbivore, feeding on grasses, creepers, herbs, leaves, and bark. The menstrual cycle lasts three to four months, and females are pregnant for 22 months, the longest gestation period of any mammal.

The African bush elephant occurs in sub-Saharan Africa which includes Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, and Angola. It moves between a variety of habitats, including subtropical and temperate forests, dry and seasonally flooded grasslands, woodlands, wetlands, and agricultural land from sea level to mountain slopes. In Mali and Namibia, it also inhabits desert and semi-desert areas.

In Ethiopia, the African bush elephant has historically been recorded up to an elevation of 2,500 m (8,200 ft). By the late 1970s, the population had declined to a herd in the Dawa River valley and one close to the Kenyan border.

22-3-2024 BIOPARC, VALENCIA - FERRUGINOUS DUCK (MALE) (Aythya nyroca)

The ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca), also known as ferruginous pochard, common white-eye or white-eyed pochard, is a medium-sized diving duck from Eurosiberia. The scientific name is derived from Greek aithuia an unidentified seabird mentioned by authors including Hesychius and Aristotle, and nyrok, the Russian name for a duck.

The breeding male is a rich, dark chestnut on the head, breast and flanks with contrasting pure white undertail coverts. In flight the white belly and underwing patch are visible. The females are duller and browner than the males. The male has a yellow eye and the females have a dark eye.

The ferruginous duck prefers quite shallow fresh waterbodies with rich submerged and floating vegetation with dense stands of emergent vegetation on the margins. In some areas it will use saline or brackish pools or wetlands. On passage and wintering will also frequent coastal waters, inland seas and large, open lagoons.

The breeding range of the ferruginous duck is from Iberia and the Maghreb east to western Mongolia, south to Arabia, although in the west is now scarce and localised and locally extirpated in some countries. The duck winters throughout the Mediterranean Basin and the Black Sea, smaller number migrate into sub-Saharan Africa via the Nile Valley. Eastern birds winter in south and south-east Asia.