Red Legged Partridge - Alectoris Rufa aka French Partridge

The red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) is a gamebird in the pheasant family.

It is sometimes known as French partridge, to distinguish it from the English or grey partridge.

This partridge breeds naturally in southwestern Europe (France, Iberia and northwest Italy). It has become naturalised in flat areas of England and Wales, where it was introduced as a game species, and has been seen breeding as far north as Cumbria and eastern Yorkshire and the western Isle of Man. It is replaced in southeastern Europe by the very similar rock partridge (Alectoris graeca). It is a non-migratory terrestrial species, which forms flocks outside the breeding season.

This species breeds on dry lowlands, such as farmland and open stony areas, laying its eggs in a ground nest.

The natural range of the red-legged partridge is France, Spain and Portugal. However, it was introduced from France to Great Britain in the 18th century, and has since become an important gamebird there. As it is a mediterranean species, it thrives in hot, dry areas with sandy soil. The ability to breed two clutches simultaneously has led to it being extensively reared in captivity, and released for shooting. The breeding of chukars (Alectoris chukar) and red-legged/chukar hybrids is prohibited, due to its impact on wild populations of red-legs. The red-legged partridge is believed to be in decline across its range.

motacilla cinerea

grote gele kwikstaart

Bergeronnette des ruisseaux

Gebirgsstelze

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He's not going to strve any time soon

female Puma in Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile

puma concolor

poema

Puma

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Sturnella magna

Poupa, Common Hoopoe (Upupa epops)

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Taken locally on our walks!

Chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita

The common chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), or simply the chiffchaff, is a common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds in open woodlands throughout northern and temperate Europe and Asia.

It is a migratory passerine which winters in southern and western Europe, southern Asia and north Africa. Greenish-brown above and off-white below, it is named onomatopoeically for its simple chiff-chaff song. It has a number of subspecies, some of which are now treated as full species.

This warbler gets its name from its simple distinctive song, a repetitive cheerful chiff-chaff. This song is one of the first avian signs that spring has returned. Its call is a hweet, less disyllabic than the hooeet of the willow warbler or hu-it of the western Bonelli's warbler.

The common chiffchaff breeds across Europe and Asia east to eastern Siberia and north to about 70°N, with isolated populations in northwest Africa, northern and western Turkey and northwestern Iran. It is migratory, but it is one of the first passerine birds to return to its breeding areas in the spring and among the last to leave in late autumn. When breeding, it is a bird of open woodlands with some taller trees and ground cover for nesting purposes. These trees are typically at least 5 metres (16 ft) high, with undergrowth that is an open, poor to medium mix of grasses, bracken, nettles or similar plants. Its breeding habitat is quite specific, and even near relatives do not share it; for example, the willow warbler (P. trochilus) prefers younger trees, while the wood warbler (P. sibilatrix) prefers less undergrowth. In winter, the common chiffchaff uses a wider range of habitats including scrub, and is not so dependent on trees. It is often found near water, unlike the willow warbler which tolerates drier habitats. There is an increasing tendency to winter in western Europe well north of the traditional areas, especially in coastal southern England and the mild urban microclimate of London. These overwintering common chiffchaffs include some visitors of the eastern subspecies abietinus and tristis, so they are certainly not all birds which have bred locally, although some undoubtedly are.

Population:

UK breeding:

1,200,000 territories

UK wintering:

500-1,000 birds

Escrevedeira-amarela, Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)

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Maçarico-galego, Eurasian whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)

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Kestrel on a rainy day

Alvéola-amarela, Western Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava)

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Tecelão-de-cabeça-preta, Black-headed Weaver (Ploceus melanocephalus)

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YELLOWHAMMER

Rolieiro, European Roller (Coracias garrulus)

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Short Eared Owl - Asio flammeus

Over much of its range, short-eared owls occurs with the similar-looking long-eared owl. At rest, the ear-tufts of long-eared owl serve to easily distinguish the two (although long-eared owls can sometimes hold its ear-tufts flat). The iris-colour differs: yellow in short-eared, and orange in long-eared, and the black surrounding the eyes is vertical on long-eared, and horizontal on short-eared. Overall the short-eared tends to be a paler, sandier bird than the long-eared.

The short-eared owl occurs on all continents except Antarctica and Australia; thus it has one of the most widespread distributions of any bird. A. flammeus breeds in Europe, Asia, North and South America, the Caribbean, Hawaii and the Galápagos Islands. It is partially migratory, moving south in winter from the northern parts of its range. The short-eared owl is known to relocate to areas of higher rodent populations. It will also wander nomadically in search of better food supplies during years when vole populations are low.

Hunting occurs mostly at night, but this owl is known to be diurnal and crepuscular as well. Its daylight hunting seems to coincide with the high-activity periods of voles, its preferred prey. It tends to fly only feet above the ground in open fields and grasslands until swooping down upon its prey feet-first. Several owls may hunt over the same open area. Its food consists mainly of rodents, especially voles, but it will eat other small mammals such as mice, ground squirrels, shrews, rats, bats, muskrats and moles. It will also occasionally predate smaller birds, especially when near sea-coasts and adjacent wetlands at which time they attack shorebirds, terns and small gulls and seabirds with semi-regularity. Avian prey is more infrequently preyed on inland and centers on passerines such as larks, icterids, starlings, tyrant flycatchers and pipits.

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209_3964

Nikon D500

AF-S NIKKOR 600mm + 1.4x f/4G ED VR

f/7.1

1/2500

ISO 3200

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Merci beaucoup pour vos visites et commentaires!

Dziękuję za wizytę i komentarze!

Gracias por tu visita y por tus comentarios!

Grazie per la tua visita e per i tuoi commenti!

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_IFP9482Lr copia

The Western Jackdaw is a smaller member of the crow family.

From research and experiments it is clear that these are very intelligent birds.

Anyone with bird feeders can observe how inventive they can be when trying to get to the food.

They are capable imitators of the human voice and of calls of other birds.

also called European Jackdaw or Eurasian Jackdaw

coloeus monedula

kauw

choucas des tours

Dohle

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Hope you like the details on this close up, thanks for your faves and comments.

Picanço-de-dorso-ruivo, Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

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BULLFINCH

Chasco-ruivo, Oenanthe hispanica (Oenanthe hispanica)

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Alligator Breeding Marsh and Wading Bird Rookery, Gatorland, Orlando, Florida

Cormorant drying his wings

Guarda-rios, Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

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Mother Goose and goslings in Arklow.

Picanço-de-dorso-ruivo, Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio)

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Peneireiro-vulgar, Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

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Un pinzón que en nuestra zona centro aparece en invierno, procedente de sus áreas de cría en el norte y centro de Europa.

Suele variar mucho el número de individuos que invernan en nuestro país de año en año. Éste, como en el caso de los lúganos, se han notado más efectivos que el pasado. Difícil de fotografiar fuera de los comederos/bebederos, ya que suele posarse en la parte más altas de los árboles comiendo esas semillas que tanto le gustan.

Papa-figos, Eurasian Golden Oriole (Oriolus oriolus)

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TREECREEPER

Juvenile Song thrush exercising its wings

Chiffchaff

Tarifa, Spain

Poupa, Common Hoopoe (Upupa epops)

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Female Blackcap

Melro-azul, Blue Rock-thrush (Monticola solitarius)

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Rouge-gorge, parc du château, Versailles

signet