Archive for August, 2009

Spotted on Monte Horizonte today.                       Chaffinch song

The Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs, is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae, also called a spink. Its large double white wing bars, white tail edges and greenish rump easily identify this 14–16 cm long species. The breeding male is unmistakable, with his reddish underparts and a blue-grey cap. The female is drabber and greener, but still obvious.

Chaffinch, Vink, Buchfink, Tentilhão-comum, Pinzón vulgar

This bird is widespread and very familiar throughout Europe. It is the most common finch in western Europe. Its range extends into western Asia, northwestern Africa, the Azores and Madeira. In the Canary Islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria it coexists with its sister species, the endemic Blue Chaffinch.

It was introduced from Britain into a number of its overseas territories in the 18th and 19th centuries. In South Africa a very small breeding colony in the suburb of Camps Bay near Cape Town is the only remnant of one such introduction.

It uses a range of habitats, but open woodland is favoured, although it is common in gardens and on farmland. It builds its nest in a tree fork, and decorates the exterior with moss or lichen to make it less conspicuous. It lays about six eggs.

This bird is not migratory in the milder parts of its range, but vacates the colder regions in winter. The coelebs part of its name means "bachelor". This species was named by Linnaeus; in his home country of Sweden, where the females depart in winter, but the males often remain. This species forms loose flocks outside the breeding season, sometimes mixed with Bramblings. This bird occasionally strays to eastern North America, although some sightings may be escapees.

The food of the Chaffinch is seeds, but unlike most finches, the young are fed extensively on insects.

The powerful song is very well known, and its fink or vink sounding call gives the finch family its English name. Males typically sing two or three different song types, and there are regional dialects too.

Other synonyms

Afrikaans: Gryskoppie
Asturian: Pimpím, Pin-Pin
Breton: Ar pintig, Pint, Pintig
Catalan: Pardal d'ala blanca, Pinsà, Pinsà comú
Catalan (Balears): Pinsà
Valencian: Pardal d'ala blanca
Czech: Penkava obecná, P?nkava obecná, pìnkava obecná
Welsh: Asgell arian, Asgell fraith, Asgell-arian, Binc-binc, Brig y coed, Ji-binc, Jin jin, Pia'r gwinc, Pwynt, Winc
Danish: Bogfinke
German: Buchfink, Finkenlerche
English: Chaffinch, Chaffinch Chaffinch, Common Chaffinch, Eurasian Chaffinch, European Chaffinch
Esperanto: fringo
Spanish: Gorrión molinero, Pinzón Común, Pinzon Vulgar, Pinzón vulgar
Estonian: Metsvint
Basque: Pinsà comú , Txonda arrunta, Txonta arrunt
Finnish: Peippo
Faroese: Bókfinka, Bókígða
French: Pinson des arbres
Frisian: Skelfink
Irish: Bricín beatha, Gealún cátha, Rí Rua, Ríura
Gaelic: Breacan Beithe, Bricein Beithe, Briecan Beatha
Galician: Pimpín, Pinsà comú
Manx: Ushag Veg Vreck, Ushag y Choan, Ushag y choau
Croatian: Zeba, Zeba bitkavica
Hungarian: Erdei pinty
Armenian: Amurik
Icelandic: Bókfinka
Italian: Fringuello, Fringuello comune
Japanese: zuaoatori, Zuao-atori
Cornish: Tynk
Latin: Fringilla coelebs
Lithuanian: Kikilis, Šilagaidis
Latvian: Žube
Maltese: Sponsun
Dutch: Vink
Norwegian: Bokfink, Tvint'n, Uverspekk
Polish: zieba
Portuguese: Tentelhão-comum, tentilhão, Tentilhão-comum
Romansh: Fringhel
Russian: Zyablik
Sardinian: Lineddu, Pappadrigu, Pappatrigu, Passariargia, Tintillu, Zoni
Scots: Breacan beithe, Briecan beatha
Northern Sami: Beibboš
Slovak: pinka lesná
Slovenian: šcinkavec
Albanian: Borës, Zborak, Zboraks, Zog bore
Serbian: obicna zeba
Swedish: Bofink

Spotted on our property Monte Horizonte today.

The Southern Grey Shrike, Lanius meridionalis, is a member of the shrike family.

Southern Grey Shrike, Zuidelijke Klapekster, Raubwürger-meridionalis, Picanço-real, Alcaudón Real

It is closely related to the Great Grey Shrike, Lanius excubitor, with which it used to be considered conspecific; where they co-occur, they do not interbreed and are separated by choice of habitat (Sangster et al., 2002).

The race L. m. meridionalis is resident in southern Europe and north Africa. It is slightly smaller and darker than the Great Grey Shrike, and prefers dry open country.

The race L. m. pallidirostis breeds in central Asia and winters in the tropics. It is much paler than Southern Grey or Great Grey, and is sometimes split as a separate species, the Steppe Grey Shrike, L. pallidirostis. It too prefers more arid habitat with sparse vegetation.

This medium-sized passerine bird eats large insects, small birds and rodents. Like other shrikes it hunts from prominent perches, and impales corpses on thorns or barbed wire as a "larder".

The plumage is generally similar to Great Grey Shrike apart from the differences noted above.

The migratory eastern form is a scarce vagrant to western Europe, including Great Britain, usually in autumn.

The Southern Grey Shrike (Lanius meridionalis), occurring from southern Europe (Iberian Peninsula and France) southwards and also in Central Asia, was formerly included in the Great Grey Shrike; it prefers different habitat (lightly wooded grassland in the Great Grey, more arid shrubland in the Southern Grey Shrike), and where the species’ ranges overlap, they do not hybridize (Sangster et al., 2002).

Other synonyms

Catalan: Botxí, Botxí meridional
Catalan (Balears): Botxí meridional
Welsh: Cigydd mawr deheuol
Danish: Sydlig Stor Tornskade, Sydlig Tornskade
German: Mittelmeer-Raubwürger, Raubwürger-meridionalis, Südlicher Raubwürger
English: Great Gray shrike, Great grey shrike, Iberian Northern Shrike, northern shrike, Southern Gray Shrike, Southern Grey Shrike
Spanish: Alcaudon Real, Alcaudón Real
Estonian: lõuna-hallõgija
Basque: Antzandobi handia, Botxí meridional
Finnish: Etelänisolepinkäinen
French: Pie-grièche grise du sud, Pie-grièche grise méridionale, Pie-grièche méridionale
Galician: Botxí meridional , Picanzo real meridional
Icelandic: Steppusvarri
Italian: Averla meridionale
Japanese: minamioomozu
Latin: Lanius elegans, Lanius elegans meridionalis, Lanius excubitor meridionalis, Lanius meridionalis
Dutch: Zuidelijke Klapekster
Norwegian: Krattvarsler
Polish: dzierzba sródziemnomorskaPortuguese: Picanço-real
Slovenian: južni veliki srakoper
Swedish: Ökenvarfågel 

Spotted on our property Monte Horizonte today..          Cirl Bunting song

The Cirl Bunting, Emberiza cirlus, is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae.

Cirl Bunting, Cirlgors, Zaunammer, Escribano Soteno, Escrevedeira-de-garganta-preta

It breeds across southern Europe, on the Mediterranean islands and in north Africa. It is a resident of these warmer areas, and does not migrate in winter. It is common in all sorts of open areas with some scrub or trees, but has a preference for sunny slopes. Changes in agricultural practice have affected this species very adversely at the northern fringes of its range, and in England, where it once occurred over much of the south of the country, it is now restricted to south Devon. The Cirl Bunting is the mascot on the signs for the village of Stokeinteignhead.

The Cirl Bunting is like a small Yellowhammer, 15-16.5 cm in length with a thick seed-eater's bill. The male has a bright yellow head, with a black eyestripe and throat, and a greenish breast band across its otherwise yellow underparts, and a heavily streaked brown back. The female is much more like the Yellowhammer, but has a streaked grey-brown rump and chestnut shoulders.

The monotonous song of the cock is rattling trill, like Arctic Warbler or Lesser Whitethroat.

Its natural food consists of insects when feeding young, and otherwise seeds. The nest is on the ground. 2-5 eggs are laid, which show the hair-like markings characteristic of those of buntings.

Asturian: Escribana
Breton: Brean ar c’harzh, Brean ar c'harzh
Catalan: Gratapalles, Sól·lera boscana
Catalan (Balears): Sól·lera boscana
Czech: Strnad cvrcivý
Welsh: Bras ffrainc, Bras y coed
Danish: Gærdeværling
German: Zaunammer
Greek: Σιρλοτσ?χλονο
English: Cirl Bunting
Spanish: Escribano cerillo, Escribano Sosteño, Escribano Soteño
Estonian: viinamäe-tsiitsitaja
Basque: Gratapalles , Hesi-berdantza
Finnish: Pensassirkku
French: Bruant zizi
Irish: Cirlghealóg
Galician: Escribenta común, Gratapalles
Croatian: Crnogrla Strnadica
Hungarian: Sövénysármány
Icelandic: Álmtittlingur
Italian: Zigolo nero
Japanese: nodoguroaoji, nodogurohoojiro
Cornish: Penmelen Frynkek
Latin: Emberiza cirlus
Maltese: Ortolan Iswed
Dutch: Cirl Gors, Cirlgors
Norwegian: Hekkspurv
Polish: cierlik
Portuguese: Escrevedeira-de-garganta-preta
Romansh: Marena da vigna
Slovak: Strnádka svr?avá
Slovenian: plotni strnad
Albanian: Cerla gushëgjelbër
Serbian: crnogrla strnadica
Swedish: Häcksparv

Spotted on Monte Horizonte today.                      Crested Tit song

The Crested Tit, Lophophanes cristatus (formerly Parus cristatus), is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder in coniferous forests throughout central and northern Europe and in deciduous woodland in France and the Iberian peninsula. In Great Britain, it is chiefly restricted to the ancient pinewoods of Inverness and Strathspey in Scotland, and seldom strays far from its haunts. A few vagrant Crested Tits have been seen in England. It is resident, and most birds do not migrate.

Crested Tit, Kuifmees, Haubenmeise, Chapim-de-poupa, Carbonero capuchino

It is an easy tit to recognise, for besides its erectile crest, the tip of which is often recurved, its gorget and collar are distinctive. It is, like other tits, talkative, and birds keep up a constant zee, zee, zee  Birdsong, similar to that of the Coal Tit .

It makes a nest in a hole in rotting stumps. This bird often feeds low down in trees, but although not shy, it is not always easily approached. It will join winter tit flocks with other species.

Like other tits, it feeds on insects, including caterpillars, seeds.

This species was formerly placed in Parus, but distinctness of Lophophanes is well-supported, and now recognised by the AOU and the BOU as a distinct genus.

 Other synonyms

Asturian: Ferrerín de Picona, Veranín de Moñu
Breton: Ar pennlaouig kuch
Catalan: Ferrerico de capell, Mallerenga emplomallada
Catalan (Balears): Ferrerico de capell
Czech: sýkora parukáøka, Sýkora parukárka
Welsh: Titw copog
Danish: Topmejse
German: Haubenmeise
Greek: Λοφιοπαπαδ?τσα, Σκουφοπαπαδ?τσα
English: Crested Tit, European Crested Tit, Northern Crested Tit
Esperanto: tufparuo
Spanish: Carbonero Capuchino, Carbonero lapón, Herrerillo Capuchino
Estonian: Tutt-tihane
Basque: Amilotx mottodun, Amilotx mottoduna, Mallerenga emplomallada
Finnish: Töyhtötiainen
French: Mésange huppée
Irish: Meantán cuircíneach
Gaelic: Cailleach Bheag a' Chìrein, Gulpag Stuic
Galician: Ferreiriño cristado, Mallerenga emplomallada
Manx: Drean mollagh
Croatian: Kaporasta sjenica, Kukmasta sjenica
Hungarian: Búbos cinege
Armenian: Poopoolavor Yerashtahuv
Icelandic: Toppmeisa
Italian: Cincia dal ciuffo
Japanese: Kammuri gara, kammurigara, kanmurigara
Cornish: Penglow penvagas
Latin: Lophophanes cristatus, Parus cristatus
Limburgish: Matkopmeis
Dutch: Kuifmees
Norwegian: Toppmeis
Polish: czubatka, Sikora czubata
Portuguese: chapim de poupa, Chapim-de-poupa
Romansh: Maset da la cresta
Russian: Khokhlataya Sinitsa
Scots: Gulpag stuic
Slovak: Sýkorka chochlatá
Slovenian: copasta sinica, ?opasta sinica
Albanian: Trishtili me çafkë
Serbian: cubasta sjenica
Swedish: Tofsmes

Spotted on our property Monte Horizonte today.

I´ve seen loads of woodpeckers in my life but never saw or had the opportunity to make a shot of two of them together. Just wanted to share this with you. Spotted and shot today on our property in the Alentejo region of Portugal:

Bert

Spotted on our property Monte Horizonte 

The Woodlark (Lullula arborea) is the only lark in the genus Lullula. It breeds across most of Europe, the Middle East Asia and the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident in the west of its range, but eastern populations of this passerine bird are more migratory, moving further south in winter. Even in the milder west of its range, many birds move south in winter.

Woodlark, Boomleeuwerik, Heidelerche, Totovia, Cotovia pequena

This is a 13.5-15 cm long bird of open heath with some trees, and other open woodlands, especially those with pines and light soil. Its generic name derives from its sweet plaintive song, delivered in flight from heights of 100 m or more.

Like most other larks, this is an undistinguished-looking species on the ground, mainly brown above and pale below, but with distinctive white superciliar meeting on the nape. In flight it shows a short tail and short broad wings. The tail is tipped with white, but unlike the Skylark, the tail sides and the rear edge of the wings are not edged with white.

The nest is on the ground, with up to 6 eggs being laid. Food is seeds supplemented with insects in the breeding season.

Other synonyms

Asturian: Campanina
Breton: An alc’hweder gwez
Catalan: Cotoliu
Catalan (Balears): Cotoliu
Czech: skøivan lesní, Skrivan lesní
Welsh: Ehedydd y coed, Esgudogyll, Uchedydd y coed
Danish: Hedelærke
German: Heidelerche
Greek: Δενδροσταρ?θρα, Δεντροσταρ?θρα
English: Wood Lark, Woodlark
Esperanto: arbalaûdo
Spanish: Alondra Totovía, Totavía, Totovia, Totovía
Estonian: Nommelooke, Nõmmelõoke
Basque: Cotoliu , Pirripioa
Finnish: Kangaskiuru
Faroese: Trælerkur
French: Alouette lulu
Irish: Fuiseog Choille
Gaelic: Riabhag-Choille, Uiseag-Choille
Galician: Cotoliu , Cotovía pequena
Croatian: Ševa Krunica
Hungarian: Erdei pacsirta
Armenian: Antarayin Artuyt
Icelandic: Trjálævirki
Italian: Tottavilla
Japanese: morihibari
Cornish: Awhesyth cos
Latin: Lullula arborea
Dutch: Boom leeuwerik, Boomleeuwerik
Norwegian: Trelerke
Polish: Dzierlatka, lerka, lerka (skowronek borowy), Skowronek borowy
Portuguese: cotovia pequena, Cotovia-pequena
Romansh: Lodola da guaud
Russian: Yula
Slovak: Ékovránok stromový, Škovránik stromový, škovránok stromový
Slovenian: hribski škrjanec
Albanian: Drenja
Serbian: šumska ševa
Swedish: Trädlärka
Turkish: orman toygary

Spotted on our property Monte Horizonte today.

The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Picoides minor) is a member of the woodpecker family Picidae. It was previously assigned to the genus Dendrocopos (sometimes incorrectly spelt as Dendrocopus), and often still is, but it appears to be closer related to the Downy Woodpecker.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Kleine Bonte Specht, Kleinspecht, Pica-pau-malhado-pequeno, Pico menor

The range of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is the Palearctic region, but several subspecies are recognised.

From its small size and its habit of spending most of its time in the tops of tall trees in woods and parks, this little woodpecker is often overlooked, but if sighted on a trunk it may at once be identified by the broad barring on the wings and narrower bars across the lower back.

The male has a crimson crown, a brown forehead, a black superciliary stripe, and another from the base of the bill to the neck. The nape and upper back are black, but the lower back is barred with black and white. On the wings are broader and more conspicuous bars, and the outer tail feathers are also barred. The under parts are white with streaks on the flanks. The bill and legs are slate-grey.

In the female the crown is white, but the young birds of both sexes have more or less crimson on the head. There are no marked seasonal changes.
 
Frontal viewIts habits are very similar to those of the Great Spotted Woodpecker, and it has the same stumpy appearance, almost triangular, when bounding from tree to tree. Its note is a repeated "keek", loud for so small a bird, and its vibrating rattle can with experience be distinguished from that of the larger species. This substitute for a song may be heard at all times, but most frequently when courtship begins early in the year.

Its insect food is similar to that of the Great Spotted Woodpecker. When hunting for wood-boring larvae it chips away at the rotten wood, and the litter at the foot of a tree is often the first indication that insects are attacking upper branches. From autumn to spring it hunts mainly on wood-living insect larvae, frequently from thin dead branches in living trees. Through the breeding season, surface-living insects from the foliage and bark of trees make up an increased amount of the diet. Nestlings are mainly fed with surface-living insects,such as aphids and larval insects. At night it roosts in old holes.

A litter of chips is also a guide to a nesting hole, for the bird does not always carry these away when excavating. The hole is usually at a considerable height above the ground and may be so high as 30 or 40 feet. It is a smaller burrow than that of the Great Spotted Woodpecker, measuring from 1 to 2 inches in diameter.

The shaft varies, the nesting cavity being often a foot or more below the entrance. Five to eight highly polished white eggs are laid upon wood dust and chips in the latter half of May, and a single brood is the rule. Both birds help to incubate. Occasionally an old or natural hollow is used or enlarged.

Populations of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers are mostly resident, but can be nomadic to some degree. Annual fluctations in population numbers are common. The winter temperatures may exhibit a direct effect on winter survival of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers by heat loss, whereas weather conditions during spring have an indirect effect on breeding performance by affecting food production.

 Other synonyms

Asturian: Piquetín
Breton: Ar marc’h-koad bihan, Kazeg-koad bihan, pilkoad bihan
Catalan: Picot garser gros, Picot garser petit
Valencian: Picot garser gros
Czech: Strakapoud malý
Welsh: Cnocell brith bach, Cnocell brith lleiaf, cnocell fraith leiaf, Coblyn lleiaf, Delor fraith leiaf
Danish: dværgspætte, Lille flagspætte, Lilleflagspætte
German: Kleiner Buntspecht, Kleinspecht, Zwergspecht
Greek: [nanotsiklitara], nanotsiklitara, Νανοδρυοκολ?πτης, Νανοτσικλιτ?ρα
English: Lesser Pied Woodpecker, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
Esperanto: malgranda buntpego
Spanish: Carpinterito Manchado Pequeño, Pico Menor, Pico minor
Estonian: Väike-kirjurähn
Basque: okil txiki, Okil txikia, Picot garser petit
Finnish: Pikkutikka
Faroese: dvørgspæta
French: Pic épeichette
Friulian: Pic de corone, pic piçul
Frisian: lytse eksterspjocht
Irish: mionchnagaire breac, peto
Gaelic: Snagan Daraich Beag
Galician: Peto pequeno, Peto real, Picot garser petit
Manx: snoggeyder breck
Croatian: mali djetao
Hungarian: Kis fakopáncs
Armenian: Pokr Paytpor
Icelandic: Stubbspæta
Italian: Picchio rosso minore
Japanese: koakagera, Ko-aka-gera, koaka-gera
Cornish: Casek-cos bryth lyha, Kasek koes vrith, kasek koes vrith vyghan
Latin: Dendrocopos minor, Dendrocopus minor, Picoides minor
Ladino: becalen pice
Ladin: Becalen gran
Lithuanian: Mažasis genys, mažasis margasis genys
Latvian: mazais dzenis
Dutch: Kleine Bonte Specht
Norwegian: Dvergspett, Liten flaggspett
Occitan: Pic mar, pic pichòt
Polish: Dzieciol bialogrzbiety
Portuguese: pica pau malhado pequeno, Pica-pau-malhado-pequeno, Picapau-malhado-pequeno
Romansh: Pitgalain grond, pitgalain pitschen
Romanian: ciocanitoare, cioc?nitoare
Russian: dalyj djatel, Maly Pyostry Dyatel
Sardinian: Biccalinna pistrincu, Biccalinna piticu, Biccamatta pistrincu, Biccamatta piticu, Biccamuru pistrincu, Biccamuru piticu
Scots: cnag bheag, Snagan daraich beag
Northern Sami: Deaggacáihni
Slovenian: mali detel
Albanian: Qukapiku i vogël larosh, qukapiku larosh i vogël
Swedish: Mindre hackspett
Sorbian, Upper: Dypak, Dypornak