Saturday, June 19, 2010

Midsummer beetles

Beetles found on Eryngium on Sunday. I think the red and green are two different species and that there is also sexual dimorphism amongst the green ones as I noticed two that appeared to be mating or about to mate, as they were not yet linked- and the lower individual was significantly more bluish, the one above, more greenish. Both shades are seen in the clump below. If I am right, the one above is a male. Both blues and greens are red below.


Saturday 19th June

gazelle:
3 on thursday, on sat, seen on slopes of windsurfer hill
hyraxes:
many active by valley road, forest side, on rocks, in cypress trees including young. High pitched thin 'seet seet' call seemed to come from one of the babies.. probably a call for adult attention.

Bee-eaters
: calls heard over valleys and area, also on thursday

turtle doves:
cooing today and thursday.

Blackbird
s: calls, song, calls and activity various parts of the pine woods also thurs.

Collared doves: active around gazelle field but not vocal

Eurasian jays : active and vocal various parts of the woods.
Stone curlews, very active and vocal from direction of shaft area before sunset, starting from flight passes of the hobby, then on and off for next half hour or so.

Hoopoes: 3 seen near cistern on thursday. Today also three though can't know if same three of course. 1 crossed gazelle field to pines west of it, the other two seen poking the ground, path near cistern.

Greenfinches: Twitters and calls around look out corner, bunker rubble area thursday and today.
Syrian woodpeckers
: calls thursday and today, chukars
Graceful warblers, calls, a number seen in low foliage on bank up from north turn of valley road.
Hooded crows. active, vocal on and off throughout day.
White spectacled bulbuls
early morning, about 4.55 a.m these last few days, 4.50 a.m sat morning .
Sunbird
, gardens thurs-sun morning, also Sat in tall trees by east watercourse dirt road and near pumphouse? check.
Laughing doves, Sat also several around crumb corner by street

Sunday 20th June

gazelle: 5
Two up on north west slopes of windsurfer hill again. A female as we reached the top of the shepherd's trail (which climbs through the trees up north east from east watercourse dirt road). She headed into trees south of us , shortly after a young individual headed north west into trees from the lower slopes. Then we noticed a very fine adult male down just south of the olive grove in the dried wild oats field, good long horns.

hyraxes:
some active by valley road.

Bee-eaters, stone curlews
:
absent today, not heard.
turtle doves:
, coos

Blackbird
s: song, calls and activity various parts of the pine woods
Collared doves: coos and flight calls esp in pines east of cistern.

Eurasian jays : active esp on gazelle field between the saplings.. they like to perch on sapling tubes for look out. .

Hoopoes: 2 flying over fore part of gazelle field into pines west of there.

Greenfinches: Twitters and calls around look out corner, eucalyptus behind esp. .
Syrian woodpeckers
: calls
Graceful warblers, some calls
Hooded crows. active, vocal on and off throughout day.
White spectacled bulbuls
early morning shortly before 5 a.m.
Sunbird
: , calls in garden
Laughing doves:
about local streets

Monday 21st June

gazelle: 7
One up on south west slope of windsurfer hill, 6 grazing in gazelle field amongst the saplings, spread between large almond to the large pine. At least one female with well grown young and an adult male in the middle of the line, by himself.

hyraxes:
active by valley road, forest side.

Bee-eaters:
some calls heard, 1 seen flying over gazelle field.
stone curlews
:
very vocal over in direction of shaft shortly before sunset.
turtle doves:
coos

Blackbird
s: song, calls and activity various parts of the pine woods
Collared doves: active and vocal

Eurasian jays : active various parts of woods and field

Hoopoes: 1 flying over field from cistern area to pine woods

Greenfinches: Twitters and calls around look out corner
Syrian woodpeckers
: lots of calls today. In eucs along east watercourse dirt road saw family, 2 (?)young pestering adults for food and being fed.
Graceful warblers: quite vocal today

White spectacled bulbuls
early morning shortly before 5 a.m.
Sunbird
: , calls in garden
Laughing doves:
about local streets

Cockatiel: heard calls about 6 a.m. , soon found it perched on a line between two buildings across the street. Called on and off throughout the morning. Probably recent escape and disorientated.

Below: a beetle found on globe thistle back on 27th May, red with dark spots and jointed antennae, different from other beetles seen on globe thistles so far. one in middle of thorax, at least two on each elytron.

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