Newsletter

99 Species in June; Upcoming trips for July.

͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌    ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

View this email in your browser Chapala Birders Newsletter July 2, 2025 eBird News & Sightings Last Month submitted by Duncan Poole eBird Community News In June of this year the eBird community surpassed TWO BILLION observations! You can read more about this milestone here. The Mobile eBird app recently upgraded for more accurate calculations of your distance, including the ability to edit your track start and end point. Learn more here. Sightings This Past June There were 99 species reported for the lake area in June.  The complete list is shown at the end of this newsletter. Interesting sightings included the following: Russet Nightingale-Thrush, reported by Kate and Carl Anderson, Road Cedros to Las Trojes, Jalisco Blue-Black Grassquit, reported by Thomas Bravo, Presas de San Nicolas de Ibarra (Mainly Summer Species) Feature Bird: Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater (Sporophila torqueola) submitted by Jules Evens.    Photo credit: Sam Shepherd This is a common, and gregarious bird, often seen in small flocks foraging  actively near the ground, mostly on grass seeds (as its name suggests!), but also berries and occasionally sallying into the air for flying insects. Its distribution is Pacific lowlands extending not much higher than 2000-m frequenting weedy fields and pastures. It is a small and chubby bird. The sexes are distinct: Males with a blackish head, back, and wings contrasting with a wide white patch on the nape (formerly known as the White-collared Seedeater); underparts and rump are a warm cinnamon. Females are more muted, a uniform grayish-olive overall, lacking any distinctive pattern, at least to the human eye. Some female seedeater's plumages shine ultraviolet, visible to the avian eye. The bill of both sexes is the most reliable field mark—short, conical and very stubby. This is helpful in distinguishing from other small, plain female finches such as the Indigo and Lazuli buntings. Males often sing a cheerful sounding series of notes from a low perch, described as a clear "sweet sweet sweet cheer cheer cheer." There are two subspecies, both non-migratory and essentially endemic to Mexico. (There are a few records from the southernmost U.S., but their provenance is questionable.) Our local race (torqueola) occurs from Jalisco south to Oaxaca. The other (atriceps) extends farther north along the coast to Sinaloa and southern Baja. Sporophila is a genus of neotropical finch-like birds, now considered more closely relative to the tanager family than the sparrows. The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek words sporos (seed) and phiilos (loving). Another neotropical endemic—Blue Seedeater (Amaurospiza concolor)—occurs sparingly in Jalisco; although similar in jizz (general impression of shape and structure) it is in the cardinal family. Upcoming Bird Walks & Trips Our bird-walks are open to all those interested in birds, both beginners & experienced birders. We always have knowledgeable birders on hand to identify the species. Note that we will try to limit most car trips to 3 vehicles and 12 people because larger convoys are hard to manage when trying to stop on country roads to look at the birds. If you are being given a ride, you are expected make a contribution to your driver for gas and tolls ($150 pesos for a half day outing, $300 pesos for a day trip). 1st SUNDAY OF THE MONTH: July 6th there will be a birding outing along the Allen Lloyd Trail. Meet up with trip leaders Kate and Carl Anderson at 8am. Come prepared for a wee hike. Expect to see Blue Mockingbird and Happy Wren. Please confirm your attendance at least 2 days in advance by sending an email to hdd@hdd.net How to get to the trail head: Drive up the Libramiento a half mil (1 km) from the traffic light at Walmart, then turn left (carefully) as you would for the hospital (Ribera Medical Center). Double back and drive up the left side of the hospital. Keep going uphill another half mile, and park on the only street to your left. Here is a pindrop. On Tuesday July 15th, meet team leader Thomas Bravo at 7:30 am at the "Sculpture" (see pindrop). It's at the only traffic light in La Floresta, opposite Restaurant Pranzo). We will depart immediately for Villa Corona on Lake Atotonilco (60 minutes drive). We expect to see various shore birds such as White-faced Ibis and Roseate Spoonbill. Bring your own mid-morning refreshments. There will be a snack break at 11.00 am. We will be back in Ajijic by about 1.30 pm. You must reserve - email Kate and Carl at hdd@hdd.net at least 2 days ahead of time. Please indicate if you can bring a vehicle and can take passengers, or you would like to be a passenger. Each passenger pays the driver $150 pesos to cover gas and tolls. On Tuesday July 29th, meet team leaders Robert and Mugs McConnell at 8:00am at the "Sculpture" (see pindrop). It's at the only traffic light in La Floresta, opposite Restaurant Pranzo). We will depart immediately for La Manzanilla de la Paz on the south side of the lake, enroute to Mazamitla. Expect to see a variety of hawks, woodpeckers, sparrows, warblers and wrens. We will park 1/2 way up the creek path and walk up to the Presa and back for a small refreshment break. Then we shall continue down the lower half of the creek path back to our vehicles for lunch (approximately 2.5 km in total). Bring your own mid-morning refreshments and food for a 1:00pm lunch. We'll be back in Ajijic about 3:00pm. You must reserve as there will be a maximum of 12 people. Please email Robert McConnell at bob.mcconnell58@gmail.com at least 2 days ahead, indicating if you can bring a vehicle and can take others, or if you would like to be a passenger. (We don't always have enough cars). Each passenger pays the driver $300 pesos to cover gas and tolls. Bird Walk Trip Reports submitted by June Trip Leaders On June 1, 7 birders ascended the Allen Lloyd canyon trail with Kate and Carl Anderson. 30 species were counted that day.  Although our winter migrants have left, they still saw some lovely birds. Right away they had a nicely perched Curve-billed Thrasher with mate back in the palms. There were many Northern Rough-winged swallows. Unusual for this time of year were the 11 Turkey Vultures in a kettle riding the thermals near the mountains. It was postulated that perhaps these vultures were gathering to migrate north together. Special was the nesting Greenish Elaenia. Even the Russet-crowned Motmot made a showing. All participants were able to hear and identify the sound of the Motmot. Kate's favorite, a pair Rusty-crowned Ground-sparrow, made a brief appearance. This marks the first trip on the first Sunday of each month up Allen Lloyd canyon. Click here to view the full list of bird sightings. On June 12, 13 keen birders joined Robert Taylor at the San Antonio Malecon which continues to be a popular spot for birding. After the rain season start in the earlier days of June the weather was doubtful but we were blessed that morning with clear skies and a lot of of sun. A total of 47 species were observed, 15 of which were shore birds. Our list included Cliff swallows, Common Yellowthroat, both Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks and Fulvous Whistling-Ducks, Yellow Warbler, and a Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl was heard. Carl Anderson kept a complete list of birds observed. Follow this link to view them. Monthly Sightings List submitted by Duncan Poole Here are the 99 species observed around Lake Chapala in June (in Taxonomic order): 1    Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2    Fulvous Whistling-Duck 3    Mexican Duck 4    Rock Pigeon 5    Eurasian Collared-Dove 6    Inca Dove 7    White-tipped Dove 8    White-winged Dove 9    Mourning Dove 10  Groove-billed Ani 11  Greater Roadrunner 12  Broad-billed Hummingbird 13  Violet-crowned Hummingbird 14  Berylline Hummingbird 15  Common Gallinule 16  American Coot 17  Black-necked Stilt 18  American Avocet 19  Killdeer 20  Caspian Tern 21  Northern Jacana 22  Least Tern 23  Least Grebe 24  Pied-billed Grebe 25  Neotropic Cormorant 26  White-faced Ibis 27  Least Bittern 28  Black-crowned Night Heron 29  Little Blue Heron 30  Tricolored Heron 31  Snowy Egret 32  Green Heron 33  Western Cattle-Egret 34  Great Egret 35  Great Blue Heron 36  American White Pelican 37  Black Vulture 38  Turkey Vulture 39  White-tailed Kite 40  Red-tailed Hawk 41  Great Horned Owl 42  Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl 43  Russet-crowned Motmot 44  Golden-fronted Woodpecker 45  Ladder-backed Woodpecker 46  Crested Caracara 47  Monk Parakeet 48  Military Macaw 49  Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 50  Greenish Elaenia 51  Western Wood-Pewee 52  Vermilion Flycatcher 53  Dusky-capped Flycatcher 54  Brown-crested Flycatcher 55  Great Kiskadee 56  Social Flycatcher 57  Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher 58  Tropical Kingbird 59  Cassin's Kingbird 60  Thick-billed Kingbird 61  Golden Vireo 62  Loggerhead Shrike 63  Common Raven 64  Northern Rough-winged Swallow 65  Barn Swallow 66  Cliff Swallow 67  Bushtit 68  Canyon Wren 69  Bewick's Wren 70  Spotted Wren 71  Happy Wren 72  Sinaloa Wren 73  Blue Mockingbird 74  Curve-billed Thrasher 75  Northern Mockingbird 76  Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush 77  Russet Nightingale-Thrush 78  Rufous-backed Robin 79  House Sparrow 80  Elegant Euphonia 81  House Finch 82  Lesser Goldfinch 83  Stripe-headed Sparrow 84  Savannah Sparrow 85  Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow 86  Canyon Towhee 87  Black-vented Oriole 88  Streak-backed Oriole 89  Black-backed Oriole 90  Bronzed Cowbird 91  Brown-headed Cowbird 92  Great-tailed Grackle 93  Common Yellowthroat 94  Yellow Warbler 95  Rufous-capped Warbler 96  Blue Grosbeak 97  Varied Bunting 98  Blue-black Grassquit 99  Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater What is the "Lake Chapala Area"? We define it as the whole area of the lake plus all land within 15 km (7 miles) from the edge of the lake. We combine sightings for the month from Chapala, Jocotopec, Poncitlán, and Jamay. John and Rosemary Keeling Lake Chapala Birders is an informal group of bird observers let by a team of Chapala Birders on behalf of John & Rosemary Keeling. Overall Coordinator: Cheshta Buckley Newsletter: Mugs McConnell Website: Robert McConnell Feature Bird: Jules Evens Monthly Sightings List: Duncan Poole Bird Trip Leaders & Reports: Cheshta Buckley, Thomas Bravo, Kate & Carl Anderson, Jules Evens, Duncan Poole, John Roynon, Robert Taylor, Robert & Mugs McConnell. Illustrated color folders showing our common birds are available for $200 pesos from your birding group leaders on bird walks. Also available at Diane Pearl's Gallery, 11am to 4pm, Santa Margarita #23, Riberas del Pilar. We like to hear of bird sightings at birderschapala@gmail.com. Check our website: ChapalaBirders.org . There you will find our newsletters, illustrations of our birds and advice on buying binoculars, books & birding apps. Copyright (C) 2025, Lake Chapala Birders. All rights reserved.

Newsletter

132 species seen in May, including a Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher and Aztec Thrush

Chapala Birders Newsletter, June 2, 2025 Sightings last Month submitted by Duncan Poole There were 132 species reported for the lake area in May. The complete list is shown at the end of this newsletter. Interesting sightings included the following: Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Reported by Tiffany Ritter, Malecón de Ajijic Aztec Thrush, Reported by Thomas Bravo, Escuela International Featured Bird: Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) submitted by Jules Evens As the species' name (vociferous) suggests, this is a very talkative shorebird, now named for its voice—killdeeray-killdeeray—but formerly named "Noisy Plover" or "Chattering Plover." It is in the plover family and shares typical familial characteristics—rather plumb body, long-wings, short bill, and large eye. However, it is the only plover with two bands across its chest. In flight it flashes its long tail, rusty rump, and a broad white wingstripe. A wide-spread and familiar shorebird, the Killdeer is distributed throughout the American continent, nesting from the Canadian Yukon south to central Mexico. Sexes are identical with little seasonal variation. Southern populations are resident, northern ones migratory. This is a bird of open terrain, shorelines, shortgrass fields most often near water. Killdeers usually announce their presence by voice, but when an intruder approaches the nest site, the bird preforms a remarkable "broken wing act" while crying loudly in an effort to distract potential predators away. The nest, or "scrape" is usually placed on graveled ground amidst mottled substrate to help hide the cryptically patterned eggs. White objects—pebbles, shell fragments, plastic shards, bone fragments—are often added to the scrape during incubation to further camouflage the site. The chicks are "precocial," that is, fully feathered at hatching and able to scamper out of the nest as soon as their down dries. Parents are not known to feed the chicks, rather lead them to feeding grounds upon fledging. There is something comical about these chicks, little puffs of feathers atop long legs. Killdeers' tolerance of human modified habitats (e.g. golf courses, gravel aprons of roads, mowed fields) has benefited the population. "Once the target of market hunters and in serious decline, the Killdeer is probably more common today than at any time in its history as a result of habitat changes wrought by humans." (Birds of the World) Photo by Jules Evans, Oct 17, 2017, San Antonio Tlayacapan malecon, Jalisco, MX A nesting pair of Killdeer. The bird on the right is settling onto the nest. The bird on the left is the sentry, on the lookout of predators. Photo by Jules Evens, March 23, 2013, Ignacio, California Killdeer nest or "scrape". Photo taken by The Andersons, May 18th, Parque Riberas del Pilar on the point. Upcoming Bird Walks and Trips Our bird-walks are open to all those interested in birds, both beginners and experienced birders. Just bring binoculars. We always have knowledgeable birders on hand to identify the species. Note that we will try to limit most car trips to three vehicles and 14 people because larger convoys are hard to manage when trying to stop on country roads to look at the birds. If you are being given a ride, please make a contribution to your driver for gas and tolls ($150 pesos for a half day outing, $300 pesos for a day trip). 1st Sunday of each month: JUNE 1st there will be a birding outing along the Allen Lloyd Trail the first Sunday of every month! Meet up with trip leaders Kate and Carl Anderson at 8 am. Come prepared for a wee hike. Expect to see Blue Mockingbird and Happy Wren. Please confirm your attendance at least 2 days in advance by sending a message on WhatsApp to Kate and Carl at 662-357-4430. How to get to the trail head: Drive up the Libramiento a half mile (1km) from the traffic light at Walmart, then turn left (carefully) as you would for the hospital (Ribera Medical Center), double back and drive up the left side of the hospital. Keep going uphill another half mile, and park on the only street to your left. Check here for pindrop. On Thursday, June 12th, meet team leader Robert Taylor at 8.00 am at the  San Antonio Malecon parking lot to walk the Malecon area. At about 9:30am we will head to the Cafe Negro restaurant for breakfast and complete the bird list. Please confirm your attendance at least 2 days in advance with Robert Taylor at: robertinmex@gmail.com How to get to the Parking Lot: Follow these instructions carefully because of the one-way street system in San Antonio. From Ajijic, go past Walmart and the Coca Cola warehouse, then turn downhill at the traffic light onto San Jose/Allen Lloyd. Proceed downhill and turn right onto La Paz at a shrine one block before the lake, then turn left at the T intersection, and go one block to the parking lot. Bird Walk Trip Reports submitted by May Trip Leaders On May 8th, 8 birders joined Cheshta Buckley at the San Antonio Malecon. They benefited from the dropping lake levels, which produced 52 species of shorebirds, ducks, terns and nesting flycatchers. Follow the link to see the full list of birds. On May 16th 7 birders visited Sendero Allen Lloyd with Tom Bravo. A busy morning was highlighted by some late migrant buntings, grosbeaks, several breeding endemics, and some local specialties, and overall 40 species were observed. Some favorites were Blue and Black-headed Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, endemics such as Cinnamon-rumped Seedeaters, Rufous-backed Robins, Golden Vireo, and Happy Wren. Local favorites, Russet-crowned Motmot and Squirrel Cuckoo, were in breeding mode. See the full list of birds here. Monthly Sightings List submitted by Duncan Poole Here are the 132 species observed around Lake Chapala in May (in Taxonomic order): 1           Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2           Fulvous Whistling-Duck 3           Blue-winged Teal 4           Cinnamon Teal 5           Northern Shoveler 6           Mexican Duck 7           Green-winged Teal 8           Ruddy Duck 9           Northern Bobwhite 10         Rock Pigeon 11         Eurasian Collared-Dove 12         Inca Dove 13         Common Ground Dove 14         White-tipped Dove 15         White-winged Dove 16         Mourning Dove 17         Groove-billed Ani 18         Lesser Roadrunner 19         Squirrel Cuckoo 20         Buff-collared Nightjar 21         Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird 22         Broad-billed Hummingbird 23         Violet-crowned Hummingbird 24         Berylline Hummingbird 25         Sora 26         Common Gallinule 27         American Coot 28         Black-necked Stilt 29         American Avocet 30         Killdeer 31         Northern Jacana 32         Long-billed Dowitcher 33         Spotted Sandpiper 34         Greater Yellowlegs 35         Least Sandpiper 36         Laughing Gull 37         Ring-billed Gull 38         Caspian Tern 39         Forster's Tern 40         Least Grebe 41         Pied-billed Grebe 42         Clark's Grebe 43         Neotropic Cormorant 44         White-faced Ibis 45         Least Bittern 46         Black-crowned Night Heron 47         Little Blue Heron 48         Tricolored Heron 49         Snowy Egret 50         Green Heron 51         Western Cattle-Egret 52         Great Egret 53         Great Blue Heron 54         American White Pelican 55         Brown Pelican 56         Black Vulture 57         Turkey Vulture 58         White-tailed Kite 59         Cooper's Hawk 60         Red-tailed Hawk 61         Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl 62         Russet-crowned Motmot 63         Golden-fronted Woodpecker 64         Ladder-backed Woodpecker 65         Crested Caracara 66         Monk Parakeet 67         Rose-throated Becard 68         Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 69         Greenish Elaenia 70         Greater Pewee 71         Western Wood-Pewee 72         Western Flycatcher 73         Vermilion Flycatcher 74         Dusky-capped Flycatcher 75         Brown-crested Flycatcher 76         Great Kiskadee 77         Social Flycatcher 78         Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher 79         Tropical Kingbird 80         Cassin's Kingbird 81         Thick-billed Kingbird 82         Golden Vireo 83         Warbling Vireo 84         Loggerhead Shrike 85         Common Raven 86         Northern Rough-winged Swallow 87         Barn Swallow 88         Cliff Swallow 89         Bushtit 90         Canyon Wren 91         Bewick's Wren 92         Spotted Wren 93         Happy Wren 94         Sinaloa Wren 95         Blue Mockingbird 96         Curve-billed Thrasher 97         Northern Mockingbird 98         Orange-billed Nightingale Thrush 99         Aztec Thrush 100       Rufous-backed Robin 101       Gray Silky-flycatcher 102       House Sparrow 103       House Finch 104       Lesser Goldfinch 105       Stripe-headed Sparrow 106       Botteri's Sparrow 107       Clay-colored Sparrow 108       Lark Sparrow 109       White-crowned Sparrow 110       Savannah Sparrow 111       Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow 112       Canyon Towhee 113       Yellow-breasted Chat 114       Black-vented Oriole 115       Orchard Oriole 116       Streak-backed Oriole 117       Bullock's Oriole 118       Black-backed Oriole 119       Bronzed Cowbird 120       Brown-headed Cowbird 121       Great-tailed Grackle 122       Gray-crowned Yellowthroat 123       MacGillivray's Warbler 124       Common Yellowthroat 125       Yellow Warbler 126       Rufous-capped Warbler 127       Western Tanager 128       Black-headed Grosbeak 129       Blue Grosbeak 130       Indigo Bunting 131       Varied Bunting 132       Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater What is the "Lake Chapala Area"?  We define it as the whole area of the lake plus all land within 15km (or 7 miles) from the edge of the lake. We combine sightings for the month from Chapala, Jocotopec, Poncititlan and Jamay. Lake Chapala Birders is an informal group of bird observers led by a team of Chapala Birders on behalf of John and Rosemary Keeling. Overall Coordinator - Cheshta Buckley Newsletter - Mugs McConnell Website - Robert McConnell Feature Bird - Jules Evans Monthly Sightings Lists - Duncan Poole Bird Trip Leaders and Reports - Cheshta Buckley, Thomas Bravo, Kate and Carl Anderson, Jules Evens, Duncan Poole, John Roynon, Robert Taylor. Illustrated color folders showing our common birds are available for $200 pesos at Diane Pearl's Gallery, 11 am to 4 pm, Santa Margarita #23, at the east end of Riberas del Pilar. Also available from your Birding group leaders on bird walks. We like to hear of bird sightings at: chapalabirders@yahoo.com. Check our website: ChapalaBirders.org There you will find our newsletters, illustrations of our birds and advice on buying binoculars, books and birding apps.