Lake Chapala Birders
Observadores de Aves del Lago de Chapala
Your hosts
John and Rosemary Keeling
If you have reports of interesting bird sightings near Lake Chapala, or need information about birding around the lake, email us at:
ChapalaBirders@yahoo.com
or phone 376-766-1801
Website:
ChapalaBirders.org
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97 Species Last Month
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In May a total of 97 species were seen around Lake Chapala. (The full list appears below).
The Rosa Amarilla loop is currently providing us with the most interesting birding around, particularly as we are seeing less birds on the lake now that the lake is only 50% full, instead of the "lake management target" of 80% full.
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Nothern Saw-whet Owl
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Northern Saw-whet Owl Observed in Ajijic in May.
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Another New Species for the Area
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Early in May, Libby Townsend's gardener located the owl that was calling (annoyingly) every night in the manner of a burglar alarm in Ajijic. It turned out to be a Northern Saw-whet Owl, not previously reported in this area. John Keeling also heard the call above the village, without knowing what it was! This owl is 7 inches high and only calls in the breeding season in April and May.
Trivia item: the name was given some 150 years ago when country people sharpened their own saws. The sharpening process included "Hammering, Sharpening, Setting & Whetting". One of this owl's calls is like the sound of whetting a saw - with a whet-stone of course.
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Upcoming Bird Walks & Trips
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On Thursday June 7, 5.00 pm Motmots in Chula Vista, Paseo de Golf #17. Margot and Bohdan Wojciechowski have kindly consented to open their house for us to view the rufous-crowned motmots which are breeding there.
To Get There: From the carretera turn into Upper Chula Vista on Paseo de Golf. Proceed uphill, watching the numbers on the left. No. 17 is on a small side street. Park on Paseo de Golf and walk to the house. The side street is too narrow for parking.
On Monday June 18, 8.00 am. Cristianía Park in Chapala. We will see common birds in the park and shore birds on the lake-front. At 10.00 we will go for breakfast to Las Delicias Restaurant for breakfast and prepare the bird list.
To Get There: From Ajijic proceed straight across the traffic light on the main avenue (Madero); go five more blocks; turn left at the T-junction and park on the right, close to the park entrance.
In the Week of June 11, we are planning a day trip to a new location in the Rio Verde Canyon, one hour north-east of Chapala. Last time we identified 3 species not seen at Lake Chapala. If you are interested in joining us, email John Keeling.
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Bird Walk and Trip Reports
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May 10, we had five people on the Rosa Amarilla bird trip including two relative beginners who we were able to impress with the marvelous range of local birds, including Western Bluebird, Eastern Meadowlark, White-tailed Hawk with nesting material, Wilson's Phalaropes on migration, and two dozen Wood Storks.
May 21, we had 11 visitors at Flossie's including some who dropped in because the gate was open! Sightings included four species of Hummingbird: Berylline, Violet-crowned, Broad-billed, and Sparkling-tailed. Our thanks to Flossie for hosting this and setting out extra chairs for the group.
May 17, a small group of us went to the Sierra de Tapalpa, one hour south-east of the lake, where we managed to add six species to the Tapalpa list, specifically: Yellow-eyed Junco, Arizona Woodpecker, American Robin, Savannah Sparrow, Yellow-headed Blackbird and Bronzed Cowbird.
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May List
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Here are the 97 species observed in May around Lake Chapala:
Ani, groove-billed
Blackbird, red-winged (Ra)
Blackbird, yellow-headed
Bluebird, western (Ra)
Bobwhite, northern (Ra)
Bunting, indigo
Caracara, crested
Coot, American
Cormorant, neotropic
Cowbird, bronzed
Cuckoo, squirrel (Cs)
Dove, common ground
Dove, Inca
Dove, white-tipped
Dove, white-winged
Duck, fulvous whistling (Ca)
Duck, Mexican
Duck, ruddy
Egret, cattle
Egret, great
Egret, snowy
Finch, house
Flycatcher, ash-throated
Flycatcher, cordilleran
Flycatcher, gray silky
Flycatcher, Nutting's (Ac)
Flycatcher, social
Flycatcher, vermilion
Gallinule, common
Goldfinch, lesser
Grackle, great-tailed
Grebe, pied-billed
Grosbeak, blue
Gull, laughing
Gull, ring-billed
Hawk, red-tailed
Hawk, white-tailed (Ra)
Heron, black-crowned night
Heron, great blue
Heron, green
Heron, tri-colored
Hummingbird, berylline
Hummingbird, broad-billed
Hummingbird, sparkling tailed (Ac)
Hummingbird, violet-crowned
Ibis, white-faced
Jacana, northern
Killdeer
Kingbird, Cassin's
Kingbird, thick-billed
Kingbird, tropical
Kiskadee, great
Meadowlark, eastern (Ra Ch)
Mockingbird, blue
Mockingbird, northern (Ra Cs)
Motmot, russet-crowned
Nightjar, buff-collared
Oriole, black-backed
Oriole, black-vented
Oriole, streak-backed
Owl, great horned
Owl, northern saw-whet (Ac)
Pewee, western wood
Phalarope, Wilson's (Ra)
Phoebe, black
Pigeon, rock
Raven, common
Robin, rufous-backed
Sandpiper, spotted
Seedeater, white-collared
Shoveler, northern
Shrike, loggerhead
Sparrow, house
Sparrow, lark
Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground
Sparrow, stripe-headed
Stilt, black-necked
Stork, wood (Ra)
Swallow, barn
Swallow, northern rough-winged
Tanager, western
Teal, blue-winged
Teal, cinnamon
Thrasher, curve-billed
Thrush, orange-billed nightingale
Towhee, canyon
Vulture, black
Vulture, turkey
Warbler, rufous-capped
Warbler, yellow
Warbler, yellow-rumped
Woodpecker, golden-fronted
Woodpecker, ladder-backed
Wren, Bewick's
Wren, canyon
Wren, happy
Wren, spotted
Location codes:
Ac - Ajijic: La Cristina/El Bajio
At - Trails above Ajijic
Av - Ajijic village
Ca - Lake Cajititlan
Ch - Chapala
Cs - Santa Cruz/pumping station
Dm - Dike near Malteraña
Dp - Dike near La Palma
Hv - Hidden Valley oak forest
Jo - Jocotepec
Ld - Lerma & Duero rivers
Pe - Petatan causeway
Po - Poncitlan
Pt - San Pedro Tesistan
Pz - San Pedro Itzican
Ra - Rosa Amarilla loop
Rc - Santa Rosa: Carnero dam
Rp - Riberas del Pilar & canyon
Sa - San Antonio/Chula Vista
Sc - San Juan Cosala
Tz - Tizapan canyon
Te - San Juan Tecomatlan/Mezcala
Tr - Las Trojes/oak forest
Tu - Tuxcueca canyon
Xt - Ixtlahuacan/Las Campanillas
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