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
|
|
78 Species Last Month
|
|
In July a total of 78 species were seen around Lake Chapala. (See the full list below).
John and Rosemary came across three species actively feeding their young in the nest. The first was a pair of Sinaloa Wrens at El Bajio. The nest was cylindrical and the birds flew directly upwards into the bottom opening of the nest. The second was a a pair of Spotted Wrens sighted above San Pedro Itzican. This was a larger cylindrical nest but the entrance was at the top of one side. The third species was a pair of Cliff Swallows with a nest under the eaves of the building which was Sol y Luna. These swallows make a mud nest which is unique in that the nest has a side opening.
We have received reports of Great Horned Owls calling at night. Owls are best distinguished at night by their call, and these owls make a distinct hooooo, hoo hoo; repeated many times.
|
| |
|
Transvolcanic Jay
|
| 
Those Mexican Jays occurring south of Lake Chapala are now known as Transvolcanic Jays.
|
| |
|
Mexico gets New Bird Species
|
|
There was no fanfare last year for the official addition of a new Mexican bird species by the AOU (American Ornithologists Union). The new species is the Transvolcanic Jay which occurs only in higher altitude pine forests occurring along the Transvolcanic Range which stretches across central Mexico from Colima Volcano to Orizaba Volcano in Veracruz. Lake Chapala is too low for pine forests, but we see these jays sometimes when we visit Tapalpa. The name Mexican Jay is retained for all Mexican Jays occurring between Lake Chapala and the southern U.S. It turns out that the Transvolcanic Jays do not cross the wide valley of the River Lerma and thus do not interbreed with the other jays to the north. There are only subtle differences between the species in terms of appearance and call.
|
| |
|
Upcoming Bird Walks & Trips
|
|
On Wednesday, August 8, we will meet at 8.30 a.m. at the Jocotepec malecon park. We hope to see the Eurasian Collared Doves which breed at the park, as well as other woodland and shore birds. At 10.15 we will head to Doña Lolas for breakfast and to complete the bird list.
How to Get There: Approaching Jocotepec from Ajijic you encounter serious 'topes' in Chantepec, after which there is a curve to the right leading to the main street of Joco. You must turn left on the curve, then go one block to the lake, and park in the parking lot.
On Monday, August 27 we will leave Donas Donuts at 8.00 a.m. to do the Rosa Amarilla loop on the south side of the lake. This still offers the best birding in the area. Please email John at chapalabirders @ yahoo.com to say if you are coming, and also whether you can provide a car. Bring refreshments as you will not be back in Ajijic before 1.15. Everyone is welcome - just bring binoculars.
|
| |
|
Bird Walk and Trip Reports
|
|
July 10, nine of us met at El Bajio. Despite lower numbers of shore birds because the lake is low, we observed 34 species which is appropriate for the time of year. These included orange-billed nightingale thrush, rusty-crowned ground sparrow, stripe-headed sparrow, blue mockingbird and white-collared seedeater.
July 25, a convoy of four cars carrying 16 people went the Sierra de Tapalapa. Thirty four species were identified including striped sparrow, chipping sparrow, acorn woodpecker, eastern bluebird, and crested caracara. We did not manage to sight any new species for that area.
|
| |
|
The July List
|
|
Here are the 78 species observed in July around Lake Chapala:
Ani, groove billed
Avocet, American
Blackbird, red-winged
Blackbird, yellow-headed
Bobwhite, northern
Bushtit
Chat, yellow-breasted
Coot, American
Cormorant, neotropic
Cowbird, bronzed
Cowbird, brown headed
Cuckoo, squirrel
Dove, Inca
Dove, white-winged
Duck, Mexican
Duck, ruddy (Ra)
Egret, cattle
Egret, great
Egret, snowy
Finch, house
Flycatcher, ash-throated
Flycatcher, gray silky
Flycatcher, Nutting'
Flycatcher, social
Flycatcher, vermillion
Gallinule, common
Goldfinch, lesser
Grackle, great-tailed
Grassquit, blue-black (Tu)
Grebe, pied-billed (Ra)
Grosbeak, blue
Hawk, red-tailed
Heron, black-crowned night
Heron, great blue
Heron, green
Heron, tri-colored
Hummingbird, berylline
Hummingbird, broad-billed
Hummingbird, sparkling-tailed
Hummingbird, violet-crowned
Hummingbird, white-eared
Ibis, white-faced
Jacana, northern
Killdeer
Kingbird, Cassin's
Kingbird, thick-billed
Kingbird, tropical
Kiskadee, great
Meadowlark, eastern (Cs,Ra)
Mockingbird, blue
Mockingbird, northern (Ra)
Oriole, black-backed (Dm)
Oriole, black-vented
Oriole, streak-backed
Owl, great horned
Pelican, American white (Dm)
Pewee, western wood
Pigeon, rock
Raven, common
Robin, rufous-backed
Seedeater, white-collared
Shrike, loggerhead
Sparrow, house
Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground
Sparrow, stripe-headed
Stilt, black-necked
Stork, wood (Dm,Ra)
Swallow, barn
Tern, Caspian
Thrasher, curve-billed
Thrush, orange-billed nightingale
Towhee, canyon
Vulture, black
Woodpecker, golden-fronted
Wren, Bewick's
Wren, canyon
Wren, Sinaloa
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
|
| |
|
|
