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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142 species seen in November
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The 142 species observed around the Lake last month are listed at the end of this newsletter.
A rare sighting was a Sanderling spotted during the last bird walk at the pumping station. This is a migratory bird that usually sticks close to the coasts, but is seen inland on rivers and lakes from time to time.
Don't forget to register for the Ajijic Christmas Bird Count coming up very soon. (See details below).
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Sanderling
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Sanderling seen at the Pumping Station
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Christmas Bird Counts
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The seventh Ajijic Christmas Bird Count will be held on Friday December 14. We usually set up six teams to cover the territory within our official 15 mile-diameter circle. Everyone is welcome to help with the counting and recording of the species and the number of each species seen, and also to attend the counting celebration dinner at 6.00 pm the same day. Please arrange to pre-register for the count between 9.00 am and 1.00 pm Wednesday Dec. 12 at John Keeling's (Villas del Tepalo, Villa 46, 766-1801). (Drive uphill from Donas Donuts, fork half right in front of Min Wah Restaurant, continue uphill, turn in at Callejon al Tepalo 140, on the right opposite the school.)
The "Cienega Christmas Bird Count" at the other end of the lake will be held on Monday December 17. This is an all day affair that attracts the serious birders. For more information ask John.
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Upcoming Bird Walks and Trips
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Friday December 7 at 8.00 am we will meet at El Bajio. Expect to see various ducks and warblers. At 10.00 we will go to Fonda Doña Lola for breakfast and complete the bird list.
To Get There: From Ajijic drive west about 2 mi. and look for the sign "El Bajio". Park on the section of road that parallels the carretera.
Thursday December 27, we will leave Donas Donuts at 8.00 am to drive to Tapalpa. We will bird on the plateau until 1.00, and then have lunch in the village of Tapalpa. If you want to go please phone John 766-1801 so we can set up shared rides. Expect to return by 5.00 pm.
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Bird Walk and Trip Reports
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November 7, five people took part in the birding-kayaking voyage along the shoreline from Ajijic to San Antonio. Good views were obtained of the common shore birds.
November 19-23, four birders travelled to San Blas for three days of intensive birding with professional bird guides. They managed to observe 171 different species including Northern Potoo, Reddish Egret, Green Jay, Grayish Saltator, and both of the strikingly colored Woodpeckers - Lineated and Pale-billed.
November 29, we had seven birders out at the Pumping Station managing to sight 53 species. The most interesting were the Sanderling, Osprey, American Pipit and Semipalmated Plover.
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The November List
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Here are the 142 species observed in November around Lake Chapala:
Ani, groove-billed
Avocet, American
Blackbird, red-winged (Ra,Cs)
Black-bird, yellow-headed (Ra)
Bunting, indigo
Bunting, painted
Bunting, varied
Bushtit
Canvasback (Ra)
Caracara, crested
Chat, yellow-breasted
Coot, American
Cormorant, neotropic
Cowbird, bronzed
Cowbird, brown-headed
Dove, Inca
Dove, white-winged
Dove, white-tipped
Duck, Mexican
Duck, Ruddy
Egret, cattle
Egret, great
Egret, snowy
Falcon, peregrine
Finch, house
Flycatcher, Cordilleran
Flycatcher, dusky-capped
Flycatcher, gray silky
Flycatcher, least
Flycatcher, social
Flycatcher, vermillion
Gadwall
Gallinule, common
Gnatcatcher, blue-gray
Goldfinch, lesser
Grackle, great-tailed
Grebe, pied-billed
Grebe, western (Ra)
Grosbeak, black-headed
Grosbeak, blue
Gull, Bonaparte's
Gull, laughing
Gull, ring-billed
Harrier, northern
Hawk, red-tailed
Hawk, white-tailed
Heron, black-crowned night
Heron, great-blue
Heron, green
Heron, tri-colored
Hummingbird, Berylline
Hummingbird, broad-billed
Hummingbird, rufous
Hummingbird, violet-crowned
Ibis, white-faced
Jacana, northern
Kestrel, American
Killdeer
Kingbird, Cassin's
Kingbird, thick-billed
Kingbird, tropical
Kingbird, western (Ac)
Kingfisher, belted (Ra)
Kiskadee, great
Kite, white-tailed (Sc)
Meadowlark, eastern (Ra,Cs)
Merlin (Ac)
Mockingbird, blue
Mocking, northern
Motmot, russet-crowned
Oriole, black-backed
Oriole, black-vented
Oriole, Bullock's
Oriole, hooded
Oriole, streak-backed
Osprey (Cs)
Owl, great-horned
Pelican, American white
Phainopepla (Ac)
Phoebe, Say's
Pigeon, rock
Pintail, northern (Ra)
Pipit, American (Cs)
Plover, semi-palmated
Raven, common
Redstart, American
Robin, rufous-backed
Sanderling
Sandpiper, least
Sandpiper, spotted
Scaup, lesser
Seedeater, white-collared
Shoveler, northern
Shrike, loggerhead
Sparrow, Botteri's
Sparrow, clay-colored
Sparrow, house
Sparrow, lark
Sparrow, Lincoln's
Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground
Sparrow, song
Sparrow, stripe-headed
Stilt, black-necked
Stork, wood (Ra)
Swallow, barn
Swallow, northern rough-winged
Swallow, tree
Swallow, violet-green
Tanager, western
Teal, blue-winged
Teal, cinnamon
Teal, green-winged
Tern, Caspian
Tern, Forster's (Ac)
Thrasher, curve-billed
Thrush, orange-billed nightingale
Towhee, canyon
Violetear, green
Vireo, warbling
Vulture, black
Vulture, turkey
Warbler, black and white
Warbler, black-throated gray
Warbler, Lucy's
Warbler, MacGillivray's
Warbler, Nashville
Warbler, Townsend's
Warbler, Virginia's
Warbler, Wilson's
Warbler, yellow
Warbler, yellow-rumped
Wigeon, American
Woodpecker, golden-fronted
Woodpecker, ladder-backed
Wren, Bewick's
Wren, canyon
Wren, house
Wren, marsh
Wren, spotted
Yellowlegs, greater
Yellowlegs, lesser
Yellowthroat, gray-crowned
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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