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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137 Species Seen in December
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The 137 species observed around the Lake last month are listed at the end of this newsletter, and a summary of the Christmas Bird Counts is given below.
Uncommon sightings during the month included a Redhead (Duck) seen near Rosa Amarilla by a group with Mexico City birder Hector Ceballos.
Two Rare Species Sighted
A Fork-tailed Flycatcher was seen by Derick MacDonald in Riberas del Pilar behind Mom's Restaurant. This is a beautiful long-tailed non-migratory bird of southern Mexico that is occasionally seen on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. Also, an Orange-breasted Bunting was identified in Jocotepec by Ryon Johnson, and later photographed. This brightly-colored species is not normally seen at our altitude, but is common near the coast of Jalisco.
Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that these two birds arrived here unaided. They are probable escapees. More than 40 species of wild birds are regularly sold illegally in the markets of Guadalajara. The pre-Christmas season is the peak purchasing period, and a few of them accidentally fly out their cages before or after being given as a family gift.
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Orange Breasted Bunting
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Orange Breasted Bunting seen at Jocotepec. Photo - Derick MacDonald
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Christmas Bird Count Results
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The two Christmas Bird Counts were a big success as usual. For the seventh Ajijic Christmas Bird Count we had 17 people assigned to five teams, who managed to count 109 different species and a total of 5,482 individual birds. The count included 1 Gadwall, 127 American White Pelicans, 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 15 Gray Silky Flycatchers, and 14 Eastern Meadlowlarks. A cheerful Count Celebration dinner was held at the end of the day at Sunrise Restaurant.
For the La Cienega Christmas Bird Count at the other end of the lake we had a select group of 5 birders in two teams who sighted 83 species and 8,017 individual birds, including Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Little Blue Heron, Eurasian Collared Dove and also Greater Pewee which is an unusual sighting in the winter season.
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Upcoming Bird Walks and Trips
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On Friday January 11 at 8.30 a.m. we will meet at the Jocotepec Malecon Park, where we expect to see Eurasian Collared Doves and perhaps Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers as well as a selection of shore birds. By 10.15 we'll be heading for Fonda Doña Lola for breakfast.
To Get There: As you approach Jocotopec from Ajijic, turn left at the OXXO on the left. Proceed to the lake and park in the parking lot.
On Monday January 21 we will carpool at Donas Donuts at 8.00 a.m. to go the the Rio Verde Canyon - a 90-minutes drive north-east of Ajijic. We hope to see Elegant Trogon, Squirrel Cuckoo and Gila Woodpecker. If you plan to come, please email John at chapalabirders@yahoo.com and let him know whether or not you can bring a vehicle. Bring snacks and sandwiches for lunch. Don't expect to be back before 4.00.
On Tuesday January 29 we will meet at 8.00 a.m. at La Christina. This is one of our better birding spots - we'll be looking for warblers and vireos as well as ducks on the shore. At 10.00 we will go to Dona Lola's for breakfast and complete the bird list.
To Get there: Drive about 2 miles west from Ajijic, look for the sign to Hacienda La Christina. You will see the exits to Las Palmas and La Christina just a few yards apart. Proceed downhill to La Cristina and park near the lake.
Binoculars For Sale
Bushnell Birding Series Natureview Waterproof 8x42 Binoculars Model 123000 with bright image, wide field of view, weighing only 26 oz. Slightly used. Asking $70US, orig $120. Email Marv Armendinger marvandvic@yahoo.com
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Bird Walk and Trip Reports
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December 7, thirteen enthusiastic birders assembled at El Bajio on the west side of Ajijic, where they idenitified 58 species including Varied Bunting, Yellow-breasted Chat, Gray Silky Flycatcher, Common Raven, and Stripe-headed Sparrow.
December 27, fifteen birders formed a four-car convoy to bird the Sierra de Tapalpa, which is 1,500 feet higher than Lake Chapala. During the morning they observed 48 species including Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Painted Redstart, American Robin, Striped Sparrow as well as two new species for the Tapalpa List, the Mexican Chickadee and the Olive Warbler.
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The December List
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Here are the 137 species observed in December around Lake Chapala:
Ani, groove billed
Avocet, American
Bittern, least (Ca)
Blackbird, Brewer's (Ch)
Blackbird, red-winged
Blackbird, yellow-headed
Bunting, indigo
Bunting, lazuli
Bunting, varied
Caracara, crested
Chat, yellow-breasted
Coot, American
Cormorant, neotropic
Cowbird, bronzed
Cowbird, brown-headed
Dove, common ground (CaCs)
Dove, Eurasian collared (JaCh)
Dove, Inca
Dove, mourning (Cs)
Dove, white-winged
Dowitcher, long-billed
Duck, Mexican
Duck, ring-necked
Duck, ruddy
Egret, cattle
Egret, great
Egret, snowy
Falcon, peregrine
Finch, house
Flycatcher, cordilleran
Flycatcher, gray silky (Av)
Flycatcher, least
Flycatcher, social
Flycatcher, vermillion
Gadwall (Ac)
Gallinule, common
Gnatcatcher, blue-gray
Godwit, marbled
Goldfinch, lesser
Grackle, great-tailed
Grebe, eared (Ra)
Grebe, least
Grebe, pied-billed
Grosbeak, black-headed
Grosbeak, blue
Gull, laughing
Gull, ring-billed
Harrier, northern
Hawk, Cooper's
Hawk, gray
Hawk, red-tailed
Hawk, white-tailed (Ca)
Heron, black-crowned night
Heron, great blue (Dp)
Heron, green
Heron, little blue
Heron, tricolored
Hummingbird, berylline
Hummingbird, broad-billed
Hummingbird, calliope
Hummingbird, ruby-throated (Ac)
Hummingbird, rufous
Hummingbird, violet-crowned
Ibis, white-faced
Jacana, northern
Kestrel, American
Killdeer
Kingbird, Cassin's
Kingbird, thick-billed
Kingbird, tropical
Kingfisher, belted
Kiskadee, great
Meadowlark, eastern
Mockingbird, blue
Mockingbird, northern
Oriole, black-backed
Oriole, black-vented
Oriole, Bullock's
Oriole, hooded
Oriole, streak-backed
Owl, barn
Pelican, American white
Pewee, greater
Pigeon, rock
Pintail, northern
Pipit, American
Raven, common
Redhead (Ra)
Redstart, American (Ac)
Robin, rufous-backed
Sandpiper, least
Sandpiper, spotted
Sapsucker, yellow-bellied (Cs)
Scaup, lesser
Seedeater, white-collared
Shoveler, northern
Shrike, loggerhead
Sora (Ca)
Sparrow, house
Sparrow, lark
Sparrow, Lincoln's
Sparrow, stripe-headed
Stilt, black-necked
Swallow, barn
Swallow, northern rough-winged
Swallow, tree
Tanager, hepatic
Tanager, western
Teal, blue-winged
Teal, cinnamon
Teal, green-winged
Tern, Caspian
Tern, Forster's
Thrasher, curve-billed
Towhee, canyon
Vireo, plumbeous
Vulture, black
Vulture, turkey
Warbler, black and white
Warbler, black-throated gray
Warbler, Nashville
Warbler, orange-crowned
Warbler, rufous-capped
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 (Ac)
Yellowthroat, common
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
Ja - Jamay
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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