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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Two New Species for Lake Chapala
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Last month two new species were sighted by our top local birders. John Roynon saw a female Elegant Trogon on the trails to the Tepalo Waterfall. This bird had the tell-tale white bar beside the eye, which is not seen on other trogons. It was not so long ago that he saw a female Mountain Trogon on the same trail. Well done John.
Both trogon species are resident in our area and along the Western Sierra Madre range.
In April Don Bell saw a Common Nightjar coming through on migration. This bird winters in South America and breeds in North America.
Another unusual species was a Ferruginous Pygmy owl heard by John Keeling in the trees behind the Old Posada in Ajijic.
This is the time of year when we hear different bird songs from the winter, because many birds sing only in the breeding season from March to July
The 133 species observed around the Lake last month are listed at the end of this newsletter.
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Elegant Trogon
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Female Elegant Trogon as seen in April on the Tepalo Trail above Ajijic.
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Upcoming Bird Walks and Trips
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On Tuesday May 21, at 8.00 a.m. we will meet at La Cristina on the West side of Ajijic. Expect to see some shore birds and birds nesting in the trees and bushes. At about 10.00 we will go to Fonda Doña Lola for breakfast and complete the list.
To Get There: From Ajijic go about 2 miles west. Turn left to the lake when you see the signs for Las Palmas and Hacienda La Cristina side by side. Take the La Cristina road and park near the lake.
On Wednesday May 29, at 8.00 a.m. we will meet at Donas Donuts to carpool, leaving immediately for the the Rosa Amarilla loop on the plateau on the south side of the lake. Bring snacks and possibly sandwiches for lunch. We will be back in Ajijic by 1.30 p.m. If you want to go, please let John Keeling know whether or not you will have a car (chapalabirders@yahoo.com)
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Bird Walk and Trip Reports
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On April 8, eight keen birders turned up at the Jocotepec malecon. We managed to see Eurasian collared dove, common gallinule, northern jacana, greater pewee and white-collared seedeater among the 51 species observed.
On April 16, six of us took off to Rancho El Venado on the Rio Verde canyon. We swam in the hot water pools and got in some great birding in a small patch at the bottom of the canyon. Sightings included Mexican parrotlet, squirrel cuckoo, black-throated magpie-jay, merlin, elegant trogon, and brown-backed solittaire (heard), for a total of 55 apecies, including 12 new species for the Rio Verde.
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The March List
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Here are the 133 species observed in April around Lake Chapala:
Ani, groove billed
Avocet, American (Ra)
Becard, rose-throated
Blackbird, yellow headed
Bunting, indigo
Bunting, varied
Caracara, crested
Chat, yellow-breasted
Coot, American
Cormorant, neotropic
Cowbird, bronzed
Cowbird, brown-headed
Cuckoo, squirrel
Dove, Eurasian collared
Dove, Inca
Dove, white-tipped
Dove, white-winged
Dowitcher, long-billed
Duck, black-bellied whistling (Ca)
Duck, Mexican
Duck, ruddy (Ra)
Egret, cattle
Egret, great
Egret, snowy
Elaenia, greenish (At)
Finch, house
Flycatcher, ash-throated
Flycatcher, cordilleran
Flycatcher, dusky-capped
Flycatcher, gray silky (Av)
Flycatcher, least
Flycatcher, Nuttings
Flycatcher, social
Flycatcher, vermilion
Gadwall
Gallinule, common
Gnatcatcher, blue-gray
Goldfinch, lesser
Grackle, great-tailed
Grebe, least
Grosbeak, black-headed
Grosbeak, blue
Gull, ring-billed
Hawk, red-tailed
Heron, black-crowned night
Heron, great blue
Heron, green (Dm)
Heron, tri-colored
Hummingbird, berylline
Hummingbird, broad-billed
Hummingbird, violet-crowned
Ibis, white-faced
Jacana, northern
Kestrel, American
Killdeer
Kingbird, Cassin's
Kingbird, thick-billed
Kingbird, tropical
Kiskadee, great
Kite, white-tailed (Dp)
Meadowlark, eastern (Ra)
Mockingbird, blue
Mockingbird, northern (Ra)
Motmot, russet-crowned
Nighthawk, common (Ac)
Nightjar, buff-collared
Oriole, black-backed
Oriole, black-vented
Oriole, Bullock's
Oriole, hooded
Oriole, orchard
Oriole, streak-backed
Owl, ferruginous pygmy (Av)
Parula, tropical (Tz)
Pelican, American white
Pelican, brown (Ca)
Pewee, greater
Pigeon, rock
Plover, semipalmated
Raven, common
Robin, rufous-backed
Sandpiper, least
Sandpiper, spotted
Seedeater, white-collared
Shoveler, northern
Shrike, loggerhead
Solitaire, brown-backed (Tz)
Sparrow, chipping
Sparrow, house
Sparrow, lark
Sparrow, Lincoln's
Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground
Sparrow, stripe-headed
Spoonbill, roseate (Ra)
Stilt, black-necked
Stork, wood (Ra)
Swallow, barn
Swallow, cliff
Swallow, northern rough-winged
Swallow, tree
Tanager, hepatic
Tanager, western
Teal, green-winged
Tern, Caspian
Thrasher, curve-billed
Thrush, orange-billed nightingale
Towhee, canyon
Trogon, elegant (Av)
Vireo, Cassin's
Vireo, golden (At)
Vireo, plumbeous
Vireo, warbling
Vulture, black
Vulture, turkey
Warbler, black and white
Warbler, black-throated gray
Warbler, MacGillivray's
Warbler, Nashville
Warbler, rufous-capped
Warbler, Virginia's
Warbler, Wilson's
Warbler, yellow
Warbler, yellow-rumped
Willet
Woodpecker, golden-fronted
Woodpecker, ladder-backed
Wren, Bewick's
Wren, canyon
Wren, happy
Wren, marsh (Ca)
Wren, spotted
Yellowlegs, greater
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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