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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146 Species Seen in December
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The species observed around the Lake last month are listed at the end of this newsletter.
New Species for Lake Chapala
The big news this month is the addition of the White-throated Flycatcher to the Lake Chapala list. This bird was seen by Lois and Brian Lewis on the reeds of a marshy ditch along the dike at the far end of the lake, while they were taking part in the Christmas Bird Count. This bird is an 'empidonax' type of flycatcher that occurs on the Pacific Slope of Mexico, spending its winters in marshes.
Other unusual sightings included a Sharp-Shinned Hawk which sat for several minutes on a tree close to John Keeling's back yard in Ajijic; also a Barn Owl seen by Diana Friedman from her house in San Antonio Tlayacapan. Other unusual sightings are reported below in the Christmas Bird Count Report.
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White-throated Flycatcher
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White-throated Flycatcher as seen near Maltaraña in December.
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Christmas Bird Count Results
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As usual we ran two official Christmas Bird Counts in association with the U.S. Audubon Society, the first on December 16 in the Ajijic area ("Laguna de Chapala" - MXLN), and the second on December 18 at the dike across the far end of the lake ("La Cienega de Chapala" - MXCC).
At Ajijic we had 23 obsevers in the field reporting 13,400 birds of 114 species. At La Cienega we deployed 12 observers who sighted 9,200 birds of 85 species.
Analyzing the results we were unable to spot trends, other than the continuing spread of the Eurasian Collared Dove which arrived in Jocotepec six years ago, and is now seen at Chapala, Santa Rosa and Jamay. This species, originally from India, started expanding its range 400 years ago, reaching Florida in the 1980s. It is now found throughout the U.S.
Less common species included Eared Grebe at Santa Rosa, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks at San Antonio and Fulvous Whistling Ducks east of Chapala.
If you would like a copy of the results (in pdf format), please email your request to chapalabirders@yahoo.com.
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Upcoming Bird Walks and Trips
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Our birdwalks are open to all those interested in birds, both beginners and experienced birders. Just bring binoculars and show up. We always have knowledgable birders on hand to identify the species.
On Saturday January 11, we will meet at 8.00 am at Donas Donuts to carpool leaving immediately for Rosa Amarilla. It takes 60-90 minutes to get there because of road construction. We bird from 9.30 to 12.30. You must not expect to be back before 2.00 pm. Bring refreshments - there are no places to buy food there. If you plan to go please email John Keeling indicating the number of people and if you have a vehicle so we can more easily balance the loads.
On Thursday January 16, we will meet at 8.00 am at Donas Donuts to carpool, leaving immediately for Lake Cajititlan, which is 30 minutes away. Expect to see a variety of shore and marsh bids. This lake is currently good because the water levels are reasonably high. At 10.15 we will go for breakfast in Ixtlahuacan de los Membrillos to prepare the bird list. If you plan to go please email John Keeling indicating the number of people and if you have a vehicle so we can more easily balance the loads.
On Friday January 24, we will meet at 8.30 am at the Jocotepec Malecon Park. Expect to see shore birds and park birds in the tall trees, perhaps Eurasian Collared Dove and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. At 10.15 we will head to Dona Lolas in Ajijic for breakfast.
How to Get There: From Ajijic, as you near Jocotepec you encounter a left hand curve, some serious topes, and a right hand curve with an OXXO store where you must turn left. Proceed to the lake and park in the parking lot.
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Bird Walk and Trip Reports
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On December 6, we had fourteen birders out on the causeway on Lake Atotonilco near Villa Corona. When we arrived there was mist over the water with few birds easily visible. Within the hour the mist lifted magically revealing many more birds including 45 roseate spoonbills, a white ibis (unusual), and a woodstork. Further down the lake we found a group of snow geese, another group of white-fronted geese and a pair of western grebes - 23 species in total.
On November 18, fourteen birders joined us at the Pumping Station at Santa Cruz. We saw crested caracara, cinnamon teal, Forster's tern, American pipit, tropical kingbird and Cassin's kingbird. The total count was 44 species.
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The December List
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Here are the 146 species observed in December around Lake Chapala:
Ani, groove-billed
Avocet, American (Ca)
Becard, rose-throated (Dm)
Blackbird, yellow-headed (Ca,Dp)
Bunting, indigo
Bunting, lazuli
Bunting, varied
Bushtit
Caracara, crested
Chat, yellow-breasted (Ac)
Coot, American
Cormorant, neotropic
Cowbird, bronzed
Cowbird, brown-headed
Cuckoo, squirrel
Dove, common ground (Dm)
Dove, Eurasian collared
Dove, Inca
Dove, white-tipped
Dove, white-winged
Duck, black-bellied whistling
Duck, fulvous whistling
Duck, Mexican
Egret, cattle
Egret, great
Egret, snowy
Falcon, peregrine (Rp,Dm)
Finch, house
Flycatcher, ash-throated
Flycatcher, cordilleran
Flycatcher, dusky-capped
Flycatcher, gray silky (Av)
Flycatcher, least
Flycatcher, social
Flycatcher, vermillion
Flycatcher, white-throated (Dm)
Gadwall (Cs)
Gallinule, common
Gnatcatcher, blue-gray
Goldfinch, lesser
Grackle, great-tailed
Grebe, eared (Rc)
Grebe, least
Grebe, pied-billed
Grosbeak, black-headed
Grosbeak, blue
Gull, laughing
Gull, ring-billed
Harrier, northern (Dp)
Hawk, Cooper's (Rc)
Hawk, gray
Hawk, red-tailed
Hawk, sharp-shinned (Av)
Hawk, white-tailed (Dm,Dp)
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
Kingfisher, belted
Kingfisher, green
Kinglet, ruby-crowned
Kiskadee, great
Kite, white-tailed
Meadowlark, eastern
Mockingbird, blue
Mockingbird, northern
Motmot, russet-crowned
Oriole, black-backed
Oriole, black-vented
Oriole, Bullock's
Oriole, hooded
Oriole, orchard
Oriole, streak-backed
Osprey (Dm)
Owl, barn (Sa)
Pelican, American white
Pewee, greater
Pewee, western wood
Phoebe, black
Phoebe, Say's (Dp)
Pigeon, rock
Pintail, northern
Pipit, American (Cs)
Raven, common
Robin, rufous-backed
Sandpiper, least
Sandpiper, spotted
Seedeater, white-collared
Shoveler, northern
Shrike, loggerhead
Sora (Ca,Dm)
Sparrow, clay-colored (Cs)
Sparrow, house
Sparrow, lark
Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground
Sparrow, stripe-headed
Stilt, black-necked
Swallow, barn
Swallow, northern rough-winged
Swallow, tree
Swift, Vaux's (Rp)
Tanager, western (Ac)
Teal, blue-winged
Teal, cinnamon
Teal, green-winged
Tern, Caspian
Tern, Forster's
Thrasher, curve-billed
Towhee, canyon
Vireo, plumbeous
Vireo, warbling (Av,Ac)
Vulture, black
Vulture, turkey
Warbler, black and white
Warbler, black-throated gray
Warbler, MacGillivray's
Warbler, Nashville
Warbler, orange-crowned
Warbler, rufous-capped (At)
Warbler, Wilson's
Warbler, viginia's
Warbler, yellow
Warbler, yellow-rumped
Willet
Woodpecker, golden-fronted
Woodpecker, ladder-backed
Wren, Bewick's
Wren, canyon
Wren, house
Wren, Marsh (Ca,Dp)
Wren, spotted
Yellowlegs, greater
Yellowlegs, lesser
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 area
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
Sn - San Nicholas/Golf Club
Tz - Tizapan canyon
Te - San Juan Tecomatlan/Mezcala
Tr - Las Trojes/oak forest
Tu - Tuxcueca canyon
Xt - Ixtlahuacan/Las Campanillas
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