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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131 Species Seen in January
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The species observed around the Lake last month are listed at the end of this newsletter.
Unusual species seen in January included a Zone-tailed Hawk seen circling with Turkey Vultures on the trip to Rosa Amarilla. This hawk has a wing pattern like a Turkey Vulture but has a barred tail which the vultures do not have. Eared Grebe was sighted again this month, this time at Lake Cajiitlan. Also we continue to see Peregrine Falcon at the Lake Cajititlan marsh.
A pair of Monk Parakeets are currently living in the area around the pier in Ajijic. These are escapees of course. It remains to be seen whether they will breed there.
This winter we are seeing the migrant American White Pelicans much more spread out along the shores of Lake Chapala generally, instead of being concentrated primarily at the far eastern end of the lake. This may be due to relative scarcity of reed beds at the eastern end.
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Zone-tailed Hawk
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Zone-tailed Hawk as seen on the Rosa Amarilla circuit in January.
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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 Thursday February 6 at 8.00 a.m. we wll meet at La Cristina which is just west of Ajijic. We expect to see a variety of warblers, vireos, tanagers and orioles in the tall trees. At about 10.00 a.m. we will head to the Waffle House for breakfast to complete the list.
How to Get There: From Ajijic go about 2 miles, turn left at the sign to Hacienda La Christina (very close to the road to Las Palmas). Park close to the lake.
On Wednesday Februray 12 at 8.00 a.m. we will meet at Donas Donuts to carpool, leaving immediately for the Sierra de Tapalpa. We will stop at points on the plateau from 9.00 to 12.30 and go for lunch in Tapalpa. We will be back in Ajijic about 5.00. If you plan to go please email chapalabirders@yahoo.com saying if you can provide a vehicle (to help us balance the passengers.)
On Wednesday February 19 at 8.00 a.m. we will meet at Donas Donuts to carpool, leaving immediately for the Rio Verde. We will be going to the access point where we have seen trogons but does not have hot pools for swimming. Bring sandwiches and other refreshments for lunch time. We will be back in Ajijic about 5.00. If you plan to go please email chapalabirders@yahoo.com saying if you can provide a vehicle (to help us balance the passengers.)
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Bird Walk and Trip Reports
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On January 11, eleven keen birders travelled in three vehicles to the Rosa Amarilla Loop observing 52 species in all. Interesting sightings included Crested Caracara, White-tailed Hawk, and Wood Stork, An unusual sighting was a Zone-tailed Hawk seen circling with a group of Turkey Vultures. Notice in the photo above how similar the wing pattern is to a Turkey Vulture.
On January 16, we went with 14 birders to Lake Cajititlan where we managed to see Yellow-headed Blackbird, American Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Eared Grebe, Black-necked Stilt and Common Yellowthroat for a total of 47 species.
On January 24, a dozen birders grouped at the Jocotepec Malecon observing Northern Jacana, McGillivray's Warbler, Greater Yellowlegs and Eurasian Collared Dove for a total list of 56 species.
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The January List
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Here are the 131 species observed in Jnauary around Lake Chapala:
Ani, groove-billed
Avocet, American (Ca)
Blackbird, yellow-headed (Ca)
Bunting, indigo
Bunting, lazuli
Bunting, varied
Bushtit
Caracara, crested (Ra)
Chat, yellow-breasted
Coot, American
Cormorant, neotropic
Cowbird, bronzed
Cowbird, brown-headed
Cuckoo, squirrel
Dove, Eurasian collared (Jo)
Dove, Inca
Dove, white-tipped
Dove, white-winged
Duck, fulvous whistling
Duck, Mexican
Duck, ruddy (Ra)
Egret, cattle
Egret, great
Egret, snowy
Euphonia, elegant
Falcon, peregrine (Ca)
Finch, house
Flycatcher, ash-throated
Flycatcher, cordilleran
Flycatcher, gray silky (Av)
Flycatcher, least
Flycatcher, social
Flycatcher, vermillion
Gallinule, common
Gnatcatcher, blue-gray
Goldfinch, lesser
Grackle, great-tailed
Grebe, eared
Grebe, least
Grosbeak, black-headed
Grosbeak, blue
Gull, laughing
Gull, ring-billed
Harrier, northern
Hawk, Cooper's (Av)
Hawk, red-tailed
Hawk, white-tailed (Ra)
Hawk, zone-tailed (Ra)
Heron, black-crowned night
Heron, great blue
Heron, green
Heron, tri-colored
Hummingbird, berylline
Hummingbird, broad-billed
Hummingbird, magnificent (Sa)
Hummingbird, rufous
Hummingbird, violet-crowned
Ibis, white-faced
Jacana, northern
Kestrel
Killdeer
Kingbird, Cassin's
Kingbird, thick-billed
Kingbird, tropical
Kiskadee, great
Meadowlark, eastern
Mockingbird, blue
Mockingbird, northern
Nightjar, buff-collard (Av)
Oriole, black-backed (Ac,Ch)
Oriole, black-vented
Oriole, bullock's
Oriole, hooded
Oriole, streak-backed
Owl, great-horned (Av)
Pelican, American white
Pewee, greater
Pewee, western wood
Pigeon, rock
Raven, common
Robin, rufous-backed
Sandpiper, least
Sandpiper, spotted
Seedeater, white-collared
Shoveler, northern
Shrike, loggerhead
Sora
Sparrow, chipping
Sparrow, house
Sparrow, lark
Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground
Sparrow, song
Sparrow, stripe-headed
Stilt, black-necked
Stork, wood (Ra,Jo)
Swallow, barn
Swallow, northern rough-winged
Swallow, tree
Tanager, summer (Av)
Tanager, western
Teal, blue-winged
Teal, cinnamon
Teal, green-winged
Tern, Caspian
Tern, Forster's
Thrasher, curve-billed
Towhee, canyon
Vireo, golden
Vireo, plumbeous
Vireo, warbling
Vulture, black
Vulture, turkey
Warbler, black and white
Warbler, black-throated gray
Warbler, McGillivray's
Warbler, Nashville
Warbler, orange-crowned
Warbler, rufous-capped
Warbler, Wilson's
Warbler, yellow
Warbler, yellow-rumped
Willet
Woodpecker, golden-fronted
Woodpecker, ladder-backed
Wren, Bewick's
Wren, canyon
Wren, happy
Wren, marsh
Wren, spotted
Yellowlegs, greater (Jo)
Yellowthroat, common (Ca,Jo)
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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