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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Three New Species
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April was a fabulous month with three new species for the Lake and a total count of 134 species (listed at the end of this newsletter) which is as high as our winter levels. The new species are:
Dickcissel seen by Carol Bradley and Ian Lind on the south shore (see photo below). This species spends the winter closer to the coast. The bird sighted would have been migrating to its summer breeding grounds in the southeastern U.S.
Mottled Owl seen by Duncan Poole above Las Trojes, sleeping in a tree. This night-hunter is a resident here, being found from central Mexico to northern Argentina.
Gray-collared Becard seen by John Keeling and Brian Lewis near Las Trojes. This is an altitude migrant that moves downhill closer to the coast in the winter, returning here to breed. It is endemic to our region being found only in Mexico and neighboring Guatemala.
In the last two weeks we have seen the return of the White-tailed Kites to the pumping station. There has been an influx of summer birds on the trails above Ajijic, including orange-billed nightingale thrush, and the western Mexico endemics: golden vireo and Sinaloa wren. These appear to be altitude migrants, going downhill closer to the coast for the winter, and coming up here to breed (as does the other west-Mexican endemic, the happy wren). Also, at this time of the year the rusty-crowned ground sparrows are suddenly not afraid of appearing in the open.
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Dickcissel at Lake Chapala
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This Dickcissel was seen on the south side of the lake, on migration to its summer breeding grounds in the eastern U.S. - photo by Ian Lind
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Upcoming Bird Walks
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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 Tuesday May 6 we will meet outside the Yacht Club in La Floresta. The area is good for birding because it has so many tall trees. We will bird until about 10.00 and then go for breadfast at the Real de Chapala to see shore birds and complete the list.
Where to Park: The hotel prefers that you do not park on the street beside their parking lot. Please park near the Yacht Club which is next door on Paseo de la Huerta. Exit from the carretera at the traffic circle with the "sculpture" and go to the last street (Paseo de la Huerta), turn left and park.
On Monday May 12 we will meet at 8.00 a.m. at Donas Donuts to carpool, leaving immediately for the Rosa Amarilla loop which is on the plateau above Tuxcueca on the south shore. This is the only place we see Botteri's sparrow. Expect to see Eastern Meadowlark and perhaps a Lesser Roadrunner. Bring your own refreshments. We will be back in Ajijic by 2.00 p.m.
If you are going: please email chapalabirders @ yahoo.com saying whether you can bring a car, so we can balance passengers and vehicles.
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Bird Walk and Trip Reports
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On April 8, we had six people out on a windy morning at the malecon park in Jocotepec. As usual we sighted the local Eurasian Collared Doves, as well as a few visiting Brown Pelicans and four species of Orioles: Bullock's, Hooded, Orchard and Streak-backed. The orioles were particulary attracted to a flowering silk-oak tree. The list included 41 species.
On April 21, we had four carloads of birders out for the trip to the Sierra de Tapalpa which, besides being scenic, was unusually productive, yielding Yellow-eyed Junco, Eastern Meadowlark, Olive Warbler, Acorn Woodpecker, and Brewer's Blackbird out of a total of 54 species.
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The April List
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Here are the 134 species observed in April around Lake Chapala:
Ani, groove-billed
Avocet, American
Becard, gray-collared (Tr)
Blackbird, yellow-headed (Ca)
Bobwhite, northern (Cs)
Bunting, indigo
Bunting, lazuli
Bunting, varied
Bushtit
Caracara, crested
Chat, yellow-breasted
Coot, American
Cormorant, neotropic
Cowbird, bronzed
Cowbird, brown-headed
Cuckoo, squirrel
Dickcissel (Tx)
Dove, Eurasian collared
Dove, Inca
Dove, mourning
Dove, white-tipped
Dove, white-winged
Duck Mexican
Duck, ruddy
Egret, cattle
Egret, great
Egret, snowy
Euphonia, elegant,
Finch, house
Flycatcher, ash-throated
Flycatcher, buff-breasted (Tr)
Flycatcher, cordilleran
Flycatcher, dusky-capped
Flycatcher, gray silky (Tr)
Flycatcher, least
Flycatcher, social
Flycatcher, vermillion
Gallinule, common
Gallinule, purple (Jo,Tr)
Goldfinch, lesser
Grackle, great-tailed
Grebe, least
Grosbeak, black-headed
Grosbeak, blue
Gull, laughing
Gull, ring-billed
Hawk, Cooper's (Ca)
Hawk, red-tailed
Heron, black-crowned night
Heron, great blue
Heron, green (Ca)
Heron, tri-colored
Hummingbird, broad-billed
Hummingbird, violet-crowned
Ibis, white-faced
Jacana, northern
Killdeer
Kingbird, Cassin's
Kingbird, thick-billed
Kingbird, tropical
Kiskadee, great
Kite, white-tailed (Cs)
Meadowlark, eastern (Cs)
Mockingbird, blue
Motmot, russet crowned
Oriole, black-backed
Oriole, black-vented
Oriole, Bullock's
Oriole, hooded
Oriole, orchard (Jo)
Oriole, streak-backed
Osprey
Owl, great-horned
Owl, mottled (Tr)
Parula, tropical
Pelican, American white
Pelican, brown
Pewee, greater
Pewee, western wood
Phoebe, black (Tz)
Pigeon, rock
Pipit, American (Cs)
Raven, common
Robin, rufous-backed
Sandpiper, least
Sandpiper, spotted
Seedeater, white-collared
Shoveler, northern
Shrike, loggerhead
Snipe, Wilson's
Solitaire, brown-backed (Tz,Tr)
Sora
Sparrow, chipping
Sparrow, house
Sparrow, lark
Sparrow, rufous-crowned (Tr)
Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground
Sparrow, stripe-headed
Stilt, black-necked
Swallow, barn
Swallow, cliff
Swallow, northern rough-winged
Tanager, flame-colored (Tr)
Tanager, hepatic
Tanager, western
Teal, blue-winged
Teal, cinnamon
Tern Caspian
Tern, Forster's
Thrasher, curve-billed
Thrush, orange-billed nightingale
Towhee, canyon
Vireo, Bell's
Vireo, Cassin's
Vireo, golden
Vireo, plumbeous
Vireo, warbling
Vulture, black
Vulture, turkey
Warbler, black and white
Warbler, black-throated gray
Warbler, Nashville
Warbler, rufous-capped
Warbler, Wilson's
Warbler, yellow-rumped
Woodpecker, acorn (Tr)
Woodpecker, golden-fronted
Woodpecker, ladder-backed
Wren, Bewick's
Wren, canyon
Wren, house
Wren, Sinaloa
Wren, spotted
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 area
Pz - San Pedro Itzican area
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/South Shore area
Xt - Ixtlahuacan/Las Campanillas
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