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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Low October Species Count
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117 species were observed in October. (See the list at the end of this newsletter.) This is a lower count than average - the previous October high and low species counts were 145 (in 2010) and 101 (in 2013). We speculate that perhaps many of the migrants will be coming down later than usual.
We observed that the migrant American Kestrels arrived in force from up north in the middle of October, and they can now be seen on the wires along most roads around the lake. At the same time most of the Barn Swallows in the village disappeared from the overhead wires, presumably headed for warmer climates.
Christmas Bird Count
Note that the date for our annual count this year will be Monday December 15 for the Ajijic Area. Please reserve the morning on your calendar for this count, and reserve the evening for the celebration dinner. Sign-up details will be given in the December newsletter. We hope the keener birders will also come with us on Wednesday December 17 for the count at the far end of the lake, which is a whole day trip because of the distance.
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American Kestrel
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American Kestrel as sighted in October on the Lakeshore.
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Upcoming Trips and 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 knowledgeable birders on hand to identify the species.
On Friday November 7 at 8.00 a.m. we will meet at El Bajio on the west side of Ajijic. We expect to see a variety of shore birds and a good selection of field birds in the tall trees. At about 10.00 we will go to Dona Lola's for breakfast to complete the bird list.
How to Get There: From the traffic light on the carretera at Colon proceed about 2 m (3km) west, turn left after the sign to El Bajio and park on the road running beside the carretera.
On Thursday November 13 at 8.00 a.m. we will meet at the entrance to Cristiania Park in Chapala where we should see water birds at the treatment runoff and park birds. At about 10.00 we will go to Las Delicias for breakfast.
How to Get There: Going from Ajijic, continue straight at the traffic light at the main street (Madero). After several blocks you turn left at the T-intersection. Park on the right close to the Park entrance.
On Tuesday November 18 we will meet at 8.30 a.m. at the Pumping Station. We will walk to the shore seeing scrub birds and water birds along the way. At about 10.15 we will head for Las Delicias for breakfast and complete the bird list.
How to Get There: From Chapala follow the lakshore from the Train Station towards the Country Club. Pass the air strip, the village of Santa Cruz and the water skiing facility. Look for the pumping station with its three tall gray pump towers on the right. After the sign "Aqueducto" take the first hidden gravel road on the right, go a half mile, turn left at the T, and park at the next intersection. When you park leave plenty of space to let other vehicles get by.
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Bird Trip and Walk Reports
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On October 10, we had ten keen birders at La Cristina enjoying the morning sun. The high point was the sighting of three female Dickcissels, which is only the second sighting of this species here. They stopover here on their fall and spring migration between the eastern USA and southern Mexico. Other species seen included Northern Mockingbird and Gray Silky Flycatcher out of a total of 50 species.
On October 18, five birders made the trip to the Rosa Amarilla loop, spying Ruddy Duck, Belted Kingfisher, Eastern Mealowlark, Savannah Sparrow and Greater Yellowlegs for a total of 52 different sightings.
On October 24, nine people went to the Jocotepec Malecon park. The rising water level helped us see more water birds. We spotted 50 species including Fulvous Whistling Duck, Orchard Oriole, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat and Hepatic Tanager. (Note that though water levels are up, the lake is still only 50% full, and a general drought condition in Northern Jalisco continues).
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117 Species seen in October
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Here are the 117 species observed in October around Lake Chapala:
Ani, groove billed
Blackbird, Brewer's
Blackbird, yellow-headed
Bunting, indigo
Bunting, painted
Bushtit
Caracara, crested
Chat, yellow-breasted (Ac,Ra)
Coot, American
Cormorant, neotropic
Cowbird, bronzed
Cowbird, brown-headed
Dickcissel (Ac)
Dove, Eurasian collared
Dove, Inca
Dove, mourning
Dove, white-tipped
Dove, white-winged
Duck, fulvous-whistling (Jo)
Duck, Mexican
Duck, ruddy
Egret, cattle
Egret, great
Egret, snowy
Euphonia, elegant
Finch, house
Flycatcher, ash-throated (At)
Flycatcher, dusky-capped (At)
Flycatcher, gray silky (Ac,Av)
Flycatcher, social
Flycatcher, vermillion
Gallinule, common
Gallinule, purple (Ps)
Gnatcatcher, blue-gray
Goldfinch, lesser
Grackle, great-tailed
Grebe, least (Ra)
Grebe, pied-billed (Ra)
Grosbeak, black-headed
Grosbeak, blue
Gull, laughing
Hawk, Cooper's
Hawk, white-tailed (Rc)
Heron, black-crowned night
Heron, great blue
Heron, green
Heron, tri-colored
Hummingbird, beryline
Hummingbird, broad-billed
Hummingbird, violet-crowned
Ibis, white-faced
Jacana, northern
Kestrel, American
Killdeer
Kingbird, Cassin's
Kingbird, thick-billed
Kingbird, tropical
Kingbird, western
Kingfisher, belted (Ra)
Kiskadee, great
Meadowlark, eastern
Mockingbird, blue
Mockingbird, northern (Ac,Sc,Ra)
Oriole, black-backed
Oriole, black-vented
Oriole, Bullock's
Oriole, hooded
Oriole, orchard (Jo)
Oriole, streak-backed
Osprey (Ca,Sc)
Owl, great-horned
Pelican, American white
Pelican, brown (Ac)
Phoebe, Say's (Ra)
Pigeon, rock
Pintail, northern
Raven, common
Robin, rufous-backed
Sandpiper, spotted
Seedeater, white-collared
Shoveler, northern
Shrike, loggerhead
Sparrow, house
Sparrow, lark
Sparrow, Savannah (Ra)
Sparrow, stripe-headed
Stilt, back-necked
Swallow, barn
Swallow, northern rough-winged
Swift, Vaux's (Rp)
Tanager, hepatic (Jo)
Tanager, western (Jo, Ac)
Tern, Caspian
Tern, Forster's
Thrasher, curve-billed
Thrush, orange-billed nightingale
Towhee, canyon
Vulture, black
Vulture, turkey
Warbler, black and white
Warbler, black-throated gray
Warbler, MacGillivray's
Warbler, Nashville
Warbler, Wilson's
Warbler, yellow (Jo)
Warbler, yellow-rumped
Willet
Woodpecker, golden-fronted
Woodpecker, ladder-backed
Wren, Bewick's
Wren, canyon
Wren, marsh
Wren, spotted
Yellowlegs, greater (Ra)
Yellowlegs, lesser (Sn)
Yellowthroat, common (Jo,Ca)
Yellowthroat, gray-crowned
Location codes:
Ac - Ajijic: La Cristina/El Bajio
At - Trails above Ajijic
Av - Ajijic village
Ca - Lake Cajititlan
Ch - Chapala
Cu - Cuitzeo/Ocotlan
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
Ps - Pumping Station/Santa Cruz
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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