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 at the lake, email us at:
ChapalaBirders@yahoo.com
or phone 376-766-1801
Website:
ChapalaBirders.org
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157 species seen in February
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The complete list of sightings is shown at the end of this email.
Our local White-tailed kites are already mating and building a nest (at the pumping station). Other birds cannot be far behind. March is also the month in which our migratory birds leave us to go north.
In February we had a visit from an expert birder from California. Almost the first bird he saw here was a Green-tailed Towhee, which we regard as rare. Perhaps is not as rare as we thought. We know it is very good at hiding in the underbrush. It is a winter visitor to Mexico.
Eared grebes continue to be spotted on the upper dam above Santa Cruz de la Soledad.
Brown-backed solitaires, previously only heard on the upper hills, are now being heard very close to Ajijic. John Roynon managed to spot one on the north edge of the village.
Backyard Bird Count Report
Six birders from our area submitted species lists, reporting the sighting of 108 species over the four day period of the count.
The country reporting the most species sighted (780) was India which is becoming a major birding country. Second in the world was Mexico reporting 699 species.
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Black Terns over Lake Chapala
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This photo by local bird photographer Paul Hart shows an immature Black Tern over Lake Chapala. In the second week of February visiting birder Jules Evens reported seeing Black Terns. We normally see them only occasionally in the winter time. Another visiting expert birder reported this species here in November. "Howell & Webb", our reference text, says of this species: Irregular visitor Nov.-Mar.
The adults are ash-colored birds only 11 in. in length. The immature birds show the unique dark patch below the leading edge of the wing as seen in the photo. They breed in fresh-water marshes of northern US and Canada, and winter on the coasts of South America.
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Animated Video of Migration Routes
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Researchers have been studying the migratory movement of birds based on ten years of data that birders have entered in the e-bird data base. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has released a fascinating 'animated gif' showing the migration routes for 118 species selected to show a wide range of routes and destinations. The first url below represents each species as a dot, the second as a coded number. Remember each dot represents the center of a cloud of tens or hundreds of thousands of birds averaged over 10 years.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/mesmerizing-migration-watch-118-bird-species-migrate-across-a-map-of-the-western-hemisphere/
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/mesmerizing-migration-map-which-species-is-which/
From the video, I observe that here in Jalisco in west-central Mexico, spring migration starts March 1, and most migratory birds are gone by March 31. These birds reach their breeding grounds in the US and Canada in May, and start leaving from there in August. They start arriving back here November 1, and are settled here by November 31.
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Upcoming Trips and Bird Walks
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Our bird walks 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. If you are being given a ride, please make a contribution to gas and tolls (perhaps 50-100 pesos for a half day outing, 100-200 for a day trip).
On Saturday March 5 we will meet at El Bajio on the west side of Ajijic at 8.00 am. Expect to see a variety of shore birds, garden birds and scrub birds. We will be looking for migrants. At about 10.15 we will head for Fonda Dona Lola for breakfast and complete the bird list.
How to get there: From Ajijic go about 2 mi. (3 km) west from the light at Colon, turn downhill at the sign for El Bajio next to the extreme speed bumps. Park immediately on the lateral.
On Monday March 14 we will meet at Cristiania Park in Chapala at 8.15 a.m. We should see an interesting selection of species in the tall trees and at the bushy edge of the lake. At about 10.30 we will go to Las Delicias for breakfast and complete the bird list.
How to Get There: From Ajijic go the traffic light at the main street of Chapala (Av. Madero), cross straight over and keep going straight for five blocks, turn left at the T intersection and park on the right.
Wednesday March 30 we will meet at Donas Donuts at 8.00 a.m. to carpool, leaving immediately for the Rio Verde, (two hours drive north-east from Ajijic). We will access the canyon at the site which has an entrance fee of 100 pesos per person and hot water issuing from the rocks into pools. Bring bathing suits, towels, refreshments and sandwiches. Expect to see lower altitude birds such as Gila Woodpecker, Squirrel Cuckoo, Mexican Parrotlet and Black Phoebe. We will get back about 5.00 p.m. If you plan to come please email chapalabirders@yahoo.com at least 48 hours ahead and indicate if you can bring a car.
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Bird Walk & Trip Reports
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On February 6, a dozen people were out in the subdivision of La Cristina. Fifty five species were observed, including Yellow-breasted Chat, Blue Mockingbird, Bullock's Oriole, Greater Pewee, Western Tanager and Lucy's Warbler and for a special treat, a pair of Painted Buntings.
On February 17, we had two carloads of keen birders going round the Rosa Amarilla Loop on the plateau at the south side of the lake. Everyone was pleased with the sighting of 68 species, including Osprey, White-tailed Hawk, Red-winged Blackbird, Wood Stork, Wigeon and Canvasback.
On February 26, fourteen birders made it to the Pumping Station, where we saw 69 species, despite some construction activity. Species included Gadwall, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Orchard Oriole, Black-backed Oriole, Crested Caracara, Song Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, and the highpoint was a pair of White-tailed Kites mating and sitting on a nest.
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February Sightings List
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Here are the 157 species observed in February around Lake Chapala:
Ani, groove-billed
Avocet, American (Ca,Ra)
Becard, rose-throated
Bittern, least (Ca)
Blackbird, red-winged (Ra,Ps)
Blackbird, yellow-headed
Bunting, lazuli
Bunting, painted
Bunting, varied
Bushtit
Canvasback
Caracara, crested
Chat, yellow-breasted
Coot, American
Cormorant, neotropic
Cowbird, bronzed
Cowbird, brown headed
Dove, common ground (Xt,Ca)
Dove, Eurasian collared
Dove, Inca
Dove, white-tipped
Dove, white-winged
Duck, fulvous-whistling (Ps)
Duck, Mexican
Duck, ring-necked (Ps)
Duck, ruddy
Egret, cattle
Egret, great
Egret snowy
Euphonia, elegant (Ps,At)
Finch, house
Flycatcher, ash-throated
Flycatcher, cordilleran
Flycatcher, gray silky
Flycatcher, least
Flycatcher, social
Flycatcher, vermilion
Flycatcher, willow (At)
Gadwall (Ps)
Gallinule, common
Gnatcatcher, blue-gray
Goldfinch, lesser
Grackle, great-tailed
Grebe, eared (Ps)
Grebe, least
Grebe, pied-billed
Grosbeak, black-headed
Grosbeak, blue
Gull, laughing
Gull, ring-billed
Hawk, Cooper's
Hawk, gray (Ps)
Hawk, red-tailed
Hawk, sharp-shinned
Hawk, white-tailed (Ra)
Heron, black-crowned night
Heron, great blue
Heron, green
Heron, tri-colored
Hummingbird, broad-billed
Hummingbird, violet-crowned
Ibis, white-faced
Jacana, northern
Kestrel, American
Killdeer
Kingbird, Cassin's
Kingbird, thick-billed
Kingbird, tropical
Kingbird, western (At)
Kingfisher, belted (Xt,Ra)
Kiskadee, great
Kite, white-tailed (Ps)
Meadowlark, eastern (Ra)
Mockingbird, blue
Mockingbird, northern
Nightjar, buff-collared
Oriole, black-backed
Oriole, black-vented
Oriole, Bullock's (Ps)
Oriole, hooded
Oriole, orchard (Ps)
Oriole, streak-backed
Osprey (Ca,Ra)
Owl, great-horned
Parakeet, monk
Pelican, American white
Pewee, greater
Pewee, western wood
Phoebe, black (Rp,Ra)
Pintail, northern
Raven, common
Redstart, painted (Sc)
Robin, rufous-backed
Sandpiper, least
Sandpiper, spotted
Seedeater, white-collared
Shoveler, northern
Shrike, loggerhead
Solitaire, brown-backed
Sora
Sparrow, chipping
Sparrow, clay-colored
Sparrow, house
Sparrow, Lark
Sparrow, Lincoln's
Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground
Sparrow, savannah
Sparrow, song (Ps)
Sparrow, stripe-headed
Stilt, black-necked
Stork, wood (Ra)
Swallow, barn
Swallow, northern rough-winged
Swallow, tree
Swallow, violet-green
Tanager, hepatic
Tanager, western
Teal, blue-winged
Teal, cinnamon
Teal, green-winged
Tern, black (Av)
Tern, Caspian (Av,Ps)
Tern, Forster's (Av,Ps)
Thrasher, curve-billed
Thrush, orange-billed nightingale
Towhee, canyon
Towhee, green-tailed
Vireo, Cassin's (At)
Vireo, golden
Vireo, plumbeous (At)
Vireo, warbling
Vulture, black
Vulture, turkey
Warbler, black and white
Warbler, black-throated gray
Warbler, hermit
Warbler, Lucy's (Ac)
Warbler, MacGillivray's
Warbler, Nashville
Warbler, orange-crowned
Warbler, rufous-capped
Warbler, Townsend's
Warbler, Virginia's (Av)
Warbler, Wilson's
Warbler, yellow (Av,Ps)
Warbler, yellow-rumped
Wigeon
Woodpecker, golden-fronted
Woodpecker, golden-fronted
Woodpecker, ladder-backed
Wren, Bewick's
Wren, canyon
Wren, house
Wren, marsh (Ca,Ps)
Wren, spotted
Yellowlegs, greater
Yellowthroat, common (Ca,Ra)
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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