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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154 species seen in March
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The complete list of sightings is shown at the end of this email.
This is the season when the birds are looking for mates and nesting. Here are some of the interesting sightings from last month:
- Purple Gallinules were sighted at the San Antonio malecon.
- Also at the San Antonio malecon you can currently see the magnificent spectacle before sunset of thousands of Yellow-headed Blackbirds descending into the reed beds to roost for the night.
- Cliff swallows are once again collecting mud for nests at the west end of the Ajijic malecon.
- Fourteen Roseate Spoonbills were seen at the east end of the lake - the first time in more than a year.
Global Big Day
On Saturday, May 6, every birder is encouraged to get outside and count as many bird species as they can find in one day. These sightings should be entered in the eBird database.
The aim is to get people out to enjoy the birds, and to get more people into using eBird. eBird is an easy-to-use database for birders world-wide to record their sightings.
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Black-crowned Night Heron's Nest
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Photo of a Black-crowned Night Heron's nest at the San Antonio Tlayacapan malecon taken by kayaker Wayne Renz at the beginning of March. He saw seventy of these nests in the reed beds. Previously, before the growth of the reed beds in the last two years, these birds nested in the trees nearby.
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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 Friday April 8, we will meet to carpool at 8.00 a.m. at Donas Donuts, leaving immediately for Lake Cajititlan (30 minutes drive). We will see a variety of marsh and lake birds. At about 10.15 we will go Las Delicias restaurant in Chapala for breakfast and complete the bird list. If you plan on going, email John: Chapalabirders@yahoo.com indicating whether or not you will have a car.
On Monday April 18, we will meet to carpool at Donas Donuts leaving immediately for Las Trojes (one hour away) to hike the 'horizontal oak forest trail' to the edge of the hidden valley (3-hours hiking uphill, 2-hours back). Don't expect very many birds, but the hike is very pleasant. Bring refreshments and sandwiches for lunch at noon at the top. If you plan on going, email John: Chapalabirders@yahoo.com indicating whether or not you will have a car.
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Bird Walk & Trip Reports
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On March 5, we had seven birders out at El Bajio where we saw 57 species including Thick-billed Kingbird, Blue Mockingbird, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, American Wigeon and the endemic Rufous-backed Robin.
On March 14 at Cristiania Park there were 10 people joining in our walk. Key birds were Rose-Throated Becard, which was clearly visible for several minutes and a single Brown Pelican( a species we see occasionally on the lake). Other species were Long-billed Dowitcher, Nothern Jacana, Semi-palmated Plover, and our endemic Black-baced Oriole.
On March 30 we had a carload of keen birders on the trip to Rancho El Venado in the Rio Verde Canyon. We observed Crested Caracara, Summer Tanager, Gila Woodpecker, a flock of Mexican Parrotlets and a pair of Pyrrhuloxia, for an exceptional total of 69 species.
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March Sightings List
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Here are the 154 species observed in March around Lake Chapala:
Ani, groove-billed
Becard, rose-throated (Tz,Ch)
Bittern, least
Blackbird, red-winged (Ra)
Blackbird, yellow-headed
Bunting, indigo
Bunting, painted
Bunting, varied (Tz,Av)
Bushtit
Canvasback (Ra)
Caracara, crested
Chat, yellow-breasted
Coot, American
Cormorant, Neotropic
Cowbird, bronzed
Cowbird, brown-headed
Creeper, brown (Sa)
Cuckoo, squirrel (At,Sa)
Dove, common ground
Dove, Eurasian collared
Dove, Inca
Dove, white-tipped
Dove, white-winged
Dowitcher, long-billed
Duck, fulvous whistling (Ch,Rp)
Duck, Mexican
Duck, ring-necked (Ra)
Egret, cattle
Egret, great
Egret, snowy
Euphonia, elegant (Tz,At)
Finch, house
Flycatcher, ash-throated
Flycatcher, cordilleran
Flycatcher, dusky-cappped
Flycatcher, least
Flycatcher, social
Flycatcher, vermilion
Gadwall
Gallinule, common
Gallinule, purple (Sa)
Gnatcatcher, blue-gray
Goldfinch, lesser
Grackle, great-tailed
Grebe, least
Grebe, pied-billed
Grosbeak, black-headed
Grosbeak, blue
Gull, laughing
Gull, ring-billed
Hawk, gray (Ps)
Hawk, red-tailed
Heron, black-crowned night
Heron, great blue
Heron, green
Heron, little blue (Rp)
Heron, tricolored
Hummingbird, beryline
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 (Sa)
Kingfisher, belted (Ch,Xt)
Kinglet, ruby-crowned (Tz,Dp)
Kiskadee, great
Kite, white-tailed (Tz,Dp)
Meadowlark, eastern (Ds,Ra)
Mockingbird, blue
Mockingbird, northern
Motmot, russet-crowned (Rp)
Nightjar, buff-collared (Av)
Oriole, black-backed
Oriole, black-vented
Oriole, Bullock's
Oriole, hooded
Oriole, orchard
Oriole, streak-backed
Osprey (Ra)
Owl, great-horned
Parakeet, monk
Pelican, American white
Pelican, brown (Ch)
Pewee, greater
Pewee, western wood
Phoebe, black (Tz,Ra)
Pipit, American (Ps)
Plover, semi-palmated
Rail, Aztec
Redstart, American (Av)
Robin, rufous-backed
Sandpiper, least
Sandpiper, spotted
Seedeater, white-collared
Shoveler, northern
Shrike, loggerhead
Snipe, Wilson's (Ps)
Sora
Sparrow, chipping
Sparrow, clay-colored
Sparrow, house
Sparrow, lark
Sparrow, Lincoln's
Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground
Sparrow, savannah (Ra)
Sparrow, stripe-headed
Spoonbill, roseate (Ds)
Stilt, black-necked
Stork, wood (Ra)
Swallow, barn
Swallow, cliff (Ds,Av)
Swallow, northern rough-winged
Swallow, tree
Swallow, violet-green
Tanager, summer
Tanager, western
Teal, blue-winged
Teal, cinnamon
Tern, Caspian
Thrasher, curve-billed
Thrush, orange-billed nightingale
Towhee, canyon
Vireo, Bell's
Vireo, warbling (Av)
Vulture, black
Vulture, turkey
Warbler, black and white
Warbler, black-throated gray
Warbler, Lucy's
Warbler, MacGillivray's
Warbler, Nashville
Warbler, orange-crowned
Warbler, rufous-capped
Warbler, Tennessee
Warbler, Townsend's
Warbler, Virginia's
Warbler, Wilson's
Warbler, yellow (Ds)
Warbler, yellow-rumped
Wigeon, American
Woodpecker, golden-fronted
Woodpecker, ladder-backed
Wren, Bewick's
Wren, canyon
Wren, house
Wren, spotted
Yellowlegs, lesser (Ra)
Yellowthroat, common
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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