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
|
|
105 Species Seen in May
|
|
The complete list of sightings is shown at the end of this newsletter.
The Oak Woods above San Pedro Itzican have been ylelding some less commonly seen species such as:
- A Common Black Hawk which we have only seen at the Rio Verde to the north east of Lake Chapala
- A Sulfur-bellied Flycatcher which we have seen once in Ajijc in lower Chula Vista several years ago.
- A Sinaloa Wren observed actively building a nest in the shape of an up-side-down 'U' at the end of a tree branch.
We have recently seen a Yellow-winged Cacique in Riberas, and also near Mezcala. These are believed to be cage-espapes. This species is common at the coast, and their normal range does not include this area. If in the future they mate and form a continuously growing colony, we would then add them to the Lake Chapala List.
Seven Years of this Newsletter
We, (John and Rosemary) have been putting out this newsletter for seven years now.
Allen Turner and Judy Boyd started sending out formal newsletters announcing bird walks and listing bird walk sightings, in September 2006.
We took over when Allen and Judy went to live in Ecuador (they now live in the US). Our first newsletter went out on June 6, 2009 listing for the first time the monthly sightings list for Lake Chapala, in that case the list for the May 2009 sightings.
|
| |
|
Golden Vireo
|
| 
Golden Vireos such as this one are being heard and seen in the hills above the village of Ajijic. These birds are endemic to Mexico, being found on the western seabord from Sonora in the north, to Oaxaca in the south.
They are considered permanent residents in our area, though many probably move downhill closer to the coast for the coolest winter months.They are small, being easily confused with Wilson's Warblers which are winter visitors.
They are difficult to photograph because they stay in the mid to upper canopy of trees, and because they are in constant motion.
|
| |
|
Results of the Global Big Day
|
|
On May 14, birders were encouraged to get outside and count as many bird species as they could find in one day, and enter their sightings on the eBird database.
Globally, 16,000 people responded to this challenge, reporting 6,300 species. (There are 10,426 bird species known in the world.)
Here at Lake Chapala we reported 73 species in the single day, and in the state of Jalisco 203 species were identified. This is our low season for birds, so these figures are much lower than our Christmas Bird Count results.
|
| |
|
Upcoming Trips and Bird Walks
|
|
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 Monday, June 6 we will meet at Donas Donuts at 8.00 am to carpool, leaving immediately for the Rosa Amarilla Loop on the plateau above the south side of the lake (60 minutes drive). Expect to see higher altitude and pasture birds such as Botteri's Sparrow and Eastern Meadowlark. We will be back about 3.00 pm. If you plan on going, please email John at chapalabirders@yahoo.com ahead of time saying whether you can bring a vehicle, to help in carpool planning.
On Tuesday, June 28 we will meet at Donas Donuts at 8.00 am to carpool, leaving immediately for the Sierra de Tapalpa (90 minutes away). We will bird from 9.00 till 12.30 and have lunch in the town of Tapalpa and complete the bird list. There will be higher altitude birds such as Acorn Woodpecker - and if we are lucky Trans-volcanic Jay and Yellow-eyed Junco. We will be back about 5.00 pm. If you plan on going, please email John at chapalabirders@yahoo.com ahead of time saying whether you can bring a vehicle, to help in carpool planning.
|
| |
|
Bird Walk & Trip Reports
|
|
On May 10 we had six keen observers out to the Allen Lloyd Trail, including a pair of experienced birders from up north. A highlight was hearing, then seeing, a Squirrel Cuckoo for several minutes. Other birds out of a total ot 34 species included White-tailed Kite, Rusty-crowned Ground Sparrow, Stripe-headed Sparrow, Orange-billed Nightingale Thrush and at least 10 Western Wood Pewees.
On May 27 we had six birders out at Riberas del Pilar, including three residents of that sub-division. We observed 41 species including Black-necked Stilt, Killdeer, American Avocet, Spotted Wren, Blue Mockingbird, Black-backed Oriole, and at least 12 Groove-billed Anis.
|
| |
|
May Sightings List
|
|
Here are the 105 species observed in May around Lake Chapala:
Ani, groove-billed
Avocet, American (Rp)
Becard, rose-throated (Pz)
Bunting, varied (Sa)
Bushtit
Caracara, crested
Coot, American
Cormorant, neotropic
Cowbird, bronzed
Cowbird, brown-headed
Cuckoo, squirrel (At,Sa)
Dove, Eurasian-collared
Dove, Inca
Dove, mourning (Sn)
Dove, white-tipped
Dove, white-winged
Duck, fulvous-whistling (Ch)
Egret, cattle
Egret, great
Egret, snowy
Elaenia, Greenish
Euphonia, Elegant
Falcon, peregrine (Av)
Finch, house
Flycatcher, ash-throated (Pz)
Flycatcher, cordilleran
Flycatcher, dusky-capped
Flycatcher, Nutting's
Flycatcher, social
Flycatcher, sulfur-bellied (Pz)
Flycatcher, vermillion
Flycatcher, willow (Pz)
Gallinule, common
Gnatcatcher, black-tailed
Grackle, great-tailed
Grebe, least
Grebe, pied-billed
Grosbeak, black-headed
Grosbeak, blue
Gull, ring-billed
Hawk, common black (Pz)
Hawk, Cooper's (Pz)
Hawk, red-tailed
Heron, black-crowned night
Heron, green
Heron, little blue (Av)
Heron, tri-colored
Hummingbird, beryline (Av)
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 (Av,Sa,Dp)
Meadowlark, Eastern (Dm)
Mockingbird, blue
Mockingbird, northern
Motmot, russet-crowned (Av,Sa)
Nightjar, buff-collared (Av)
Oriole, black-backed
Oriole, black-vented
Oriole, streak-backed
Owl, great-horned (Av,Rp)
Parakeet, monk
Pelican, American white
Pewee, western wood (Sa,Pz)
Pigeon, rock
Raven, common (Av,Pz)
Robin, rufous-backed
Seedeater, white-collared
Shrike, loggerhead
Sparrow, chipping
Sparrow, house
Sparrow, roufous-crowned
Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground
Sparrow, song
Sparrow, stripe-headed
Stilt, black-necked (Rp)
Stork, wood
Swallow, barn
Swallow, cliff
Swallow, northern rough-winged
Tanager, hepatic
Tanager, western
Teal, blue-winged (Av,Rp,Ch)
Thrasher, curve-billed
Thrush, orange-billed nightingale
Towhee, canyon
Vireo, golden
Vireo, warbling (Av)
Vulture, black
Warbler, Nashville
Warbler, rufous-capped (Av,Pz)
Warbler, yellow
Woodpecker, golden-fronted
Woodpecker, ladder-backed
Wren, Bewick's
Wren, canyon
Wren, happy (Pz)
Wren, Sinaloa (Pz)
Wren, spotted
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
|
| |
|
|
