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Chapala Birders Newsletter March 2, 2019
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| 171 Species sighted last month around the Lake |
The Complete list of species seen around Lake Chapala last month is shown at the end of this newsletter.
Interesting Sightings last month:
- Various birders saw Yellow Grosbeak in the Ajijic area. The last time these were seen here was ten years ago.
- Several people heard Rufous Pygmy Owl in Ajijic and San Antonio.
- Rudi Neustadter reported Ring-necked Ducks at the Chapala Country Club.
- Don bell reported both Black-chinned and Blue-throated Hummingbirds on the west side of Ajijic.
- John Roynon reported Viginia's and MacGillivray's Warblers in San Antonio.
- Jules Evens reported Peregrine Falcon and Gray-crowned Yellowthroat in San Antonio.
- Carlo Cuevas reported Merlin and Least Bittern in Jocotepec.
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Male Yellow Grosbeak as seen at Lake Chapala last month.
The Yellow Grosbeak is big finch with massive head and bill.
- The female is duller with streaks on the crest and back, as well as 'muddy' markings through the eye and ear patch.
- It is found on the 'Pacific Slope' between the Sierra Madre and the coast, from northern Mexico as far south as Guatemala. The Guatemala sub-species is orange colored. Other sub-species are found in South America. It only rarely comes to Ajijic. Individuals wander in seach of seeds, berries and fruit, occasionally reaching as far north as southern Arizona.
- It favors semi-open woods, brush and scrub.
- It does not migrate.
- It's nesting season begins in May.
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Twice in the last year I have found myself feeling depressed when another birder standing beside me reported seeing colors and details that I could not see in my own expensive binoculars.
I decided to perform the "Diopter Adjustment" right there, and suddenly my binoculars were performing like new. You should do this from time to time because the diopter ring does not lock on most binoculars - easily going out of adjustment, and also your eyes change particularly when you get older.
The Diopter Adjustment: Part One: Close the right eye and focus on a thin object about 50 feet away using the regular center focussing wheel. Part Two: Close the left eye and focus on the same object using only the diopter adjustment ring on the right eyepiece. You are done. |
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. We always have knowledgeable birders on hand to identify the species. We will try to limit day trips to four vehicles, as larger convoys are less manageable. If you are being given a ride, please make a contribution to gas and tolls (perhaps 50-100 pesos for a half day outing, 150-200 for a day trip).
On Wednesday March 6, we will meet at 8.30 am to walk the one-mile long Allen Lloyd Trail which has lots of underbrush in which birds love to hide. Expect to see Stripe-headed Sparrow and Groove-billed Ani and hear the Happy Wren. At about 10.15 we will head to Cafe Negro restaurant for breakfast and complete the bird list.
How to get to the trail head: Drive up the Libramiento a half mile from the traffic light at Walmart, and park on the north side of the road across from the El Dorado Condominium tower.
On Friday March 15, we will meet at 8.00 am at Donas Donuts to car pool, leaving immediately for the Rosa Amarilla Loop on the plateau above the south side of the lake (60 minute drive). Expect to see Wood Storks, Osprey and possibly a White-tailed Hawk. Bring refreshments for the morning and sandwiches for the 12.30 lunch stop. We will be back about 3.00 pm. If you plan on going, please email John at chapalabirders@yahoo.com at least 48 hours ahead of time saying whether you can bring a vehicle, to help in carpool planning. (We don't always have enough cars).
On Monday March 25, we will meet at 8.00 am at Donas Donuts to car pool, leaving immediately for the Sierra de Tapalpa (90 minutes away). We will bird from 9.30 till 12.30 and have lunch in the town of Tapalpa and complete the bird list. We expect to see higher altitude birds such as Acorn Woodpecker and Slate-throated Redstart and if we are lucky Trans-volcanic Jay. Bring your own refreshments for the morning. We will be back about 5.00 pm. If you plan on going, please email John at chapalabirders@yahoo.com at least 48 hours ahead of time saying whether you can bring a vehicle.
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Bird Walk and Trip Reports
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On February 6, there were 16 people out to bird the Jocotepec pier and malecon park. We saw an impressive 68 species including Snipe, Solitary Sandpiper and Spotted Sandpiper on the flooded soccer field, Sora, Northern Shoveler, American Wigeon, Marsh Wren and Common Yellowthroat.
On February 15, we had seven birders on the 'Horizontal Oak Forest Trail' at Las Trojes. We were very pleased to observe as many as 52 species including Hermit Thrush, Raven, Rivoli's Hummingbird, White-eared Hummingbird, Brown-backed Solitaire, Red-faced Warblers (in the same place as usual), and both Painted and Slate-throated Redstarts.
On February 25, there were 24 birders out to bird the Lakeshore East from Chapala ending up at the Pumping Station. We saw Lesser Goldfinch, Common Gallinule, American Avocet, Loggerhead Shrike, Lesser Yellowlegs, Caspian Tern and significant numbers of Neotropic Cormorants and Yellow-headed Blackbirds.
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Here are the 171 species sighted around Lake Chapala in February:
Ani, groove-billed
Avocet, American (Ps)
Bittern, least (Sa,Jo)
Blackbird, yellow-headed (Ch,Ps)
Bunting, indigo
Bunting, painted (Jo, Ac)
Bunting, varied
Bushtit
Caracara, crested
Chat, yellow-breasted (Av)
Coot, American
Cormorant, neotropic
Cowbird, bronzed (Ch)
Cowbird, brown-headed (Ch, Ps)
Creeper, brown (Tr)
Cuckoo, squirrel
Dove, Eurasian collared
Dove, Inca
Dove, white-tipped
Dove, white-winged
Dowitcher, long-billed (Ch)
Duck, fulvous-whistling (Ps)
Duck, Mexican
Duck, ring-necked (Sn)
Duck, ruddy
Egret, cattle
Egret, great
Egret, snowy
Elaenia, greenish (At)
Falcon, peregrine
Finch, house
Flycatcher, ash-throated
Flycatcher, cordilleran
Flycatcher, dusky-capped
Flycatcher, grey-silky
Flycatcher, least
Flycatcher, Nutting's (Sa)
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
Grosbeak, yellow (Ac,Sa)
Gull, Bonaparte's (Sa)
Gull, laughing
Gull, ring-billed
Harrier, northern
Hawk, Cooper's
Hawk, gray (Tr)
Hawk, red-tailed
Hawk, sharp-shinned
Heron, black-crowned night
Heron, great blue (Ps)
Heron, green
Heron, tri-colored
Hummingbird, berylline (Sa)
Hummingbird, black-chinned (Ac)
Hummingbird, blue-throated (Ac)
Hummingbird, broad-billed
Hummingbird, Rivoli's (Tr)
Hummingbird, violet-crowned
Hummingbird, white-eared (Tr)
Ibis, white-faced
Jacana, northern
Kestrel, American
Killdeer
Kingbird, Cassin's
Kingbird, thick-billed
Kingbird, tropical
Kingbird, western (Sa)
Kingfisher, belted
Kinglet, ruby-crowned
Kiskadee, great
Kite, white-tailed (Ps)
Merlin (Jo)
Mockingbird, blue
Mockingbird, northern
Nightjar, buff-collared
Oriole, black-backed
Oriole, black-vented
Oriole, Bullock's
Oriole, hooded
Oriole, orchard Ac)
Oriole, streak-backed
Owl, barn (Sa)
Owl, ferruginous pygmy (Av)
Parakeet, monk
Parula, tropical (Sa)
Pelican, American white
Pewee, greater
Phoebe, black (Sn)
Pigeon, rock
Rail, Aztec
Raven, common
Redstart, American (Ac)
Redstart, painted (Lt)
Redstart, slate-throated (Lt)
Robin, American (Av)
Robin, rufous-backed
Sandpiper, least (Ch)
Sandpiper, solitary (Jo)
Sandpiper, spotted
Seedeater, cinnamon-rumped
Shoveler, northern
Shrike, loggerhead
Snipe, Wilson's
Solitaire, brown-backed (Lt)
Sora
Sparrow, chipping
Sparrow, clay-colored
Sparrow, house
Sparrow, lark
Sparrow, Lincoln's
Sparrow, stripe-headed
Stilt, black-necked
Swallow, barn
Swallow, northern rough-winged
Swallow, tree
Tanager, hepatic
Tanager, western
Teal, blue-winged
Teal, cinnamon
Teal, green-winged
Tern, Caspian
Tern, Forster's
Thrasher, curve-billed
Thrush, hermit (Lt)
Towhee, canyon
Tyrannulet, northern beardless
Vireo, Cassin's (Sa)
Vireo, golden (At)
Vireo, Hutton's
Vireo, plumbeous (Sa)
Vireo, Warbling
Vulture, black
Vulture, turkey
Warbler, black and white
Warbler, black-throated gray (Jo,At)
Warbler, hermit (Lt)
Warbler, Lucy's (Sa,Ac)
Warbler, MacGillivray's
Warbler, Nashville
Warbler, Orange-crowned
Warbler, red-faced (Lt)
Warbler, Townsend's
Warbler, Virginia's (Sa)
Warbler, Wilson's
Warbler, yellow (Jo)
Warbler, yellow-rumped
Waterthrush, northern (Sa)
Wigeon, American
Willet
Woodpecker, golden-fronted
Woodpecker, ladder-backed
Wren, Bewick's
Wren, canyon
Wren, happy (Sa)
Wren, marsh
Wren, Sinaloa (Av)
Wren, spotted
Yellowlegs, greater
Yellowlegs, lesser (Ch)
Yellowthroat, common
Yellowthroat, gray-crowned (Sa)
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
La - La Cañada-Hidden Valley
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/Allen Lloyd Trail
Sc - San Juan Cosala
Sn - San Nicholas/Golf Club
Tz - Tizapan canyon
Te - San Juan Tecomatlan/Mezcala
Tr - Las Trojes/oak forest
Tu - Tuxcueca/San Luis Soyatlan
Xt - Ixtlahuacan/Las Campanillas
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Lake Chapala Birders is an informal group of bird observers led by John and Rosemary Keeling. Don't hesitate to contact us if you are seeking information about birding in the area. We also like to hear about sightings of birds or nests at: chapalabirders@yahoo.com or 376.766.1801. Check out the website: chapalabirders.org.
A laminated folder "Quick Guide to the Birds of Lake Chapala" illustrating 150 local species can be purchased for $150 pesos at Diane Pearl Collecciones, Colon #1, in the center of Ajijic.
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