Chapala Birders Newsletter, March 2, 2023 | | Sightings this Month
There were 188 species reported for the lake area in February. The complete list is shown at the end of this newsletter. Unusual sightings included:
- Carl and Kate Anderson have seen Cedar Waxwing in Riberas del Pilar. We should be watching out for these this month.
- Carlo Cuevas has once again seen Royal Tern at the Jocotepec shore. Other birders have observed Willet there also.
- Nicola Cendron reported Rose-throated Becard and Black-capped Vireo on the Caracol Trail.
- Hemit Thrush and White-throated Thrush were reported on the Chupinaya Trail from Las Trojes.
Kayaking Opportunity to see Birds Offshore
A member of the Lake Chapala Kayak Club is offering to take out birders, one or two at a time to go out to see, close up, the swallows and other bird species in the reeds along the lakeshore. This would be on a Saturday or Thursday with the club. Departure at 8.00am. You should bring water and water shoes as you step into 12 inches of water to get into the kayak. The club asks for a donation of $400 pesos per guest. Breakfast with the club afterwards at the Bonanza Restaurant. Contact Wayne Renz 376 766 1860. | | Featured Bird: Lesser Goldfinch | | A male Lesser Goldfinch of the "black-backed' morph which is more common here than in the U.S., as compared with the "green-backed' morph. | | - The Lesser Goldfinch is a small finch found as a resident in Mexico, the U.S. southwest, Central America and northern South America.
- It comes in two 'morphs', a black-backed morph more common in Mexico,and a green-backed morph. The female has a dull olive-yellow color and no cap.
- It flies in an undulating manner, flapping the wings several times, then gliding.
- The call is a high-pitched 'tee-yee' or 'cheeoo'.
- It feeds on very small seeds and is one of the very few song birds which feeds seeds to its chicks instead of insects.
- It will nest twice in the early summer. The female builds the nest and sits the eggs while the male feeds the female and shares in feeding the chicks.
| | Upcoming Bird-walks and Trips | | 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. Note that we will try to limit most car trips to three vehicles and 14 people because larger convoys are hard to manage when trying to stop on country roads to look at the birds. If you are being given a ride, we suggest you make a contribution to your driver for gas and tolls (perhaps $150 pesos for a half day outing, $300 pesos for a day trip).
On Monday March 6, we will meet at 8.00 am at the Sculpture (at the only traffic light in La Floresta, south-east corner, opposite Restaurant Pranzo) and will leave immediately for the Mezcala Mountain (30 minutes drive). High-clearance vehicles are needed for the road up. We will park and walk the one-mile trail at the top. After a snack break at 11.00 we will return to Ajijic for 12.30. Other pick-up points can be arranged between Ajijic and Mezcala by emailing chapalabirders.org 2-days ahead.
On Tuesday March 14, we will meet at 8.15 am at El Bajio on the west side of Ajijic. We will walk down the lane to the lake, expecting to see a good variety of birds in the tall trees and fields. At about 10.00 am we will head to Fonda Dona Lola for breakfast and review the bird list. How to Get There: From Ajijic go about 2 mi. (3 km) west from the light at Colon, turn downhill for El Bajio (across from the west end of the large un-finished retirement community of El Pueblito) and park immediately on the lateral road parallel to the carretera.
On Thursday March 23, we will meet at 8.00 am at the "Sculpture" (at the only traffic light in La Floresta, south-east corner, opposite Restaurant Pranzo), departing immediately for Villa Corona on Lake Atotonilco (60 minutes drive). We expect to see various shore birds such as White-faced Ibis and Roseate Spoonbill. Bring your own mid-morning refreshments. There will be a break for snacking at 11.00 am. We will be back in Ajijic by about 1.30 pm. You must reserve - email John at least 2 days ahead of time, saying if you can bring a vehicle and can take others, or whether you are looking for a ride. Remember, we do not always have enough vehicles.
On Wednesday March 29, we will meet at 8.00 am at the "Sculpture" (at the only traffic light in La Floresta, south-east corner, near Restaurant Pranzo), leaving immediately for the Rosa Amarilla Loop (60 minutes drive). Expect to see a variety of grassland birds 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. You must reserve - email John at chapalabirders@yahoo.com at least 2 days ahead indicating if you can bring a vehicle and can take others, or you would like to be a passenger. (We do not always have enough cars.) | | On February 9, we had 19 birders out on the Two Dams Road. At the first stop we found two low bushes to which a dozen species of small birds came to display for us looking like Christmas tree decorations. We manage to identify 63 species including Lucy's Warbler, Ruddy Duck, Lesser Goldfinch and five species of herons (Great Blue, Little Blue, Green, Tricolored, and Black-crowned Night).
On February 17, we filled three cars on the trip to the Sierra de Tapalpa. We saw 28 species which is good, but the number of birds in the bushes was disappointing. We did see Common Raven, Gray-silky Flycatcher, Buff-breasted Flycatcher, Striped Sparrow, Acorn Woodpecker and an unexpected Spotted Towhee.
On February 21, we went to 'Parque de la Chistiania' in Chapala. It was the morning of the last day of 'Carnaval' in Chapala and the park was full of concert stands, one with a 5-storey high sound system. Despite that, the birds were out and we managed a 60-species count, including Western Tanager, Fulvous Whistllig Duck, Plumbeous Vireo, Belted Kingfisher, Greater Yellowlegs and Black-necked Stilt. | | Here are the 188 species sighted around Lake Chapala in February:
Ani, groove-billed Avocet, American Becard, rose-throated (Ch) Bittern, least (Rp) Blackbird, yellow-headed Brushfinch, rufous-capped (Ct) Bufflehead (Sn) Bunting, indigo Bunting, lazuli (Ct) Bunting, painted (Sc) Bunting, varied Bushtit Caracara, crested Chat, yellow-breasted (Ch) Coot, American Cormorant, neotropic Cowbird, bronzed Cowbird, brown-headed Cuckoo, squirrel (Ct) Dove, common ground (Jo) Dove, Eurasian collared Dove, Inca Dove, white-tipped Dove, white-winged Dowitcher, long-billed Duck, fulvous whistling Duck, Mexican Duck, ring-necked (Sn) Duck, ruddy Egret, cattle Egret, great Egret, snowy Elaenia, greenish (Sa) Finch, house Flycatcher, ash-throated (Rp) Flycatcher, buff-breasted (Sa) Flycatcher, cordilleran Flycatcher, dusky (Ct,Tr) Flycatcher, dusky-capped Flycatcher, gray silky Flycatcher, Hammond's (Tr) Flycatcher, Nutting's (Ch) Flycatcher, social Flycatcher, vermilion Gadwall Gallinule, common Gnatcatcher, blue-gray Goldfinch, lesser Grackle, great-tailed Grebe, Clark's Grebe, least Grebe, pied-billed Grosbeak, black-headed Grosbeak, blue Gull, laughing (Jo) Gull, ring-billed Harrier, northern (Ct) Hawk, Cooper's (Ct) Hawk, gray (Ch,Sc) Hawk, red-tailed Hawk, sharp-shinned (Ps) Hawk, white-tailed (Jo) Hawk, zone-tailed (Jo) Heron, black-crowned night Heron, great blue Heron, green Heron, little blue Heron, tri-colored Hummingbird, black-chinned (Sa) Hummingbird, broad-billed Hummingbird, violet-crowned Hummingbird, white-eared Ibis, white-faced Jacana, northern Kestrel, American Killdeer Kingbird, Cassin's Kingbird, thick-billed Kingbird, tropical Kingbird, western Kingfisher, belted Kinglet, ruby-crowned (Ct) Kiskadee, great Kite, white-tailed (Ps) Mockingbird, blue Mockingbird, northern (Rp) Motmot, russet-crowned Nighthawk, lesser (Ch) Nightjar, buff-collared Oriole, black-backed Oriole, Bullock's Oriole, hooded Oriole, orchard Oriole, streak-backed Osprey (Rp) Owl, barn (Rp) Owl, elf (Tr) Owl, ferruginous pygmy (Ct) Owl, great horned (Tr) Owl, mottled (Tr) Owl, mountain pygmy (Tr) Parakeet, monk Parrot, red-lored Pelican, American white Pewee, greater Pigeon, rock Rail, Aztec (Rp) Raven, common Redstart, American (Ps) Redstart, painted (Sa) Robin, rufous-backed Sandpiper, least Sandpiper, spotted Scaup, lesser (Sn) Seedeater, cinnamon-rumped Shoveler, northern Shrike, loggerhead Snipe, Wilson's Solitaire, brown-backed (Ct) Sparrow, clay-colored Sparrow, house Sparrow, lark Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground Sparrow, savannah Sparrow, stripe-headed Sparrow, white-crowned (Jo) Stilt, black-necked Swallow, barn Swallow, northern rough-winged Swallow, tree (Ch) Tanager, hepatic (Ch) Tanager, summer Tanager, western Teal, blue-winged Teal, cinnamon Teal, green-winged Tern, Caspian Tern, Forster's Tern, Royal Thrasher, curve-billed Thrush, hermit Thrush, orange-billed nightingale Thrush, White-throated Towhee, canyon Tyrannulet, northern beardless Vireo, Bell's Vireo, black capped Vireo, golden Vireo, Hutton's Vireo, plumbeous Vireo, warbling Vulture, black Vulture, turkey Warbler, black and white Warbler, black-throated gray Warbler, Grace's Warbler, hermit Warbler, Lucy's Warbler, MacGillivray's Warbler, Nashville Warbler, orange-crowned Warbler, red-faced Warbler, rufous-capped Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Virginia's Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, yellow Warbler, yellow-rumped Waterthrush, northern Whip-poor-will, Mexican Wigeon, American Willet Woodcreeper, white striped Woodpecker, acorn Woodpecker, golden-fronted Woodpecker, ladder-backed Wren, Bewick's Wren, canyon Wren, happy Wren, house Wren, marsh Wren, Sinaloa Wren, spotted Yellowlegs, greater Yellowthroat, common Yellowthroat, gray-crowned | | Sighting Location codes: Ac - Ajijic: La Cristina & El Bajio At - Trails above Ajijic Av - Ajijic village Ca - Lake Cajititlan & marsh Ch - Chapala Ct - Caracol Trail & Int'l School Cv - Cerro Viejo Dm - Dike: Jamay to Malteraña Dp - Dike: Maltaraña to La Palma Hv - Hidden Valley oak forest Ja - Jamay La - La Cañada & Hidden Valley Jo - Jocotepec Ld - Lerma & Duero rivers Mz - Mezcala Oc - Ocotlan 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 - Potrerillos & Las Trojes & Chupinaya Tu - Tuxcueca & San Luis Soyatlan Xt - Ixtlahuacan & Las Campanillas
What is the "Lake Chapala Area"? We define it as the whole area of the lake plus all land within 15km (or 7 miles) of the edge of the lake. | | | Lake Chapala Birders is an informal group of bird observers led by John and Rosemary Keeling.
Illustrated color folders showing our common birds are once again available for $200 pesos at Diane Pearl's Gallery, 11 am to 4 pm, Santa Margarita #23, at the east end of Riberas del Pilar. Also available from John Keeling.
There you will find our newsletters, illustrations of our birds and advice on buying binoculars, books and birding apps. | | | | | | |
