Newsletter

Six Owl species seen on Christmas Bird Counts

Chapala Birders Newsletter, January 2, 2025 Sightings last Month There were 192 species reported for the lake area in December. This is down 5% from our numbers one year ago. The complete list is shown at the end of this newsletter. Interesting sightings included the following: Five owl species were reported from the Caracol Trail (Western Screech, Northern Pygmy, Elf, Mottled) as well as a sixth species, the Burrowing Owl on the Dike. Mexican Whip-poor-will was also identified on the Caracol Trail. Mississipi Kite was spotted again in the Tuxcueca area. The Owls and Whip-poor-wills were identified by the early-risers taking part in the Caracol team of the Ajijic Christmas Bird Count (Nicola Cendron, Jules Evens and Duncan Poole). The Burrowing Owl was seen at mid-day by the Dike Christmas Bird Count team. Christmas Bird Count Results 2024 Thirty people took part in our two Christmas Bird Counts held on December 16 and 18 for the Ajijic Circle and Dike Circle respectively. For the Ajijic Count we reported 158 species (a normal figure, maintained by early morning owling) and 5,103 birds (very low - we do not know why). For the Dike Count we reported 77 species and 3,631 birds (both very low figures, attributable to the lake being hardly more than half full). Every year we examine the historical observations of our Christmas Bird Counts looking for trends. So far, we have always found that the annual variations are sizable, but we cannot perceive any significant longer-term trends in numbers of species, types of species, or numbers of birds. Featured Bird: Broad-tailed Hummingbird A female Broad-tailed Hummingbird. Note the whitish belly and cinnamon flanks. The female builds the nest alone. The male does not form a pair-bond, but is promiscuous. As a result a female may end up sitting a new clutch of eggs while still feeding older chicks in another nest. The Broad-tailed Hummingbird is a year-round resident in our area. It is a high-altlitude hummer which also breeds in the mountains of the U.S. and winters in areas like the Colima Volcano, as far south as northern Guatemala. The male has emerald upperparts and a bright red throat (in the sunlight). The male emits a distinctive loud metallic trill produced by the wings when flying. It belongs to the "Selaspherus" family (Rufous, Allen's and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds). In this family, identification of adult females, and both immature males and females, is tricky because all of these tend to be reminiscent of female Rufous Hummingbirds. For this reason they have probably been under-reported in our area. During cold nights at high elevations these birds will enter a state of torpor with reduced blood temperature and reduced heart rate. 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 Thursday January 9, meet team leader Cheshta Buckley at 8.00 am at El Bajio on the west side of Ajijic and walk down the lane to the lake. Expect to see a good variety of birds in the tall trees and fields. At about 10.00 am we will head to the French Bakery for breakfast and review the bird list. You must reserve - email Cheshta Buckley at: cheshta@me.com at least 2 days ahead of time and please indicate if you can bring a vehicle and can take others, or if you would like to be a passenger (we do not always have enough vehicles at this time of the year). 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 unfinished retirement community being redeveloped by Latitude/Margaritaville) and park immediately on the lateral road parallel to the carretera. On Friday January 17, meet team leaderTom Bravo at 8.00 am at the 'Sculpture' at the only traffic light in La Floresta (south-east corner, opposite Restaurant Pranzo) and leave immediately to bird the Pumping Station area east of Chapala. Expect to see a good variety of shore birds and other species in the scrub and tall trees. At around 10.15 am we will go for breakfast to La Palapa de Don Juan in Chapala. You must reserve - email Tom Bravo at: thmsbrv@gmail.com at least 2 days ahead of time and please indicate if you can bring a vehicle and can take others, or if you would like to be a passenger (we do not always have enough vehicles). On Monday January 27, meet team leader John Keeling at 8.00 am at the 'Sculpture' at the only traffic light in La Floresta (south-east corner, opposite Restaurant Pranzo) and leave immediately for Mezcala Mountain (60 minutes drive). We will park and then walk the one-mile (1.5 km) trail along the top. Bring refreshments for the 11.00 am snack break. Expect to get back to Ajijic by 1.00 pm. Other pick-up points can be arranged between Ajijic and Mezcala. If you plan on going, you must email John Keeling at chapalabirders@yahoo.com at least 2 days ahead indicating if you can bring a vehicle and can take passengers, or you would like to be a passenger. High-clearance, all wheel drive vehicles with off-road tires are recommended for the ascent. Bird Walk & Trip Reports On December 5, there were 14 attendees at the San Antonio Malecon. We identified 56 species, including Thick-billed Kingbird, Orchard Oriole, Indigo Bunting, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Waterthrush, and Stripe-headed Sparrow. On December 10, we had seven birders on the south side of the lake on the Rosa Amarilla Loop. We saw Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Northern Mockingbird, Lazuli Bunting, Varied Bunting, Black-backed Oriole, Osprey and White-tailed Hawk, out of a total of 72 species. On December 28, seven of us went to Lake Atotonilco at Villa Corona, where we were rewarded with 70 species including 450 Snow Geese, Chihuahuan Meadowlark, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Clark's Grebe, Gray Hawk, Wilson's Snipe and American Pipit. Monthly Sightings List Here are the 192 species observed around Lake Chapala in November: Ani, groove-billed Becard, rose-throated Blackbird, yellow-headed Bunting, indigo Bunting, lazuli Bunting, painted Bunting, varied Bushtit Canvasback Caracara, crested Chat, yellow-breasted Coot, American Cormorant, neotropic Cowbird, bronzed Cowbird, brown-headed Cuckoo, squirrel Dove, common ground Dove, Eurasian collared Dove, Inca Dove, mourning Dove, white-tipped Dove, white-winged Dowitcher, long-billed Duck, black-bellied whistling Duck, fulvous whistling Duck, Mexican Duck, ring-necked Duck, ruddy Egret, great Egret, snowy Egret, western cattle Elaenia, greenish Euphonia, elegant Finch, house Flycatcher, ash-throated Flycatcher, dusky Flycatcher, dusky-capped Flycatcher, gray silky Flycatcher, Hammond's Flycatcher, social Flycatcher, tufted Flycatcher, vermilion Flycatcher, western Gallinule, common Gnatcatcher, blue-gray Goldfinch, lesser Grackle, great-tailed Grebe, least Grebe, pied-billed Grebe, western Grosbeak, black-headed Grosbeak, blue Gull, Bonaparte's Gull, laughing Gull, ring-billed Harrier, northern Hawk, common black Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, gray Hawk, red-tailed Hawk, sharp-shinned Hawk, white-tailed Heron, black-crowned night Heron, great blue Heron, green Heron, little blue Heron, tri-colored Hummingbird, berylline Hummingbird, broad-billed Hummingbird, broad-tailed 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 Kingfisher, green Kinglet, ruby-crowned Kiskadee, great Kite, Mississipi Kite, white-tailed Mockingbird, blue Mockingbird, northern Motmot, russet-crowned Nightjar, buff-collared Oriole, black-backed Oriole, black-vented Oriole, Bullock's Oriole, hooded Oriole, orchard Oriole, Scott's Oriole, streak-backed Osprey Owl, burrowing Owl, elf Owl, ferruginous pygmy Owl, great horned Owl, mottled Owl, mountain pygmy Owl, spotted Owl, western screech Parakeet, monk parrow, rusty-crowned ground Pelican, American white Pelican, brown Pewee, greater Phoebe, black Pigeon, rock Pintail, northern Raven, common Redstart, American Redstart, painted Redstart, slate-throated Roadrunner, greater Robin, rufous-backed Sandpiper, least Sandpiper, spotted Sapsucker, yellow-bellied Scaup, lesser Seedeater, cinnamon-rumped Shoveler, northern Shrike, loggerhead Solitaire, brown-backed Sora Sparrow, chipping Sparrow, house Sparrow, lark Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, stripe-headed Stilt, black-necked Swallow, barn Swallow, northern rough-winged Swallow, tree Swallow, violet-green Swift, white-throated Tanager, hepatic Tanager, summer Tanager, western Teal, blue-winged Teal, cinnamon Teal, green-winged Tern, Caspian Tern, Forster's Thrasher, curve-billed Thrush, hermit Thrush, orange-billed nightingale Towhee, canyon Tyrannulet, northern beardless Violetear, Mexican Vireo, Bell's Vireo, Cassin's Vireo, golden Vireo, Hutton's Vireo, plumbeous Vireo, warbling Vulture, black Vulture, turkey Warbler, black and white Warbler, black-throated gray Warbler, hermit Warbler, Lucy's Warbler, MacGillivray's 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 Woodpecker, acorn Woodpecker, golden-fronted Woodpecker, ladder-backed Wren, Bewick's Wren, canyon Wren, happy Wren, marsh Wren, northern house Wren, Sinaloa Wren, spotted Yellowlegs, greater Yellowlegs, lesser 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 Cs - Chapala Haciendas & Las Brisas 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 Pz - San Pedro Itzican/Poncitlan 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 Tr - 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) from 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 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 on bird walks. We like to hear of bird sightings at: chapalabirders@yahoo.com. Check our website: ChapalaBirders.org There you will find our newsletters, illustrations of our birds and advice on buying binoculars, books and birding apps.

Newsletter

Join the Christmas Bird Count December 16

Chapala Birders Newsletter, December 2, 2024 Sightings last Month There were 176 species reported for the lake area in November. The complete list is shown at the end of this newsletter. Interesting sightings included the following: Jules Evens saw Northern Waterthrush at the San Antonio malecon. John Keeling sighted a Lucifer Hummingbird on the Allen Lloyd Trail. Nicola Cendron identified Costa's Hummingbird above Chapala. Sign Up Now for the Christmas Bird Count & Potluck Supper The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) for the Ajijic Area will be held on Monday December 16.This is a special morning to count birds for science. Everyone with an interest in birds is welcome to take part. Participants must register with John by email to chapalabirders@yahoo.com. Please provide:    Your name    Your cell phone number    Whether you can bring a car or need a ride,    Whether you plan to attend the potluck supper in the evening. We divide participants into teams, with each team having 4 to 6 members. Each team will go to a particular part of our designated 15 mile diameter circle which runs from San Juan Cosala to San Nicolas, and north to Lake Cajititlan. Your team leader will contact you close to the time of the count to confirm your meeting point. We generally do the counting from 8.00 am to 1.00 pm. The Potluck Supper celebration will be held at 6.00 pm on the same day (December 16) at John Keeling's house in Ajijic. Bring your spouse or partner. This is an opportunity to meet the other participants and compare sightings. John will provide wine and beer. We will also have a brief "Camera Show and Tell" to hear what our birders with newer cameras like about their equipment. There is no fee for the Count, but in the past, our members have encouraged me to ask for a donation towards the out-of pocket costs of Chapala Birders. These are for website hosting and newsletter mailing, which together cost about $8,000 pesos per year. The Dike Christmas bird Count' at the east end of the lake will be held on Wednesay December 18.This is an all-day affair as it is 80km (50 mi.) from Ajijic. You can sign up for this at the pot-luck supper. We will have one team for this circle which extends from Jamay to La Palma and east to Briseñas. Lake Chapala Hawk Watch - Results - 2024 Many trips were made by our leading birders to the top of Mexcala Mountain to count the Hawks and Turkey Vultures passing overhead. We saw 5,187 birds, managing to identify 2,548 of them. The chart below shows the species and the weeks in each month when they were seen. Featured Bird: Double-toothed Kite An adult Double-toothed Kite. Note the barred tail, fluffy white undertail coverts and the single black median stripe on the throat. The females are slightly bigger than the male and have brighter plumage. The Double-toothed Kite is a very small tropical hawk, common in South America. Here in Jalisco it is seen in the jungles close to the Pacific Coast where it is at the northern end of its range. It is regarded as non-migratory, but we have one or two on our Hawk Watch. It's upper bill has four notches to form 3 teeth to aid in killing prey. It operates inside mature forests, preferring a dense canopy with open understorey. It's food is mainly large insects such as beetles, butterflies and caterpillars. It also will consume lizards and tree frogs. The nest is made from twigs. The female lays two eggs and incubates the them for 42 days while being fed by the male. The chicks fledge 30 days later and become independent after another 60 days. The chicks are also fed mainly by the male. 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 Thursday December 5, we will meet at 8.00 am at the San Antonio Malecon parking lot in order walk the malecon and center of San Antonio. At about 9.30 we will head to Cafe Negro restaurant for breakfast and complete the bird list. How to get to the Parking Lot: Follow these instructions carefully because of the one-way street system in San Antonio. From Ajijic go past Walmart and the Coca Cola warehouse, then turn downhill at the traffic light onto San Jose/Allen Lloyd (close to Black Coffee, El Parque and the Little Theater). Proceed downhill and turn turn right onto La Paz at a shrine one block before the lake, then turn left at the T intersection, and go one block to the parking lot. On Tuesday December 10, we will meet at 8.00 am at the 'Sculpture' (at the only traffic light in La Floresta, (south-east corner), leaving immediately for the Rosa Amarilla Loop on the south side of the lake (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 4.00 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. On Monday December 31, 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 passengers, or you would like to be a passenger. Bird Walk & Trip Reports On November 7, we had 8 observers assembled on the popular Allen Lloyd Trail managing to identify 50 species including Squirrel Cuckoo, Russet-crowned Motmot, Happy Wren, Canyon Wren, Western Kingbird, Lazuli Bunting and Bushtit. On November 18, four of us set out on the Horizontal Oak Trail from Las Trojes. We were rewarded with good sightings of the pretty Red-faced Warbler, also White-eared Hummingbird, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Tonwsend's Warbler. On November 25, there were seven birders at Hacienda La Cristina on the west side of Ajijic. Our list was 42 species including Groove-billed Ani, Blue Mockingbird, Crested Caracara, Black-headed Grosbeak and Monk Parakeet. Monthly Sightings List Here are the 176 species observed around Lake Chapala in November: Bittern, American (Ca) Blackbird, yellow-headed Bobwhite, northern (Ch) Bunting, indigo Bunting, lazuli (Av) Bunting, painted (Av) Bunting, varied Bushtit Caracara, crested Chat, yellow-breasted Coot, American Cormorant, neotropic Cowbird, bronzed Cowbird, brown-headed Crossbill, red (Mz) Cuckoo, squirrel (Sa) Dove, common ground Dove, Eurasian collared Dove, Inca Dove, mourning Dove, white-tipped Dove, white-winged Duck, black-bellied whistling (Rp) Duck, fulvous whistling (Rp) Duck, Mexican Duck, ruddy Egret, great Egret, snowy Egret, western cattle Elaenia, greenish Falcon, peregrine (Mz) Finch, house Flycatcher, ash-throated Flycatcher, brown-crested (Mz) Flycatcher, buff-breasted (Mz) Flycatcher, dusky Flycatcher, dusky-capped Flycatcher, Hammond's Flycatcher, least Flycatcher, Nutting's Flycatcher, olive-sided Flycatcher, social Flycatcher, tufted Flycatcher, vermilion Gadwall Gallinule, common Gnatcatcher, blue-gray Goldfinch, lesser Grackle, great-tailed Grebe, pied-billed Grosbeak, black-headed Grosbeak, blue Gull, laughing Gull, ring-billed Harrier, northern Hawk, broad-winged Hawk, common black Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, gray Hawk, red-tailed Hawk, sharp-shinned Hawk, Swainson's Hawk, zone-tailed Heron, black-crowned night Heron, great blue Heron, green Heron, little blue Heron, tri-colored Hummingbird, berylline Hummingbird, black-chinned (Mz) Hummingbird, broad-billed Hummingbird, broad-tailed (Ps) Hummingbird, Costa's (Xt) Hummingbird, lucifer (Sa) Hummingbird, rufous Hummingbird, violet-crowned Hummingbird, white-eared (Ct) Ibis, white-faced Jacana, northern Kestrel, American Killdeer Kingbird, Cassin's Kingbird, thick-billed Kingbird, tropical Kingbird, western Kingfisher, belted Kinglet, ruby-crowned Kiskadee, great Kite, hook-billed Kite, white-tailed Merlin Mockingbird, blue Mockingbird, northern Motmot, russet-crowned (Sa) Oriole, black-backed Oriole, black-vented Oriole, Bullock's Oriole, hooded Oriole, orchard Oriole, streak-backed Osprey (Ch) Owl, ferruginous pygmy (Rp) Owl, great horned (Av) Parakeet, monk parrow, rusty-crowned ground Pelican, American white Pewee, greater Phoebe, black Pigeon, rock Raven, common Redstart, American (Mz) Redstart, painted Robin, American Robin, rufous-backed Sandpiper, least Sandpiper, spotted Seedeater, cinnamon-rumped Shrike, loggerhead Siskin, pine Snipe, Wilson's Sora Sparrow, chipping Sparrow, clay-colored Sparrow, house Sparrow, lark Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, rufous-crowned (Mz) Sparrow, savannah Sparrow, stripe-headed Stilt, black-necked Swallow, barn Swallow, northern rough-winged Swallow, tree Swallow, violet-green Tanager, hepatic Tanager, summer (Rp) Tanager, western Teal, blue-winged Teal, cinnamon Tern, Caspian Tern, Forster's Thrasher, curve-billed Thrush, orange-billed nightingale Towhee, canyon Tyrannulet, northern beardless (Av) Vireo, Bell's (Ps) Vireo, Cassin'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, Wilson's Warbler, yellow Warbler, yellow-rumped Waterthrush, northern (Sa) Woodpecker, golden-fronted Woodpecker, ladder-backed Wren, Bewick's Wren, canyon Wren, happy Wren, house Wren, marsh Wren, spotted Yellowlegs, greater Yellowthroat, common (Ca) 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 Cs - Chapala Haciendas & Las Brisas 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 Pz - San Pedro Itzican/Poncitlan 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 Tr - 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) from 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 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 on bird walks. We like to hear of bird sightings at: chapalabirders@yahoo.com. Check our website: ChapalaBirders.org There you will find our newsletters, illustrations of our birds and advice on buying binoculars, books and birding apps.