Newsletter

210 Species reported in Febuary

Chapala Birders Newsletter, April 2, 2025 Changes with Lake Chapala Birders "Lake Chapala Birders" is undergoing some changes. John Keeling, who has been the group leader for almost 20 years, is retiring! Eight of us have stepped in to take over for him, so he can enjoy the outings without doing the admin. Mugs McConnell will be chief editor of the newsletter, and Robert McConnell will update the website. You will notice a variety of group leaders for the bird walks, so please pay attention to which email to use for confirming your attendance. And you will notice new names for those contributing articles and updates in this newsletter. You will find a complete list of volunteers at the end of this newsletter. Sightings last Month submitted by Duncan Poole There were 192 species reported for the lake area in March. The complete list is shown at the end of this newsletter. Interesting sightings included the following: Northern Parula, at Ajijic Malecon. Photographed March 15th by visiting Birder, James Hatfield. White Ibis, at Presa de Santa Cruz de Soledad. Seen and photographed March 20th by Birders Kate and Carl Anderson, Thomas Bravo, and Barbara Hogan. Green-Tailed Towhee, at San Antonio Malecon. Photographed March 30th by Birder Duncan Poole. Spotted/collared Towhee, at Cerro Viejo. Photographed by Marion (Mugs) McConnell, recorded by Jules Evens. Featured Bird: White Ibis submitted by Jules Evens The White Ibis is predominantly a coastal species, frequenting fresh water marshes, salt marshes, and estuarine wetlands, where it specializes in consuming crustaceans. Although highly nomadic, it is rarely seen inland. However, on March 20th of this year, some Lake Chapala birders found a single adult at Presa Santa Cruz, for Lake Chapala's first documented record. A single individual was interesting because the species is described as "highly gregarious" and tends to gather in flocks. Like others in the Ibis family, this species has a long, drooping bill, but is the only ibis with white plumage and a bright blue eye. The bill, legs and face are red and will intensify in color during the nesting season. There is a smidgen of black on the wingtips. As with other probing waders (such as Dowitchers), the tip of the ibis' bill is well supplied with nerve endings, and has a slight gap in the center which allows the tip to function like tweezers, grabbing prey such as crustaceans, aquatic insects, and small fish. Their taste for shellfish has caused them to be considered a threat by commercial crayfish farmers in Louisiana where they are shot as vermin, but overall, the population appears relatively stable with its range expanding somewhat. 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, please make a contribution to your driver for gas and tolls ($150 pesos for a half day outing, $300 pesos for a day trip). On Friday April 11, meet team leaders Robert and Mugs McConnell at 8.15 am at the entrance to Cristiania Park in Chapala. We should see an interesting selection of species in the park and on the shore of the lake. We will likely still catch the nesting cattle egret in the trees throughout the park. At 10.00am we will complete the bird list together. Please confirm your attendance at with Robert least 2 days in advance at bob.mcconnell58@gmail.com .   How to Get There: From Ajijic go to the traffic light at the main street of Chapala (Av. Madero), Cross straight over and keep going straight for five blocks, turn left at the T intersection and park on the right, near the Park entrance. On Wednesday, April 16, meet team leader Tom Bravo at 8.00 am at the San Antonio Malecon parking lot to walk the Malecon area. At about 9.30 we will head to Cafe Negro restaurant for breakfast and complete the bird list. Please confirm your attendance at least 2 days in advance with with Tom at thmsbrv@gmail.com 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 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 Thursday April 24, 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 review the bird list. You must reserve - email Cheshta Buckley at: cheshta@mac.com at least 2 days ahead of time. Chesh's US cell 808 854 1594.   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. Bird Walk & Trip Reports submitted by John Keeling On March 10th, we had 12 keen birders out for the trip to Lake Atonilco at Villa Corona. The level of that lake is getting quite low, much as it was last year at this time. We were able to observe 55 species including American Pipit, Thick-billed Kingbird, Northern Bobwhite, Wilson's Snipe, Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork and Northern Harrier. On March 17th, there were 13 birders on the beach at La Cristina, where we spotted Yellow-rumped Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Rufous-backed Robin, Painted Bunting, Killdeer, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Cassin's Kingbird and Tropical Kingbird out of total of 53 species. On March 27th, we travelled with 6 keen observers up to the top of Mezcala Mountain, counting Blue Mockingbird, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Greater Pewee, and only two warbler species – Black and White and Lucy's for a total of 27 species. Monthly Sightings List submitted by Duncan Poole Here are the 192 species observed around Lake Chapala in March (in Taxonomic order): Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Fulvous Whistling-Duck Blue-winged Teal Cinnamon Teal Northern Shoveler Gadwall American Wigeon Mexican Duck Northern Pintail Green-winged Teal Lesser Scaup Ruddy Duck Rock Pigeon Eurasian Collared-Dove Inca Dove Ruddy Ground Dove White-tipped Dove White-winged Dove Mourning Dove Groove-billed Ani Squirrel Cuckoo Buff-collared Nightjar Ruby-throated Hummingbird Black-chinned Hummingbird Broad-billed Hummingbird White-eared Hummingbird Violet-crowned Hummingbird Berylline Hummingbird Sora Common Gallinule American Coot Black-necked Stilt American Avocet Killdeer Semipalmated Plover Northern Jacana Long-billed Dowitcher Wilson's Snipe Spotted Sandpiper Solitary Sandpiper Lesser Yellowlegs Willet Greater Yellowlegs Stilt Sandpiper Least Sandpiper Laughing Gull Ring-billed Gull Caspian Tern Forster's Tern Least Grebe Pied-billed Grebe Clark's Grebe Neotropic Cormorant White Ibis White-faced Ibis Black-crowned Night Heron Little Blue Heron Tricolored Heron Snowy Egret Green Heron Western Cattle-Egret Great Egret Great Blue Heron American White Pelican Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper's Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Western Screech-Owl Great Horned Owl Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Russet-crowned Motmot Belted Kingfisher Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Golden-fronted Woodpecker Ladder-backed Woodpecker Crested Caracara American Kestrel Monk Parakeet Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Greenish Elaenia Olive-sided Flycatcher Greater Pewee Western Wood-Pewee Least Flycatcher Gray Flycatcher Dusky Flycatcher Western Flycatcher Buff-breasted Flycatcher Black Phoebe Say's Phoebe Vermilion Flycatcher Dusky-capped Flycatcher Ash-throated Flycatcher Nutting's Flycatcher Brown-crested Flycatcher Great Kiskadee Social Flycatcher Tropical Kingbird Cassin's Kingbird Thick-billed Kingbird Western Kingbird Golden Vireo Black-capped Vireo Bell's Vireo Hutton's Vireo Plumbeous Vireo Warbling Vireo Loggerhead Shrike Common Raven Tree Swallow Violet-green Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Barn Swallow Bushtit Ruby-crowned Kinglet Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Canyon Wren Northern House Wren Marsh Wren Bewick's Wren Spotted Wren Happy Wren Sinaloa Wren Blue Mockingbird Curve-billed Thrasher Northern Mockingbird Brown-backed Solitaire Orange -Billed Nightingale-Thrush Hermit Thrush American Robin Rufous-backed Robin Gray Silky-flycatcher Olive Warbler House Sparrow American Pipit Elegant Euphonia House Finch Lesser Goldfinch Stripe-headed Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Lark Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Lincoln's Sparrow Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow Canyon Towhee Rusty Sparrow Green-tailed Towhee Spotted/collared Towhee Yellow-breasted Chat Yellow-headed Blackbird Black-vented Oriole Orchard Oriole Hooded Oriole Streak-backed Oriole Bullock's Oriole Black-backed Oriole Scott's Oriole Red-winged Blackbird Bronzed Cowbird Brown-headed Cowbird Great-tailed Grackle Northern Waterthrush Black-and-white Warbler Orange-crowned Warbler Lucy's Warbler Nashville Warbler Virginia's Warbler MacGillivray's Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Northern Parula Yellow Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Black-throated Gray Warbler Hermit Warbler Rufous-capped Warbler Wilson's Warbler Red-faced Warbler Hepatic Tanager Summer Tanager Western Tanager Flame-colored Tanager Black-headed Grosbeak Blue Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Indigo Bunting Varied Bunting Painted Bunting Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater 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 a team of Chapala Birders on behalf of John and Rosemary Keeling. Overall Coordinator - Cheshta Buckley Newsletter - Mugs McConnell Website - Robert McConnell Feature Bird - Jules Evans Monthly Sightings Lists - Duncan Poole Bird Trip Leaders and Reports - Cheshta Buckley, Thomas Bravo, Kate and Carl Anderson, Jules Evens, Duncan Poole, John Roynon. 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

Chapala Birders Newsletter, March 2, 2025 Sightings last Month There were 210 species reported for the lake area in February. The complete list is shown at the end of this newsletter. Interesting sightings included the following: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was seen by Duncan Poole at the San Antonio malecon. Tom Bravo reported a Gray Flycatcher at the same location. Jules Evens and a group of others heard Mexican Whip-poor-will and six owl species in the early morning on the Caracol Trail. When do our Migrants Fly North? In our part of Mexico, the migratory song birds start getting itchy feet in the middle of March and have all disappeared by mid-April. Their departures are carefully timed to arrive on their breeding grounds in the U.S., Canada and the Arctic exactly when the ice is out and the first flowers and insects are appearing so that they can compete for the best mates and best nesting sites. Featured Bird: White-throated Thrush A White-throated Thrush. Observe the black and white stripes on the neck and a white crescent beneath the neck. Sexes are similar. South of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (the narrowest part of Mexico) this species has a black back and yellow eyering. The White-throated Thrush occurs from Mexico to Colombia. There are many subspecies, each inhabiting its own mountain range and each exhibiting different color tones. It is seen only occasionally in our hills, though it is more common closer to the coast. It does not migrate, but it exhibits altitude migration, meaning that it tends to move to lower altitudes in colder weather. It feeds on insects and worms, as well as fruits and berries in the non-breeding season. The nest is made of grasses and moss held together by mud, either in the fork of a tree or on the ground. The female lays 2-4 eggs, incubating them for two weeks. Both parents feed the young for another two weeks until they fledge. 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 10, 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. On Monday March 17, we will meet at 8.00 a.m. at La Cristina on the west side of Ajijic. We will see some shore birds and birds in the tall trees along the street. At about 10.00 am we will head to Fonda Doña Lola restaurant for breakfast and complete the bird list. How to Get There: Drive about 2 mi (4km) west from Colon, look for signs for Hacienda La Cristina (near a bus stop and signs for Las Palmas), turn down to the lake, and park close to the lake. On Thursday March 27, 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 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 February 6, we had 12 birders on the Allen Lloyd Trail, managing to spot 34 species including Greenish Elaenia, Virginia's Warbler, MacGillivray's Warbler, Blue Mockingbird, Warbling Vireo and Squirrel Cuckoo. On February 20, we had a group of 10 people on the Rosa Amarrilla Loop. We observed Osprey, White-tailed Hawk, Black Phoebe, Canvasback, Ruddy Duck, Brewer's Blackbird, Chihuahan Meadowlark, and Stripe-headed Sparrow. On February 26, with fifteen observers, we recorded 55 species at Cristiania Park in Chapala, including Rufous-backed Robin, Cassin's Kingbird, Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater, White-faced Ibis, Monk Parakeet and Groove-billed Ani. Monthly Sightings List Here are the 210 species observed around Lake Chapala in February: Ani, groove-billed Avocet, American Becard, gray-collared Becard, rose-throated Bittern, American Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, red-winged 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 Dowitcher, long-billed Duck, black-bellied whistling Duck, fulvous whistling Duck, Mexican Duck, ruddy Egret, great Egret, snowy Egret, western cattle Elaenia, greenish (Sa) Euphonia, elegant Finch, house Flycatcher, ash-throated Flycatcher, brown-crested Flycatcher, dusky Flycatcher, dusky-capped Flycatcher, gray Flycatcher, Hammond's Flycatcher, least Flycatcher, Nutting's (Sa) Flycatcher, social Flycatcher, tufted (Sa) Flycatcher, vermilion Flycatcher, western Gadwall Gallinule, common Gnatcatcher, black-capped Gnatcatcher, blue-gray Goldfinch, lesser Grackle, great-tailed Grebe, pied-billed Grosbeak, black-headed Grosbeak, blue Gull, laughing Gull, ring-billed Harrier, northern Hawk, Cooper's (Sa) Hawk, gray Hawk, red-tailed Hawk, sharp-shinned (Sa) Hawk, short-tailed Hawk, white-tailed Hawk, zone-tailed Heron, black-crowned night Heron, great blue Heron, green Heron, little blue Heron, tri-colored Hummingbird, berylline Hummingbird, black-chinned Hummingbird, broad-billed Hummingbird, broad-tailed Hummingbird, Rivoli's Hummingbird, ruby-throated 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 Kiskadee, great Kite, white-tailed Meadowlark, Chihuahuan (Ra) Mockingbird, blue Mockingbird, northern Mountain-gem, blue-throated Nighthawk, lesser Nightjar, buff-collared Oriole, black-backed Oriole, black-vented Oriole, Bullock's Oriole, hooded Oriole, orchard Oriole, streak-backed Osprey Owl, elf (Ct) Owl, ferruginous pygmy (Ct) Owl, great horned (Ct) Owl, mottled (Ct) Owl, mountain pygmy (Ct) Owl, western screech (Ct) Parakeet, monk (Ch) Parrotlet, Mexican Pelican, American white Pewee, greater Phoebe, black (Ra) Phoebe, Say's Pigeon, rock Pintail, northern Raven, common Redstart, American Redstart, painted Redstart, slate-throated (Sa) Robin, American Robin, rufous-backed Sandpiper, least Sandpiper, spotted Sapsucker, yellow-bellied (Sa) Scaup, lesser Seedeater, cinnamon-rumped Shoveler, northern Shrike, loggerhead Snipe, Wilson's Solitaire, brown-backed (Ct) Sora Sparrow, chipping Sparrow, clay-colored Sparrow, grasshopper (Sa) Sparrow, house Sparrow, lark Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground Sparrow, savannah Sparrow, stripe-headed Stilt, black-necked Stork, wood Swallow, barn Swallow, northern rough-winged Swallow, tree Swallow, violet-green Swift, Vaux's (Sa) Tanager, flame-colored Tanager, hepatic Tanager, summer Tanager, western Teal, blue-winged Teal, cinnamon Teal, green-winged Tern, black Tern, Caspian Tern, Forster's Thrasher, curve-billed Thrush, hermit Thrush, orange-billed nightingale Towhee, canyon Towhee, green-tailed (Sc) Towhee, spotted (Ct) Tyrannulet, northern beardless Violetear, Mexican (Ct) Vireo, Bell's Vireo, black capped 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, 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, Louisiana (Sa) Waterthrush, northern (Sa) Whip-poor-will, Mexican (Ct) Wigeon, American (Ct) Willet Woodpecker, golden-fronted Woodpecker, ladder-backed Wren, Bewick's Wren, canyon Wren, happy Wren, marsh Wren, northern house 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 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.