 | | Chapala Birders Newsletter July 2, 2020 |
102 Species sighted around the Lake in June
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The list of species seen is at the end of this newsletter.
After the high winds and moderately heavy rains of the last two weeks we have seen at least one pair of Streak-backed Orioles quickly starting to build a new hanging nest.
Interesting observations last month:
- Two Rose-throated Becard nests were seen on the Allen Lloyd Trail. These hang like a Streak-back Oriole nest, but are a lot wider.
- Nicola Cendron and Carlo Cuevas identified a Black-capped Gnatchatcher above Jocotepec. This is a new species for the Lake (see below).
- Many of our members have reported seeing Sparkling-tailed Hummingbirds at their feeders. These birds are only here for two months to breed, disappearing shortly after the start of the rains.
- John and Rosemary saw four Roseate Spoonbills at Lake Cajititlan.
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New Species - Black-capped Gnatcatcher
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Last month Nicola Cendron and Carlo Cuevas spotted a male Black-capped Gnatcatcher in the hills above Jocotepec. To differentiate it from the similar Black-tailed Gnatcatcher they played the calls of both species on a cellphone. The bird made no response to the Black-tailed call, but became very excited by the Black-capped call.
Both species are rare visitors to Lake Chapala. The Black-tailed is a resident of central northern Mexico often associated with desert scrub, while the Black-capped is found on the mountain slopes close to the Pacific coast.
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Featured Bird: Groove-billed Ani
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Groove-billed Ani as seen at Lake Chapala.
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The Groove-billed Ani is commonly seen in the countryside around Lake Chapala, moving in a group of four or more birds calling out "chee-koi, chee-koi". The big bill seems pre-historic (all birds are descended from dinosaur species after all.) When they settle in a bush they often look as if they are having difficulty staying upright.
- They are communal birds. A group of two to five pairs will jointly build a rough bowl-shaped nest and then the females in the group will lay eggs in the same nest and the whole group will share in the task of incubating the eggs and feeding the young.
- The range of this species is from southern Texas to northern Peru. It is resident in most of the range.
- The primary food source is large insects such as grass-hoppers and beetles, but also includes small lizards and berries in season.
- Like cuckoos and parrots the feet have toes arranged two forward and two back.
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When birds walk, they walk on their toes.
Perching birds such as the common song birds and chickens have four toes arranged three forward and one facing back. This is the common arrangement.
Some families of birds have two toes facing forward and two facing back in an 'X' pattern. These include Anis, Cuckoos, Roadrunners, Parrots and Woodpeckers.
Another group is able to rotate one of the forward toes into a rear-facing position when necessary. Birds in this group include Owls and Osprey.
Further variations are immense, very long toes (Jacana), wide toes (Coot), partially webbed toes (Storks), fully webbed toes (Cormorants) partially fused toes (Kingfishers), tiny toes (Swifts), three toes (Emus), two toes (Ostriches).
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| Upcoming Trips and Bird Walks
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| Unfortunately, we will not have any announced bird walks or bird trips this month. Things are opening up, and outdoor activities are safe with social distancing, but group activities are risky for infection.
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| Bird Walk and Trip Reports
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| There were no birdwalks last month. We ourselves are going birding as a couple or with one other person or couple only.
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| Here are the 102 species sighted around Lake Chapala in June:
Ani, groove-billed
Becard, rose-throated (Sa)
Blackbird, red-winged
Bobwhite, northern (Ca)
Bushtit
Caracara, crested
Coot, American
Cormorant, neotropic
Cowbird, bronzed
Cowbird, brown-headed
Cuckoo, squirrel (Sa)
Dove, common ground (Ca)
Dove, Eurasian collared
Dove, Inca
Dove, mourning (Ca)
Dove, white-tipped
Dove, white-winged
Duck, Mexican
Duck, ruddy
Egret, cattle
Egret, great
Egret, snowy
Elaenia, greenish (Sa)
Euphonia, elegant (Jo)
Finch, house
Flycatcher, ash-throated
Flycatcher, dusky-capped
Flycatcher, Nutting's
Flycatcher, social
Flycatcher, sulphur-bellied
Flycatcher, vermilion
Frigatebird, Magnificent (Ch)
Gallinule, common
Gnatcatcher, black-capped (Jo)
Goldfinch, lesser
Grackle, great-tailed
Grassquit, blue-black (Ps)
Grebe, pied-billed
Grosbeak, black-headed (Sa)
Grosbeak, blue
Hawk, red-tailed
Hawk, sharp-shinned (Jo)
Heron, black-crowned night
Heron, green
Heron, tri-colored
Hummingbird, berylline
Hummingbird, broad-billed
Hummingbird, sparkling-tailed (Av,Ac)
Hummingbird, violet-crowned
Ibis, white-faced
Killdeer
Kingbird, Cassin's
Kingbird, thick-billed
Kingbird, tropical
Kiskadee, great
Meadowlark, eastern
Mockingbird, blue
Mockingbird, northern
Motmot, russet-crowned (Sa)
Oriole, black-backed
Oriole, black-vented
Oriole, streak-backed
Osprey (Ch)
Owl, great-horned (Sa)
Parakeet, monk
Pelican, American white
Pelican, brown (Ca)
Pewee, western wood
Pigeon, rock
Raven, common
Roadrunner, lesser (Jo)
Robin, rufous-backed
Seedeater, cinnamon-rumped
Shrike, loggerhead
Sparrow, Botteri's (Sa)
Sparrow, house
Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground
Sparrow, stripe-headed
Spoonbill, roseate (Ca)
Stilt, black-necked
Stork, wood
Swallow, barn
Swallow, cliff (Ra,Ca)
Swallow, northern rough-winged
Tanager, hepatic
Thrasher, curve-billed
Thrush, orange-billed nightingale
Towhee, canyon
Tyrannulet, northern beardless
Vireo, golden
Vireo, warbling
Vulture, black
Vulture, turkey
Warbler, yellow (Jo)
Woodpecker, golden-fronted
Woodpecker, ladder-backed
Wren, Bewick's
Wren, canyon
Wren, happy (Sa)
Wren, Sinaloa (Jo)
Wren, spotted
Yellowthroat, common (Ps,Ca)
Location codes:
Ac - Ajijic: La Cristina/El Bajio
At - Trails above Ajijic
Av - Ajijic village
Ca - Lake Cajititlan & marsh
Ch - Chapala
Cu - Cuitzeo/Ocotlan
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
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. This is especially useful to newcomers - it is produced by "Defenders of Wildlife" which works to protect imperiled species throughout North America. NOTE: THIS FOLDER IS CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT.
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