Chapala Birders Newsletter October 2, 2020 | | 100 Species sighted around the Lake in September | | The list of species is shown at the end of this newsletter.
Early October is the time of fall flowers and migrating hummingbirds. The best places we recommend for viewing these are around Tapalpa and on the Rosa Amarilla Loop.
Interesting observations during September:
-- Migrating Dickcissels were spotted by Nicola Cendron on the Dike at the east end of the Lake, also 40 Black Terns, an unusual number of this migrating species.
-- John saw a Ruby-throated Hummingbird on migration at the Pumping Station.
-- This has been a good season for spotting Blue-black Grassquits at all the favorite birding locations at our end of the lake. We came across seemingly dozens of this species when we ventured further afield to Presa la Vega. | | Once again eBird is promoting another "Big Day" event on Saturday October 17. These events are planned every spring and fall to promote birding in general and the use of eBird. People are encouraged to do as much birding as they can over the 24-hour period and then report the results on eBird. In 2019 over 20,000 people took part in this event world-wide. We ourselves will be out there in the field on the 17th. | | Christmas Bird Count in December | | Our two local Christmas Bird Counts will be conducted this year on Tuesday Dec. 15 for the Ajijic area, and on Thursday Dec. 17 for the Dike at the east end of Lake. We will follow whatever government protocols for Covid virus control are in force at the time. Look for registration details in the December 2 newsletter. | | Featured Bird: Black-vented Oriole | | Black-vented Oriole photo by Mexican birder Raul Padilla. | | The Black-vented Oriole is a year-round resident in our area, breeding in palm trees in Ajijic.
-- It is found Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
-- Adults of both sexes look the same.
-- The nest is built like a hammock hanging under a palm branch. The female lays 3 to 4 eggs and does all the incubating which takes 13 days, which is followed by 20 days of feeding the chicks before fledging.
-- The primary food source is insects and spiders, supplemented by berries and fruits in season, as well as nectar. Orioles in general have sharp points on their bills to pierce the sides of flowers to obtain nectar.
-- This species seems particularly susceptible to brood parasitism by Bronzed Cowbirds, as we have seen more than once an adult feeding a large brown immature cowbird. Text Link | | Unfortunately, we have not been scheduling any Bird-walks or any Birding Trips for Chapala Birders, due to the ongoing Covid restrictions. | | Here are the 100 species sighted around Lake Chapala in September:
Ani, groove-billed Blackbird, yellow-headed (Ca) Bobwhite, northern (Ps,Ca) Caracara, crested Chat, yellow-bellied Coot, American Cormorant, neotropic Cowbird, bronzed Cowbird, brown-headed Dickcissel (Ds) Dove, common ground Dove, Eurasian collared Dove, Inca Dove, white-tipped Duck, black-bellied whistling Duck, Mexican Duck, Ruddy (Ca) Egret, cattle Egret, great Egret, snowy Finch, house Flycatcher, ash-throated Flycatcher, social Flycatcher, vermillion Gallinule, common Gnatcatcher, blue-gray Goldfinch, lesser Grackle, great-tailed Grassquit, blue-black (Ps,Ca,Ds) Grebe, pied-billed Grosbeak, black-headed Grosbeak, blue Harrier, northern (Ds) Heron, black-crowned night Heron, great blue Heron, green Heron, little blue (Ds) Heron, tri-colored (Ca) Hummingbird, berylline Hummingbird, broad-billed Hummingbird, ruby-throated (Ps) Hummingbird, violet-crowned Ibis, white-faced Jacana, northern Kestrel, American Killdeer Kingbird, Cassin's Kingbird, thick-billed Kingbird, tropical Kingfisher, belted (Ch) Kingfisher, green (Ds) Kiskadee, great Kite, white-tailed (Ps) Mockingbird, blue Nightjar, buff-collared (Av) Oriole, black-backed (Ds) Oriole, black-vented Oriole, orchard (Ca,Ds) Oriole, streak-backed Osprey (Ps,Ds) Owl, great horned (Av) Parakeet, monk Pelican, American white (Ca,Ds) Pewee, greater (Ca) Pigeon, rock Redstart, American (Ds) Robin, rufous-backed Sandpiper, spotted (Ds) Seedeater, cinnamon-rumped Shrike, loggerhead Sparrow, Botteri's (Ra) Sparrow, house Sparrow, lark Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground Sparrow, stripe-headed Stork, wood (Ca,Ra) Swallow, barn Swallow, cliff (Ds) Swift, Vauxs (Ch) Teal, blue-winged Teal, green-winged Tern, black (Ds) Tern, Foster's (Ds0 Thrasher, curve-billed Towhee, canyon Tyrannulet, northern beardless (Ps) Vulture, black Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, yellow Warbler, yellow-rumped Woodpecker, golden-fronted Woodpecker, ladder-backed Wren, Bewick's Wren, canyon Wren, happy Wren, Sinaloa (Ch) Wren, spotted Yellowlegs, greater (Ds) Yellowlegs, lesser (Ds) | | Sighting 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 | | |
Lake Chapala Birders is an informal group of bird observers led by John and Rosemary Keeling.
Check our website: ChapalaBirders.org | | | | | | |
