Chapala Birders Newsletter, July 2, 2021 | | On the Caracol Trail to the 'oak forest' Nicola Cendron observed a White-throated Thrush. Previously we have only seen this species north of here in the Rio Verde canyon and also south of here around the Colima Volcano. It is a pale brown bird whose throat is white and covered with vertical black striations. Its range is from Mexico to Ecuador.
Sightings this Month
There were 120 species reported in June. The complete list is shown at the end of this newsletter. Interesting sightings included: - Jeff Morrow had a Rivoli's Hummingbird coming to his feeders in San Juan Cosala.
- There is evidence that Wood Storks have been nesting beside the El Volantin dam on the Rosa Amarila Loop. Twelve years ago this species was unusual in our area.
- We saw a dancing Blue-Black Grassquit on the Lake Cajititlan bird trip.
| | Featured Bird: Rivoli's Hummingbird | | A male Rivoli's Hummingbird in San Juan Cosala photographed by Jeff Morrow. | | - Rivoli's Hummingbird is one of our largest hummingbirds. For many years it was known as the Magnificent Hummingbird. It belongs to the 'Mountain Gem' family, being quite similar in appearance to the Blue-throated Mountain-gem (previously called the Blue-throated Hummingbird.)
- The female has a speckled gray throat and grayish belly. Both sexes appear very dark until bright sunlight reveals the irridescent blues, greens and purple colors.
- They live in mountainous pine-oak forests between 5,000 and 9,000 feet, from Mexico to Nicaragua.
- As with many hummingbird species, there is little pair bonding and the females build the nest, sit the eggs and feed the young.
- They eat insects and nectar.
- Similarly to other mountain hummingbirds, at night they lower their temperature and go into a temporary state of torpor.
| | In June the number of bird observations submitted to eBird passed the trillion mark. Currently bird lists are being uploaded at the rate of one and a half million every month from all over the world.
eBird was started nineteen years ago at Cornell University to help birders to create lists that would be useful to track their local and life lists, as well as creating a system that could be useful to researchers.
A current thrust is to encourage birders to submit their lists for smaller areas, preferably no more that 3 miles (or 5km) long. This will mean more lists with less species, but it will mean that the data will be more useful to scientific researchers. | | We are proposing to gradually get back to normal with larger groups, but masks will be worn in public in compliance with regulations.
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.You must reserve a place by email ( chapalabirders@yahoo.com) at least 2 days ahead of each bird-walk or bird trip. Please note that we will try to limit car trips to four vehicles 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 $50-100 pesos for a half day outing, $150-200 pesos for a day trip).
On Tuesday July 13, 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. How to Get There: From Ajijic go about 2 mi. (3 km) west from the light at Colon, turn downhill at the sign for El Bajio opposite the west end of the new retirement community of El Pueblito and park immediately on the lateral road parallel to the carretera..
On Thursday July 22, we will meet at 8.15 at the Old Train Station in Chapala, leaving immediately to bird the Pumping Station and the Chapala Lakeshore Road East. Expect to see a good variety of land and shore birds in a variety of habitats. We will bird until 10.30am. You must reserve - email John at least 2 days ahead of time and please indicate if you can bring a vehicle or if you would like to be a passenger. The train station is on the Lakeshore Road just east of Cristiania Park in Chapala. | | On June 9, we had a group of six keen birders to drive round the 15km Rosa Amarilla Loop. We managed to record 51 species including White-tailed Hawk, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Meadowlark, Botteri's Sparrow, as well as 15 one-year-old American White Pelicans and 80 Wood Storks inluding a number of juveniles.
On June 15, seven birders walked the mile-long Allen Lloyd Trail on a somewhat overcast day. We observed Rusty-crowned Ground Sparrow, Blue Mockingbird, Western Wood Pewee, Happy Wren, Orange-billed Nightingale Thrush, and heard a Russet-crowned Motmot which would have been guarding a nest in a tunnel in the sloping hillside. The species count was thirty five.
On June 24, eight of us drove out to Lake Cajititlan where we got sixty species. These included Northern Jacana, Crested Caracara, both Black-bellied and Fulvous Whistling Ducks, Black-backed Oriole, 300 Wood Storks and a male Blue-black Grassquit putting on a 'vertical dance' display. | | Here are the 120 species sighted around Lake Chapala in June:
Ani, groove-billed Becard, gray-collared Blackbird, red-winged (Ra) Brushfinch, rufous-capped Caracara, crested (Ca,Ra) Chat, yellow-breasted (Tr) Coot, American Cormorant, neotropic Cowbird, bronzed Cuckoo, squirrel (Sa,Cv) Dove, common ground (Ra) Dove, Eurasian collared Dove, Inca Dove, mourning (Xt,Ra) Dove, white-tipped Dove, white-winged Duck, black-bellied whistling (Ca) Duck, fulvous whistling (Ca) Duck, Mexican Duck, ruddy Egret, cattle Egret, great Egret, snowy Elaenia, greenish Finch, house Flycatcher, ash-throated (Ct) Flycatcher, buff-breasted (Cv) Flycatcher, cordilleran (Tr,Cv) Flycatcher, dusky-capped Flycatcher, gray silky (Cv) Flycatcher, social Flycatcher, vermilion Gallinule, common Goldfinch, lesser Grackle, great-tailed Grassquit, blue-black (Ca) Grebe, least Grebe, pied-billed Grosbeak, black-headed (Cv,Ct) Grosbeak, blue Hawk, red-tailed Hawk, sharp-shinned (Ra) Hawk, white-tailed (Ra) Heron, black-crowned night Heron, great blue Heron, tri-colored Hummingbird, berylline Hummingbird, broad-billed Hummingbird, Rivoli's (Sc) Hummingbird, sparkling-tailed Hummingbird, violet-crowned Ibis, white-faced (Ra) Jacana, northern (Ca) Killdeer Kingbird, Cassin's Kingbird, thick-billed Kingbird, tropical (Sa) Kiskadee, great Kite, white-tailed (Jo) Meadowlark, eastern (Tr,Ra) Mockingbird, blue Mockingbird, northern (Ca) Motmot, russet-crowned (At,Sc) Oriole, black-backed (Ca) Oriole, black-vented Oriole, streak-backed Owl, ferruginous pygmy Owl, great horned Owl, mountain pygmy Owl, spotted Parakeet, monk Pelican, American white Pewee, greater Pewee, western wood Phoebe, black Pigeon, rock Raven, common Roadrunner, lesser (Ct,Tr,Cv) Robin, American (Cv,Ct) Robin, rufous-backed Seedeater, cinnamon-rumped Shrike, loggerhead Solitaire, brown-backed Sparrow, Botteri's (Ra) Sparrow, house Sparrow, rusty (Ct) Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground Sparrow, stripe-headed Stork, wood (Ra,Ca) Swallow, barn Swallow, cliff Swallow, northern rough-winged Swift, black (Cv) Swift, white-throated (Cv) Tanager, flame-colored (Ct) Tanager, hepatic (Cv,Ct) Tern, Caspian (Jo) Thrasher, curve-billed Thrush, orange-billed nightingale Thrush, White-throated (Ct) Towhee, canyon Towhee, spotted (Cv) Tyrannulet, northern beardless Vireo, golden Vireo, Hutton's (Cv) Vireo, plumbeous (Ct) Vireo, slaty (Ct) Vulture, black Vulture, turkey Warbler, rufous-capped (At,Cv) Woodcreeper, white striped (Ct) Woodpecker, acorn (Cv,Ct) Woodpecker, golden-fronted Woodpecker, ladder-backed Wren, Bewick's Wren, canyon Wren, happy (Sa,Cv) Wren, Sinaloa (Ct) Wren, spotted Yellowthroat, common | | 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 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 - 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.
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