Thursday, March 3, 2022

Newsletter

Chapala Birders Newsletter, March 2, 2022
Sightings this Month

There were 184 species reported for the lake area in February. The complete list is shown at the end of this newsletter. Uncommon sightings included the following:

  • Guadalajara birder Fabrice Leroux discovered Mexican Parrotlets at the Ajijic malecon. This is a new species for this area. See the article below.
  • Don Bell saw Yellow-green Vireo in west Ajijic.
  • Duncan Poole photographed a Black-chinned Hummingbird in San Antonio Tlayacapan.
  • Nicola Cendron and Fabrice identified both Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and the more unusual Red-naped Sapsucker on the Caracol Trail.
Featured Bird: Mexican Parrotlet
A female Mexican Parrotlet.The males show blue on the wing edging and also blue under the wings when flying.
  • The Mexican Parrotlet is endemic to the coastal areas of west central Mexico from Colima to Sonora. It is small, only 3 in. (13cm) long). Because it is small and green it can be very difficult to see in taller trees.
  • These birds are smaller and fly faster than the similar Monk Parakeets.
  • Often seen eating fruit on Mexican fig trees, will also eat seeds and berries.
  • They are social birds, flying in flocks from 10 to 100 individuals. The flocks tend to move frequently in search of fruit.
  • Nesting is in cavities in trees or cactuses. Eggs are incubated for 19 days and the chicks fledge in three weeks.
  • It is illegal to capture these birds, but thousands are caught and sold in markets each year. eBird hides the exact location of sightings of these birds.
New Guide to the Birds of Tapalpa

Tapalpa is well known as a Pueblo Magico located in higher altitude pine forests just two hours drive south west of Ajijic. It is a popular weekend destination for Guadalajarans.

Tapalpa resident, Martina Goegelman has coordinated the publishing of a beautiful book in Spanish: Guía de Aves de la Sierra de Tapalpa. Each of the most common 140 species are given a full page treatment with good color photos.

Martina is the co-founder of Amigos Alados (Winged Friends) which pairs classes of school students near Tapalpa with classes in California. The students study the same migratory birds that are seen here in the winter and in California in the summer.

If you would like to support this project and get a colorful bird book of the area, the book is available for $400 pesos from the lady's dress store, Volcan, next to the Scandinavian bakery in the mall.
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 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).
Government protocols for Covid will apply.

On Wednesday March 9, we will meet at 8.15 am at the Old Train Station in Chapala, leaving immediately to bird the Pumping Station, east of Chapala. Expect to see a good variety of land and shore birds in a variety of habitats. We will bird until 10.15 am when we will go for breakfast to La Palapa de Don Juan in Chapala. You must reserve - email John 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. Remember, we do not always have enough vehicles.The old train station is on the Lakeshore Road just east of Cristiania Park in Chapala.

On Friday March 18, we will meet at 8.00 am at the "Sculpture" (at the only traffic light in La Floresta, south west 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 others, or whether you are looking for a ride. Remember, we do not always have enough vehicles.

On Tuesday March 29, we will meet at 8.00 am at the "Sculpture" (at the only traffic light in La Floresta, south west corner, opposite Restaurant Pranzo) and also at 8.15 am at the Pemex near the intersection of the Chapala-Guadalajara highway with the Libramiento, leaving immediately for the Lake Cajititlan Marsh (30 minutes drive). We expect to see a variety of marsh and lake birds such as Black-necked Stilt, Snowy Egret, and perhaps American Avocet.There will be a break for snacking at 11.00 am. Expect to be back in Ajijic by 1.00 pm. You must reserve - email John at chapalabirders@yahoo.com at least 2 days ahead saying if you are bringing a vehicle and can take others, or whether you are looking for a ride. Remember, we do not always have enough vehicles.
Birdwalk & Trip Reports
On February 9, we went to Cristiania Park in Chapala with 14 birders. In our tour of the park we managed to identify 47 species including Bewick's Wren, Northern Jacana, Cinnamon-rumped Seadeater, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Monk Parakeet and Cordilleran Flycatcher.

On February 15, we had seven keen observers on the La Cristina Road at the west side of Ajijic. We saw fifty four species including Black-vented Oriole, the endemic Black-backed Oriole, Thick-billed Kingbird, Blue Mockingbird, the endemic Rufous-backed Robin, Golden-fronted Woodpecker and Neotropic Cormorant.

On February 25, we had eleven people with us on the trip to the Rosa Amarilla Loop. We saw Black-necked Stilt, Crested Caracara, Osprey, White-tailed Hawk, Eastern Meadowlark, Ruddy Duck,Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork and a pair of Ladder-backed Woodpeckers feeding young, out of total of 66 species.
Monthly Sightings List
Here are the 184 species sighted around Lake Chapala in February:

Ani, groove-billed
Avocet, American (Dp)
Bittern, least (Oc)
Blackbird, yellow-headed (Dp,Oc)
Bunting, indigo
Bunting, painted (Ac,Ct)
Bunting, varied
Bushtit
Caracara, crested (Dp,Tu)
Chat, yellow-breasted (Ra)
Coot, American
Cormorant, neotropic
Cowbird, bronzed (Ch,Av)
Cowbird, brown-headed (Ra)
Cuckoo, squirrel (Ct)
Dove, Eurasian collared
Dove, Inca
Dove, white-tipped
Dove, white-winged
Dowitcher, long-billed (Dm)
Duck, black-bellied whistling (Dp)
Duck, fulvous whistling (Dp)
Duck, Mexican
Duck, ring-necked (Dp, Ca)
Duck, ruddy
Egret, cattle
Egret, great
Egret, snowy
Elaenia, greenish
Finch, house
Flycatcher, ash-throated (Ct)
Flycatcher, buff-breasted (Ct)
Flycatcher, cordilleran
Flycatcher, dusky (Ct,Rp)
Flycatcher, dusky-capped (Ct)
Flycatcher, Hammond's (Ct)
Flycatcher, least
Flycatcher, Nutting's (Ct)
Flycatcher, social
Flycatcher, vermilion
Gadwall
Gallinule, common
Gallinule, purple (Ch)
Gnatcatcher, blue-gray
Goldfinch, lesser
Grackle, great-tailed
Grebe, Clark's (Ca)
Grebe, eared (Oc,Dp)
Grebe, least
Grebe, pied-billed
Grosbeak, black-headed
Grosbeak, blue
Gull, laughing
Gull, ring-billed
Harrier, northern (Dp)
Hawk, Cooper's
Hawk, gray (Tu,Rp)
Hawk, red-tailed
Hawk, Swainson's (Dp)
Hawk, white-tailed (Ra)
Heron, black-crowned night
Heron, great blue
Heron, green
Heron, little blue
Heron, tri-colored
Hummingbird, berylline (Ct)
Hummingbird, black-chinned (Sa)
Hummingbird, broad-billed
Hummingbird, ruby-throated (Ac)
Hummingbird, rufous (Ct)
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 (Tu,ch)
Kinglet, ruby-crowned (Ct)
Kiskadee, great
Kite, white-tailed
Meadowlark, eastern (Ra)
Merlin (Ca)
Mockingbird, blue
Mockingbird, northern
Motmot, russet-crowned
Nighthawk, lesser (Ch)
Nightjar, buff-collared (Av)
Oriole, black-backed (Dp)
Oriole, black-vented
Oriole, Bullock's
Oriole, hooded
Oriole, orchard (Dp)
Oriole, streak-backed
Osprey (Tu, Ra)
Owl, barn (Dp)
Owl, ferruginous pygmy (Av,Rp)
Owl, mountain pygmy
Parakeet, monk
Parrotlet, Mexican
Pelican, American white
Pewee, greater (Ch,Av)
Phoebe, black
Pigeon, rock
Pintail, northern
Raven, common (Av)
Redstart, American (Dp)
Robin, rufous-backed
Sandpiper, least (Tu)
Sandpiper, spotted (Tu,Ra)
Sandpiper, stilt (Dp)
Sapsucker, red-naped (Ct)
Sapsucker, yellow-bellied (Ct)
Seedeater, cinnamon-rumped
Shoveler, northern
Shrike, loggerhead
Solitaire, brown-backed Ct)
Sora
Sparrow, chipping
Sparrow, clay-colored (Dp)
Sparrow, house
Sparrow, lark
Sparrow, Lincoln's
Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground
Sparrow, savannah (Dp,Ra)
Sparrow, stripe-headed
Spoonbill, roseate (Dp,Ra)
Stilt, black-necked
Stork, wood (Ra)
Swallow, barn
Swallow, northern rough-winged
Swallow, tree
Swallow, violet-green
Tanager, flame-colored (Ct)
Tanager, hepatic
Tanager, summer (Sa)
Tanager, western
Teal, blue-winged
Teal, cinnamon
Teal, green-winged
Tern, Caspian
Tern, Forster's (Dp)
Thrasher, curve-billed
Thrush, hermit (Cp)
Thrush, orange-billed nightingale (Ct)
Towhee, canyon
Tyrannulet, northern beardless
Violetear, Mexican
Vireo, Cassin's (Ct)
Vireo, Hutton's (Ct)
Vireo, plumbeous (Tu)
Vireo, warbling (Sa,Ct)
Vireo, yellow-green (Ac)
Vulture, black
Vulture, turkey
Warbler, black and white
Warbler, black-throated gray
Warbler, hermit (Ct)
Warbler, Lucy's (Sa,Ct)
Warbler, MacGillivray's
Warbler, Nashville
Warbler, orange-crowned
Warbler, rufous-capped
Warbler, Townsend's (Ct)
Warbler, Virginia's (Sa)
Warbler, Wilson's
Warbler, yellow (Dp)
Warbler, yellow-rumped
Wigeon, American
Woodcreeper, white striped (Ct)
Woodpecker, acorn
Woodpecker, golden-fronted
Woodpecker, ladder-backed
Wren, Bewick's
Wren, canyon
Wren, happy (Ct,Av)
Wren, marsh (Dp,Ca)
Wren, spotted
Yellowlegs, greater (Dp)
Yellowlegs, lesser (Ra)
Yellowthroat, common (Oc,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
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 - Potrerillos / 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 territory within 15km (or 7 miles) of the shores of the lake.
Lake Chapala Birders is an informal group of bird observers led by John and Rosemary Keeling.

We like to hear of bird sightings at: chapalabirders@yahoo.com.

Check our website: