Chapala Birders Newsletter, April 2, 2022 | | Sightings this Month
There were 175 species reported for the lake area in February. The complete list is shown at the end of this newsletter. Uncommon sightings included the following:
- Duncan Poole photographed an uncommon Blue Bunting. It seems likely that because we do not expect to see this species we will often misidentify it as Indigo Bunting which is rather similar. (See the Featured Bird article below.)
- Mary Paston and John Keeling spotted a rare Aztec Thrush on the Oak Forest Trail east of Las Trojes.
- Jules identified rare Spotted Towhee at the top of the Caracol Trail.
- Markus Molenda photographed a Black-chinned Humminbird at Vista del Lago.
- Kate and Carl Anderson saw a Northern Waterthrush in Riberas del Pilar.
At this time of the year most of the migrant birds have left Jalisco for points north. Those remaining are now mating, nest building or sitting on eggs. A few species are coming here from points south in order to nest here, such Western Wood Pewee. Others return here from lower altitudes closer to the coast in order nest here over the summer, such as Rose-breasted and Gray-collared Becards. | | Featured Bird: Black-chinned Hummingbird | | A male Black-chinned Hummingbird. Notice the black chin and below it a band of blue-violet feathers which glint at certain angles of the sun, but usually the whole head appears black. | | - The Black-chinned Hummingbird is a small hummingbird closely related to the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, both of which come to our area in the winter.
- The female has a plain throat and looks like a number of other female hummingbirds.
- It is probably more common here than we think, being subject to misidentification.
- It has a unique habit of pumping its tail in flight or perching.
- It spends the summer nesting in the west of the U.S., and winters in central Mexico.
- It feeds on nectar and small insects which it catches in flight, from leaves and from spider's webs.
- It is eaten by birds and animals such as Kestrels and cats.
| | 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. When traveling by car, masks will be worn in the car. You will need a mask to enter the restaurant.
On Wednesday April 6, we will meet at 8.30 am at Puerta Nueva on the west side of Ajijic. We will see some shore birds and some birds in the tall trees along the street. At about 10.00 am we will head for Fonda Doña Lola Restaurant for breakfast and complete the bird list. How to Get There: Drive about one mile (3km) west from Colon, past the French Bakery and the Cemetary; then take the next left exit signed 'Villa Lucerna'; turn left after one block and immediately turn right at the sign Puerta Nueva; park on the side of the street close to this sign.
On Tuesday April 19, we will meet at 8.00 am at the "Sculpture" (at the only traffic light in La Floresta, south-east corner, near Restaurant Pranzo), leaving immediately for the Rosa Amarilla Loop (60 minutes drive). Expect to see a variety of grassland birds and possibly a White-tailed Hawk. Bring refreshments for the morning and sandwiches for the 12.30 lunch stop. We will be back about 3.00 pm. You must reserve - email John at chapalabirders@yahoo.com at least 2 days ahead indicating that you can bring a vehicle or you would like to be a passenger. (We do not always have enough cars.) | | On March 9, we birded along the Lakeshore Road East from Chapala to the Pumping Station with 19 participants. In a variety of habitats we managed to spot 78 species including Northern Harrier, White-tailed Kite, Osprey, Crested Caracara, Wilson's Snipe, Sora, Little Blue Heron and Marsh Wren.
On March 18, we took nine keen birders to Lake Atotonilco at Villa Corona. We recorded 76 species including Belted Kingfisher, Eastern Meadowlark, Tri-colored Heron, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Ruddy Duck, Common Yellowthroat, Aztec Rail and American Bittern.
On March 29, ten birders joined us at the Lake Cajititlan Marsh. Though the water level was high, we recorded American Pipit, Lincoln's Sparrow, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Social Flycatcher, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe and a Ladder-backed Woodpecker seen entering and leaving its nesting hole, out of a total of 68 species. | | Here are the 175 species sighted around Lake Chapala in February:
Ani, groove-billed Avocet, American (Ch) Bittern, least (Rp) Blackbird, red-winged (Ca) Blackbird, yellow-headed (Ca) Bunting, blue Bunting, indigo Bunting, lazuli (Tr) Bunting, painted Ct) Bunting, varied Bushtit Caracara, crested Chat, yellow-breasted (Rp,Av) Coot, American Cormorant, neotropic Cowbird, bronzed Cowbird, brown-headed Cuckoo, squirrel Dove, common ground (Ps) Dove, Eurasian collared Dove, Inca Dove, mourning (Ch) Dove, white-tipped Dove, white-winged Dowitcher, long-billed Duck, fulvous whistling (Ca,Rp) Duck, Mexican Duck, ruddy Egret, cattle Egret, great Egret, snowy Elaenia, greenish (Ct) Finch, house Flycatcher, ash-throated Flycatcher, buff-breasted (Ct) Flycatcher, cordilleran Flycatcher, dusky (Sa) Flycatcher, dusky-capped Flycatcher, gray silky (Tr,Ct) Flycatcher, Hammond's (Ct) Flycatcher, social Flycatcher, vermilion Gadwall (Ch,Ca) Gallinule, common Gallinule, purple (Rp) Gnatcatcher, blue-gray Goldfinch, lesser Goshawk, northern (Ac) Grackle, great-tailed Grebe, least Grebe, pied-billed Grosbeak, black-headed Grosbeak, blue Gull, laughing (Ch) Gull, ring-billed Harrier, northern (Ch) Hawk, Cooper's (At) Hawk, gray (Rp) Hawk, red-tailed Hawk, sharp-shinned (At) Hawk, white-tailed Heron, black-crowned night Heron, great blue Heron, little blue Heron, tri-colored Hummingbird, berylline Hummingbird, black-chinned (Sn) Hummingbird, broad-billed 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 (Sa) Kinglet, ruby-crowned (Ct) Kiskadee, great Kite, white-tailed (Ps) Meadowlark, eastern (Ch) Mockingbird, blue Mockingbird, northern Motmot, russet-crowned (Ac) Nighthawk, lesser (Rp) Nightjar, buff-collared (Av) Oriole, black-backed (Ca) Oriole, black-vented Oriole, Bullock's Oriole, hooded Oriole, orchard (Ca) Oriole, streak-backed Osprey (Ch) Owl, ferruginous pygmy (Av,Rp,Ct) Parakeet, monk Parrot, red-lored (Sa) Parula, northern (Ac) Pelican, American white Pewee, greater Phoebe, Say's (Sn) Pigeon, rock Pintail, northern (Ch) Pipit, American (Ca) Raven, common Redstart, American (Sa) Robin, rufous-backed Sandpiper, least Sandpiper, spotted Seedeater, cinnamon-rumped Shoveler, northern Shrike, loggerhead Snipe, Wilson's (Ch) Solitaire, brown-backed (Tr,Ct) Sora (Ca) Sparrow, chipping Sparrow, house Sparrow, lark Sparrow, Lincoln's (Ca) Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground (At) Sparrow, stripe-headed Stilt, black-necked (Ca) Swallow, barn Swallow, northern rough-winged Swallow, tree (Rp) Tanager, flame-colored (At,Ct) Tanager, hepatic Tanager, western Teal, blue-winged Teal, cinnamon (Ca) Teal, green-winged (Ch) Tern, Caspian Tern, Forster's (Ch) Thrasher, curve-billed Thrush, Aztec (Tr) Thrush, orange-billed nightingale Towhee, canyon Towhee, spotted Tyrannulet, northern beardless (Av) Vireo, black capped (Sa) Vireo, Cassin's (Ct) Vireo, golden (Ct) Vireo, plumbeous (Ct) Vireo, warbling Vulture, black Vulture, turkey Warbler, black and white Warbler, black-throated gray Warbler, crescent-chested (Ac) Warbler, hermit (Ct) Warbler, Lucy's (Ac) Warbler, MacGillivray's (Ct) Warbler, Nashville Warbler, orange-crowned Warbler, rufous-capped (Ct) Warbler, Townsend's (Ct) Warbler, Virginia's (Sa,Ct) Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, yellow (Ac) Warbler, yellow-rumped Warbler, yellow-throated (Ch) Waterthrush, northern (Rp) Wigeon, American (Ac) Woodpecker, acorn (Tr,Ct) Woodpecker, golden-fronted Woodpecker, ladder-backed Wren, Bewick's Wren, canyon Wren, happy Wren, house (Rp) Wren, marsh (Ch,Ps) Wren, spotted Yellowlegs, greater Yellowlegs, lesser Yellowthroat, common (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 land 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.
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