Chapala Birders Newsletter, August 2, 2023 | | Sightings this Month
There were 110 species reported for the lake area in July. The complete list is shown at the end of this newsletter. Some interesting sightings:
- The Caracol Trail to the Oak Forest continues to yield sightings such as Gray-collared Becard and Rose-throated Becard.
- Greenish Elaenia was photographed on the popular Allen Lloyd Trail.
- Eastern Bluebird was reported above San Pedro Itzican in the Poncitlan area.
- An early returning Painted Redsart was sighted on our mountain.
| | Featured Bird: Sinaloa Wren | | An adult Sinaloa Wren photographed by Mexican birder Raul Padilla. Note the long white line over the eye and the streaking on the side of the face. | | - The Sinaloa Wren is endemic to Mexico, being found on the west side of Mexico from Sinaloa to Oaxaca.
- It is a medium-sized wren which is very active, but skulks close to the ground in thorn scrub forests and forest edges, more often heard than seen.
- It is closely related to the Happy Wren which has more streaking on the face and shows more red color on the wings and tail when flying. The nests of both are very similar, made of grass in the shape of a retort hanging over a branch three meters off the ground, with the nest bowl on one side and the access tunnel on the the other. Both species occur side by side in our area. Both species engage in "altitude migration", visiting our area mainly for the summer breeding season. Interestingly, the calls of the two species are very different.
| | August is the month for the announcement of new 'lumps' and 'splits' of bird species on the official list of the American Ornithological Society. The principal change that affects us in western Mexico this year is the re-joining (lumping) of the Cordilleran Flycatcher and the Pacific Slope Flycatcher to become the "Western Flycatcher". These were split in 1989 based on studies conducted in California. More recent studies on a larger area have showed that the split was not justified. So our Cordilleran Flycatcher now becomes Western Flycatcher. | | Upcoming 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 try to limit most car trips to three vehicles and 14 people 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 $150 pesos for a half day outing, $300 pesos for a day trip).
On Monday August 7, we will meet at 8.00 am at the "Sculpture" (at the only traffic light in La Floresta, south-east corner, opposite Restaurant Pranzo), leaving immediately for the Two Dams Road (20 minutes drive; below Ixtlahuacan). We may see Black-necked Stilt, and a variety of other water birds and orioles. We will bird until 10.15 am when we will go for breakfast to La Palapa de Don Juan in Chapala and complete the bird list. If you plan on going, please email John at chapalabirders@yahoo.com at least 2 days ahead indicating either that you can bring a vehicle and can take others, or you would like to be a passenger. Note: Parts of the route may be muddy or have very deep potholes.
On Thursday August 17, we will meet at 8.00 am at the Sculpture (at the only traffic light in La Floresta, south-east corner, opposite Restaurant Pranzo) leaving immediately for the Mezcala Mountain (40 minutes drive). We will park and then walk the one-mile trail at the top. After a snack break at 11.00 we will return to Ajijic for 12.30. Other pick-up points can be arranged between Ajijic and Mezcala. If you plan on going, please email John at chapalabirders@yahoo.com at least 2 days ahead indicating either that you can bring a vehicle and can take others, or you would like to be a passenger. Note: The road up the mountain requires vehicles with high clearance and 4-wheel drive. | | On July 11 we had eleven birders join us at Cristiania Park in Chapala where we managed to see 45 species. These included Black-backed Oriole, Canyon Towhee, Tricolored Heron, Little Blue Heron, Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Fulvous Whistling Duck and Northern Jacana.
On July 27 we had a keen group of 16 people on the Rosa Amarilla Loop on the plateau above the south side of the lake. We saw Wood Stork, Roseate Spoonbill, Chihuahuan Meadowlark, Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater, White-tailed Hawk, Loggerhead Shrike and Ruddy Duck out of a total of 40 species. | | Here are the 110 species sighted around Lake Chapala in July:
Ani, groove-billed Avocet, American Becard, gray-collared (Ct) Becard, rose-throated (Ct) Bittern, least (Rp) Blackbird, red-winged (Rp) Bluebird, eastern (Pz) Bushtit Caracara, crested Coot, American Cormorant, neotropic Cowbird, bronzed Cowbird, brown-headed Cuckoo, squirrel Dove, Eurasian collared Dove, Inca Dove, white-tipped Dove, white-winged Duck, black-bellied whistling Duck, fulvous whistling Duck, Mexican Duck, ruddy Egret, cattle Egret, great Egret, snowy Elaenia, greenish (Sa) Euphonia, elegant (Sa) Finch, house Flycatcher, ash-throated (Rp) Flycatcher, brown-crested (Rp) Flycatcher, cordilleran Flycatcher, dusky-capped Flycatcher, social Flycatcher, vermilion Gallinule, common Goldfinch, lesser Grackle, great-tailed Grassquit, blue-black Grosbeak, black-headed Grosbeak, blue Gull, laughing Gull, ring-billed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, red-tailed (At) Heron, black-crowned night Heron, great blue Heron, little blue Heron, tri-colored Hummingbird, berylline Hummingbird, broad-billed Hummingbird, sparkling-tailed Hummingbird, violet-crowned Hummingbird, white-eared (At) Ibis, white-faced Jacana, northern Killdeer Kingbird, Cassin's Kingbird, thick-billed Kingbird, tropical Kiskadee, great Meadowlark, Chihuahuan (Ra) Mockingbird, blue Mockingbird, northern Motmot, russet-crowned Nightjar, buff-collared Oriole, black-backed Oriole, black-vented Oriole, streak-backed Owl, ferruginous pygmy (Rp) Owl, great horned (Av) Parakeet, monk Pelican, American white Pewee, greater Pewee, western wood Pigeon, rock Redstart, painted (Ct) Roadrunner, greater (At) Robin, American Robin, rufous-backed Seedeater, cinnamon-rumped Shrike, loggerhead Solitaire, brown-backed (Ct) Sparrow, house Sparrow, rufous-crowned Sparrow, rusty-crowned ground (Sa) Sparrow, stripe-headed (Ra) Spoonbill, roseate (Ra,Rp) Stilt, black-necked Stork, wood (Ra) Swallow, barn Swallow, cliff (Ra) Tanager, hepatic Tanager, western Thrasher, curve-billed Thrush, orange-billed nightingale (At) Towhee, canyon Tyrannulet, northern beardless Vireo, golden (Sa) Vulture, black Vulture, turkey (Ra) Warbler, rufous-capped (At) Warbler, yellow Woodpecker, acorn Woodpecker, golden-fronted Woodpecker, ladder-backed Wren, Bewick's Wren, canyon Wren, happy Wren, Sinaloa (Sa) Wren, spotted | | 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 Cu - Chapala Haciendas & UofG 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 Mz - Mezcala 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 edge of the lake. | | | Lake Chapala Birders is an informal group of bird observers led by John and Rosemary Keeling.
Illustrated color folders showing our common birds are once again available for $200 pesos at Diane Pearl's Gallery, 11 am to 4 pm, Santa Margarita #23, at the east end of Riberas del Pilar. Also available from John Keeling.
There you will find our newsletters, illustrations of our birds and advice on buying binoculars, books and birding apps. | | | | | | |
