Chapala Birders Newsletter, January 2, 2025 | | | Sightings last Month
There were 192 species reported for the lake area in December. This is down 5% from our numbers one year ago. The complete list is shown at the end of this newsletter. Interesting sightings included the following:
- Five owl species were reported from the Caracol Trail (Western Screech, Northern Pygmy, Elf, Mottled) as well as a sixth species, the Burrowing Owl on the Dike.
- Mexican Whip-poor-will was also identified on the Caracol Trail.
- Mississipi Kite was spotted again in the Tuxcueca area.
The Owls and Whip-poor-wills were identified by the early-risers taking part in the Caracol team of the Ajijic Christmas Bird Count (Nicola Cendron, Jules Evens and Duncan Poole).
The Burrowing Owl was seen at mid-day by the Dike Christmas Bird Count team.
Christmas Bird Count Results 2024
Thirty people took part in our two Christmas Bird Counts held on December 16 and 18 for the Ajijic Circle and Dike Circle respectively. For the Ajijic Count we reported 158 species (a normal figure, maintained by early morning owling) and 5,103 birds (very low - we do not know why). For the Dike Count we reported 77 species and 3,631 birds (both very low figures, attributable to the lake being hardly more than half full).
Every year we examine the historical observations of our Christmas Bird Counts looking for trends. So far, we have always found that the annual variations are sizable, but we cannot perceive any significant longer-term trends in numbers of species, types of species, or numbers of birds. | | Featured Bird: Broad-tailed Hummingbird | | - A female Broad-tailed Hummingbird. Note the whitish belly and cinnamon flanks.
- The female builds the nest alone.
- The male does not form a pair-bond, but is promiscuous. As a result a female may end up sitting a new clutch of eggs while still feeding older chicks in another nest.
| | - The Broad-tailed Hummingbird is a year-round resident in our area. It is a high-altlitude hummer which also breeds in the mountains of the U.S. and winters in areas like the Colima Volcano, as far south as northern Guatemala.
- The male has emerald upperparts and a bright red throat (in the sunlight). The male emits a distinctive loud metallic trill produced by the wings when flying.
- It belongs to the "Selaspherus" family (Rufous, Allen's and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds). In this family, identification of adult females, and both immature males and females, is tricky because all of these tend to be reminiscent of female Rufous Hummingbirds. For this reason they have probably been under-reported in our area.
- During cold nights at high elevations these birds will enter a state of torpor with reduced blood temperature and reduced heart rate.
| | 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 Thursday January 9, meet team leader Cheshta Buckley at 8.00 am at El Bajio on the west side of Ajijic and walk down the lane to the lake. Expect to see a good variety of birds in the tall trees and fields. At about 10.00 am we will head to the French Bakery for breakfast and review the bird list. You must reserve - email Cheshta Buckley at: cheshta@me.com 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 (we do not always have enough vehicles at this time of the year). How to Get There: From Ajijic go about 2 mi. (3 km) west from the light at Colon, turn downhill for El Bajio (across from the west end of the large unfinished retirement community being redeveloped by Latitude/Margaritaville) and park immediately on the lateral road parallel to the carretera.
On Friday January 17, meet team leaderTom Bravo at 8.00 am at the 'Sculpture' at the only traffic light in La Floresta (south-east corner, opposite Restaurant Pranzo) and leave immediately to bird the Pumping Station area east of Chapala. Expect to see a good variety of shore birds and other species in the scrub and tall trees. At around 10.15 am we will go for breakfast to La Palapa de Don Juan in Chapala. You must reserve - email Tom Bravo at: thmsbrv@gmail.com 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 (we do not always have enough vehicles).
On Monday January 27, meet team leader John Keeling at 8.00 am at the 'Sculpture' at the only traffic light in La Floresta (south-east corner, opposite Restaurant Pranzo) and leave immediately for Mezcala Mountain (60 minutes drive). We will park and then walk the one-mile (1.5 km) trail along the top. Bring refreshments for the 11.00 am snack break. Expect to get back to Ajijic by 1.00 pm. Other pick-up points can be arranged between Ajijic and Mezcala. If you plan on going, you must email John Keeling at chapalabirders@yahoo.com at least 2 days ahead indicating if you can bring a vehicle and can take passengers, or you would like to be a passenger. High-clearance, all wheel drive vehicles with off-road tires are recommended for the ascent.
| | | On December 5, there were 14 attendees at the San Antonio Malecon. We identified 56 species, including Thick-billed Kingbird, Orchard Oriole, Indigo Bunting, Common Yellowthroat, Northern Waterthrush, and Stripe-headed Sparrow.
On December 10, we had seven birders on the south side of the lake on the Rosa Amarilla Loop. We saw Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Northern Mockingbird, Lazuli Bunting, Varied Bunting, Black-backed Oriole, Osprey and White-tailed Hawk, out of a total of 72 species.
On December 28, seven of us went to Lake Atotonilco at Villa Corona, where we were rewarded with 70 species including 450 Snow Geese, Chihuahuan Meadowlark, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Clark's Grebe, Gray Hawk, Wilson's Snipe and American Pipit. | | | Here are the 192 species observed around Lake Chapala in November:
Ani, groove-billed Becard, rose-throated Blackbird, yellow-headed Bunting, indigo Bunting, lazuli Bunting, painted Bunting, varied Bushtit Canvasback Caracara, crested Chat, yellow-breasted Coot, American Cormorant, neotropic Cowbird, bronzed Cowbird, brown-headed Cuckoo, squirrel Dove, common ground Dove, Eurasian collared Dove, Inca Dove, mourning Dove, white-tipped Dove, white-winged Dowitcher, long-billed Duck, black-bellied whistling Duck, fulvous whistling Duck, Mexican Duck, ring-necked Duck, ruddy Egret, great Egret, snowy Egret, western cattle Elaenia, greenish Euphonia, elegant Finch, house Flycatcher, ash-throated Flycatcher, dusky Flycatcher, dusky-capped Flycatcher, gray silky Flycatcher, Hammond's Flycatcher, social Flycatcher, tufted Flycatcher, vermilion Flycatcher, western Gallinule, common Gnatcatcher, blue-gray Goldfinch, lesser Grackle, great-tailed Grebe, least Grebe, pied-billed Grebe, western Grosbeak, black-headed Grosbeak, blue Gull, Bonaparte's Gull, laughing Gull, ring-billed Harrier, northern Hawk, common black Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, gray Hawk, red-tailed Hawk, sharp-shinned Hawk, white-tailed Heron, black-crowned night Heron, great blue Heron, green Heron, little blue Heron, tri-colored Hummingbird, berylline Hummingbird, broad-billed Hummingbird, broad-tailed Hummingbird, violet-crowned Hummingbird, white-eared Ibis, white-faced Jacana, northern Kestrel, American Killdeer Kingbird, Cassin's Kingbird, thick-billed Kingbird, tropical Kingbird, western Kingfisher, belted Kingfisher, green Kinglet, ruby-crowned Kiskadee, great Kite, Mississipi Kite, white-tailed Mockingbird, blue Mockingbird, northern Motmot, russet-crowned Nightjar, buff-collared Oriole, black-backed Oriole, black-vented Oriole, Bullock's Oriole, hooded Oriole, orchard Oriole, Scott's Oriole, streak-backed Osprey Owl, burrowing Owl, elf Owl, ferruginous pygmy Owl, great horned Owl, mottled Owl, mountain pygmy Owl, spotted Owl, western screech Parakeet, monk parrow, rusty-crowned ground Pelican, American white Pelican, brown Pewee, greater Phoebe, black Pigeon, rock Pintail, northern Raven, common Redstart, American Redstart, painted Redstart, slate-throated Roadrunner, greater Robin, rufous-backed Sandpiper, least Sandpiper, spotted Sapsucker, yellow-bellied Scaup, lesser Seedeater, cinnamon-rumped Shoveler, northern Shrike, loggerhead Solitaire, brown-backed Sora Sparrow, chipping Sparrow, house Sparrow, lark Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, stripe-headed Stilt, black-necked Swallow, barn Swallow, northern rough-winged Swallow, tree Swallow, violet-green Swift, white-throated Tanager, hepatic Tanager, summer Tanager, western Teal, blue-winged Teal, cinnamon Teal, green-winged Tern, Caspian Tern, Forster's Thrasher, curve-billed Thrush, hermit Thrush, orange-billed nightingale Towhee, canyon Tyrannulet, northern beardless Violetear, Mexican Vireo, Bell's Vireo, Cassin's Vireo, golden Vireo, Hutton's Vireo, plumbeous Vireo, warbling Vulture, black Vulture, turkey Warbler, black and white Warbler, black-throated gray Warbler, hermit Warbler, Lucy's Warbler, MacGillivray's Warbler, orange-crowned Warbler, red-faced Warbler, rufous-capped Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Virginia's Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, yellow Warbler, yellow-rumped Waterthrush, northern Whip-poor-will, Mexican Wigeon, American Woodpecker, acorn Woodpecker, golden-fronted Woodpecker, ladder-backed Wren, Bewick's Wren, canyon Wren, happy Wren, marsh Wren, northern house Wren, Sinaloa Wren, spotted Yellowlegs, greater Yellowlegs, lesser Yellowthroat, common Yellowthroat, gray-crowned | |  | | 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 Cs - Chapala Haciendas & Las Brisas 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 Pz - San Pedro Itzican/Poncitlan 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 Tr - 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) from 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 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 on bird walks.
We like to hear of bird sightings at: chapalabirders@yahoo.com.
Check our website: ChapalaBirders.org There you will find our newsletters, illustrations of our birds and advice on buying binoculars, books and birding apps. | | | | |
