Newsletter

204 Species seen in January; The backyard bird count, and upcoming trips!

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Chapala Birders Newsletter Feb, 2026 eBird Community News & Sightings Last Month Sightings Last Month submitted by Duncan Poole There were 204 species reported for the lake area in January. The complete list is shown at the end of this newsletter. Interesting species sighted: Royal Terns seen on Jan 30th at Jocotopec, by Thomas Bravo, Gerry Bird, and Kate and Carl Anderson   Great Back yard Bird Count (GBBC) Feb 13-16, 2026   Share your bird counts on ebird and be a part of the Global bird count! Even as little as 15 minutes helps scientists understand and protect birds around the world. Learn more here about how to participate in this global birding event. Birding Trip Leaders Wanted! We are a small group of volunteers who work together to share these outings with you. If you would like to help us lead some trips, we will help train you! We always have knowledgeable birders assisting on every trip. Please contact Cheshta at cheshta@me.com if you are interested. Birding Ethics Are you familiar with the ethics of birding? If not, now is a great time to learn!  Be sure to read our monthly Birding Ethics Tips in this newsletter.   Feature Birds: Birds of Lago Chapala Shoreline by Jules Evens. Long-billed Dowitcher: Note the tip of the bill, which opens to extract prey while probing with a "sewing machine" motion in the mud flats. All photos by Jules Evens. The water level of the lake determines habitat availability for many waterbirds - especially those species that forage on the mud flats or in very shallow water. Egrets, herons, ducks, and coots forage in deeper water, but shorebirds--three of the most common are shown here--need the shallows or the saturated shoreline. Each species has a bill structure and feeding behavior adapted to their habitat and diet. The Long-billed Dowitchers [LBDO] forage in flocks in the shallow, flooded edges of the lake. They are primarily tactile foragers, probing the substrate and catching prey with the flexible tips of their long, highly enervated bills (See photograph above.) The smaller, Least Sandpipers [LESA] (winter visitors from the Arctic) also forage in flocks, but on saturated mudflats at the upper edges of the shoreline, picking (rarely probing) tiny invertebrates off the surface. They are visual and tactile foragers, having "sensory pits" at the upper end of their bills, that aid in detecting prey. (They use "surface tension transport" sensing surface tensions surrounding prey to transport the prey up the bill and into the mouth.) Black-necked Stilts [BNST] with their long legs and largish eyes are visual foragers; they wade into water as deep as their legs allow, where they search for small fish, aquatic invertebrates, rarely dunking their heads or breasts in the water. Like the peeps, they breed in the high Arctic and visit Chapala in the winter months. Stilts are year-round residents here. These three common shorebirds partition the shoreline into the "microhabitats" for which evolution has designed them to exploit. Because the lake level is high this winter, most of these shorebirds are rather uncommon on the lakeside malecóns, but can be found adjacent to the dikes on the east edges of Lago Chapala. When the water level drops later in the season, or in a drier year, these shorebirds will likely return to our western shoreline.   Least Sandpipers: Foraging on saturated soils, higher from the water's edge than other shorebirds, picking prey (aquatic worms, amphipods, etc) off the surface of the mud flats. Black-necked Stilt: Specializes in snatching prey (crawfish, beetles, small fish) from shallow water. Tip #6 for Birding Ethics - Help everyone learn! If birding with others, be respectful of the ability of all group members. Be encouraging and share your knowledge with beginners and those visiting from other areas. Using a laser pointer can help others spot a bird that is somewhat hidden - just be sure to not point the laser directly on the bird.  Birding Ethics. Upcoming Bird Walks & Trips Our bird-walks are open to all those interested in birds, both beginners & experienced birders. We always have knowledgeable birders on hand to identify the species. We have a limited number of extra binoculars available upon request in advance of trip. ———— During these outings social conversations are limited so we do not scare the birds we are observing. After the outing people can gather for coffee or a meal to socialize. ———— We try to limit most car trips to 3-4 vehicles and 12-16 people. Larger convoys are hard to manage. If you are being given a ride, you are expected make a contribution to your driver for gas and tolls ($200 - $400 pesos based on length of trip). 1st SUNDAY OF THE MONTH: February 1st there will be a birding outing along the Allen Lloyd Trail. Meet up with team leaders Kate and Carl Anderson at 8am at the trailhead. Expect to see Blue Mockingbird, Happy Wren, and maybe a Russet-crowned Motmot or Squirrel Cuckoo. Please confirm your attendance by sending an email to hdd@hdd.net How to get to the trail head: Drive up the Libramiento a half mile (1 km) from the traffic light at Walmart, then turn left (carefully) as you would for the hospital (Ribera Medical Center). Double back and drive up the left side of the hospital. Keep going uphill another half mile, and park on the only street to your left. Here is a pindrop. On Friday February 6th there will be a birding outing at the Ciénaga Ribera del Pilar (Riberas Marsh). Meet up with team leaders Kate and Carl Anderson at 8am at the marsh. Expect to see Common Gallinule, Northern Jacana, Herons and Egrets. If lucky we will see Sora and American Bittern. Please confirm your attendance by sending an email to hdd@hdd.net How to get to the trail head: Driving along the Caraterra (Hidalgo) into Riberas, turn toward the lake on San Pablo (just west of Fresh Market). Head straight down to the lake and park. Here is a pindrop On Tuesday February 10th, enjoy a rare opportunity to head out with John Keeling! Meet at 8:00 am at the "Sculpture" (at the only traffic light in La Floresta, south-east corner near Restaurant Pranzo. See pindrop), leaving immediately for the Sierra de Tapalpa (90 minutes away). We will bird from 9.30 till 12.30. We expect to see higher altitude birds such as Acorn Woodpecker and Slate-throated Redstart, and if we are lucky Trans-volcanic Jay. Bring your own snacks and refreshments for the morning. At 1.00 pm we will have lunch in Tapalpa at a restaurant overlooking the square. Expect to be back by 3.30 pm. You must reserve at least 2 days in advance. Email John at keelingmex@gmail.com and indicate if you wish to be a passenger or if you can bring a vehicle and can take others. Trip will be limited to 3 cars, 12 participants. Each passenger is expected to donate to their drive $400 pesos to share the travel expenses. On Wednesday February 18th, meet team leader Duncan Poole at 8:00am at the "Sculpture" (at the only traffic light in La Floresta, south-east corner near Restaurant Pranzo. See pindrop), leaving immediately for a morning trip to Lake Cajititlan, with a few stops before we reach the lake. Expect to see various waterfowl including Wood Storks, White-faced Ibis, White Pelicans and ducks. Also along the journey we may see American Kestrels, Hawks, Grassquits and a variety of songbirds.   You must reserve at least 2 days in advance. Email Duncan duncanp125@gmail.com  indicate if you wish to be a passenger or if you can bring a vehicle and can take others, or you would like to be a passenger. Trip will be limited to 3 cars, 12 participants. Each passenger is expected to donate to their driver $200 pesos to share the travel expenses. SUNDAY March 1st there will be a birding outing along the Allen Lloyd Trail. Meet up with team leaders (TBA) at 8am at the trailhead. Expect to see Blue Mockingbird, Happy Wren, and maybe a Russet-crowned Motmot or Squirrel Cuckoo. How to get to the trail head: Drive up the Libramiento a half mile (1 km) from the traffic light at Walmart, then turn left (carefully) as you would for the hospital (Ribera Medical Center). Double back and drive up the left side of the hospital. Keep going uphill another half mile, and park on the only street to your left. Here is a pindrop. Bird Trip Summaries for January submitted by each Trip Leader On Sunday, January 4th, 16 birders set off with leaders Kate and Carl Anderson on the Sendero Allen Lloyd for over 2 hours. The meeting place is a wonderful spot to get a jump on the bird count. They saw the Mexican Squirrel cuckoo even though these are very shy. No Russet-crowned Motmot this time. Some great sightings of Varied Bunting. Only 2 Western Kingbird when dozens have been seen in the past. All of the birders were great at spotting a total of 44 species. Great photos are on the eBird list. On Tuesday, January 6th, 4 people joined Duncan Poole and travelled to the Rosa Amarilla Loop on the south side of Lake Chapala. The group recorded 54 species including, numerous Waterfowl, Juvenile Gray Hawk, White Tailed Kite, 40 Wood Stork. A highlight was a Greater Roadrunner walking along the road. No Diver Ducks or flocks of Ruddy Ducks; the prevalent waterfowl were Northern Pintails, with 25 recorded. See List On Wednesday, January 14th 12 Lake Chapala birders visited Estación de Bombeo, a "hotspot" on the lakeside east of Chapala, between Santa Cruz de Soledad and San Nicolas de Ibarra. The group observed 82 species of birds. Some of the fields were still partially flooded, attracting an abundance of waterbirds—American White Pelican, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Northern Pintail, and White-faced Ibis. Shorebirds included American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, and Long-billed Dowitcher. Later in the morning the group was invited onto a private ranch by "Geraldo", a gentleman from Chapala, who is proudly creating a "santuario de aves" on his extensive acreage where he has planted over one hundred trees. The lower fields were still flooded and provided excellent views of additional waterbirds, including Least Grebe and Sora as well as Northern Harrier. Additional highlights included Painted Bunting, Yellow-breasted Chat, three swallow species, and, of course, Vermilion Flycatchers. A splendid morning! eBird list Monthly Sightings List submitted by Duncan Poole 204 species observed around Lake Chapala in January! (in Taxonomic order): 1     Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2     Fulvous Whistling-Duck 3     Blue-winged Teal 4     Cinnamon Teal 5     Northern Shoveler 6     Gadwall 7     American Widgeon 8     Mexican Duck 9     Northern Pintail 10   Green-winged Teal 11    Ring-necked Duck 12   Ruddy Duck 13    Rock Pigeon 14    Eurasian Collared-Dove 15    Inca Dove 16    Common Ground Dove 17    White-tipped Dove 18    White-winged Dove 19    Mourning Dove 20    Groove-billed Ani 21    Greater Roadrunner 22    Mexican Squirrel-Cuckoo 23    Lesser Nighthawk 24    Ruby-throated Hummingbird 25    Black-chinned Hummingbird 26    Rufous Hummingbird 27    Broad-tailed Hummingbird 28    Broad-billed Hummingbird 29    Violet-crowned Hummingbird 30    Berylline Hummingbird 31    Sora 32    Common Gallinule 33    American Coot 34    Purple Gallinule 35    Black-necked Stilt 36    American Avocet 37    Killdeer 38    Northern Jacana 39    Marbled Godwit 40    Long-billed Dowitcher 41    Wilson's Snipe 42    Spotted Sandpiper 43    Lesser Yellowlegs 44    Greater Yellowlegs 45    Least Sandpiper 46    Laughing Gull 47    Ring-billed Gull 48    Gull-billed Tern 49    Caspian Tern 50    Forster's Tern 51    Royal Tern 52    Least Grebe 53    Pied-billed Grebe 54    Western Grebe 55    Clark's Grebe 56    Wood Stork 57    Neotropic Cormorant 58    White-faced Ibis 59    Roseate Spoonbill 60    Black-crowned Night Heron 61    Little Blue Heron 62    Tricolored Heron 63    Snowy Egret 64    Green Heron 65    Western Cattle-Egret 66    Great Egret 67    Great Blue Heron 68    American White Pelican 69    Black Vulture 70    Turkey Vulture 71    Osprey 72    White-tailed Kite 73    Sharp-shinned Hawk 74    Cooper's Hawk 75    Northern Harrier 76    Common Black Hawk 77    Harris Hawk 78    White-tailed Hawk 79    Gray Hawk 80    Zone-tailed Hawk 81    Red-tailed Hawk 82    Great Horned Owl 83    Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl 84    Belted Kingfisher 85    Green Kingfisher 86    Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 87    Acorn Woodpecker 88    Golden-fronted Woodpecker 89    Ladder-backed Woodpecker 90    Crested Caracara 91    American Kestrel 92    Merlin 93    Monk Parakeet 94    Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 95    Greenish Elaenia 96    Tufted Flycatcher 97    Olive-sided Flycatcher 98    Greater Pewee 99    Willow Flycatcher 100  White-throated Flycatcher 101  Least Flycatcher 102  Dusky Flycatcher 103  Western Flycatcher 104  Black Phoebe 105  Eastern Phoebe 106  Say's Phoebe 107  Vermilion Flycatcher 108  Dusky-capped Flycatcher 109  Ash-throated Flycatcher 110  Nutting's Flycatcher 111  Great Kiskadee 112  Social Flycatcher 113  Tropical Kingbird 114  Cassin's Kingbird 115  Thick-billed Kingbird 116  Western Kingbird 117  Golden Vireo 118  Black-capped Vireo 119  Bell's Vireo 120  Cassin's Vireo 121  Plumbeous Vireo 122  Western Warbling Vireo 123  Loggerhead Shrike 124  Common Raven 125  Tree Swallow 126  Violet-green Swallow 127  Northern Rough-winged Swallow 128  Barn Swallow 129  Bushtit 130  Ruby-crowned Kinglet 131  Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 132  Canyon Wren 133  Northern House Wren 134  Marsh Wren 135  Bewick's Wren 136  Spotted Wren 137  Happy Wren 138  Sinaloa Wren 139  Blue Mockingbird 140  Curve-billed Thrasher 141  Northern Mockingbird 142  Brown-backed Solitaire 143  Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush 144  Swainson's Thrush 145  Hermit Thrush 146  American Robin 147  Rufous-backed Robin 148  Gray Silky-flycatcher 149  House Sparrow 150  American Pipit 151  Elegant Euphonia 152  House Finch 153  Lesser Goldfinch 154  Stripe-headed Sparrow 155  Chipping Sparrow 156  Clay-colored Sparrow 157  Lark Sparrow 158  White-crowned Sparrow 159  Vesper Sparrow 160  Savannah Sparrow 161  Lincoln's Sparrow 162  Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow 163  Canyon Towhee 164  Yellow-breasted Chat 165  Yellow-headed Blackbird 166  Black-vented Oriole 167  Orchard Oriole 168  Hooded Oriole 169  Streak-backed Oriole 170  Bullock's Oriole 171  Black-backed Oriole 172  Red-winged Blackbird 173  Bronzed Cowbird 174  Brown-headed Cowbird 175  Brewer's Blackbird 176  Great-tailed Grackle 177  Louisiana Waterthrush 178  Northern Waterthrush 179  Black-and-white Warbler 180  Orange-crowned Warbler 181  Lucy's Warbler 182  Nashville Warbler 183  Virginia's Warbler 184  Gray-crowned Yellowthroat 185  MacGillivray's Warbler 186  Common Yellowthroat 187  American Redstart 188  Tropical Parula 189  Northern Yellow Warbler 190  Yellow-rumped Warbler 191  Black-throated Gray Warbler 192  Townsend's Warbler 193  Rufous-capped Warbler 194  Wilson's Warbler 195  Hepatic Tanager 196  Summer Tanager 197  Western Tanager 198  Black-headed Grosbeak 199  Blue Grosbeak 200  Lazuli Bunting 201  Indigo Bunting 202  Varied Bunting 203  Painted Bunting 204  Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater What is the "Lake Chapala Area" for bird sightings? We define it as the whole area of the lake plus all land within 15 km (7 miles) from the edge of the lake. We combine sightings for the month from Chapala, Jocotopec, Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Poncitlán, Ocotlán, Jamay, & La Manzanilla de la Paz. John and Rosemary Keeling Lake Chapala Birders is an informal group of bird observers led by a team of Chapala Birders on behalf of John & Rosemary Keeling. Overall Coordinator: Cheshta Buckley Newsletter: Mugs McConnell Website: Robert McConnell Feature Bird: Jules Evens Monthly Sightings List: Duncan Poole Bird Trip Leaders & Reports: Cheshta Buckley, Thomas Bravo, Kate & Carl Anderson, Jules Evens, Duncan Poole, John Roynon, Robert Taylor, Robert McConnell. Illustrated color folders showing our common birds are available for $200 pesos from your birding group leaders on bird walks. Also available at Diane Pearl's Gallery, 11am to 4pm, Santa Margarita #23, Riberas del Pilar. You can sign up for this newsletter or send us your exciting bird sightings to birderschapala@gmail.com. Check our website: ChapalaBirders.org . There you will find our newsletters, illustrations of our birds and advice on buying binoculars, books & birding apps.