Sierra Gorda - Xilitla

Upon leaving Queretaro for San Luis Potosi, the scenery changes once again, and by the time you reach Xilitla, you are in some serious tropical rainforest.

Dinner in Xilitla, a town full of character, was accompanied by a loud Grackle roost, and overflying Bat Falcons as well as night-hunting Tropical Kingbirds.

The real treats here, though, were saved for the morning. After camping in a drug baron's garden, we woke up to a jungle cacophony. Squadrons of Brown Jays zoomed over, and there were singing Montezuma Oropendolas, a bizarre bird with a bubbling call which captures the very essence of jungle birding..

Large numbers of Black and Turkey Vultures circled overhead, and in the garden scrub I found Clay-coloured Robins and Wilson's Warblers. A large flock of Parakeets screeched over but I wasn't switched on enough to I.D. them. With work the next day and a long drive ahead, we had to cut our time here short - a huge shame.

Nevertheless, the drive out of the campsite still brought more lifers. Firstly, a superb Blue-crowned Motmot, and later, the more common Scrub Euphonia.

I also managed to cook down on some Greyish Saltators and Hooded Orioles.