Least, Legs, Little and Large

Slightly jealous reading Mysterio's Israel postings! Certainly one of the great birding countries in the world, and somewhere I hope the three brothers can manage a trip to soon.

Back in Mexico, and nothing that exciting. Still a nice collection of waders at the Barco. At least 5 Least Sandpipers have been present for the last week, together with 4 Spotted Sands and a Greater Legs. 4 Black-necked Stilts had been long-stayers but had gone by this afternoon.

The Barco is regularly visited by up to 30 Cattle Egrets. I have also seen 1 Snowy Egret, 1 Great Egret and 1 White-faced Ibis there in the last few days.

Monarch Butterflies (as pictured above) are moving through rapidly. About 10 a minute over my house this afternoon. That adds up to some pretty big numbers!

Here's the cast: Least, Least, Least (top 3), 'Legs', and 'Little and Large'

Israel Eilat Bonanza - The Mecca of Western Palearctic Birding (Part 2)

The second half of the holiday contains a trip down to Eilat - which just happened to coincide with the Eilat Bird Migration Festival. 

During March/April around half a BILLION birds pass through Eilat. It's the first feeding station after a 3000 mile journey across the Sahara on their way to breeding grounds in Central, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The place was full of birders and full of birds.

On the drive down we stopped to marvel at well over a 1000 White Storks thermalling above the Negev Desert.

A quick stop at the famous Kibbutz Lotan provided a nice Masked Shrike, Black Eared Wheatear, more Blackstarts and warblers and an elusive Hoopoe (Israel's national bird). More highlights included Eastern Olivaceous Wab, Tawny Pipit, Redstarts, Isabelline and Northern Wheatear and a Lesser Kestrel overhead.

Birding in Israel has certain dangers attached to it - you are never far from a war zone!!

I joined a morning trip out of the resort one morning, we visited the ringing and conservation centre - an amazing project to restore the watering and feeding grounds that have been destroyed by the excessive development of the region by tourism and industry.

First out of the bag..Eastern Bonelli's

Quickly followed by Redstart, Reed Wab, Isabelline Wheat, Lesser and Greater Whitethroat, Savi's Wab, Scop's Owl!

Whilst we received some interesting info from the guys we were surrounded by migrants including some scruffy but obliging Bluethroats. 

Questionable whether birds at a ringing station count but as we talked we were surrounded by them anyway and saw them all released and usually later in the reserve that morning!

Israel Guest Posting - Hoffit and Dead Sea (Part 1)

Ray Mysterio managed to incorporate quite a bit of birding into the Israel wedding holiday. Absolutely dropped on at the brother in law's parents house which lies in the beautiful village of Hoffit, bordered by a beach, a river and a bit of bushy scrub wasteland. Most mornings I managed a quick one hour yomp around the village and I wasn't disappointed.

In March, Israel is alive with birds. Local specialties seen daily were Spur Winged Plover, Yellow Vented Bulbul, White Breasted Kingfisher, Jay (the eastern race with a 'tache!), Laughing Dove, Palestinian Sunbird, Syrian Pecker, Pied Kingfisher, Alpine Swift, Black Redstart, Hoopoe, Corn Bunting, Night Heron, Common Myna, Cretzschmar's Bunting and some of the commoner European passerines.

There were also some star wintering (or passage) birds - the big three of South East Europe - Wryneck (Grinch), Bluethroat and Nightingale.

Warblers were everywhere every day; Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat, Reed, Fan Tailed, Sedge, Sardinian, Cetti's, Blackcap and the Graceful Prinia.

Star bird in Hoffit was a couple of pairs of Chukar Partridge in the scrub - my first lifer of the holidays.

After the family wedding we bashed down to the Dead Sea, about 2.5 hours drive south. Hot, sandy and full of birds. First morning I was out the door at 6am into the nearest Wadi. Migrants and desert specialties everywhere.

Highlights include a group of male Trumpeter Finch lekking (displaying) while the females watched.

A White-Crowned Wheatear on this skip - a real South Israel specialty. Also in the Wadi Eastern Bonelli's Warbler, Blackstart, Tristram's Grackle, Scrub Warbler, Yellow Wagtail, Unidentified Larks over and star bird Little Green Bee-Eater. I was to get better views on Eilat, but the lifer count was now up to 6. Next up was a pair of Egyptian Nightjars feeding on months around the hotel balcony from about 7pm onwards. Mixing in amongst the massive bats they were very distinctive with their pale plumage, long tail and pointed wings.

Second morning we scheduled a quick hike up Masada, a roman fortress at the top of a mountain. Sim and I set off at 5.30 and were first up to watch the sun rise. While the guidebook tried to point me towards the ancient ruins and amazing story of Masada I was way more interested to drop on to a pair of Egyptian Vultures taking an early morning stance outside there nest - amazing!!

Fan Tailed Ravens displayed all round us and I added Rock Martin, Swift and another group of Cretzschmar's on the way down.

A few more days in Hoffit yielded some photo opportunities. A cracking male P Sunbird and this Syrian Wood posed nicely. While I papped some more of the local residents below.

Monarchs on the move

Mexico is famous as a wintering site for millions upon millions of Monarch butterflies. These butterflies spend the winter in the Mariposa Monaraca Biosphere Reserves in the states of Michoachan and Estado de Mexico.

Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to see them this winter. There's no doubt, though, that, as with the River of Raptors, this is one of the World's great wildlife spectacles.

Right now, their spring migration is underway. In their droves, they are returning to North America. As a result, hundreds of these fine insects have been passing through Tequisquiapan during the last few days.

I know they're on the move because they won't stay still for long enough to photo! But here's one from last autumn.

Here's a bit more info:

http://santuario-monarca.com.mx/

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reserva_de_la_Biosfera_de_la_Mariposa_Monarca

Anyone for a dip?

This Black Phoebe's up for it. While I enjoyed a Sunday morning swim, this fella used the edge of the pool as a perch from which to catch his breakfast..

The Inca Doves hadn't quite woken up yet..

Off you go...

Dive bomb!

Gotcha..

The surrounding garden (Los Sabinos, Tequis) also came up trumps. Golden-cheeked Woodpecker ('El Carpintero'), House Finch, Vermilion Flycatcher, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Broad-billed Hummer all to be expected. Bewick's Wren, White-collared Seedeater good quality birds. Male Indigo Bunting a superb unexpected lifer!

Presa Centenario - Dried Up

Sad sight down at La Presa today. The place is totally dried up, following weeks of the water being drained from the dam. About 60 Coots poked around a few remaining muddy patches and a lone Shoveler sat mournfully by a stagnant puddle.

How different from a few weeks ago when the reservoir was covered in tens of thousands of ducks and grebes. These birds have been forced prematurely to leave their wintering grounds, and the thousands of migrating waders which would have used this place as a stop-over site must now look elsewhere.

At the Barco, a natural pool close to where Collegio Victoria, some water still remains, and an evening visit here brought 5 different species of wader - Least Sandpiper (5), Spotted Sandpiper (4), Black-necked Stilt (4), Killdeer (6) and Greater Yellowlegs (1).

Spotted Sandpiper entering breeding plumage

Black-necked Stilts and Greater Yellowlegs

Least Sandpiper

Xalapa - Chavarrillo

Reached Chavarrillo early on, and as it heated up, this large flock of Swainson's Hawks lifted from their roost on the nearby mountain - evidence that the 'River of Raptors' was in flow.

Though the most spectacular movements occur in Autumn, during spring big numbers of hawks make their way back to North America. My September trip to Cardel had been ruined by Hurricane Karl, so I was chuffed to catch up with the birds on their way back. As well as the early-rising Swainson's, a few hours on the hawk-watch tower yielded some large flocks of Turkey Vutlures and Swainsons, and smaller number of Sharp-shinned, Cooper's and Short-tailed Hawks. Even a flock of 120 American White Pelicans flew high and north. Great stuff - I wished I didn't have a bus to catch.

Chavarrillo also holds some very interesting other species. During my morning there, I was lucky enough to catch up with, among others, spectacular Painted Buntings, Green-breasted Mango, Gray-crowned Yellowthroats, Azure-crowned Hummingbirds, Yellow-billed Caciques, Masked Tityras, Tufted Titmice, various Orioles and, in a nearby river, Northern Jacana and Least Grebes.

Xalapa - Teocelo

On Sunday, COAX had an outing to some cloud forest near Teocelo. Despite some tough underfoot conditions, we found some more excellent species. The pick for me was a member of one of the great bird families - Gartered Trogon.

He wouldn't quite pose kindly for the camera though.

We stumbled across more great mixed flocks of warblers, including some colourful male American Redstarts. Also present were Blue-headed and Brown-capped Vireos. A Bananaquit sang but didn't show. However, 2 Red-legged Honeycreepers did briefly come into view.

Montezuma Oropendolas were continually present, and we soon discovered the reason why..

A large colony of these bizarre birds and their hanging basket style nests.