Sierra Gorda - Rio Escanela

I had a superb weekend in the Sierra Gorda, taking in some magnificent scenery and wildlife.


This Biosphere Reserve is just a couple of hours north of Tequis, but boasts a huge diversity of habitats and provides a pleasant change from the arid desert that most of Queretaro is made up of.

Camping on the Rio Escanela, I woke up at dawn and explored the campsite to find some of the best birding I've had yet in Mexico. Wintering Wood-Warblers were everywhere and included: Black-and White, Townsend's, Yellow-Rumped and some gorgeous Painted Redstarts.

Painted Redstart, Rio Escanela

White-eared Hummingbird, Rio Escanela

Some fruiting trees held a stunning variety of birds. Literally dripping with lifers..I struggled to record everything I saw. Firstly a few Tufted Titmice feeding up high with some Lesser Goldfinch. Ruby-crowned Kinglets and some Hutton's Vireos flicked through as well. Lower down some Audubon's Orioles and a female Black-headed Grosbeak. And flitting around the forest floor were Canyon Wrens, Lincoln Sparrows, House Wrens and undoubtedly others that I missed.

Hutton's Vireo, Rio Escanela

I had to tear myself away to head back to the tent and set up breakfast. Never mind, though, at least I could eat by the river as gorgeous American Dippers zipped past low over the water..

After breakfast we took a 'river walk' to Puenta de Dios, a spectacular natural bridge. The forest was quiet for short periods but would then erupt into life as we encountered mixed flocks.

Puenta de Dios, Sierra Gorda

One held Chestnut-sided Shrike Vireos, Melodious Blackbirds and a Crescent-chested Warbler together with the more common birds. Dippers were a constant presence on the river and there was also a pair of Black Phoebe.

What a superb place - one morning was truly too little.

Abeille's Oriole

This Oriole has started to visit my feeding station. It was formerly lumped in with Bullock's Oriole (as in Howell and Webb), but has actually recently been split from this species.

Now known as Abeille's Oriole or Black-backed Oriole, this species is endemic to central Mexico. What a bonus to have another endemic visiting my garden on a regular basis.

Images

Violet-crowned Hummingbird

House Finch

Broad-billed Hummingbird

Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler

Red-tailed Hawk

Had a brief walk around La Presa this morning to see if anything was about and, as usual, it came up trumps.

Seven species of Duck included: Shoveler (in ridiculous numbers >10000), Ruddy Duck (1000+), Pintail (300), Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal, Mexican Duck (100) and best of all a drake Ring-necked Duck loafing around, a new bird for my Mexico list.

Also a LOT of Eared Grebes and American Coots. Waders included Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Least Sandpipers (4) and several Killdeer.

Perhaps the highlight of the day was seeing a Red-tailed Hawk feasting on a dead Coot before heading into some nearby trees. Here's some shots of it.

Other birds of note:

American White Pelican (soaring flocks of 6 and 4)

Scott's Oriole (4 by La Palapa)

Black Phoebe (2 at dam)

Barn Swallow (20 - the biggest concentration since the birds departed. Guess they're on their way back)

More from the garden

This female Varied Bunting paid a visit to my hummingbird feeder. She's a pretty dull individual, especially compared to the colourful males of this species.

Meanwhile, the Inca Doves have been attracted to the seed and biscuits that I have been throwing down on the patio.

I recently ran out of hummingbird nectar so made some myself. Boil up some water, let it cool and then add sugar (1 part sugar to 4 parts water). Cheap and works a treat, as this Violet-crowned Hummer will verify!

Garden Birdwatch

I've found a place to work this afternoon in my house which overlooks a lot of the garden, including the Hummingbird feeder I put up yesterday. It's really shown the value of 'arsing', i.e. sitting in one place for an extended period.

Before long, this Broad-billed Hummer was enjoying a nectar treat.

Before long, a Violet-crowned was getting a bit of the action as well.

Even a Hooded Oriole swooped down on to the fence and had a quick drink.

Elsewhere in the garden were the usual House Finches, House Sparrows and Lincoln's Sparrows, as well as Bullock's Oriole, Vermilion Flycatcher, Cactus Wren, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler (pictured) and 2 overflying Chihuahuan Ravens.

Daylist and Details 15th January 2011

American White Pelican - 250 Lago Pelicanos
Great Blue Heron - 2 Lago Pelicanos
Snowy Egret
Great Egret - 2 L.P.
Cattle Egret
White-faced Ibis - flocks of up to 600
Gadwall - VICTORIA bordo
Green-winged Teal - 30 L.P.
American Wigeon - 6 L.P.
Northern Shoveler
Mexican Duck - 2 L.P.
Ruddy Duck - 10 L.P.
American Coot
American Kestrel - common
Peregrine - 1
Red-tailed Hawk
Black-shouldered Kite - pair L.P.
Turkey Vulture
Crested Caracara - 12 L.P.
Lesser Yellowlegs - 4
Spotted Sandpiper
Killdeer
Violet-crowned Hummingbird - garden
Broad-billed Hummingbird - garden
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Common Ground Dove - 6 Farmland
Mourning Dove
White-winged Dove
Inca Dove
Feral Pigeon
Black-and-white Warbler - L.P.
Wilson's Warbler - L.P.
Audubon's Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Brewer's Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Bronzed Cowbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Bullock's Oriole
House Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Clay-coloured Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Eastern Meadowlark - 5 L.P.
Grey Flycatcher
Vermilion Flycatcher
Say's Phoebe
Cassin's Kingbird
Loggerhead Shrike
House Finch
Blue Grosbeak
Canyon Towhee
Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher
Curve-billed Thrasher
Chihuahuan Raven - 2 over Tequis.
Northern Mockingbird
American Pipit - L.P.

Cactus Wren - Garden

Hooded Oriole - 2 Garden

66s.p.

Pelicanos

The Caracaras mentioned in the last post were found on the edge of a small lake that I discovered, purely by chance. I'd spied the lake from a few hundred metres away, and assumed the white blobs on it were merely Egrets - fine birds, but nothing to get excited about.

Closer inspection revealed that there were Egrets (Great, Snowy and Cattle) around the lake, but the blobs I had seen were in fact a huge raft of American White Pelicans. They winter in Mexico, but I had never expected to see so many within a bike ride from home. (Co-ordinates 20.560374,-99.95121)

American White Pelicans - Tequisquiapan

White Pelicans fish in large groups, dipping their huge beaks into shoals of fish. I watched them for a bit, as soon as 1 group found a school and started 'fishing', the rest of the birds on the lake realised something was happening and flew in to join them.

This rich body of water held some other water birds as well. American Coots, 30 Green-winged Teal, 8 Northern Shoveler, 6 Ruddy Duck and a nice group of American Wigeon.

I walked around the edge of the lake and was lucky enough to find a mixed flock of American Wood Warblers. It contained a few Yellow-rumped Warblers, 1 Wilson's Warbler, 2 Orange-crowned Warblers, 1 Black-and-White Warbler (the first I've seen away from the coast) and, best of all, 1 Common Yellowthroat (lifer).

Orange-crowned Warbler

Also perched up in the early morning Sun were a few Eastern Meadowlarks, another long overdue lifer in these parts.

Other interesting birds around the lake included Great Blue Heron (2), White-faced Ibis (flocks numbering up to 600), Common Ground Dove, Grey Flycatcher, Say's Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrikes, Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs (4) and Killdeer (3).

More to come on a superb day.

Birding and Surveying

I was out counting Grackles and Cowbirds this morning. After stumbling upon some great sites, though, a simple survey turned into a huge birding session.

Great-tailed Grackles and Bronzed Cowbirds fly from their plaza roost to their feeding grounds shortly after dawn. Red-winged Blackbirds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Yellow-headed Blackbirds and Brown-headed Cowbirds, all from the same family, can also be seen forming mixed flocks and feasting in the fields.

Mixed flock of Yellow-headed Blackbirds and Brown-headed Cowbirds

Less conspicuous, but present in similarly large numbers are a collection of winter sparrows. Clay-coloured in the biggest numbers, followed by Lark Sparrows, Vesper, Lincoln, Savannah and Chipping.

Clay-coloured Sparrow

The abundance of passerines and other food sources in the agricultural land west and north of Tequis. results in fantastic opportunities for birds of prey. This morning I had 12 American Kestrels, 1 Peregrine, 2 Red-tailed Hawks and 3 Black-shouldered Kites, not to mention a ridiculous number of these boys..

Crested Caracaras

In one recently ploughed field I had no less than 10 Caracaras. These resourceful birds will eat anything - insects, reptiles, small birds, fish. Later on in the morning, I had one feasting on a dead cow.

Lincoln's Sparrow

This quaint little winter migrant was hopping around my garden today, attracted by some seed I'd sprinkled on the patio.

Not named after Abe, but after Thomas Lincoln, a travelling companion of legendary American naturalist Audubon. These birds are allegedly notoriously difficult to see, breeding in 'remote boreal bogs'. This critter wasn't overly camera shy though.

Return to Mexico - highlights

I'm back in Mexico now, which means warm instead of cold, Sun instead of rain, and Vultures instead of Buzzards!

Early January highlights have included:

4 Groove-billed Anis by the train tracks (the first ones I've had in Tequis)

2 Phainopeplas in the same location

And, whilst counting roosting Cowbirds and Grackles in the middle of town, I've added the following birds to my rooftop list: 2 Black-crowned Night Herons, 2 Great White Egrets, and a flock of 12 Chihuahuan Ravens.

Benelux Bonanza - Loppem, Polders, Het Zwin

An en route long-staying Black-throated Thrush in the garden of a well-known Belgium birder proved far too hard to resist on Thursday morning, so we headed to Phillip de Ruwe's gaff in Loppem at first light. We got the 'gen' from some other Belgium birders and set up shop overlooking some apples on the lawn - the favourite feeding station of this particular bird. Before too long the Thrush came down and fed away happily on the fruit.

Siskins and Bramblings made up the supporting cast in the garden. As we left, we bumped into a trio of Italians, who had made the flight over to Belgium to catch up with this fantastic bird. In total, over 700 had visited the garden to see it. We all owe thanks to Phillip for allowing us the privilege of catching up with this Siberian vagrant.

Just as we left Loppem, rain set in for the day, making birding pretty uncomfortable. Ever persistent, we drove through the Loppem polders, bumping into large flocks of White-fronted, Barnacle and Egyptian Geese, as well as finding a Great Egret, several Littles, Grey Herons, and Cormorants bizarrely perched on lamp posts.

By the time we reached the Het Zwin reserve (Dutch side) the rain had dampened spirits and optics, but not birding vigilance. Our second Rough-legged Buzzard, a scruffy juvenile, took off from a fence post..

Estuary scanning revealed 50 Dunlin, 10 Grey Plover, 6 Redshank, 12 Avocets and 1 Spotted Redshank.

Back on the Belgian side, we momentarily escaped the rain to chow down some lunch in the reserve's legendary 'warm room'. Mustering up the energy for a final vigil, we headed out again. An angry Yaffle showed distantly before we headed into the woods and came across a mixed flock including Treecreeper and Mark's speciality, a Firecrest.

The birding adventure was over, but there was more excitement to come. Driving back into France, 3 'Douanes' promptly pulled out behind us on their motorbikes and signalled for us to pull over.

Turns out they thought we'd been 'smoking the cannabis'! The car got a thorough searching and Xander got a good grilling. The boys in blue started to lose interest when they realised they had stopped 3 geeky bird-watchers as opposed to drug smugglers, though. High on lifers, but nothing else!

Benelux Bonanza - Platier d'Oye and Dunkerque

From Les Hemmes it was off to the Platier d'Oye reserve in search of some winter wildfowl to boost our daylist. From the first hide, we were faced with a fine selection. A flock of 150 Barnacle Geese grazed with 2 White-fronted Geese. On the ponds were a number of Greylags and Canadas.

Ducks included Gadwall, Mallard, Pintail, Wigeon, Shoveler and Tufted, whilst on the shore was a very interesting encounter. 2 Water Rails scrapping before being scared off by a Polecat. Brucey bonuses for both the mammal and the bird list.

On the other lakes at the Reserve, we picked up a Slavonian Grebe and 2 Red-head Smews as well as hunting Hen Harrier, Buzzards, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk. Winter thrushes, in the form of Fieldfares (below), Redwings, Song Thrushes, Mistles and Blackbirds were an ever present.

Dunkerque was the final stop of the day. The industrial zone here might not be the most aesthetic of places, but it can throw up absolutely anything. This was proved straight away when, on the drive there, a strange bird was seen flying roadside. The shouts went up - Buzzard? Gull? Owl? It was only after X pulled over that we could identify it as the 'Bull O' The Bog'. Bitterns are superb birds and often very elusive and hard to see. In hard winters like this one, though, its worth keeping your eyes open for them over any large expanse of reedbed.

The Dunkerque 'basin' is a great spot for Grebes, Divers and Sea Duck. And indeed before long, we had picked up all 5 Western Pal Grebes here. Huge numbers of Great Crested, 4 Little, 12 Slavonian, 1 Black-necked and 1 very obliging Red-necked...

Seaduck included Red-breasted Mergansers and Goldeneye:

As darkness fell we picked up more Mergansers and Slavs at Le Clipon, as well as a handful of waders including Sanderling and Oystercatcher. Well satisfied, we decided it was time to head back. At least until a small falcon dashed in front of the car. It was a male Merlin, and a fantastic way to end the day.

Or was it? With hardly any light left, we picked up an unfamiliar raptor. We dashed excitedly out of the car and got our bins on a superb Rough-legged Buzzard. The bird was hovering only 30 metres away from the car. As it turned slightly on the wind, we caught nice glimpses of the tail pattern - clear white inner with a single bold black terminal band indicating an adult bird. It was unfortunately too dark for pictures, but not quite too dark for the boys to celebrate an overdue European lifer!

Benelux Bonanza - CGN and Les Hemmes de Marck

Last week saw the Hiley brothers hit up Northern France, Belgium and Holland in a 2-day birding bonanza.

Mark and I stayed at 'Calais's worst hotel' on the Tuesday evening. A fine Steak at the 'Histoire Ancienne' and a big win at Casino Calais combined with the prospect of lifers and banter to come, though, meant that we were straight to sleep and oblivious to the purported poor state of the hotel!

Good job we got some sleep in, as it was up before dawn to smash down some Boulangerie treats before meeting X and heading off to Cap Gris Nez, our first port of call.

Birding at CGN in January was always going to be a cold one. We combatted this with some huge layers (including Seal Skins, Mexican socks and a disproportionate amount of Decathlon clothing) and some French rapping in the car park.

Sunrise at CGN.

Not a bad view. And the birds that started rolling in weren't bad either. A 2-hour seawatch threw up 30 Common Scoter, 6 Red-throated Diver, large movements of Guillemot, Razorbill and Gannet, 30 Great Grebes, 300 Cormorant, and, best of all, a roving Great Skua.

Mark managed to catch this classic Bonxie behaviour

From the Cap, we headed up the coast to the beach at Les Hemmes de Marck for some superb winter coastal birding.

We thought we were into some interesting wildfowl early doors. Doosra. The ponds we had stumbled on were full of decoys - plastic ducks and geese used to attract wild birds in by the hunters. After threading through the ponds and a hatful of armed Frenchmen, we finally reached the beach. There was excitement straight away as a Short-eared Owl took off from under our feet to start quartering the coastal scrub.

The Owl put up a mixed flock of passerines. Some long range viewing showed up flashes of white within the flock. Snow Buntings were in town, there was no question about that. A group of 20 broke off from the main bunch and landed close by. Shore Larks - gorgeous birds, and always nice to catch up with in their winter habitat.

We wanted to get closer to the main bunch but were cut off by a pretty nasty looking coastal river. Xander crossed easily in his fur-lined Wellies, but we were cut off. The solution - launch 1 welly across and employ some 'birding and hopping'. Easier said than done.

'Birding and hopping'
Waiting for the welly

Mission Failed

Several damp yards later,we caught up with the flock.



X managed a record shot of a fine Lapland Longspur and some Snow Buntings in with the Linnets that formed the majority.

We weren't the only interested party. The Short-eared Owl (bottom left) had recovered from an aerial dogfight with a Peregrine and was now keeping a close eye on the critters.

The walk back to the car produced a mixed flock of waders (Knot, Dunlin, Grey Plover) and then a ring-tail Hen Harrier, capping off a great mornings birding.

See Part 2 for more birding and banter!