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'

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.

Xalapa - Botanical Gardens

This part of Veracruz is situated in a point of great interest. Here, the semi-temperate north meets the tropical south and the coastal lowlands meet the forested highlands. Consequently, one can find a great diversity of wildlife here.

A good deal of this can be found at the excellent botanical gardens, where I enjoyed some good birding on Saturday afternoon. Acorn and Golden-cheeked Woodpeckers called loudly from the tops of trees whilst Brown Jays noisily roamed around the canopy.

Being later in the afternoon, the smaller birds took a bit of finding. Eventually, though, they showed. Lots of warblers - including the endemic Golden-crowned and Rufous-capped. Also, a target bird dashed across the path - Chestnut-capped Brush Finch.

Later on, a flash of red caught my eye. White-winged Tanager feeding away quite happily.

The river that marks the end of the gardens held a couple of Blue-winged Teal.

The screeching of Brown Jays indicated the presence of a raptor, and sure enough a Crested Caracara circled overhead. The Caracara was eclipsed, though, by a bird of prey which is far more difficult to see in this part of the World. The Botanical Gardens is home to the mighty Collared Forest Falcon. Rewarding views off this bird capped off a great day.

Xalapa - Parque Ecologico Macuiltepetl

I spent the long weekend in Xalapa in the company of a number of birders from COAX (the birding club of Xalapa - see www.coaxxalapa.org) and Pronatura Veracruz.

Upon arrival on Saturday morning, I went straight to Macuilteptl Park, a superb site based around an extinct volcano in the middle of the city. Birds were everywhere - some of the most noticeable being parties of roving Band-backed Wrens and the resident Cordilleran Flycatchers.

Seeing mixed flocks of wintering and migrating Warblers is a highlight of birding in Mexico, and Macuilteptl held groups including Nashville, Townsend's, Hermit, Worm-eating, Wilson's, Black-throated Green, Black-and-White, Ovenbird, Hooded, Golden-crowned and Rufous-capped.

Another interesting party of birds held the endemic Blue Mockingbird, Black-headed Saltators, Grey Catbirds and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.

There was some superb Tanager action as well. Fruiting trees held Summer, Western, Flame-coloured, Yellow-winged, Common-Bush Tanagers and Yellow-throated Euphonias. My highlight of the Park, though, was stunning views of nesting Blue-hooded Euphonias.

Azure-crowned Hummingbird and Wedge-tailed Sabrewing are both endemic Hummers which were found easily in the park, and a surprise bonus came in the form of a lone Mississippi Kite finding its way back to North America.

Certainly a magical place to find in the middle of a buzzing city..

A Mexican evening

Some stunning birds were around Tequisquiapan this evening. I've seen plenty of 'Cactus Jack' during my time here, and indeed posted plenty of photos of him, but he continues to impress me with his no nonsense attitude...

Male American Kestrels are stunning birds, and display a more impressive display of colours than their European counterparts. They'll be returning North to their breeding grounds soon.

Inca Doves are common residents throughout most of Mexico. This one looked good at sunset.

Returning Waders and Singing Desert Birds

I returned to the rapidly declining Presa Centenario this morning to scan the waders with my scope. On the shores of the main body of water, I had Least Sandpipers, Black-necked Stilts and 1 American Avocet and a few Spotted Sands. I relocated a wader-filled small pool and crept closer. As well as more Leasts and Stilts, it held 8 Long-billed Dowitchers, 6 Wilson's Phalaropes, 6 Stilt Sandpipers (whose feeding styles made a nice comparison with the Dowitchers), and 1 Baird's Sandpiper - not a bad haul.

Riding back through the desert scrub I had singing Mockingbirds, Cactus Wrens and Curve-billed Thrashers, who make a surprisingly pleasant noise for such a grim-looking bird!

Curve-billed Thrasher, Tequisquiapan

Cactus Wren

Vermilion Flycatcher and Yellow-rumped Warbler

Presa Centenario Tequisquiapan - Worrying Water Levels

The Presa is running dry in Tequis. It's not rained here since well before Christmas, and on top of this, the brains in charge of water management is constantly pumping water out of the reservoir into the putrid Rio San Juan. If this continues for another month, there won't be a Presa left - and what a shame that would be.

A bike ride around the receded shoreline this evening showed how special this place is. A lot of the Shovelers remain - though surely not for much longer with the onset of the nearctic spring. In amongst them were Black-necked Grebes, some in splendid summer plumage. The Ruddy Ducks were looking the business as well, and I also picked up some Least Grebes and Mexican Ducks.

Most of the interest was on the shoreline, though. The receding water has left some good wader scrapes, and with spring migration about to hit full flow, La Presa should throw up some interesting shore birds. There were over 200 Least Sandpipers here today.

Least Sandpipers, Tequisquiapan

Also present Black-necked Stilts, Spotted Sandpipers and some extremely territorial Killdeers. A distant patch of water held what looked like some interesting large waders, but a river of sludge cut me off.

I maintained vigilance on the bike ride back home and was rewarded by a tiny plover scuttling along the water edge. I knew straight away this was a new bird for me here in Mexico. Most of it's features shouted out Snowy Plover - but I was put off by the odd yellow legs, a feature of the much rarer Piping Plover. Further analysis of my photos, though, showed that this bird had been walking in some pretty disgusting green sludge - problem solved.

Very chuffed with Snowy Plover, though. They have a wide global range (known as Kentish Plover in the Old World), but it's always great to get a new bird on the Tequis. and Mexico list.

Snowy Plover, Tequisquiapan

May return here with the Scope soon to scrutinise the waders a bit more closely..

Riachuelos - Pics

The river at Tecolutla threw up some great species. Whilst having a spot of lunch at one of the restaurants there, this gorgeous flock of Roseate Spoonbills flew by. Superb to find a long-term target species. Hopefully in the Yucatan I'll get some better views of them.

There were plenty of Brown Pelicans loafing around on the sand banks as well, with over 400 Royal Terns, many Laughing Gulls, Sandwich Terns, and Neotropic and Double-crested Cormorants..

Brown Pelicans and Laughing Gulls, Tecolutla

A boat trip in to the mangroves brought rewarding views of numerous species, including perched Ospreys, a soaring Short-tailed Hawk, Little Blue Herons and this huge Ringed Kingfisher.

I had 3 species of Kingfisher throughout the weekend. The Ringed Kingfishers were in the mangroves, Belted Kingfishers (below) fished the lagoons at La Victoria and Riachuelos, and a tiny by comparison Green Kingfisher was also at La Victoria.

There was one character in the Mangroves who I didn't want to get too close to, though..

Parrots are a truly tropical family of birds, and I was lucky to get rewarding views of 3 different species. On the coastal road to Riachuelos, these 2 Red-crowned Parrots were busily feeding away.

This species is endemic to North-East Mexico - what a treat. At La Victoria, 2 Red-lored Parrots flew across the road and perched up in a distant tree as well.

Finally, in the El Tajin ruins, I caught a glimpse of 4 Aztec Parakeets. Their raucous calls added to the atmosphere at this fantastic spot.

El Tajin ruins