Barn Swallow - Tequisquiapan

Not the rarest of birds around here, but the Swallow surely is one of the most pleasing to the eye. This one perched obligingly on the barbed wire around my compound as I fired away a few shots.

Sickening Events in Malta

A migrating flock of 210 White Storks arrived in Malta on the 18th May. Following a torrent of gunfire from illegal hunters around the island, only 87 were seen to leave a few days later.

More on this horrendous story.

http://www.birdlifemalta.org/Content/hunting/illegalhunting/whitestorks2011/1108/

Out and About

Mourning Dove, one of 4 Dove species which can be found around Tequisquiapan. The others are Inca Dove, White-winged Dove and Common Ground Dove.

Cactus

Quiet times

A nasty bout of the old Aztec 2 Step has restricted birding opportunities in the last week. Being stuck at home, though, allows one to appreciate the more common birds. These Barn Swallows have been nest prospecting around my house.

Cassin's Kingbirds are never far away in Tequis..

Hopefully I'll be back out and about soon.

Tequis Rounds

Calf Heracleum lanatum

A walk in the desert this morning threw up some common birds. Cactus Wrens with some outrageous nests, Canyon Towhees and singing Northern Mockingbirds and Curve-billed Thrashers.

In the higher ground, Verdins and Common Ground Doves become more regular. I also heard the Willow Warbler like song of a Canyon Wren (2nd in Tequis) before spotting him atop a distant cactus.

Back in the town centre, Parque La Pila has become a raucous heronry. Large Great Egrets are still feeding young (and the canopy is littered with the corpses of juveniles that have fallen from their nests - Michael Mac would be in his element...). Also, Cattle Egret numbers are rising as pairs start nest building. Less prominent are a number of Black-crowned Night Herons (at least 6 pairs).

Cattle Egret (top) and Black-crowned Night Herons

Finally, I stumbled across some Killdeer in some wasteland North of Tequisquiapan. Retreated to a safe distance before firing off a few shots.

London Checklist Update

May has brought a wealth of migrants to South West London, probably the most warblers I ever observed and the air is filled with Swifts in higher numbers than previous years. Would be interested to know if this is a more general uptick in the UK?

On my regular cycle along the Thames yesterday I was chuffed to add a singing male Whitethroat to my list - holding territory next to the Wandsworth Waste Recycling Centre. This site is becoming a bit of a hotspot in recent months and I harbour hopes of finding some Black Redstart nearby in the coming months. The usual pair of Grey Wagtails are very active at the moment down there.

As I watched the river a Common Sandpiper zipped eastwards - there are quite a few along the Thames at this time of year. Finally, just as I was leaving a nice Arctic Tern hawked overhead before flying off high to the North. This is a great London tick, the bird was quite distinctive with longer tail streamers and the call reasonably different from the Common Terns I observe around Barnes Wetland Centre regularly. A nice Great Black Backed Gull sat calmly on the Putney barges.

Finally, an evening stroll brought me my Clapham bird of the year. A lone male Reed Warbler babbling away in the tiny reed bed in Mount Pond. This reed bed was only planted two years ago after the pond was drained to provide more habitat for wildlife. I hope he manages to pull in a mate and breeding Reed Warbler on Clapham Common would be quite an occurance. Mount Pond has come up trumps so far this year, but the earlier pair of Reed Buntings haven't hung around. 

Hummingbird Crazy

Lots of action at the Hummingbird feeder in the yard this afternoon. At times, up to 7 different birds were buzzing around it. Down in Tequisquiapan itself, there are only 2 species of Hummingbird - Broad-billed and Violet Crowned, with the former being the most common.

They were so intent on feeding that I could approach very closely and fire off a few shots.

Broad-billed Hummingbird, adult

Broad-billed Hummingbird, juvenile

Violet-crowned Hummingbird

Abeille's Oriole

Up the Cerro Grande

On Saturday, a friend and I trekked up one of the largest mountains of the Tequisquiapan area, the Cerro Grande. We left the Estaccion Bernal at 8 a.m. and fought our way up a river bed and through fields and fields of dense vegetation (I've got the scratches to show for it).

On the way up, I had Grey Flycatchers, Northern and Chihuahuan Ravens, Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture, Phainopeplas and many others.

About 150 metres from the top, the habitat changes into oak woods. This brings with it a change in wildlife. All of a sudden, there is an abundance of butterflies and, amazingly up here, dragonflies. Some great birds as well. A male Painted Redstart fanned its tail incessantly, and some flowering trees held (apparently breeding?) Yellow-rumped Warblers and many Hummingbirds, including Magnificent, White-eared and Broad-billed.

Lots of White-throated Swifts dashing around the summit, and also a single Tree Swallow.

I'd love to return to bird it more thoroughly, but might not be possible given the effort required to get there!

Back in Tequisquiapan

Been back in Tequisquiapan for a week now, and I've seen some familiar, as well as more unusual birds.

The wintering warblers have left now, so Tequis no longer resounds with the chirps of all of thise little characters. The garden is still abuzz, though, with Broad-billed and Violet-crowned Hummingbirds, singing Curve-billed Thrashers and Cactus Wrens and an abundance of White-collared Seedeaters, House Finches, House Sparrows and Inca Doves.

Male House Sparrow, Tequisquiapan

I had overflying Black-crowned Night Herons and Great Egrets. Later, very high, I had a White-throated Swift, first for Tequisquiapan. A migrant Willow Flycatcher was a superb bonus.

Next door, a Vermilion Flycatcher is feeding chicks in a tree right outside the house. She kept returning to the tree every 5 minutes with another grub, and without disturbing her, I managed to fire off a series of shots.

Female Vermilion Flycatcher with grubs

Vermilion Flycatcher chicks

YUCATAN April 2011 - The Rest (Chichen Itza, Cozumel, Riviera Maya)

My second week didn't present many birding opportunities, but I still saw some fantastic birds, including Plain Chachalacas in the spectacular setting of Tulum, a Yellow-throated Vireoin a Merida park and a host of endemics during a morning on Cozumel.

Time for lunch? Turkey Vulture in Cozumel

Urban Yellow-throated Vireo

And what could beat swimming in a cenote with a hunting Green Heron only feet away..

Here's a complete list with locations (P = Progreso, Ce = Celestun, Ca = Campeche, U = Ux Mal, Co = Cozumel, Ck = Calakmul)

Least Grebe - 3 Ck

Brown Pelican - common on all coasts

Double-crested Cormorants - Common, including huge breeding colony at Ca

Neotropic Cormorant - common

Magnificent Frigatebird - common

Bare-throated Tiger Heron - mangroves Ce

Great Blue Heron - P lagoons

Great, Snowy, Cattle Egrets - common

Little Blue Heron - P

Tricolored Heron - P

Reddish Egret - Ce

Green Heron - mangroves, Tulum

Black-crowned Night Heron - Ce

Yellow-crowned Night Heron - Ce

Boat-billed Heron - Ce and Co

White Ibis - common

Glossy Ibis - Ck

Roseate Spoonbill - P

American Flamingo - P

Black-bellied Whistling Duck - 2 at Ck (Laguna S.)

Blue-winged Teal

Black and Turkey Vultures - common

Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture - Ce

Osprey - Ce

Crane Hawk - U

Common Black Hawk - Ce

Grey Hawk, Roadside Hawk, Short-tailed Hawk -Cancun

Collared Forest Falcon - 1 U

Bat Falcon - pair Ck

Peregrine Falcon

Crested Caracara

Plain Chachalaca - 2 at Tulum, 2 at U

Ocellated Turkey - 2 Ck Access Road

American Purple Gallinule, Northern Jacana - L.S. (Ck)

Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Willet, Black-necked Stilt, Ruddy Turnstone, Short-billed Dowitcher, Spotted Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper - all Ca

Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs - P

Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull - P

Royal Tern, Caspian Tern, Sandwich Tern - P

Common Tern - Ce

Black Skimmer - Ca

White-winged Dove - common

Red- billed Pigeon -Cancun

White-tipped Dove - 2 Ck

Common, Ruddy Ground Doves - common

Caribbean Dove - 1 Cozumel

Aztec Parakeet - common

White-fronted Parrot - Ck

Lesser Nighthawk - common

Vaux's Swift

White-bellied Emerald - Ck, Green-breasted Mango - 2 Ce, Mexican Sheartail - P, Cinnamon Hummingbird - common

Blue-crowned Motmot - U, Turqoise-browed Motmot - U

Pale-billed Woodpecker - Ck, Golden-fronted Woodpecker - common, Ladder-back - Ce

Yellow-olive Flycatcher - Chichen Itza

Tropical Peewee - Ck

Vermilion Flycatcher - Ce

Brown-crested Flycatcher - 1 P, Great-crested Flycatcher - 1 Ce

Great Kiskadee, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher - common

Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher -Coba Ruins

Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird -P

Eastern Kingbird - 1 Ce

Rose-throated Becard - common

Purple Martin - 4 P, 1 U

Mangrove Swallow - common

Rough-winged Swallow, Ridgways RWS - Progreso (3)

Bank Swallow, Cave Swallow - nesting in U, Barn Swallow - common

Green Jay - 6 at U, 3 at Ce

Brown Jay - common Ck

Yucatan Jay - common

White-bellied Wren - 2 Ck, Yucatan Wren - local, P, Cozumel Wren - 1 at Co

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher - common, White-lored Gnatcatcher common at P

Wood Thrush - 1 Ck, Clay-coloured Robin - common

Grey Catbird - 2 P, Tropical Mockingbird - common

Yucatan Vireo - Co, Yellow-throated Vireo - 1 Merida,

Warblers:Orange-crowned (P), Northern Parula ( 8 P), Yellow (common), Mangrove (P), Chestnut-sided (1 at Co), Magnolia (4 Ck), Black-and-White ( 1 Ck), Palm (Ce 6), American Redstart ( Ck), Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Louisiana Waterthrush, Common Yellowthroat, Hooded Warbler (1 Ck), Tennessee Warbler (3 P), Wilson's Warbler

Bananaquit - Cozumel race ( common on Co)

White-winged Tanager - 1 Ck

Greyish, Black-throated Saltator - 4 of each U

Indigo Bunting, Blue Bunting, Varied Bunting - common at Ck

Red-winged Blackbird, Bronzed Cowbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Great-tailed Grackle (common), Melodious Blackbird ( common)

Hooded Oriole, Orange Oriole, Altamira Oriole, Baltimore Oriole, Orchard Oriole

144 sp, 37 new for Mexico

YUCUTAN April 2011 - Calakmul

Calakmul ruins rising from the rainforest

Before reaching the spectacular ruins of Calakmul, a brief stop for lunch at Laguna Silvitica threw up some Black-bellied Whistling Ducks. On the return journey, I had Northern Jacana, American Purple Gallinule and Glossy Ibis here.

American Purple Gallinule, a skulker

Visited the ruins in the afternoon before spending the night camping at Yaax'che site (surrounded by Howler and Spider Monkeys...well worth a visit). The Calakmul access road was very birdy...Tropical Peewee, Magnolia and Hooded Warblers, Boat-billed Flycatcher and Roadside Hawk were new birds for the trip list.

In the ruins themselves, highlights included finding White-bellied Wren and White-tipped Doves.

White-bellied Wren, skulker number 2

Next up, I discovered why there was a 30km/h speed limit on the access road..

This fantastic Ocellated Turkey strutted without fear whilst I snapped away from the car.

I birded around the campsite the following morning, notching up such beauties as Crested Caracara, Blue Bunting, Varied bunting, White-winged Tanager, Baltimore Oriole, Wood Thrush and Pale-billed Woodpecker. From a fire tower, I scored views of Keel-billed Toucans and White-fronted Parrots whilst watching American Redstarts and Magnolia Warblers in the nearby canopy.

Back at the site, and a clicking sound alerted me to this nesting White-bellied Emerald hummingbird.

YUCATAN April 2011 - Campeche

A trip to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Campeche didn't promise much birding, but sure enough, it threw up some great species. A Tropical Kingbird, Yellow Warblers and Common Yellowthroats in the main plaza were a start, but it was a bike ride along the Malecon (sea front) that chucked up some real crackers.

Campeche Plaza, home to historic buildings, culture....and migrant warblers

Ruddy Turnstones, Black-bellied Plovers, Willets, Black-necked Stilts, Least Sandpipers were all a welcome treat, as was a party of Short-billed Dowitchers. My personal highlight, though, was a long-term target for my time in Mexico, this Black Skimmer, pictured in dying light.

Black Skimmer, it fishes by using its large lower mandible to 'skim' the surface of the water

YUCATAN April 2011 - Ux Mal

A cultural visit to the spectacular Mayan ruins at Ux Mal threw up some more birding opportunities.

We stayed in the nearby SACBE Bungalows, which are located in some great gardens. Needless to say, some campground birding yielded great results.

I was enjoying watching a variety of Orioles and some vocal Lemon Green Vireoes, when what was probably the bird of the trip scattered the lot, ghosting through the canopy and perching up in a tree. It was a Collared Forest Falcon, a bird which, whilst being easily heard, is notoriously difficult to see. Unfortunately, it scarpered before I could whip my camera out.

The car park of the Ux Mal ruins was alive with activity at dawn, including Blue-crowned Motmots, Melodious Blackbirds, Orange Orioles, Greyish and Black-throated Saltators, Clay-coloured Robins, Green and Yucatan Jays.

Up above the site, Cave Swallows, Barn Swallows and Purple Martins filled the skies.

Birds weren't the only wildlife at these ruins. Iguanas were everywhere, acting like they owned the place..

It wasn't long, though, before my eyes were back to the skies, as a fine adult Crane Hawk drifted by. In the ruins themselves, Cave Swallows were nesting.

Then, a glimpse of one of the most colourful of Mexico's birds, a Turqoise-browed Motmot, displaying its exquisite tail feathers...

YUCATAN April 2011 - Celestun

Celestun is a small beach town about 2 hours from Merida. The area surrounding the town is a Biosphere Reserve, and is famous for its Flamingos and Mangroves.

A kayak trip through the said Mangroves brought me up close and personal with some of the specialities, such as the retiring Boat-billed Heron and the spectacular Bare-throated Tiger Heron. More abundant were Yellow-crowned and Black-crowned Night Herons, Our guide spotted a colourful American Pygmy Kingfisher darting around as well. Out in the open water, we were soon into an Osprey, Common Black Hawk and a Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture. Closer to the water, both species of Cormorants and Frigatebirds were aplenty.

Back on dry ground and I picked out some Palm Warblers, a Dusky-capped Flycatcher, and this fine Ladder-back Woodpecker destroying some grubs.

Wilson's Warbler and Common Yellowthroat were added to the list, as were Red-winged Blackbird and Savannah Sparrow.

Down on the pier at Celestun, this Reddish Egret was following every move made by the local fishermen. He shared the pier with Royal Terns and Laughing Gulls, whilst Brown Pelicans and Frigates were regular overhead.

At the harbour, I picked up a Common Tern and this migrant Eastern Kingbird.