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'

Puerto Vallarta - Yelapa

I took a boat trip to Yelapa for an afternoon with some friends. Yelapa is a small coastal inlet with a gorgeous beach and river mouth. I knew straight away that the birding had real potential, but unfortunately couldn't escape the attention of Gringo - our annoying Mexican tour guide. He didn't realise that I wanted to bird, not listen to his dodgy stories or buy weed off him!

I finally broke free of the group and managed about an hour exploring the river mouth. The beach was packed with some pretty nasty customers...these Black Vultures allowing a close approach.

Nearby were some nicer bids, though. Black-necked Stilts waded as elegantly as ever, and this Spotted Sandpiper hopped along the side of a boat, reminiscent of the Turnstones at Bridlington Pier.

I expected the birdlife to be best up the river, though, and so employed a controversial tactic - the river wade. This allowed me to get very close to some great birds. Firstly, I picked up a couple of White Ibises on a sand bank with a Snowy Egret, and then things started to kick off on the forest edge. A Lineated Woodpecker alighted on a nearby tree, and underneath it a big, clumsy bird smashed through the undergrowth. It's white belly and rufous chest revealed it as a West Mexican Chachalaca, quite a find.

It was time to head back to the group, but not before I got very close to a Neotropic Cormorant and a fine Little Blue Heron.