Tequisquiapan birds

Big brother Xander (www.northfrancebirder.com, www.alexanderhiley.com) had a trip over to Mexico a few weeks ago and we did a great bit of birding.

During his stay, we visited all the top sites in Lower Queretaro (Presa Centenario, Constitucion, La Llave etc), as well as doing a roadtrip down to Jalisco state and Puerto Vallarta.  Over the next few days, I'll post a series of reports detailing some of the birds we saw and pictures we took.

First off is a selection of birds that he photographed in and around my garden at Los Sabinos and the town of Tequisquiapan..

Verdin

Broad-billed Hummingbird

Violet-crowned Hummingbird

Cactus Wren

Inca Dove

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher

Surveying the Presa

I spent Wednesday morning counting waders at Presa Centenario as part of DUMAC's national project on shorebirds.  Autumn is by far the best time of year for waders at Centenario, when lots of passage birds stop off on their way south.  However, winter can still throw up some decent birds.

I recorded:

Black-necked Stilts 43

American Avocet 1

Greater Yellowlegs 2

Killdeer 37

Long-billed Dowitcher 4

Western Sandpiper 2

Spotted Sandpiper 14

Least Sandpiper 217

Other highlights around the Presa were cracking views of a hunting Northern Harrier and Crested Caracara, still big numbers of Northern Shoveler, Mexican Duck, Northern Pintail, Ruddy Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Green-winged Teal and Eared Grebe.  1 American White Pelican floated over without settling, and there were a few Black-crowned Night Herons.  In the scrub were Northern Mockingbird, Blue Grosbeaks, Cactus Wrens, Curve-billed Thrashers, Loggerhead Shrikes, Canyon Towhees, lots of Lark Sparrows and a good Black-chinned Sparrow.

Meanwhile back in the garden, the Hummingbirds continue to visit the feeder..

Broad-billed Hummingbird

 A few other birds, such as this House Wren, have sniffed around.

House Wren

Forster Care

A very brief trip to the Presa on Thursay evening came up trumps in the form of this fine Forster's Tern near the dam.  Some brief scans of the water revealed massive flocks of Shoveler, Ruddy Duck and Eared Grebe and smaller numbers of Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal and Ring-necked Duck.  There remains water, but it is currently being drained.  

  

Forster's Tern, Presa Centenario

At the feeding station.

I've set up a little feeding station outside of my front window.  The first to take advantage of it have been the Hummingbirds.  Both of Tequis's species (Violet-crowned and Broad-billed) are regular visitors, popping down for a drink of nectar from the feeder.  

Not much interest from other species as yet, though I did just have an Orange-crowned Warbler sniffing around.  

Broad-billed Hummingbird

Violet-crowned Hummingbird

Birding El Salvador

Some nice birds around El Salvador during a cricket tour last weekend.  Not much chance for birding in general, but a quick stop at the beach at Costa Del Sol outside of San Salvador gave me the chance to take a few photos.

Brown Pelicans are a common site up and down the pacific coast of Central America.

As are various types of waders.  I picked  up some nice flocks of Black-bellied Plovers, as well as some Short-billed Dowitchers.

Also knocking around was a large flock of Royal Terns, which also held Sandwich Terns and Laughing Gulls.

Other than these characters, I also saw Inca Doves, White-winged Doves, Red-billed Pigeons, Ruddy Ground Doves, Tropical Kingbirds, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, White-tailed Kites, Turkey Vultures, Black Vultures...

The Big Day

In a birder's 'big day', the aim is to see as many species as possible.  To hit up big numbers, you need an early start, good local knowledge and enough energy to keep going until sunset...

My route last Saturday took me round the best spots I know within biking distance of Tequisquiapan.

- Fuentezuelas Farmland (FF)
- Lago Pelicanos (LP)
- La Laja (LL)
- Presa Centenario (PC)

Here were the results:

American Wigeon (LP, PC), Mexican Duck (LP), Blue-winged Teal (PC, LL), Green-winged Teal (LP, LL, PC), Cinnamon Teal (LL), Northern Shoveler (LP, LL, PC), Northern Pintail (LP, LL), Redhead (PC), Canvasback (PC), Ring-necked Duck (PC), Lesser Scaup (PC), Ruddy Duck (PC)

Eared Grebe (PC)

American White Pelican (LP), Great Blue Heron (LP), Great Egret (LP), Snowy Egret (LP), Cattle Egret (FF), Black-crowned Night Heron (LP), White-faced Ibis (FF), Roseate Spoonbill (LP)

American White Pelicana

Turkey Vulture (FF), Red-tailed Hawk (FF), Sharp-shinned Hawk (FF), Northern Harrier (FF), Peregrine (FF), Merlin (PC), American Kestrel (FF), Crested Caracara (FF)

Common Moorhen (LL), American Coot (LP, PC, LL)

Killdeer (FF), American Avocet (LP), Greater Yellowlegs (LP), Lesser Yellowlegs (PC), Long-billed Dowitcher (PC), Black-necked Stilt (LL, PC), Least Sandpiper (PC), Spotted Sandpiper (LP, LL, PC)

White-winged Dove (PC), Inca Dove, Collared Dove (FF), Common Ground Dove (FF), Mourning Dove (FF), Rock Dove

Broad-billed Hummingbird, Ladderback, Golden-fronted Woodpecker (FF)

Black Phoebe (LP), Say's Phoebe (FF), Vermilion Flycatcher (FF), Cassin's Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Northern Mockingbird

Chihuahuan Raven (FF), Northern Raven (LL),  Barn Swallow (LP), Violet-green Swallow (LP)

Cactus Wren (FF), Bewick's Wren, House Wren, Marsh Wren (LP)

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (LP), Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Common Yellowthroat (LP, FF)

Clay-colored Sparrow

Canyon Towhee, Chipping Sparrow (FF), Lark Sparrow (FF), Clay-colored Sparrow (FF), Grasshopper Sparrow (FF), Savannah Sparrow (FF), Lincoln's Sparrow (FF), House Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting (LP)

Grasshopper Sparrow - can you spot him?

Eastern Meadowlark (FF), Great-tailed Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Yellow-headed Blackbird, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch.

Total: 83 species

Notable Absentees Abeille's Oriole, Hooded Oriole, Bronzed Cowbird, Red-winged Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, Varied Bunting, Phainopepla, Wilson's Warbler, American Robin, Clay-colored Robin, Violet-crowned Hummingbird, White-tailed Kite.

The White Wizard - Merlin at Presa Centenario

A bumper raptor day yesterday included 8 different species - Red-tailed Hawks, Crested Caracaras, Turkey Vultures, Peregrine Falcons, American Kestrels, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2 gorgeous male Northern Harriers, and perhaps best of all a Merlin.

I've had fleeting glimpses of a Merlin only on one occasion before in these parts, so it was great to get good views of this small, aggressive falcon.

Merlin