Thursday, September 11, 2008

Trip Report - Arocutin Ejido Lands

After several days of rainy and chilly weather, we were treated to a gloriously sunny day for this half day trip into Arocutin's ejido lands.

Diana, Francis, Frank, Pam and Terry make their way to the cars
after spotting several Gray silky-flycatchers.
That Pam - she sure could get on a bird quickly.

One is never alone in this area, for the ejido lands are divided into separate lots and, at this time of year, are worked by the families of Arocutin. We encountered several friendly individuals as we made our way to the end of the road.

The end of the road. I mentioned how rainy it has been, didn't I?!
No doubt, serious birders would add more species by walking the road and starting a bit earlier.
Fifteen species were seen/heard on this trip:
Vermillion flycatcher
Curve-billed thrasher
Lesser goldfinch
Canyon towhee
White-collared seedeater
Barn swallow
Inca dove
Common raven
House finch
Blue grosbeak
Chipping sparrow
Bewick's wren
Berylline hummingbird
Grey silky-flycatcher
Number 15 was a mystery bird of the day: either a Black-chinned or Ruby-Throated hummingbird. Definitely not one of our usual suspects. Small size, black and straight bill, pale throat and chest, white outer tail feathers, gold-green irridescent back.

1 comment:

Bugman said...

Several ways to differentiate Black-chinned & Ruby-throated Hummingbirds: the tail of BCHU barely projects (if at all) beyond its wings and the wingtips themselves are curved and the last primary (P10?) is broad and blunt i.e. not pointed like in Ruby-throateds. BCHU pumps its tail constantly in flight as well. The bill is l-o-n-g and decurved, longer than the Ruby-throateds.