Tuesday, June 16, 2009

My friend Bob from Boise

Robert Whitlatch
A couple years ago I met Robert Whitlatch. He contacted me while I was working in Anchorage, Alaska. Yet again another birdingpal connection. Bob is a birder. He is also a writer and a photographer.

I encourage you to check out the following sites:



Since our meeting in Alaska, we have stayed in touch and have become good friends. We have also done some birding together. In fact, we met up in Seattle on election night, where we celebrated the Obama victory together. Oh yeah! He also visited us in Patzcuaro March 11-18.
And boy did we bird - every day from sunrise to sunset. At the end of this posting is a list of the birds seen.

There's nothing like one of Martin's hamburgers after a day's birding - yummy, yummy!

Back in Boise, where his head was still swirling with all he saw and experienced in Patzcuaro, he wrote a story. That story was shared with friends, one of whom passed it along to someone else and, well, his story is being published in the New Jersey Audubon's spring newsletter. His love of birding has also been noticed by his employer, Alaska Airlines, and they too have included an article in their in-house publication.


Birds seen:

Exit to Zamora (from GDL-Mexico City tollroad):
Great-tailed grackle
House finch
House sparrow
Lesser goldfinch
Varied bunting
Blue bunting
Canyon towhee
Bullock’s oriole
Orchard oriole
Yellow-rumped warbler
Groove-billed ani
Blue grosbeak
Indigo bunting
Rufous-backed thrush
Nashville warbler
Wilson’s warbler
MacGillivray’s warbler
Blue-gray gnatcatcher
White-collared seedeater
Blue-black grassquit
Turkey vulture
Golden-fronted woodpecker
Inca dove
Streak-backed oriole
Common yellowthroat
Cattle egret
Great kiskadee
Further down the road toward Zamora:
Logger-head shrike
White-tailed


Lake Camecuaro:
Western meadowlark
American kestral
Great egret
Cassin’s kingbird
Bushtit
Canyon wren
Bullock’s oriole
Rose-throated becard
Muscovy duck
Vermilion flycatcher
Black phoebe
Cordilleran flycatcher
Hermit thrush
Bewick’s wren
American coot
Eastern bluebird

La Colonia (village on way to Zarzamora – above Eronga):
Striped sparrow
Barn swallow
Brown-headed cowbird
Chipping sparrow
Bullock’s oriole (Abeille's)


Old Road from Zarzamora to Erongaricuaro, including Porton Negro area:
Red crossbill
Buff-breasted flycatcher
Greater peewee
Black-headed grosbeak
Collard-spotted towhee (hybrid)
Blue mockingbird
Lincoln’s sparrow
Acorn woodpecker
Elegant trogon
Painted redstart
Grace’s warbler
Olive warbler
Northern flicker
Black-headed siskin
Pine flycatcher
Mexican chickadee
Black-and-white warbler
Yellow warbler
Black phoebe


Columpio (dip in the road beyond Zarzamora):
Yellow-eyed junco
Slate-throated redstart
Crescent-chested warbler
Brown creeper
Townsend’s warbler
Pygmy nuthatch
Blue-throated hummingbird
Mt. pygmy-owl
Cinnamon-bellied flowerpiercer (female)


Ojo de Agua (Tzintzuntzan):
Green heron
Common moorhen
Northern jacana
Spotted sandpiper
Northern waterthrush
Song sparrow
Canyon wren
Common yellowthroat
Black-and-white warbler
Yellow warbler
Black phoebe
Painted redstart
Sora
Bronze cowbird
Snowy egret
White-faced ibis
Black-polled yellowthroat
Cassin’s kingbird
Curve-billed thrasher
Cassin’s vireo


Rio Corucha and Arroyo Frio (south of Tacambaro):
Black vulture
Yellow-winged cacique
Squirrel cuckoo
Stripe-headed sparrow
Thick-billed kingbird

Tropical kingbird
Gray-crowned yellowthroat
Warbling vireo
Orange-billed nightingale-thrush
White-throated robin
Western tanager
Macgillivray’s warbler
Cassin’s flycatcher
Golden-fronted woodpecker
Curve-billed thrasher
Cassin’s Vireo
*Solitary eagle vs. Common black-hawk (I will post separately re this encounter)

Highway between Opongeo and Cerro Burro, near Santa Juana:

Mexican jay
Hairy woodpecker
Mountain trogon
Calliope hummingbird


Cerro Burro:
Horned lark
Pine siskin
Red warbler
Olive-sided flycatcher
Magnificent hummingbird
Steller’s jay
American pipit
Hepatic tanager
White-eared hummingbird
Broad-billed hummingbird
Violet-crowned hummingbird

Calliope hummingbird
Eastern bluebird
Chipping sparrow
House finch
Yellow-eyed junco
Violet-green swallow
American robin
Northern rough-winged swallow
Barn swallow
Turkey vulture

Cassin's kingbird
Golden-browed warbler

Slate-throated redstart
Mex chickadee
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Black-headed grosbeak
Hermit warbler
Black vulture
Red-tailed hawk
Buff-breasted flycatcher
Greater peewee
Collared-spotted towhee (hybrid)


Lake Cuitzeo (north of Morelia):
Lesser scaup
Blue-winged teal
Clark’s grebe
American coot
Ruddy duck
Northern shoveler
Cinnamon teal
Black-necked stilt
American avocet
White pelican
Little blue heron


San Miguel de Allende:
Crested caracara
Northern mockingbird
Cactus wren
Green-winged teal
Mexican duck
Lark sparrow
Black-chinned sparrow
Gray flycatcher
Scott’s Oriole

Laura Kaltenstein's Artwork

Earlier this year, Laura Kaltenstein visited from Sitka, Alaska. In the wintertime, many Alaskans escape the harshness of northern weather (if my memory serves me correctly, it tends to rain sideways in Sitka).
This year, she chose to visit Mexico's Central Highlands for a number of reasons: to practice and improve her Spanish, visit the nearby Monarch butterfly sanctuary, and bird the central highlands. Together we birded around Erongaricuaro, Arocutin, and Tacambaro. We also spent several days birding Lake Camecuaro and Colima (see previous postings).
Unbeknownst to me, Laura is an accomplished artist. Her specialities are beadwork and linoleum block prints.

Here are some photos of her bird-related work. You can also find examples of her beadwork. Check out her website: http://www.lauraalaskaart.blogspot.com/.

Some examples of her beadwork:

Lapel pins

Purses

Monday, June 15, 2009

Super Dulce Birding in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon

Hugo and I drove from Patzcuaro to Monterrey to spend the weekend birding with Adrian Ganem Sada and Rene Sada. These guys are "super dulce" birders!

Many, many thanks to them for their hospitality, incredible birding skills, not laughing at me for frequently performing the lifer dance, and mentoring and including Hugo into the Mexican birding circle.

I would also like to thank Jesus Fernando Cerra Luna for giving me permission to add some of his photos. He is a Super Mega Dulce photographer whose website is http://www.birdsandpictures.com/. My dream is to one day introduce him to the birds in our area. Come on down, Fernando.
Dwarfed by the canyon walls

We drove from Cola de Caballo to Los Lorios with a lunch stop at nearly 11,000 feet for higher elevation birds and a breath-taking view of the valley below. Today we birded La Estanzuela State Park.
Lunch stops don't get much better than this
No birding day is complete without elote smothered with mayonaise and chili

Species seen or heard:

Thicket tinamou (heard)
Turkey vulture
Black vulture
Gray hawk
Short-tailed hawk
Zone-tailed hawk
Red-tailed hawk
American kestrel
Plain chachalaca
Rock pigeon
Band-tailed pigeon
Mourning dove
White-winged dove
Common ground-dove (heard)
Inca dove
White-tipped dove (heard)
Maroon-fronted parrot
Yellow-billed cuckoo (heard)
Ferruginous pygmy-owl
White-throated swift
Broad-billed hummingbird
Buff-bellied hummingbird
Blue-throated hummingbird
Black-chinned hummingbird
Broad-tailed hummingbird
Elegant trogon
Green kingfisher
Blue-crowned motmot
Acorn woodpecker
Golden-fronted woodpecker
Ladder-backed woodpecker
Hairy woodpecker
Golden-olive woodpecker (heard)
Cordilleran flycatcher
Say's phoebe
Great kiskadee
Sulphur-bellied flycatcher
Cassin's kingbird
Gray-collared becard
Violet-green swallow
Barn swallow
Gray silky-flycatcher
Canyon wren
Spot-breasted wren
Carolina wren
House wren (brown-throated)
Long-billed thrasher
Curve-billed thrasher
Western bluebird
Brown-backed solitaire
Russet nightingale-thrush
Clay-colored robin
American robin
Blue-gray gnatcatcher
Mexican chickadee
Bridled titmouse
Black-crested titmouse
Pygmy nuthatch
Green jay
Brown jay
Mexican jay
Common raven
White-eyed vireo
Yellow-green vireo
House finch
Pine siskin
Lesser goldfinch
Olive warbler
Colima warbler
Tropical parula
Painted redstart

Golden-crowned warbler (performing a wounded-bird display that we all agreed was the bird experience of the trip)
Hepatic tanager
Flame-colored tanager
Photo by Wayne Colony, San Miguel de Allende

Yellow-faced grassquit
Rufous-capped brush-finch
Olive sparrow
Spotted towhee
Chipping sparrow
Yellow-eyed junco
Crimson-collared grosbeak
Northern cardinal
Blue bunting
Blue grosbeak
Varied bunting
Great-tailed grackle
Bronzed cowbird
Hooded oriole
Audubon's oriole

Monday, June 8, 2009

Introducing Victor Hugo Valencia - Bird Guide Extraordinaire

Victor Hugo Valencia

I have mentioned, and will be mentioning more often, Victor Hugo Valencia. I didn't meet him through birding; he came to us because we needed a good tile setter and several people recommended him to us. When he toured our house and discussed our needs, he interjected the conversation to ask me if I liked birds. At the time, I thought this an odd thing to ask and assumed someone had told him that if he simply talked about birds, he'd get the job. After all, everyone around here knows that I am nuts about birds and birding.

Well, for Hugo, birds are also his passion. He came to work the next day with binoculars in hand as well as a National Geographic field guide, both unusual items for residents of this area. During lunch hours, he often can be found with one of my many bird books.

He has become my birding pal and co-guide of the Patzcuaro Bird Guides. His skills are quite exceptional, especially his knowledge of local birding locations, command of the English language, and birding by ear. Moreover, there are few who can match his ability to find a bird.


In his own words, here is his introduction:


Hi, my name is Victor Hugo Valencia Alberto, but most people know me by Hugo. I am from the small town of Erongaricuaro, Michoacan, Mexico. In Purhepecha language, Erongaricuaro means "place for waiting." I married Lupe who is also from Eronga. We have a beautiful little girl named Mariana. She is four years old. Now my wife is expecting our second child.


I love my family so much. I am teaching Mariana about birds, like my father used to do with me. He used to take me fishing and camping in the mountains when I was young. This is why I love Mother Nature and am curious about birds. Having this opportunity to be a bird guide is a dream come true. I feel so lucky to meet the great persons Georgia and Chuck Conti. She has become my teacher. I want to thank her very much for helping me and showing me more about birds.


Well, this is my history. We will be so happy to take you out birding and have a good time.

Hugo doing what comes natural: helping someone get on a bird.
Photo taken at a recent outing of the Patzcuaro Bird Club.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Birding Colima's Two Volcanos

During the first week of February, I accompanied Laura Kaltenstein of Sitka, Alaska, to the volcanic region of Colima. We visited a number of sites listed in Howell's guidebook and, thanks to Wayne and Susan Colony of San Miguel de Allende, we thoroughly enjoyed Agua Dulce.

Plumes erupted fairly often during our three-day stay

Such beauty! It aches to be climbed.

Laura is in this hedge, really

We didn't have to move far to see birds at Agua Dulce.
As dusk arrived, we drove toward the village of Agua Dulce simply to check it out. On our way back down the hill, we spotted a nightjar along the road. Our look at the bird was curtailed when a car approached. Luckily, Laura was a sport and didn't mind going a ways further and turning around to try to relocate the bird. We did find the bird and had ample time to study it until another car disturbed us. Back in my car, we drove a bit and turned around for another try. We spotted the bird again and had really good looks at it. That's when we discovered that we'd been looking at two different species, not the same bird: a paurauque and buff-collared nightjar. What a double treat for us!

136 species seen:
Least grebe
American white pelican
Neotropic cormorant
Great blue heron
Great egret
Little blue heron
Snowy egret
Black-crowned night-heron
White-faced ibis
Blue-winged teal
Cinnamon teal
Black vulture
Turkey vulture
Osprey
Sharp-shinned hawk
Gray hawk
Short-tailed hawk
White-tailed hawk
Red-tailed hawk
American kestrel
Peregrine falcon
Crested guan (what a racket they make!)
Long-tailed wood-partridge (another lifer for me)
Common moorhen
American coot
Spotted sandpiper
Caspian tern
Inca dove
Thick-billed parrot
Lilac-crowned parrot
Squirrel cuckoo
Groove-billed ani
Paurauque
Buff-collared nightjar
Green violet-ear
Broad-billed hummingbird
White-eared hummingbird
Cinnamon hummingbird
Violet-crowned hummingbird
Berylline hummingbird
Magnificent hummingbird
Citreoline trogon
Mountain trogon
Yellow-bellied sapsucker
Ladder-backed woodpecker
Hairy woodpecker
Gray-crowned woodpecker
Tufted flycatcher
Greater pewee
Least flycatcher
Hammond'd flycatcher
Cordilleran flycatcher
Buff-breasted flycatcher
Black phoebe
Vermilion flycatcher
Dusky-capped flycatcher
Great kiskadee
Social flycatcher
Tropical flycatcher
Cassin's kingbird
Rose-throated becard
Violet-green swallow
Northern rough-winged swallow
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Gray silky-flycatcher
Gray-barred wren
Spotted wren
Canyon wren
Happy wren (finally I got to see this bird - a loud one at that)
Bewick's wren
House wren
Blue mockingbird
Eastern bluebird
Brown-backed solitaire
Swainson's thrush
Rufous-backed robin
Blue-gray gnatcatcher
Bushtit
Mexican chickadee
Pygmy nuthatch
White-breasted nuthatch
Loggerhead shrike
White-throated magpie-jay
Mexican jay
Common raven
House sparrow
Dwarf vireo
Cassin's vireo
Hutton's vireo
Warbling vireo
Golden vireo
House finch
Pine siskin
Lesser goldfinch
Olive warbler
Orange-crowned warbler
Nashville warbler
Crescent-chested warbler
Tropical parula
Yellow warbler
Yellow-rumped warbler
Black-throated gray warbler
Townsend's warbler
Hermit warbler
Black-and-white warbler
Northern waterthrush
Common yellowthroat
Wilson's warbler
Red warbler
Painted redstart
Slate-throated redstart
Rufous-capped warbler
Golden-browed warbler
Yellow-breasted chat
Hepatic tanager
Summer tanager
Red-headed tanager
Rusty-crowned ground-sparrow
Collared towhee
Stripe-headed sparrow
Chipping sparrow
Lark sparrow
Lincoln's sparrow
Yellow-eyed junco
Black-headed grosbeak
Blue bunting
Blue grosbeak
Lazuli bunting
Indigo bunting
Varied bunting
Painted bunting
Yellow-headed blackbird
Great-tailed grackle
Streak-backed oriole
Bullock's oriole
Yellow-winged cacique

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Common Loon at Umecuaro

On December 7, 2008, while coming to the end of a day hike with friends, I spotted a Common loon in basic plumage on Umecuaro's reservoir. (Seeing the bird made us a bit homesick, for three of us hail originally from Alaska and the Pacific Northwest where this species is, well, common.)

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

According to Howell and Webb, this species is not commonly found on Mexico's inland lakes.

I reported the sighting to Dr. Laura Villasenor Gomez and Dr. Fernando Villasenor, sister and brother ornithologists at the Morelia University, who were quite excited about the sighting. And, I also reported it to the American Bird Association, but it was not included in its publication of unusual sightings for Mexico.

Umecuaro is little known among the expat population in the Morelia-Patzcuaro area. It's a lovely area, one that is very popular on weekends when Mexican families spend the day picnicking. If you can find the kartadromo sign on the highway between Morelia and Patzcuaro, Umecuaro is a couple villages south. Follow the signs for the ashram and you cannot miss the reservoir.
Trails follow alongside a cascading stream

Other trails wind through pine-oak forests

The grounds of the ashram are well maintained and secluded

Monday, June 1, 2009

Dorothy and Al were here.....


Thanks to a couple of birders among a tour who had come to the area to see Monarch butterflies, Victor Hugo and I had the opportunity to re-visit Cerro Burro and the Tacambaro area (all are south of Patzcuaro): Dorothy Parker from Missouri and Al Mickey from Winnepeg. A marvelous day was had in the field and all of us saw life birds, including a Golden-browed warbler.

Photo courtesy of Charlie Moores at 10,000 Birds.com


Birds seen:
Black vulture
Turkey vulture
Sharp-shinned hawk
Banded quail

Photo courtesy of Wayne Colony, who first mentioned seeing these quail at Rio Corucha

Rock pigeon
Mourning dove
Inca dove
White-tipped dove
Squirrel cuckoo
Groove-billed ani
Lesser roadrunner (high in a tree, no less)
White-eared hummingbird
Violet-crowned hummingbird
Magnificent hummingbird
Blue-throated hummingbird
Acorn woodpecker
Golden-cheeked woodpecker (nesting)
Ladder-backed woodpecker
Pileated flycatcher
Greater pewee
Vermilion flycatcher
Bright-rumped attila (my lifer on this trip)
Social flycatcher
Cassin's kingbird
Thick-billed kingbird
Northern rough-winged swallow
Barn swallow
Eastern bluebird
Rufous-backed robin
Amercian robin
Blue-gray gnatcatcher
White-breasted nuthatch
Brown creeper
Mexican jay
House sparrow
Plumbeous vireo
House finch
Pine siskin
Lesser goldfinch
Yellow-rumped warbler
Black-and-white warbler
Lousianna waterthrush
Common yellowthroat
Wilson's warbler
Red warbler
Painted redstart
Rufous-capped warbler
Hepatic tanager
White-collared seedeater
Hybrid towhee (Collared and Spotted)
Canyon towhee
Stripe-headed sparrow
Chipping sparrow
Lincoln's sparrow
Yellow-eyed junco
Blue grosbeak
Indigo bunting
Varied bunting
Western meadowlark
Great-tailed grackle
Streak-backed oriole
Orchard oriole

RV Birders

RV birders? What the heck!

It never occurred to me that there would be carvans of people traveling around Mexico to see birds. However, after I thought about it awhile, I realized that my birding friend Sam Woods leads birding by bike trips for Seattle Audubon Society so why not RV birding.

In any case in January, I was contacted by two separate RV groups. The first, led by Bert Frenz, visited Patzcuaro January 22 and 23. Soon thereafter, the second group from Quebec arrived and Victor Hugo and I spent a lovely day with Rachel and Jacques Pepin.

I believe both groups found me via BirdingPal.org. It's a great way to connect with birders around the world.

You may want to check out Bert's detailed account of their adventures on: http://www.bafrenz.com/birds/Belize09/MEX2009-C4.htm



He talks about a hybrid towhee found in this area: a hybridization of a Collared towhee and Spotted towhee. Most often we find the hybrid; only occasionally do we find either of these towhees as pure breeds. Here is a photo of the hybrid, thanks to Bob Whitlatch of Boise:


Although Bert has visited Tacambaro on previous RV tours of Mexico, I introduced him to Arroyo Frio and Rio Corucha, both south of Tacambaro:



I also took him to Cerro Burro, a spot he often has passed but never explored.....the hybrid towhee is often located before heading uphill.