My New Water Feature (mi cascada nueva)

A water feature is a sure bet to attract birds.  I finally have a water feature or, as it is called here, a small cascada.  Hooray! 

The rainy season ended in October, and the countryside is turning brown.  Nows the time for my water feature to bring in the birds.  And it sure is. 

I looked out my kitchen window yesterday around 11 a.m. and spotted the following species splashing about: 

Rufous-backed robin
Nashville warbler
Wilson's warbler
Yellow-rumped warbler
Orange-crowned warbler
Black-and-white warbler
Black-throated gray warbler
Townsend's warbler
Lincoln's sparrow

I also heard the following in nearby trees and shrubs:

Blue mockingbird
Orange-billed nightingale thrush
Berylline hummingbird
Broad-billed hummingbird
Canyon towhee

All are commonly seen this time of year.  I'm not sad that there wasn't a rarity in the bunch, because I know one day I'll look out and will spot something unusual.  I just know it.

As you can see, I need to surround the cascada with appropriate plants.  But that means I must dig up the dirt, screen out the rocks, and amend the dirt with oak-leaf compost.  Not an easy job but one I'll tackle before rainy season starts in May. 

Oh, I almost forgot to mention this little nocturnal creature.  It's called a tlacuache in Mexico; an oppossum of yet to be determined species.  S/he likes having water handy as well. 

Photo Quiz: Guess this bird......answer found after the third photo....

Okay, so did you guess correctly? 



This juvenile Gray silky-flycatcher (Ptilogonys cinereus) spent some time outside my kitchen window, enough time for me to snap these photos.

Another Trip to Colima Area, March 2011

Hazel and Ryon are birders living in Jocotepec on Lake Chapala and Winnipeg, Canada.  I really enjoy birding with them and especially appreciate their significant financial contribution that allowed Hugo to participate in last year's Long Bird (Ontario) Bird Obervatory program for Latin American birders. 

They met me and Hugo in Colima for a 3-day birding trip from March 14-16, 2011.  We chose not to bird Ciudad Guzman but concentrated our efforts at Volcan de Fuego (all the way to the microwave towers), the road to Laguna La Maria, and Agua Dulce, which is northwest of Colima on the road to Minatitlan.  We stayed at a B+B in Comala. 

All locations were very dry, tinder box dry, as you can see in these photos.

Although we missed Long-tailed wood-partridge, Crested guan and any nightjars, we saw many other birds, especially some new woodpeckers.  I even added some birds (marked below with *) to my life list!

Birds seen/heard:

Great blue heron

Cattle egret
White ibis
White-faced ibis
Black vulture
Turkey vulture
White-tailed kite
Sharp-shinned hawk
Gray hawk
Crested caracara
American kestrel
West Mexican chachalaca
Banded quail
American coot
Rock pigeon
Inca dove
White-tipped dove
Lilac-crowned parrot:

Photo by Dave Bezaire and Susi Havens-Bezaire from Wikimedia Commons

Squirrel cuckoo
Groove-billed ani
*Colima pygmy-owl (heard)
Ferruginous pygmy-owl
Golden-crowned emerald
Broad-billed hummingbird
Cinnamon hummingbird
Violet-crowned hummingbird
Berylline hummingbird
Broad-tailed hummingbird
Allen's hummingbird
Mountain trogon (heard)
Elegant trogon
Acorn woodpecker
Golden-cheeked woodpecker
Golden-fronted woodpecker
Yellow-bellied sapsucker
Ladder-backed woodpecker
*Smoky-brown woodpecker:

Photo by Michael Woodruff from Wikimedia Commons

Gray-crowned woodpecker
Linneated or pale-billed woodpecker (bad light prevented positive ID for me but Hugo got a better look and added it to his list as a Pale-billed)
*Ivory-billed :

Photo by Dominic Sherony from Wikimedia Commons

Tufted flycatcher
Greater pewee
Pacific-slope flycatcher
Cordilleran flycatcher
Vermilion flycatcher
Dusky-capped flycatcher
Brown-crested flycatcher
Great kiskadee
Social flycatcher
Tropical kingbird
Cassin's kingbird
Gray-collared becard
Rose-throated becard
*Masked tityra:

Photo from Wikimedia Commons

Tree swallow

Barn swallow
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Spotted wren
Happy wren
*Sinaloa wren
Northern mockingbird
Curve-billed thrasher
Blue mockingbird
Brown-backed solitaire
Swainson's thrush
White-throated robin
Rufous-backed robin
American robin
Blue-gray gnatcatcher
Mexican chickadee
Bridled titmouse
Loggerhead shrike
Common raven
Dwarf vireo
Plumbeous vireo
Cassin's vireo
Hutton's vireo
Golden vireo
House finch
Lesser goldfinch
Orange-crowned warbler
Nashville warbler
Tropical parula
Yellow-rumped warbler
Black-throated gray warbler
Black-throated green warbler
Townsend's warbler
Black-and-white warbler
American redstart
MacGillivray's warbler
Wilson's warbler
Red-faced warbler
Painted redstart
Slate-throated redstart
Yellow-breasted chat
Summer tanager
Western tanager
*Scrub euphonia
Elegant euphonia
Olive sparrow
Canyon towhee
Stripe-headed sparrow
Chipping sparrow
Lark sparrow
Black-headed grosbeak
Blue grosbeak
Lazuli bunting
Indigo bunting
Varied bunting
Great-tailed grackle
Bronzed cowbird
Brown-headed cowbird
Streak-backed oriole
Bullock's oriole
Yellow-winged cacique

Lunch stop with Dwarf vireo nearby

Broad-billed Hummingbird Nest

By happenstance, I discovered a Broad-billed hummingbird nest in the yard. It did not take long for an egg, then a second egg, followed by one hatching, then the other. Before 3 weeks had passed, both birds fledged. Check out the following photos.......

The nest:

One day after hatching:

A week later:

A few days later:

The first born was always larger and the first to fledge:

There is a second bird in the nest:

I was nearby when the first bird fledged. The second bird fledged the next day:

Life Birds: Hooded Grosbeak + Green-striped brushfinch

I have a list of birds yet to be seen here in the Central Highlands of Mexico. Compared to when we moved here two years ago, this list has gotten shorter and shorter as I have ticked off species after species. It's a rare day for me to find a new bird, a lifer.

Last week, Hugo and I took some birders from Canada to the Santa Juana area. Soon after getting good looks at a stunning male Mountain trogon, we heard and then spotted a Northern pygmy-owl. As we each peered into the spotting scope to get close up looks at the owl, one of the visitors noticed another bird a little above the owl. Imagine my shock when I trained my binocs on this other bird - a male Hooded grosbeak! It's a species I've been waiting to see.

Wait, wait, it gets better.....the female was nearby, affording all of us perfect views of both.

After congratulating one another, I turned toward the car and spotted a bird scratching at the edge of the dirt road - a Green-striped brushfinch. I've only seen this species once before and that was several years ago. Unfortunately, the bird didn't stay in the open long, and we had to work the brush awhile before everyone got good looks at this secretive bird. A lifer for the others on the trip.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons - Dominic Sherony, photographer

It was a good day, and now I'll have to revise my life list.

Another Hummer Nest

It's been difficult to work in my yard this spring.

A Broad-billed hummer laid two eggs and fledged two young from a nest over one of my raised beds.

Another is on the opposite side of my house and is on eggs. Luckily I can watch the action with my spotting scope from the living room.

Can you find the nest in the following photo?

Hike/bird trip to Columpio Sunday Aug 13

Bird of the day:  Mexican jay

(photo from Wikimedia Commons; photographer, Alan Vernon)

Eleven of us headed to an area by Zarzamora (above Erongaricuaro) to a place we call Columpio.  The outing was billed as a bi-lingual hike/walk/bird trip so there was a mix of interest among us.  One interest we hadn't considered until we got there:  hongos or mushrooms.  It's that time of year. 

Here's what we saw/heard (not in taxonomic order):

Painted redstart
White-breasted nuthatch
Hepatic tanager
Crescent-chested warbler
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Mexican jay
Yellow-eyed junco
Pine flycatcher
Acorn woodpecker
Hairy woodpecker
Bewick's wren
American robin
Red warbler
Barn swallow
Gray silky-flycatcher
Brown-backed solitaire
White-tipped dove
Hybrid towhee (spotted x collared)
Brown creeper
Blue-throated hummingbird
Olive warbler
Mexican chickadee
Northern raven
Rufous-capped warbler

Juvenile Mountain Trogon

Earlier this month, Stan and Darnelle came over from the Lake Chapala area to bird with us.  They reported seeing a male Sparkling-tailed woodstar at a feeder in Zirahuen. 

At Columpio, they added a number of new birds to their life and Mexico lists.  The most interesting bird of the day was one that we couldn't immediately identify.  Thanks to several individuals on the Mexico-birding yahoogroup, we've concluded that it's a juvenile Mountain trogon.  I must admit that I wished it to be an Eared quetzal.....

Life bird: Sparkling-tailed woodstar

Wowsers.  I walked out my French doors and glanced at one of the feeders....to spot a new hummingbird species.  Sparkling-tailed woodstar!!

It's an endemic to central Mexico; however, it has been a secret to me.  It wasn't very shy and stayed at the feeder long enough for me to run back into the house for the camera and take several shots. 

Number 393 for my Mexico list and 111 for my yard list. 

Female woodstars (photos by Vince Gravel)

Male in flight (photo by Alex Gordon)

Male in flight (photo by Alex Gordon)

Male in flight (photo by Vince Gravel)

Hugo caught it out of the corner of his eye today, so he added it to his list as well. 

Many thanks to Vince Garvel and Alex Gordon for use of the photos. 

Check out Vince's blog:  http://www.birdsofmexico.blogspot.com/.   At the bottom, there's a place to click for the rest of his collection of amazing photos. 

May 2011 Birding Trip Report

Note:  I'll add photos to this entry soon.  Until then, here's a recent trip report. 

Oh, and in case you've been wondering about my not posting many entries this past year: No, I've not moved on to another pastime - I still live to bird. It's simply a matter of other pressing matters taking up my time this past year - divorce, my mother's failing health, more work to finish my house, visiting friends, etc.

Last month, Hugo guided a visiting birder - George M. from Ontario. I was invited to tag along for the last day and a half. Both Hugo and George got lifers. Although not a lifer, I got a great look at a bird on my BVD list - that stands for Better View Desired bird. Fan-tailed warbler, seen at Arroyo Frio near Pedernales.

We dipped on swifts at the waterfalls south of Uruapan so we headed to Tacambaro, always a treasure trove of birds.

Some changes at Rio Corucha: they've bulldozed a wider road higher up the mountainside. It looks like they're building an alberca (pool) up there or so we were told by some of the blackberry farmers. The trickle of water that used to make its way down the dirt road on the other side of the river is no more. Thus, no butterflies. :-(

The area still produced Banded quail, Black-chested sparrow, Lesser roadrunner, and Golden-crowned emerald. No West Mexican chachalacas - it's been more than a year since we've spotted them in the area.

And no, we didn't spot the mystery raptor, which both Hugo and I say is a Solitary eagle. One day we'll see it again and have a good camera to record the sighting.

Birds seen/heard (150 species):

Great egret

Snowy egret
Cattle egret
White-faced ibis
Mallard
Lesser scaup
Black vulture
Turkey vulture
Sharp-shinned hawk
Red-tailed hawk
Banded quail
Common moorhen
Northern jacana
Black-necked stilt
Killdeer
Greater yellowlegs
Spotted sandpiper
Least sandpiper
Rock pigeon
Mourning dove
Inca dove
White-tipped dove
Squirrel cuckoo
Groove-billed ani
Lesser roadrunner
Northern pygmy-owl
Ferruginous pygmy-owl
White-naped swift
White-throated swift
Golden-crowned emerald
Broad-billed hummingbird
White-eared hummingbird
Violet-crowned hummingbird
Berylline hummingbird
Blue-throated hummingbird
Magnificent hummingbird
Plain-capped starthroat
Mountain trogon
Elegant trogon
Belted kingfisher
Green kingfisher
Russet-crowned motmot
Acorn woodpecker
Golden-cheeked woodpecker
Yellow-bellied sapsucker
Ladder-backed woodpecker
Hairy woodpecker
Northern flicker
White-striped woodcreeper
Greenish elaenia
Pileated flycatcher
Tufted flycatcher
Olive-sided flycatcher
Greater pewee
Pine flycatcher
Cordilleran flycatcher
Buff-breasted flycatcher
Black phoebe
Vermilion flycatcher
Dusky-capped flycatcher
Ash-throated flycatcher
Nutting's flycatcher
Great-crested flycatcher
Brown-crested flycatcher
Great kiskadee
Social flycatcher
Sulphur-bellied flycatcher
Cassin's kingbird
Thick-billed kingbird
Rose-throated becard
Northern rough-winged swallow
Barn swallow
Gray silky-flycatcher
Gray-barred wren
Spotted wren
Canyon wren
Happy wren
Bewick's wren
Marsh wren
Curve-billed thrasher
Blue mockingbird
Easter bluebird
Orange-billed nightingale-thrush
Russet nightingale-thrush
Hermit thrush
White-throated thrush
Rufous-backed robin
American robin
Bushtit
Mexican chickadee
Bridled titmouse
White-breasted nuthatch
Brown creeper
Steller's jay
Mexican jay
Common raven
House sparrow
Plumbeous vireo
Hutton's vireo
Warbling vireo
Golden vireo
Chestnut-sided shrike-vireo
House finch
Lesser goldfinch
Olive warbler
Orange-crowned warbler
Nashville warbler
Crescent-chested warbler
Yellow warbler
Yellow-rumped warbler
Black-throated gray warbler
Townsend's warbler
Common yellowthroat
Black-polled yellowthroat
Gray-crowned yellowthroat
Wilson's warbler
Red warbler
Painted redstart
Slate-throated redstart
Fan-tailed warbler
Rufous-capped warbler
Golden-browed warbler
Hepatic tanager
Summer tanager
Western tanager
Elegant euphonia
Blue-black grassquit
White-collared seedeater
Cinnamon-bellied flowerpiercer
Rufous-capped brush-finch
Green-striped brush-finch
Rusty-crowned ground-sparrow
Hybrid towhee (Collared x Rufous-sided)
Canyon towhee
Black-chested sparrow
Stripe-headed sparrow
Rusty sparrow
Chipping sparrow
Song sparrow
Yellow-eyed junco
Black-headed grosbeak
Blue grosbeak
Red-winged blackbird
Western meadolark
Great-tailed grackle
Bronzed cowbird
Streak-backed oriole
Black-vented oriole
Scott's oriole
Yellow-winged cacique

New Nesting Boxes

On a recent trip to/from the States, I picked up two pre-made nesting boxes - on sale no less.

They were rather plain so I asked my neighbor Francis if she'd beautify them with some of her artwork. She and husband Roldofo Rodriguez make much sought after art - large and small chests, shadow boxes, crosses, benches, and hummingbird earrings are just some of the articles they make.

Here are the finished boxes.......

Detail of the box in the side yard.

Note: the banner, birds and flower heads are raised from the box; the flower stems and leaves are painted onto the box.

It's installed in cozy corner where I can watch it from inside the house.

This one is in the front yard.

A wren - I am hoping for a Spotted wren - moved in within a couple hours of installation!

Of course, there's always a pair of birds who want a different home. Canyon wrens recently fledged a brood from the space under the umbrella of this patio heater.

Orange-billed nightingale-thrush x 3

I had three events involving Orange-billed nightingale-thrushes in short order yesterday.

The first was on the cover of ABA's North American Birds quarterly journal, vol 64: no 4, 2011, that arrived in my monthly mail packet from Seattle. No, I didn't go to South Dakota last year to add this species to my ABA list. I've got them in my yard here on the shores of Lake Patzcuaro.

The next happening was a flutter of excitement out my kitchen window. I'm not sure what was going on. Two birds flew onto my window ledge and were flapping at each other, while making all sorts of racket. I thought they were fighting. One was an adult Orange-billed, the other was a juvenile. See photo above.

The adult flew away to a nearby tree, then flew off into my neighbor's garden. The juvenile sat on my window sill for some time, allowing me to get this photo before it, too, flew off.

The third is a norm at this time of year: Orange-billed nightingale-thrushes in my yard sing constantly. They start at the crack of dawn and don't stop until dark. And I mean they sing throughout the day. Mind you, they are not easy to see - they tend to sit still and you have to be lucky to catch some movement to locate them. Yet, once heard, you will not forget their song.
Check out www.xeno-canto.org for recordings of this species.

Jazz and Jizz

Jazz Tival 2011 happened in Morelia late last week, and I joined friends for the closing concert by Bobby Watson.

Here's a little known secret about me: I took 27 credits of African-American music at the University of Minnesota in the 70s. My life was greatly influenced by professors Geneva H. Southall and Reginald T. Buckner. Another teacher at that time was Percy Hughes, my mail carrier and very gifted saxophonist, who knocked on my door one day to ask why I, a white girl, was listening to all those spirituals and Kansas City swing (answer: homework assignment). Of course, I should also mention my father, George Birkett, who played trombone at Precidio. By listening to his extensive jazz record collection, my appreciation of jazz was launched.

Bobby Watson has quite a history. He's a saxophonist, composer, producer, and educator. Oh, let's not forget his association with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. (Here's another secret about me: I spent an afternoon at Horace Silver's home where he fed me and a friend tuna fish on melba toast and played the piano for several hours. But, that's another story.)

Saturday was a lovely, warm evening, and the concert was held in the courtyard of the Casa de Cultura. Several thousand people were in the crowd. The musicians came on stage, the music started, and, lo and behold, fireworks burst overhead. It just doesn't get much better than this.

Except that I caught sight of a bird flying over the domed building.

That's where 'jizz' comes into the picture. In a split second or two, I knew it was an owl. My mind very rapidly went from pigeon to owl, ruling out nighthawk along the way.

Jizz - what is it? To me, it's the overall impression of a bird. That impression runs the gamut of shape, posture, flight style, size, color, location, habitat, time of day, etc. And that summation of information helps narrow my options, especially when I get only a brief glimpse of a bird....at night. Based on what I saw, I could conclude that I saw an owl; I couldn't tell you what genus (although I highly suspect it was a barn owl).

Jazz and Jizz - what a combination of two loves of my life. What a night it was.