Monday, May 2, 2016
Hey folks/fellow birders.....I don't post much information on this blogspot these days. Instead, I post trip lists on eBird and bird photos on my Facebook page (Georgia Birkett Conti). Please check these out or send me a private email at antep12ATgmailDOTcom and I will answer your questions. I am no longer working with Victor Hugo Valencia and instead work with a doctoral student in Morelia (Elisa). Together we can help plan your birding experiences in Morelia, Patzcuaro, Tacambaro and Uruapan. If you have a USA phone, you can call me at (206) 384-4415; this phone rings in my home in Arocutin, Michoacán and, if I am not home, I will get an email message where I can hear your message.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Trip Report - December 30, 2014
On Tuesday I spent half a day with Hugo and visiting birder Trent from San Francisco. They continued for the rest of the day. Here's what was seen (not in taxonomic order):
Jaracuaro Bridge:
Great egret
Snowy egret
Cattle egret
Great Blue heron
Little blue heron
Tri-colored heron
Northern jacana
Black-necked stilt
White-faced ibis
Sora
Least bittern
Common yellowthroat
Black-polled yellowthroat
Vermilion flycatcher
Barn owl
Belted kingfisher
Northern raven
Turkey vulture
Blue-winged teal
Green-winged teal
Mexican duck
Northern harrier
Red-tailed hawk
American kestrel
Northern rough-winged swallow
Red-winged black bird
Yellow-headed blackbird
Song sparrow
Canyon towhee
Rufous-capped brushfinch
Curve-billed thrasher
Blue-grey gnatcatcher
Cassin's kingbird
Great-tailed grackle
White pelican
Yellow-rumped warbler
Horned lark
Georgia's House:
Bkue mockingbird
MacGillivray's warbler
Lazuli bunting
Cassin's vireo
Black-vented oriole
Northern raven
Magnificent hummingbird
Berylline hummingbird
Broad-billed hummingbird
La Estacion:
Black-throated gray warbler
Townsend's warbler
Orange-crowned warbler
Yellow-rumped warbler
Wilson's warbler
Red-faced warbler
Hermit warbler
Slate-throated redstart
Bushtit
Black vulture
Turkey vulture
Red-tailed hawk
Warbling vireo
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Black-headed siskin
Pine siskin
Bewick's wren
Lesser goldfinch
Eastern bluebird
Hooded oriole
Flame-colored tanager
Transvolcanic jay
Common raven
White-striped woodcreeper
American flicker
Canyon towhee
Hybrid towhee (Spotted x Collared)
Gray silky-flycatcher
Broad-billed hummingbird
Empid sp.
Elegant trogon
Orange-billed nightingale-thrush
Blue mockingbird
Columpio:
Olive warbler
Crescent-chested warbler
Red-faced warbler
Hermit warbler
Townsend's warbler
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Hutton's vireo
Cassin's vireo
Mexican chickadee
Hepatic tanager
White-eared hummingbird
Blue-throated hummingbird
White-striped woodcreeper
Brown creeper
Transvolcanic jay
Northern raven
Yellow-eyed junco
Zinciro-San Isidro Junction
Crested caracara
American kestrel
Northern raven
Mexican duck
House finch
Eastern bluebird
Cassin's kingbird
Canyon towhee
Chipping sparrow
Vesper sparrow
Rufous-crowned sparrow
Brian's Road:
Inca dove
Brown-backed solitaire
Gray silky-flycatcher
Canyon towhee
Blue mockingbird
Erongaricuaro:
Eurasian collared-dove
House sparrow
Jaracuaro Bridge:
Great egret
Snowy egret
Cattle egret
Great Blue heron
Little blue heron
Tri-colored heron
Northern jacana
Black-necked stilt
White-faced ibis
Sora
Least bittern
Common yellowthroat
Black-polled yellowthroat
Vermilion flycatcher
Barn owl
Belted kingfisher
Northern raven
Turkey vulture
Blue-winged teal
Green-winged teal
Mexican duck
Northern harrier
Red-tailed hawk
American kestrel
Northern rough-winged swallow
Red-winged black bird
Yellow-headed blackbird
Song sparrow
Canyon towhee
Rufous-capped brushfinch
Curve-billed thrasher
Blue-grey gnatcatcher
Cassin's kingbird
Great-tailed grackle
White pelican
Yellow-rumped warbler
Horned lark
Georgia's House:
Bkue mockingbird
MacGillivray's warbler
Lazuli bunting
Cassin's vireo
Black-vented oriole
Northern raven
Magnificent hummingbird
Berylline hummingbird
Broad-billed hummingbird
La Estacion:
Black-throated gray warbler
Townsend's warbler
Orange-crowned warbler
Yellow-rumped warbler
Wilson's warbler
Red-faced warbler
Hermit warbler
Slate-throated redstart
Bushtit
Black vulture
Turkey vulture
Red-tailed hawk
Warbling vireo
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Black-headed siskin
Pine siskin
Bewick's wren
Lesser goldfinch
Eastern bluebird
Hooded oriole
Photo by Howie Peterson
Flame-colored tanager
Transvolcanic jay
Common raven
White-striped woodcreeper
American flicker
Canyon towhee
Hybrid towhee (Spotted x Collared)
Gray silky-flycatcher
Broad-billed hummingbird
Empid sp.
Elegant trogon
Orange-billed nightingale-thrush
Blue mockingbird
Columpio:
Olive warbler
Crescent-chested warbler
Red-faced warbler
Hermit warbler
Townsend's warbler
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Hutton's vireo
Cassin's vireo
Mexican chickadee
Hepatic tanager
White-eared hummingbird
Blue-throated hummingbird
White-striped woodcreeper
Brown creeper
Transvolcanic jay
Northern raven
Yellow-eyed junco
Zinciro-San Isidro Junction
Crested caracara
American kestrel
Northern raven
Mexican duck
House finch
Eastern bluebird
Cassin's kingbird
Canyon towhee
Chipping sparrow
Vesper sparrow
Rufous-crowned sparrow
Brian's Road:
Inca dove
Brown-backed solitaire
Gray silky-flycatcher
Canyon towhee
Blue mockingbird
Erongaricuaro:
Eurasian collared-dove
House sparrow
Friday, February 7, 2014
Trip Report - August 1-8, 2013
From left to right: Hugo, Jeanne, Glynnis
Caveat: I did not see/hear/experience the birds listed on this trip report. I intended to bird with sisters Glynnis (from Wales) and Jeanne (from Sarasota, Florida) but a couple days before their arrival a neighboring dog bonged my chin knocking out several front teeth and I spent the next days and months in dental chairs. Didn't I recently post how awful 2013 was to me?!
Anyway, I hooked them up with Hugo and they spent nearly a week scouring the countryside. Sad to say for me, they all had numerous lifers and found several new species for this area, which they reported to me each evening (they stayed in my casita). I would have been thrilled to be with them any of these days. Notable sightings are marked with a star and in bright red font.
Jeanne is president of Sarasota Audubon Society, and it is my greatest hope she returns soon with a group so she can show me around my turf in the hopes of spotting some of the unusual birds she saw and listed on this report.
Species by location
Jaracuaro Bridge:
Jeanne and Georgia checking out the Black-polled yellowthroat
Common gallinuleAmerican coot
Snowy egret
Little blue heron (one in white, one in calico phase)
Tricolored heron
Cattle egret
Great blue heron
Great egret
White-faced ibis
Mexican duck
Ruddy duck
Black-necked stilt
Northern jacana
Killdeer
White-throated swift
Black phoebe
Vermilion flycatcher
Cliff swallow
Barn swallow
Common raven
Bushtit
Bewick's wren
Yellow warbler
Black-polled yellowthroat
Song sparrow
Red-winged blackbird
Yellow-headed blackbird
El Chirimoyo (Georgia's house):
Glynnis in front of Georgia's House
Inca doveWhite-throated swift
Broad-billed hummingbird
Berylline hummingbird
Magnificent hummingbird
Cliff swallow
Barn swallow
Gray silky-flycatcher
Blue mockingbird
Curve-billed thrasher
White-throated thrush
American robin
Black-headed grosbeak
Blue grosbeak
Varied bunting (juvenile)
Rufous-capped brush-finch
Canyon towhee
White-collared seedeater
Black-vented oriole
Erongaricuaro's Canal Area:
Northern jacana
Common yellowthroat
Black-polled yellowthroat
*Western meadowlark
Photo courtesy of Wikimendia Commons
Lesser goldfinch
La Estacion (old train station outside Erongaricuaro):
Hugo and Jeanne at La Estacion
Black vulture
Sharp-shinned hawk
Red-tailed hawk
White-tipped dove
Blue-throated hummingbird
Acorn woodpecker
Ladder-backed woodpecker
Northern flicker (red-shafted)
Cassin's kingbird
Tufted flycatcher
Pileated flycatcher
Pine flycatcher
Buff-breasted flycatcher
Barn swallow
Common raven
Canyon wren
Bewick's wren
Spotted wren
Gray silky-flycatcher
Blue mockingbird
Brown-backed solitaire
Orange-billed nightingale-thrush
Eastern bluebird
White-throated thrush
Slate-throated redstart
Painted redstart
Rufous-capped warbler
Hepatic tanager
Flame-colored tanager
Black-headed grosbeak
Blue grosbeak
Indigo bunting
Hybrid towhee (Spotted/Collared)
White-collared seedeater
Chipping sparrow
Stripe-headed sparrow
Rusty sparrow
House finch
Black-headed siskin
Lesser goldfinch
La Zarzamora, including El Columpio:
Turkey vulture
Red-tailed hawk
American kestrel
Peregrine falcon
*Long-tailed wood-partridge (OMG, they got this new species for the area...at least for us. I haven't checked with the ornithologists in Morelia)
White-tipped dove
*Ferruginous pygmy-owl (heard)
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
White-eared hummingbird
Berylline hummingbird
Mountain trogon
Hairy woodpecker
Cassin's kingbird
Transvolcanic jay
Common raven
Mexican chickadee
Bushtit
White-breasted nuthatch
Brown creeper
Loggerhead shrike
Cassin's vireo
Hutton's vireo
Russet nightingale-thrush
Ruddy-capped nightingale-thrush
White-throated thrush
Crescent-chested warbler
Slate-throated redstart
Painted redstart
Olive warbler
Red warbler
Striped sparrow
Yellow-eyed junco
Red crossbill
Brian's Road (it is really the old road between Zarzamora and Erongaricuaro):
White-tipped dove
*Whiskered screech-owl (2 seen and photographed) - this is a new species for Hugo and me.
Note there are two morphs!
Berylline hummingbird
Blue-throated hummingbird
Elegant trogon (male and female)
Ladder-backed woodpecker
White-striped wood-creeper
*Western wood-pewee
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Greater pewee
Pine flycatcher
Transvolcanic jay
Common raven
Mexican chickadee
Bushtit
Gray silky-flycatcher
Plumbeous vireo
Warbling vireo
Blue mockingbird
Brown-backed solitaire
Eastern bluebird
White-throated thrush
Crescent-chested warbler
Grace's warbler
Black-and-white warbler
Painted redstart
Olive warbler
Hepatic tanager
Black-headed grosbeak
Canyon towhee
Hybrid towhee (Spotted/Collared)
White-collared seedeater
Cinnamon-bellied flower-piercer
Yellow-eyed junco
House finch
Red crossbill
Pine siskin
Black-headed siskin
Santa Juana Area:
White-eared hummingbird
Mountain trogon
White-striped woodcreeper
Tufted flycatcher
Transvolcanic jay
Common raven
Bushtit
Brown creeper
Hutton's vireo
Russet nightingale-thrush
Slate-throated redstart
Olive warbler
Red warbler
Golden-browed warbler
Rufous-capped brush-finch
Hybrid towhee (Spotted/Collared)
Cerro Burro:
Lesser roadrunner
Mountain trogon
Acorn woodpecker
Hairy woodpecker
White-striped woodpecker
Steller's jay
Common raven
House wren
Curved-billed thrasher
Eastern bluebird
American robin
Black-and-white warbler
Golden-browed warbler
Canyon towhee
Chipping sparrow
Yellow-eyed junco
Lesser goldfinch
Tacambaro's Cerro Hueco Park:
Acorn woodpecker
Greater pewee
Common raven
Spotted wren
Grace's warbler
Black-headed siskin
Tacambaro's Rio Corucha:
Cooper's hawk
Inca dove
Squirrel cuckoo
Lesser roadrunner
Grove-billed ani
White-naped swift
Golden-crowned emerald
Violet-crowned hummingbird
Russet-crowned motmot
Golden-cheeked woodpecker
Great kiskadee
Thick-billed kingbird
Pileated flycatcher
Vermilion flycatcher
Rose-throated becard
Golden vireo
Grey-crowned yellowthroat
White-collared seedeater
Blue-black grassquit
Striped sparrow
Streaked-backed oriole
Pedernales' Arroyo Frio:
West Mexican chachalaca
Squirrel cuckoo
Dusky hummingbird
Green kingfisher
Golden-cheeked woodpecker
Golden vireo
Grey-crowned yellowthroat
Fan-tailed warbler
Louisiana waterthrush
Hugo and Glynnis espying the screech-owls
Monday, February 3, 2014
International Hummingbird Festival, September 6-8, 2013
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
(I am in the white t-shirt, happy to be among this auspicious group)
Beneficiaries of the festival were El Charco del Ingenio and Mexico Audubon Society.
I've worked closely with the Audubon group these past few years and was happy to help recruit several key speakers and guides. A special treat for me was spending the weekend with Sheri L. Williamson, author of the Peterson Guide to the Hummingbirds of North America, in the lovely home of Linda and Saul Whynman. Believe me, I asked Sheri every question I could think of related to hummers and their behaviors.
Most of the activities (presentations and bird walks) occurred on the grounds of El Charco, a wonderful botanical garden in San Miguel. I cannot complement El Charco's staff too much for their hard work in making the logistics go so smoothly. Hats off to Mario and his staff.
Another half day was spent at Rancho Los Labradores on the highway to Dolores Hidalgo, where I was able to bird again with Drew (see previous trip report related to the Clapper rail) and finally met his lovely wife.
The festival was bi-lingual and populated with many exceptional speakers, post-grad students, and serious hummingbird fans. It was so successful a commitment has been made to organize another in 2014.
If you're curious about the festival, check out the website: www.festivaldelcolibri.org. You can chose English of Spanish.
And do consider attending the next festival. There might even be a side trip to Lake Patzcuaro to see additional hummingbird species, ones not found in San Miguel de Allende.
Linda Whynman, president emeritus of Mexico Audubon Society, and I enjoying the festival
2013 - it came and went, thank goodness
It has been more than a year since I've posted anything on my blog. All I can say is I am glad to have 2013 pass by.....what a year of bad and sad things for me.
Speaking of birds: here's to 2014, which is on a good roll what with yesterday's Super Bowl romping of the Broncos. I am so proud of Seattle's Seahawks.
I lost my camera in a taxi in Istanbul in May and didn't replace it until November. I listened to Mike Judd, Dennis Paulson, and a couple others, and bought a Canon PowerShot SX50 HS. I am still getting used to it but feel competent enough to start taking and posting bird photos from here on.
I birded this past year but most of it occurred in other locations and this blog is devoted to birding in and around Patzcuaro. The next few postings will highlight some of my 2013 activities. And then I promise to be better at 2014 bird sightings and trip reports.
Speaking of birds: here's to 2014, which is on a good roll what with yesterday's Super Bowl romping of the Broncos. I am so proud of Seattle's Seahawks.
I lost my camera in a taxi in Istanbul in May and didn't replace it until November. I listened to Mike Judd, Dennis Paulson, and a couple others, and bought a Canon PowerShot SX50 HS. I am still getting used to it but feel competent enough to start taking and posting bird photos from here on.
I birded this past year but most of it occurred in other locations and this blog is devoted to birding in and around Patzcuaro. The next few postings will highlight some of my 2013 activities. And then I promise to be better at 2014 bird sightings and trip reports.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Trip Report - Oct 3-5, 2012 - Finally, a Clapper Rail!
Visiting birders Drew and son Andrew spent three days with Hugo and me. Birding can often be a challenge for many of us but what if we were wheelchair bound and able to use only one hand..... That's Drew. What a man, and what a son. Here are the birds we saw/heard in various locations around Lake Patzcuaro and Tacambaro.
Tri-colored egret
Belted kingfisher
Black-necked stilt
Oct 3, 2012 - Georgia's house in Arocutin
Black vulture
Oct 3, 2012 - Erongaricuaro
Canyon towhee
Buff-breasted flycatcher
Great-horned owl (heard)
Ladder-backed woodpecker
Curve-billed thrasher
Wilson's warbler
Bushtit
Slate-throated redstart
Greater pewee
Hermit warbler
Mexican chickadee
Gray silky-flycatcher
Red-faced warbler
Great-tailed grackle
Banded quail - a large covey with numerous juveniles playing in the road
Groove-billed ani
Inca dove
Lesser roadrunner
Happy wren (heard)
Rufous-capped warbler
Squirrel cuckoo
Summer tanager
Streak-backed oriole
Canyon wren (heard)
Spotted wren
Happy wren (heard)
Blue-gray gnatcatcher
Great kiskadee
Unidentified buteo
Russet-crowned Motmot at Arroyo Frio
Checking out the Clapper Rail
View from the bridge to Jaracuaro
Quesadillas in Erongaricuaro
Oct 3, 2012 - Bridge to Jaracuaro
Cassin's kingbird
Red-tailed hawk
Marsh wren
Little blue heron
Cattle egret
Barn owl
Great egret
Snowy egretTri-colored egret
Belted kingfisher
Black-necked stilt
White-faced ibis
Vermilion flycatcher
White-collared seedeater
Black-polled yellowthroat
Barn swallow
Cliff swallow
American coot
Cooper's hawk
Red-winged blackbird
Black phoebe
Turkey vultureOct 3, 2012 - Georgia's house in Arocutin
Berylline hummingbird
Magnificent hummingbird
Broad-billed hummingbird
Inca doveBlack vulture
House sparrow
Oct 3, 2012 - La Estacion outside of Erongaricuaro
Canyon towhee
Yellow-rumped warbler
Brown-backed solitaire (heard)
Common raven
Summer tanager
Berylline hummingbirdBuff-breasted flycatcher
Great-horned owl (heard)
Ladder-backed woodpecker
Curve-billed thrasher
Wilson's warbler
Bushtit
Slate-throated redstart
Greater pewee
Hermit warbler
Townsend's warbler
Black-throated gray warblerMexican chickadee
Gray silky-flycatcher
Oct 3, 2012 - Columpio outside of Zarzamora
Hermit warbler
Grace's warbler
Hepatic tanager
Common raven
Painted redstartRed-faced warbler
Hybrid towhee (Collared x Spotted)
Oct 4, 2012 - Rio Corucha south of Tacambaro
Great-tailed grackle
Greater pewee
Stripe-headed sparrowBanded quail - a large covey with numerous juveniles playing in the road
Groove-billed ani
Inca dove
Lesser roadrunner
Black vulture
Turkey vultureHappy wren (heard)
Blue-black grassquit
Great kiskadee
Violet-crowned hummingbird
American kestrel
Northern rough-winged swallow
Blue-gray gnatcatcher
Golden-crowned emerald
Oct 4, 2012 - Arroyo Frio Balneario
Rufous-capped warbler
Squirrel cuckoo
Ferruginous pygmy-owl (a pair)
Black-and-white warblerSummer tanager
Streak-backed oriole
Wilson's warbler
Thick-billed kingbird
Dusky hummingbird
Hooded orioleCanyon wren (heard)
Spotted wren
Happy wren (heard)
Blue-gray gnatcatcher
Great kiskadee
White-throated robin
Russet-crowned motmotUnidentified buteo
Sharp-eyed Hugo always spots something special
Oct 5, 2012 - Bridge to Jaracuaro
Clapper rail - my first sighting at Lake Patzcuaro, a lifer for Hugo
Wikimedia Photo
Northern waterthrush
Marsh wren
American coot
Tri-colored heron
Great blue heron
Snowy egret
Great egret
White-faced ibis
Barn owl (a pair)
White-collared seedeater
Killdeer
Bronzed cowbird
Vermilion flycatcher
Belted kingfisher
Blue mockingbird
Blue-winged teal
Common yellowthroat
Cooper's hawk
Turkey vulture
Song sparrow
Cliff swallow
Barn swallow
Common raven
Oct 5, 2012 - Columpio outside Zarzamora
Hermit warbler
Slate-throated redstart
Common raven
Mexican chickadee
Brown creeper
Broad-tailed hummingbird
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Hepatic tanager
Pine flycatcher
Cassin's vireo
Red-faced warbler
Yellow-eyed junco
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Aztec Thrush near Patzcuaro
Aztec Thrush.....by the side of the road. On May 12, 2012, five of us in two cars were heading from Patzcuaro to Zihuatanejo for some fun in the sun. Imagine my surprise when we flushed three Aztec thrush by the side of the road not far from my house. I would have immediately pulled over; however, we were on a very curvy section of the libre without space to stop.
There were three serious birders among us. Two in my vehicle and one in the vehicle behind. No doubt about it - they were Aztec thrush.
Hugo reported seeing them a number of years ago above Erongaricuaro, and we've kept our eyes peeled for them. Of course, seeing them fly off from the side of the road doesn't fulfill my desire to REALLY see them, so I am hoping to visit the area soon to try to relocate them. Until then, they are BVD birds (i.e., better view desired).
There were three serious birders among us. Two in my vehicle and one in the vehicle behind. No doubt about it - they were Aztec thrush.
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
Hugo reported seeing them a number of years ago above Erongaricuaro, and we've kept our eyes peeled for them. Of course, seeing them fly off from the side of the road doesn't fulfill my desire to REALLY see them, so I am hoping to visit the area soon to try to relocate them. Until then, they are BVD birds (i.e., better view desired).
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