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28 Aug Re: Black Swifts in San Blas [Mark Stackhouse ] 27 Aug Re: Black Swifts in San Blas [Larry Schwitters ] 27 Aug Black Swifts in San Blas [Mark Stackhouse ] 16 Aug RFI: Yucatan birding guides, Playa Del Carmen ["roam4birds" ] 5 Aug Isla Rasa [Robert Straub ] 4 Aug Retraction: notable birds from the Oaxaca Coast: flamingo sp. and Blue-footed Booby [Justyn Stahl ] 27 Jul Re: Mexico City birding request [] 27 Jul Mexico City birding request ["Rodrigo U. Lopez Valdes" ] 27 Jul Mexico City birding request [jeff chapman ] 23 Jul Fw: target birds west Mexico Mar 2011 [Tim Brush ] 23 Jul Re: Vaux's Swifts in Mexico City [Robert Straub ] 23 Jul Re: san blas, nayarit ["Kevin S." ] 23 Jul Re: san blas, nayarit [Robert Straub ] 22 Jul Vaux's Swifts in Mexico City [Larry Schwitters ] 23 Jul san blas, nayarit ["Mary Ann" ] 22 Jul year correction! [Tim Brush ] 22 Jul RFI Yucatan in mid-May 2010 [Tim Brush ] 21 Jul Re: Bar-winged Oriole nest info? [Robert Straub ] 21 Jul Bar-winged Oriole nest info? [Jon King ] 11 Jul Rare birds in June-July ["Michael L. P. Retter" ] 9 Jul Sonora News: Nesting Elegant Euphonias and Grayish Saltator [David MacKay ] 21 Jun recent recordings [Jon King ] 21 Jun Laguna Cuitzeo, Michoacán [Jon King ] 20 Jun White-fronted Swifts at Tacámbaro, Michoacán [Jon King ] 13 Jun Ethnoornithology abstracts from the 12th ICE, Tofino, BC ["Robert Gosford" ] 8 Jun RFI: rare Mexico birds in May-June ["Michael L. P. Retter" ] 4 Jun Sinaloa Martins along Michoacán coast [Jon King ] 4 Jun Puerto Los Mazos #10, Autlán, Jalisco [Jon King ] 21 May RE: Digest Number 1003 ["Lethaby, Nick" ] 21 May buscando guias [Manuel Grosselet ] 20 May Fw: Re: notable birds from the Oaxaca Coast: flamingo sp. and Blue-footed Booby [Eric Antonio Martinez ] 20 May Fw: Re: notable birds from the Oaxaca Coast: flamingo sp. and Blue-footed Booby [Eric Antonio Martinez ] 20 May notable birds from the Oaxaca Coast: flamingo sp. and Blue-footed Booby [Justyn Stahl ] 17 May update on Sinaloa Martins at KM211 Durango Hwy [Jon King ] 17 May Sierra Madre Sparrows in Durango [Jon King ] 26 Apr Article on birding history in Mexico [Amy McAndrews ] 21 Apr Oaxaca Fulvous Owl Recording [Rich Hoyer ] 21 Apr Fulvous Owl in Oaxaca [Rich Hoyer ] 20 Apr Re: Costa Rica birding information? [Steve Semanchuk ] 19 Apr Re: Costa Rica birding information? [David Sarkozi ] 20 Apr Costa Rica birding information? ["judd.mike" ] 15 Apr Re: Money exchance in Mexico ["Kevin S." ] 15 Apr Money exchance in Mexico ["Lethaby, Nick" ] 15 Apr Re: Re:FYI on travelers planning Mexican trips [Rene Valdes ] 15 Apr Re: Re:FYI on travelers planning Mexican trips [Mark Stackhouse ] 15 Apr Re: Re:FYI on travelers planning Mexican trips [Rene Sada ] 15 Apr Re: Re:FYI on travelers planning Mexican trips [Dany Sloan ] 15 Apr Re:FYI on travelers planning Mexican trips ["Doug \"Diego\" Rhodes" ] 14 Apr FYI on travelers planning Mexican trips [Mark Stackhouse ] 9 Apr NOVEDAD: Manual para el estudio del comportamiento animal [1 Attachment] ["Victor J. Hernandez" ] 7 Apr Yucatan trip report ["Lethaby, Nick" ] 4 Apr Re: Gray-breasted Crake and Blue Seedeater in Chiapas [] 1 Apr rare birds in Mar-Apr ["Michael L. P. Retter" ] 01 Apr Birders - Terrorists or Criminals - or neither? ["Robert Gosford" ] 30 Mar Gray-breasted Crake and Blue Seedeater in Chiapas [Rich Hoyer ] 24 Mar Golden Eagle in Villahermosa [Donald Mac Laughlin ] 15 Mar blue capped Hummingbird [Manuel Grosselet ] 4 Mar Your fine photos [Caroline Callery ] 3 Mar Re: gasoline in Xpujil, Campeche [Steve Semanchuk ] 3 Mar RE: gasoline in Xpujil, Campeche ["Chris Harrison" ] 3 Mar rare birds in Feb-March ["Michael L. P. Retter" ] 3 Mar RE: Red-lored Parrot in Colima ["Bert Frenz" ] 3 Mar Re: from Dgo Hwy: photos have been uploaded ["Kevin S." ] 3 Mar Re: Red-lored Parrot in Colima ["Kevin S." ] 3 Mar from Dgo Hwy: photos have been uploaded [Rene Valdes ] 03 Mar Red-lored Parrot in Colima ["jimarne" ] 3 Mar gasoline in Xpujil, Campeche ["Lucy and Bob Duncan" ] 2 Mar nice weekend at Dgo Hwy [Rene Valdes ] 26 Feb eBird Report - "good road" to Alta Cima , 1/10/10 [Timothy Brush ] 25 Feb Highway between Ciudad Victoria and Ciudad Mante , 1/9/10 [Timothy Brush ] 24 Feb Bocatoma/Rio Frio , 1/10/10, Tamaulipas, Mexico [Timothy Brush ] 23 Feb FW: eBird Report - El Aguja marsh/canal , 1/9/10 [Timothy Brush ] 23 Feb Re: El Tigre/Upper Rio Corona , Tamaulipas, Mexico, 1/9/10 [] 22 Feb El Tigre/Upper Rio Corona , Tamaulipas, Mexico, 1/9/10 [Timothy Brush ] 11 Feb Re: Fwd: [Tweeters] birding in Akumal [Robert Straub ] 10 Feb Fwd: [Tweeters] birding in Akumal [] Subject: Re: Black Swifts in San Blas From: Mark Stackhouse <westwings AT sisna.com> Date: Sat, 28 Aug 2010 00:56:47 -0600 Hola Larry, You're correct, I mis-remembered the report I saw - it was the one from Terry Gray, so Idaho, not Washington. I'd also heard that there was some success in recovering the Colorado geo-locators, but that's excellent that they have 3 out of the 4. It will be very interesting to see the results. That's a great article. I've read some earlier stuff about the swifts, so I'm familiar with the basics of their life history (as it's known), but that's a great run down on the work that's been done - thanks for the link. I noted that in the report for Utah it mentioned a "grounded juvenile" that was found at Doughnut Falls in Big Cottonwood Canyon. The people who found it brought it to Tracy Aviary in Salt Lake City, where I was Education Director, and in charge of the rehab program. I cared for that bird, and released it after a short time at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon. I remember it fluttering hesitantly near me for a moment, then, apparently sensing the vast space below and ahead of it, gave a few strong flaps and rocketed out into the open air in front, disappearing from view in a few seconds. It was an impressive display of flying skill. It's an awesome bird. I'm not surprised that there are only two confirmed nests in Mexico, but given the vastness and remoteness of the mountains here, I would be even more surprised if there weren't, in fact, many nesting in Mexico. Interesting that you suggest that they could have been a foraging flock. Are they known to join together in large flocks while foraging? I know they will travel great distances and be away from the nest for a long time, and have seen small groups from time to time over the mountains of Utah, but I've never seen a flock anywhere close to a large as this - 75 is a conservative estimate, there may have been 100 or more. We certainly have insects, if they were merely congregating at a food source. But that number, if they were nesting birds, would have to represent the collective nesting pairs over a vast region. Would this seem plausible to you? The timing would be right, though. I hadn't given much thought to what their nesting season would be here, but we must be in it right now. The mountains here are full of waterfalls this time of year, but until the wet season starts in the end of June/early July, almost all of those falls are dry. The report of the nest in Oaxaca with an egg in mid-July would make sense. I didn't make it to the beach today, so I don't know if they were around again today or not. It was an incredible sight, whatever the reason for them being here. Thanks for sharing such great stuff, Mark Mark Stackhouse mark AT westwings.com from Mexico: 01-323-285-1243 (San Blas, Nayarit) 001-801-518-5618 (cellular - U.S. and Mexico) from U.S. 011-52-323-285-1243 or 1-801-518-5618 On Aug 27, 2010, at 11:15 PM, Larry Schwitters wrote: > Mark, > > We are very interested in your Black Swift sighting. I'm the only > one in Washington State with any recent significant experience with > this species and your report didn't come from here, You might have > picked it up from Terry Gray in Idaho or it could have come from > Jason Beason with the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory in Colorado, > Here is the Idaho report I got today from Terry Gray regarding > Shadow and Fern Falls in Northern Idaho. He also put it on eBird. > > Hi Larry, > > I counted 5 chicks at Shadow Falls Wednesday. Only one was even > close to > leaving the nest. The other four were very small and most of them > were just > little fuz balls. I hope they make it. Since we had such a wet > June I > wonder if they failed and layed a second egg? The only one near > ready to > leave is the furthest away from the water falls. > > Jason Beason and his Colorado gang just recovered the third of four > geolocators that they attached to Black Swifts last summer. With > any luck they will open up a treasure chest of BLSW migration > information. > > I would think that your swifts were "local". They will travel 500 > miles a day looking for a good meal. > > The late Rich Levad put together the most up to date and complete > work on this species titled THE COOLEST BIRD; The Natural History of > the Black Swift and those Who Have Pursued It. > Available in electronic form here: http://www.aba.org/thecoolestbird.pdf > > Larry Schwitters > Issaquah, WA USA > On Aug 27, 2010, at 7:28 AM, Mark Stackhouse wrote: > >> While walking on the beach late yesterday afternoon, I saw a flock of >> at least 75 Black Swifts hawking insects just above the tops of the >> palms. It's the first time I've seen this species in San Blas. >> Presumably a flock of migrants, but from where? It would seem early >> for birds from U.S./Canada (recent reports from Washington state that >> young are still in the nest there). Perhaps these were Mexican >> breeders? Any thoughts? >> >> Also one winter-plumaged Snowy Plover on the beach, and two >> Surfbirds. >> >> Mark >> >> Mark Stackhouse >> mark AT westwings.com >> from Mexico: >> 01-323-285-1243 (San Blas, Nayarit) >> 001-801-518-5618 (cellular - U.S. and Mexico) >> from U.S. >> 011-52-323-285-1243 or >> 1-801-518-5618 >> >> >> > Subject: Re: Black Swifts in San Blas From: Larry Schwitters <leschwitters AT me.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 22:15:59 -0700 Mark, We are very interested in your Black Swift sighting. I'm the only one in Washington State with any recent significant experience with this species and your report didn't come from here, You might have picked it up from Terry Gray in Idaho or it could have come from Jason Beason with the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory in Colorado, Here is the Idaho report I got today from Terry Gray regarding Shadow and Fern Falls in Northern Idaho. He also put it on eBird. Hi Larry, I counted 5 chicks at Shadow Falls Wednesday. Only one was even close to leaving the nest. The other four were very small and most of them were just little fuz balls. I hope they make it. Since we had such a wet June I wonder if they failed and layed a second egg? The only one near ready to leave is the furthest away from the water falls. Jason Beason and his Colorado gang just recovered the third of four geolocators that they attached to Black Swifts last summer. With any luck they will open up a treasure chest of BLSW migration information. I would think that your swifts were "local". They will travel 500 miles a day looking for a good meal. The late Rich Levad put together the most up to date and complete work on this species titled THE COOLEST BIRD; The Natural History of the Black Swift and those Who Have Pursued It. Available in electronic form here: http://www.aba.org/thecoolestbird.pdf Larry Schwitters Issaquah, WA USA On Aug 27, 2010, at 7:28 AM, Mark Stackhouse wrote: > While walking on the beach late yesterday afternoon, I saw a flock of > at least 75 Black Swifts hawking insects just above the tops of the > palms. It's the first time I've seen this species in San Blas. > Presumably a flock of migrants, but from where? It would seem early > for birds from U.S./Canada (recent reports from Washington state that > young are still in the nest there). Perhaps these were Mexican > breeders? Any thoughts? > > Also one winter-plumaged Snowy Plover on the beach, and two Surfbirds. > > Mark > > Mark Stackhouse > mark AT westwings.com > from Mexico: > 01-323-285-1243 (San Blas, Nayarit) > 001-801-518-5618 (cellular - U.S. and Mexico) > from U.S. > 011-52-323-285-1243 or > 1-801-518-5618 > > > Subject: Black Swifts in San Blas From: Mark Stackhouse <westwings AT sisna.com> Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:28:06 -0600 While walking on the beach late yesterday afternoon, I saw a flock of at least 75 Black Swifts hawking insects just above the tops of the palms. It's the first time I've seen this species in San Blas. Presumably a flock of migrants, but from where? It would seem early for birds from U.S./Canada (recent reports from Washington state that young are still in the nest there). Perhaps these were Mexican breeders? Any thoughts? Also one winter-plumaged Snowy Plover on the beach, and two Surfbirds. Mark Mark Stackhouse mark AT westwings.com from Mexico: 01-323-285-1243 (San Blas, Nayarit) 001-801-518-5618 (cellular - U.S. and Mexico) from U.S. 011-52-323-285-1243 or 1-801-518-5618 Subject: RFI: Yucatan birding guides, Playa Del Carmen From: "roam4birds" <roam4birds AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:27:03 -0000 Hello MX birders. My girlfriend and I will have a couple days to bird in the Yucatan while we are there October 21-25. We will stay in Playa del Carmen and would enjoy any suggestions/reviews on local birding guides in that area. For the most part we will just have a couple half days to bird fairly close to our lodging, but we may try to get up to Jardin Botanico Alfredo Barrera. We will not be going to Cozumel this time. Thank you very much for any help you all may offer. Mark Freeman and Carole Ludwig roam4birds AT yahoo.com Watkinsville, GA USA Subject: Isla Rasa From: Robert Straub <straub_robert AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2010 09:19:20 -0700 (PDT) Greetings amigos, I have uploaded photos from a recent trip to Isla Rasa, in the Sea of Cortez/Golfo de California, Baja California. The photos are here, on Flickr. I will probably be removing several photos soon, to clear up some memory on the account, but the full set is up now. On Isla Rasa, over 90% of the world's population of Heermann's Gulls and Elegant Terns breed. It is an amazing place. Fortunately, rats have been eliminated from the island, but the last 2 years have had low breeding seasons, mostly due to El Ni�o, but perhaps due to overfishing of sardines in the gulf, a very important food source for these two species. If you would like information on planning a visit and/or supporting the conservation/monitoring project on the island, let me know (I am not affiliated with the project, but I can put you in contact with the group). Regards, Robert Straub .................................................. Aveoptica Tienda de binoculares, telescopios, gu�as de campo, y m�s... Distribuidor autorizado en M�xico de: Eagle Optics, Vortex Optics, Kowa Prol. Alfonso Reyes No. 15 Fracc. Coapexpan Xalapa, Ver. M�xico C.P. 91070 tel. 228.818.1894 / 01.800.018.1894 aveoptica AT yahoo.com www.aveoptica.com Subject: Retraction: notable birds from the Oaxaca Coast: flamingo sp. and Blue-footed Booby From: Justyn Stahl <justyn.stahl AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2010 08:39:28 -0700 After mulling over it for a while, despite my earlier statement of "clearly flamingos", I would like to retract the report of these pink birds. At the time of the observation, I did not consider Roseate Spoonbill (I was unaware they occurred that far south). I am not sure what I saw, but spoonbill is much more likely. My apologies. Justyn Stahl On Thu, May 20, 2010 at 12:00 PM, Justyn Stahl wrote: > On Tuesday morning (18 May 2010), while birding near Zipolite, Nicole > Desnoyers and I watched as 3 flamingos flew over. Has anyone seen flamingos > along the coast of Oaxaca before? No real details could be made out other > than that they were large, very long-necked pink birds, that were clearly > flamingos. I would assume these are escapees, but from where? > > On Monday afternoon (17 May 2010), while scoping the stack from the Loma > Meditacion at Hotel Shambhala, I picked out a northbound Blue-footed Booby > flying amongst the 100s of Brown Boobies. > > > Cheers, > Justyn Stahl > San Clemente Island, CA > > Subject: Re: Mexico City birding request From: antep10 AT aol.com Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2010 20:37:32 -0400 I can attest to the fact that Rodrigo Lopez offers a quality birding experience. He can tailor an outing for you for the time you will be passing through DF (Mexico City). If you have a list of target birds, send it to him.....this will help both of you to have a good time and perhaps add some birds to your life list. Georgia Conti Lake Patzcuaro, Michoacan www.patzcuarobirder.blogspot.com -----Original Message----- From: Rodrigo U. Lopez Valdes To: Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Tue, Jul 27, 2010 7:24 pm Subject: [Mexico-Birding] Mexico City birding request Dear friends We are offering birding tours in Mexico City depending on your interest (endemics, couple hour tours, certain species, 1 whole day, 2, 3 days, small group or one guide only for you, transportation included or not, etc. Remember we have 350 species of birds waiting for you ! Kind regards Rodrigo Lopez Travelian.com.Mx +52 55 5328 8963 +52 55 1827 3552 Sent from my iPod Subject: Mexico City birding request From: "Rodrigo U. Lopez Valdes" <rodrigo AT travelian.com.mx> Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:24:17 -0500 Dear friends We are offering birding tours in Mexico City depending on your interest (endemics, couple hour tours, certain species, 1 whole day, 2, 3 days, small group or one guide only for you, transportation included or not, etc. Remember we have 350 species of birds waiting for you ! Kind regards Rodrigo Lopez Travelian.com.Mx +52 55 5328 8963 +52 55 1827 3552 Sent from my iPod Subject: Mexico City birding request From: jeff chapman <jeffchapman1 AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:14:30 -0700 (PDT) A group of us (3) will be flying through Mexico City on Friday, August 13th. We'll be arriving around noon and have a seven hour layover before flying back to the states. Is there anyone out there who would be willing to take us birding for a couple hours? I'd hate to spend the whole time at the airport... Please send responses back-channel. Regards, Jeff Chapman Illinois, US jeffchapman1 AT sbcglobal.net Subject: Fw: target birds west Mexico Mar 2011 From: Tim Brush <txbrush AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 16:35:18 -0700 (PDT) A request from an acquaintance not on Mexico-birding. Please respond to the email address below. Tim Brush Edinburg, TX ________________________________________ From: Thomas Love [tlove AT linfield.edu] Sent: Friday, July 23, 2010 3:58 PM To: Timothy Brush Subject: RE: target birds west Mexico Mar 2011 I’ve pored over trip reports, which have been rather helpful. But was wondering if people have some specific finding advice for the following species near Mazatlan and/or Pto. Vallarta (will be there in March 2011; given family needs, sites need to be close (say within an hour or so) of either M or PV): Thicket Tinamou – what chance on La Noria Road near Mazatlan, or near Pto. Vallarta? I understand they’re hard in west Mexico. Spotted Rail – any chance at Lag. Quelele? Mexican Woodnymph – near PV? (I saw the report of sighting at El Guamuchil.) Lucifer Hummingbird – near PV? San Blas Jay – apparently tough; saw report from south of PV. Laguna Quelele area? Colima Warbler – near PV, or really have to get up pretty high (e.g., Cerro San Juan)? Rosy Thrush-tanager – any specific spots nearer Pto. Vallarta (e.g., Punta Mita? I saw the report about Tecuitata, but that is too far away) or Mazatlan? Also, as we’re on a family cruise (not my idea), sharing any experience with seawatching (birds and mammals) off Baja (LA-Cabo) or at mouth of Sea of Cortez/Gulf of California between Cabo and PV/Mazatlan would be most appreciated. Many thanks in advance. Please reply offline to tlove AT linfield dot edu. Tom Love Subject: Re: Vaux's Swifts in Mexico City From: Robert Straub <straub_robert AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 12:53:48 -0700 (PDT) Hello Larry, A friend who lives in Mexico City, Gerardo del Olmo (artist/author of Bruja de Monte), has seen a roosting colony in the southern part of the city, near the UNAM campus and the UNAM's Botanical Garden. It is a large chimney, part of a former paper plant, in the Peña Pobre area. I believe it is just east of the UNAM campus. Regards, Robert .................................................. Aveoptica Tienda de binoculares, telescopios, guías de campo, y más... Distribuidor autorizado en México de: Eagle Optics, Vortex Optics, Kowa Prol. Alfonso Reyes No. 15 Fracc. Coapexpan Xalapa, Ver. México C.P. 91070 tel. 228.818.1894 / 01.800.018.1894 aveoptica AT yahoo.com www.aveoptica.com ________________________________ From: Larry Schwitters To: Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Fri, July 23, 2010 12:12:52 AM Subject: [Mexico-Birding] Vaux's Swifts in Mexico City Does anyone have any information on Vaux's Swift communal roosting activity in and around Mexico City? Larry Larry Schwitters Project Coordination Audubon Vaux's Happening vauxshappening.org Subject: Re: san blas, nayarit From: "Kevin S." <kevmsharp AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 08:16:36 -0700 (PDT) Check with Mark Stackhouse. He has been living and guiding in the San Blas area for years. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I spent a little time in San Blas last year. The birding there is really tremendous. I wasn't able to use Mark's services but we did correspond. I would definitely look him up next time. We hired a boat to take us to "Elephant Rock". THAT is highly recommended (Humpback Whales and Whale Sharks, in addition to wonderful birds and photo ops). A boat trip into the mangroves too is very highly recommended. All in all, it was a very memorable trip! -Kevin S. Subject: Re: san blas, nayarit From: Robert Straub <straub_robert AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:49:03 -0700 (PDT) Hello Mary Ann, Check with Mark Stackhouse. He has been living and guiding in the San Blas area for years. Email: westwings AT sisna.com Regards, Robert .................................................. Aveoptica Tienda de binoculares, telescopios, gu�as de campo, y m�s... Distribuidor autorizado en M�xico de: Eagle Optics, Vortex Optics, Kowa Xalapa, Ver. M�xico C.P. 91070 tel. 228.818.1894 / 01.800.018.1894 aveoptica AT yahoo.com www.aveoptica.com Subject: Vaux's Swifts in Mexico City From: Larry Schwitters <leschwitters AT me.com> Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 22:12:52 -0700 Does anyone have any information on Vaux's Swift communal roosting activity in and around Mexico City? Larry Larry Schwitters Project Coordination Audubon Vaux's Happening vauxshappening.org Subject: san blas, nayarit From: "Mary Ann" <maryannie.wood AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2010 04:51:48 -0000 can someone give me a name of someone that I could contact to take me and my husband on a bird watching "tour" in the San Blas area - we are in the PV area for 5 months - November-March; if someone has some down time and would spend a few hours with us, that would be great - we would just find a place to stay in San Blas for a couple nights. I am totally a beginner "birder" - just know the real well know species. (oh yea, my spanish is minimal so they would have to speak English) Mary Ann Wood Camas, Washington and PV for 5 months Subject: year correction! From: Tim Brush <txbrush AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:39:35 -0700 (PDT) Whoops--meant to write midMay 2011! Subject: RFI Yucatan in mid-May 2010 From: Tim Brush <txbrush AT sbcglobal.net> Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:34:43 -0700 (PDT) Hi everyone, I had a good trip to the Yucatan in January 2009 (data on ebird) and am now planning another trip, in midMay 2010. I'll be visiting various Mayan sites around Uxmal (Puuc area). I'll be mainly studying nesting orioles and other birds that build hanging nests.�I've done as much background work as possible but am having a little trouble finding information about the timing of the main nesting season.�In�southern Texas, where I live, nesting will be well underway by then.�Should this also be a good time for Altamira Orioles, etc., in�Yucatan, or should I wait another month? Also, there are a lot of ex-haciendas south of Merida and north of the Uxmal area. Are there any that are particularly good for forest/edge birds like orioles? Thanks in advance,� Tim Brush Edinburg, TX Subject: Re: Bar-winged Oriole nest info? From: Robert Straub <straub_robert AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 09:42:59 -0700 (PDT) Hello Jon, I'll forward the message to the Mexican ornithology group (Ornitologica_de_Mexico). Regards, Robert Xalapa, Veracruz .................................................. Subject: Bar-winged Oriole nest info? From: Jon King <calyptura AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2010 09:24:11 -0700 (PDT) Hi all, � Howell and Webb (1995) appears to indicate that the nest and eggs of the Bar-winged Oriole (Icterus maculialatus) were undescribed at the time of their work. The Cornell site Neotropical Birds has no account for this species. Does anyone on this group have any further info or suggestions as to potential sources regarding a nest or egg description for this species? Could someone on this group kindly forward this request to the Mexican Ornithology email group on my behalf? � Many thanks indeed, Jon. � San Cristobal de las Casa, Chiapas. Subject: Rare birds in June-July From: "Michael L. P. Retter" <mlretter AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 11 Jul 2010 08:22:40 -0700 (PDT) Hello, everyone. If any of you has locally rare bird sightings or photos from the previous 5-6 weeks you'd like to contribute for the next ABA Sightings column, we'd love to receive them. Please reply to me by the morning of the 13th.�Thanks a bunch to those who have submitted stuff in the past! To see how we use sightings of birds in Mexico in the magazine, check out this past column, which includes Mexico's first record of Little Bunting. http://www.aba.org/birding/v40n6p24.pdf Good birding, Michael L. P. Retter ------------ --------- --------- --- W. Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN mlretter AT yahoo.com home: 765.838.3152 cell: 309.824.7317 http://xenospiza.com/ ------------ --------- --------- --- Subject: Sonora News: Nesting Elegant Euphonias and Grayish Saltator From: David MacKay <mackaymouse AT gmail.com> Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2010 10:34:55 -0700 Hello everyone Happy to make my first post on Mexico Birds by reporting the discovery last week by the WFO / Sonora Joint Venture "Bird Blitz" Nesting Elegant Euphonia's near Rancho Santa Barbara in the Sierra Madre east of the town of Alamos. The nest was photo documented by Carl Lumholtz. We believe this is the first nesting record for the state and probably the most northern for this species. Grayish Saltator continues to expand into Sonora with sighting becoming more common in the Alamos Area including two nesting pairs at present. Best David MacKay Subject: recent recordings From: Jon King <calyptura AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2010 09:32:01 -0700 (PDT) Having ironed out some minor technical difficulties, my mediocre recordings of some of the species mentioned in earlier postings have now been placed on xeno-canto: Sinaloa Martin calls from Michoacan XC 56305 + 56306 Black-polled Yellowthroat XC 56309 chapalensis "Common" Yellowthroat XC 56307 White-throated Flycatcher call XC 56308 � Cheers, Jon. Subject: Laguna Cuitzeo, Michoacán From: Jon King <calyptura AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2010 07:06:35 -0700 (PDT)   On our way east from Tacámbaro, we stopped at the eastern end of Lago de Cuitzeo to look for Black-polled Yellowthroats among other species. While it is possible to stop and bird off the cuota, even early on a Sunday morning there was a significant amount of traffic along this highway, so we looked for a quieter (and safer) option. We found an excellent site just west of Zinapecuaro, and birded there on the morning of 20 June. Hopefully this spot may be useful to others passing through this area. At the main road junction on the west side of Zinapecuaro is Pemex station number 7032. (If you have a vehicle in which you can sleep, it is free to do so at this Pemex station, where they have bathrooms with showers and good parking areas). From here we drove about 7.5km west on Hwy 120 to the pueblo of San Bernardo. In the pueblo at KM34.0 there is a turning to the north (right) marked to Coro, which is short for San Bartolome Coro. This road goes north then back east. We took this until just before the KM3.0 marker, where there is a dirt track on the left (lake) side that goes sharply back west. You can walk or drive down this for about 150m to the railway tracks. In the Arundo-like reeds here, we had at least two White-throated Flycatchers. In several places in this area we had Common Yellowthroats of the distinctive taxon chapalensis. The male plumage and song is somewhat intermediate between “classic” Common Yellowthroat and Altimira Yellowthroat, the song being simpler and slower than the former. In a brief and completely non-scientific playback experiment, these yellowthroats did not respond to songs of either Common or Altimira yellowthroats, and it may be that they are on their way to becoming a separate species, if they haven’t got there already. From here we walked west along the railway tracks to just west of a bridge where the cuota goes over the railway (N 19 53 47.1, W 100 53 54.6). Here we could get close enough to the lake edge reedbeds to hear then get superb views of several male (and one female) Black-polled Yellowthroats, which seem to occur mainly in the Typha, and not in the closer Arundo-type vegetation. Also here we saw male Least Bittern. In several places we had Cinnamon-rumped Seedeaters, and oddly (given the habitat) Canyon Wrens were everywhere on the slopes, bridges, and buildings. [Unfortunately due to software problems I can’t currently upload my recordings of several of these species to xeno-canto, but I will do so as soon as poss] Cheers, Jon. Subject: White-fronted Swifts at Tacámbaro, Michoacán From: Jon King <calyptura AT yahoo.com> Date: Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:23:08 -0700 (PDT) From 16-19 June we spent three days searching for and then attempting to study the enigmatic White-fronted Swift (Cyseloides storeri) at Tacámbaro, SSW of Morelia, Michoacán. The weather was very mixed, but the extensive cloud of varying heights for about two-and-a-half of the three days, and occasional rain, were certainly very beneficial for viewing swifts.   We concentrated our efforts at Salta Santa Paula on the NNE side of town, the location from which three of the five specimens of this taxon were collected (in July 1979). It appears that no-one has attempted to follow-up this taxon at this location in the months of June-August, when breeding has been speculated to occur. (Despite searches nearby, we saw very few swifts elsewhere, and no birds showing characters of White-fronted.)     Access to the bottom of the waterfall is roughly described in the Howell site guide. There is now a huge inactive quarry at the bottom of the small gorge below the waterfall, making it impossible to miss as you drive past town (N 19 14 36.0, W 101 27 18.4). Watching from here on the morning of 17th I had lengthy observations of up to three small Cypesloides swifts, the jizz and calls of which made me suspect they were White-fronteds. Views were only from below, and I quickly determined that much better viewing is possible from near the top of the cascada.   To get to this point, go about 300m back up the main road and there is a turning on the uphill slope that goes up a steep cemented road. This crests after about 250m at a tiny bridge, which is basically the top of the falls. I mainly watched from among the rocks off the road, just south of the top of the main cascada (N 19 14 44.5, W 101 27 18.9).   The turning is easily found by the blue-gated “Video Motel” on the corner. (Although a rather rundown “hotel de paso”, the owner was very helpful, and let us park our rig in a quiet grassy corner for only 30 pesos a night, just a three minute walk from the top of the cascada!)   Basically swifts of one species or more were present in the gorge of the waterfall on/off for about two hours after dawn and again for a couple of hours before sunset, at least on the cloudy days (which was all of them except for our last morning). The viewing from the top of the falls was superb, with swifts frequently at or below eye level, often against the opposite hillside as a background, and at distances down to 20m. In the evening especially the lighting was superb, being largely from behind as viewing was mainly between E and S. At times four species were present together - White-naped (up to 20), Black (6), Chestnut-collared (at least 11), and birds showing characters of White-fronted (2-4) - but occasionally and for no apparent reason only one species would be present at any one time.   On the evening of 17th at 1940 I had excellent views of one White-fronted Swift in light rain, having had a suspected two associating with Chestnut-collared Swifts. On the evening of 18th, I had superb views of at least two, and probably up to four, White-fronted Swifts, on and off between 1850 and 2022. They were usually (but not always) seen in association with Chestnut-collareds, which provided some excellent side-by-side comparisons of structure, behaviour, and calls. On 18th at least one pair was seen in apparent courtship flights.   Despite many efforts, I was frustrated not to get a recording of the call of the species, which I believe has never previously been described, a short, clipped, buzzy insect-like call, that I transcribed as “tzee-tzee-tzee-tzee”, shorter and less “electrical” than Chestnut-collared. There was just too much noise of trucks, dogs, rain, other birds, etc., and recording swifts is tough at the best of times.   Even under these near-perfect viewing conditions - birds at or below eye level at 20-100m with excellent neutral light and a background - the white on the chin and forehead is hard to see, and it was only with multiple passes of individuals that I was able to see this feature a few times (once on 17th, several times on 18th). In contrast the extensive sandy/off-white foreheads of Black Swifts were easily seen on every pass. Jizz features were very useful in separating White-fronteds from Chestnut-collareds (Blacks were so different in size and structure as to not be an ID concern).    There was no current evidence of breeding by any swift species under the cascada, although it was only dribbling on 16th and 17th, until heavy overnight and morning rain on 17th/18th after which it ran well, and seemed to generate a lot more activity among all the swifts. The owner of the house nearest the cascada indicated that “the birds” don’t show up until the falls are running. While this was clearly a simplification, we may have been lucky to have arrived in the area just as the rainy season was beginning (as with everywhere we have been in western and northern Mexico in the past two months, the locals said the rains were late this year).   Fuller details of the observations of White-fronted Swift will be published elsewhere, as they appear to be only the third field observation of this taxon (to the best of my knowledge). In the meantime I wanted to get this info out in case anyone has the chance to follow up on these sightings, or has additional information about past sightings of which I am unaware.   Cheers, Jon. Zinapecuaro, Mich. Subject: Ethnoornithology abstracts from the 12th ICE, Tofino, BC From: "Robert Gosford" <bgosford AT gmail.com> Date: Sun, 13 Jun 2010 10:53:34 -0000 Dear all, Just a note to advise of the new post at my Crikey blog, the Northern Myth that presents the abstracts from the recent ethnoornithology symposium at the 12th International Congress of Ethnobiology at Tofino, British Columbia. You can see the abstracts for the 8 papers presented at the symposium here The papers include two from Australia and another two from New Zealand and one from Kenya and Cameroon respectively. Cheers and best in birds and birding... -- Bob Gosford Moderator Ethnoornithology Research & Study Group http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Ethnoornithology/ Subject: RFI: rare Mexico birds in May-June From: "Michael L. P. Retter" <mlretter AT yahoo.com> Date: Tue, 8 Jun 2010 12:25:04 -0700 (PDT) Hello, everyone. If any of you has locally�rare bird sightings�or photos from the previous 5-6 weeks you'd like to contribute for the next ABA Sightings column, we'd love to receive them. Please reply with them by the 12th of the month. Thanks a bunch to those who have submitted stuff in the past! To see how we use sightings of birds in�Mexico�in the magazine, check out this past column, which includes Mexico's first record of�Little Bunting. http://www.aba.org/birding/v40n6p24.pdf Good birding, Michael L. P. Retter --------------------------------- W. Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN mlretter AT�yahoo.com home:�765.838.3152 cell:�309.824.7317 http://xenospiza. com/ Tour Leader, Tropical Birding http://www.tropical�birding.com/ --------------------------------- Subject: Sinaloa Martins along Michoacán coast From: Jon King <calyptura AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2010 13:25:52 -0700 (PDT) I wanted to report some Sinaloa Martins that we had along the Michoacán coast road at 1415-1515 on 1st June 2010. There were fewer than ten associating with perhaps as many as 20 Grey-breasted Martins, all of which were over and around a bushfire that was burning near the highway.   The exact location was at KM129.9 between Maruata and Tizupan on Highway 200 (N 18 14 07.4, W 103 14 03.5, elev. 139m). The fire was well down the coastal slope of the road and creating a huge plume of smoke that passed well above the highway. The martins ranged from about highway level to very high altitude, all feeding and circling in and around the smoke column. Such behaviour is typical in some bird groups and in some areas where bushfires are a more common and natural part of the environment (as we have seen many times in Australia, for example).   We had excellent views of at least two male and about six female-type Sinaloa Martins (numbers were hard to confirm with many more Grey-breasteds milling around), and I got one good recording of a call from a female (or female-type) Sinaloa Martin that will be posted to xeno-canto.org shortly.   Fortunately this is a species with which I have become very familiar in recent weeks, having studing the colony at KM211 on the Durango Highway for a few days in early May (see earlier MB posting) and having watched them for several more days in late May at Rancho Primavera, near El Tuito, Jalisco.   A little later some of the martins (predominantly Grey-breasteds) were flying below eye level around the sea cliffs at the major pullout at KM128.8, and this briefly included superb views of two female Sinaloas.   When we returned to the area from about 1720 onwards later the same day, there were no Sinaloa Martins despite extensive checking, although a reduced number of Grey-breasteds remained around the sea cliffs at KM128.8 (where they presumably breed).     This appears to be the first report of Sinaloa Martin for coastal Michoacán, and perhaps only the second known record for the state. However, this part of Mexico doubtless receives extremely little birding coverage, so the species’ true status here is presumably unknown.   Cheers, Jon.   Jon King Zihuantenejo, Gro. Subject: Puerto Los Mazos #10, Autlán, Jalisco From: Jon King <calyptura AT yahoo.com> Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2010 10:28:00 -0700 (PDT) I wanted to give a quick access update for this excellent site off Highway 80 a few kms south of Autlán, where we spent the afternoon and following morning of 25-26 May 2010.   We found the access track at KM169.1 off the highway in late afternoon. Compared to the description in the Howell site guide, there are now a couple of tiendas either side of the track on the east side of the highway, so the main forestry buildings are not really apparent until you drive between the tiendas. We found the gate locked and nobody around any of the buildings. This proved very fortuitous, as we birded right around the gate for an hour or so finding a superb feeding flock of at least 12 Mexican Parrotlets close to eye level, which we ended up watching, recording, and photographing on and off all evening.   Eventually a truck load of forestry guys arrived. They were super friendly but explained that they could not open the gate, and directed us to speak to a chap at the tienda (who also appeared to work for forestry and arrived with them). He was equally helpful, but very apologetic that he could not open the gate without us having a written permit. This is issued in Autlán - the ‘phone number he gave me was 33316001620, if anyone more local wanted to pursue it.   Nevertheless, this permit appeared to relate only to opening the gate for vehicle access, and everyone seemed completely fine with our plan to walk up to the top the next morning. The chaps back at the forestry building were kind enough to let us camp off the highway right near the gate, complete with ensuite parrotlets!  The parrotlets eventually roosted in the thicker trees right behind the forestry building. Incidentally, the forestry guys all fairly quickly donned uniforms and deserted the place for the night, leaving us with all their dogs for great security.   The next morning we walked up from the gate before dawn and we got to excellent forest habitat in only 35-40 minutes, so having the gate open is really unnecessary anyway. We found the expected birds (see Howell list) and our personal targets fairly easily, except Long-tailed Wood Partridge, which were not calling whatsoever (our experience elsewhere in late May). Amethyst-throated Hummingbird was very straightforward (and offered superb eye level views) in the forest along the ridge just below the towers.   In conclusion, it is probably more trouble than it is worth to get the gate opened, as walking and birding up and down is both productive and straightforward. If you arrived and found the gate open I wouldn’t recommend driving through as it may well be locked with no-one around to open it on your return!   Finally, the reason the sign from the Autlán direction says “Puerto Los Mazos 10” is because that is the name of the microondas complex, as a sign outside the main antenna clearly states. The 10 has nothing to do with the distance up to the towers (Howell mistakenly implies an error on the sign).   Cheers, Jon.   Jon King Zihuantenejo, Gro. Subject: RE: Digest Number 1003 From: "Lethaby, Nick" <nlethaby AT ti.com> Date: Fri, 21 May 2010 15:33:53 -0500 All: The status of BF Booby is somewhat represented in Howell and Webb. I have found them regular off Ixtapa, Guerrero during November visits so it clearly occurs much more regularly to the south of the range shown in this book. The Oaxaca sightings below tend to support the fact that it is probably rare but regular there as well. Nick ________________________________ From: Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com] Sent: Friday, May 21, 2010 12:43 AM To: Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [Mexico-Birding] Digest Number 1003 Mexico Birding Messages In This Digest (2 Messages) 1. notable birds from the Oaxaca Coast: flamingo sp. and Blue-footed Bo From: Justyn Stahl 2. Fw: Re: [Mexico-Birding] notable birds from the Oaxaca Coast: flamin From: Eric Antonio Martinez View All Topics | Create New Topic Messages 1. notable birds from the Oaxaca Coast: flamingo sp. and Blue-footed Bo Posted by: "Justyn Stahl" justyn.stahl AT gmail.com melanerpes13 Thu May 20, 2010 12:04 pm (PDT) On Tuesday morning (18 May 2010), while birding near Zipolite, Nicole Desnoyers and I watched as 3 flamingos flew over. Has anyone seen flamingos along the coast of Oaxaca before? No real details could be made out other than that they were large, very long-necked pink birds, that were clearly flamingos. I would assume these are escapees, but from where? On Monday afternoon (17 May 2010), while scoping the stack from the Loma Meditacion at Hotel Shambhala, I picked out a northbound Blue-footed Booby flying amongst the 100s of Brown Boobies. Cheers, Justyn Stahl San Clemente Island, CA Back to top Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post Messages in this topic (1) 2. Fw: Re: [Mexico-Birding] notable birds from the Oaxaca Coast: flamin Posted by: "Eric Antonio Martinez" mirmidons_1987 AT yahoo.com mirmidons_1987 Thu May 20, 2010 12:26 pm (PDT) Dear Justyn I Have birded the Oaxacan coast several times, the flamingos sounds great, but is there a chance of them beeing Roseate Spoonbills instead of Flamingos? the blue footed boobie has been spoted in the Oaxacan Coast several times, you can see the reports here http://ebird.org/ebird/GuideMe?speciesCodes=bfoboo&reportType=species&bMonth=01&bYear=2006&eMonth=12&eYear=2010&parentState=MX-OAX&countries=MX&states=MX-OAX&getLocations=states&continue.x=73&continue.y=7&continue=t Eric Antonio Martinez Oaxaca, Mexico Find out more about me here: http://www.oaxacanatureadventuretours.com/ --- On Thu, 5/20/10, Justyn Stahl > wrote: From: Justyn Stahl > Subject: [Mexico-Birding] notable birds from the Oaxaca Coast: flamingo sp. and Blue-footed Booby To: Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com Date: Thursday, May 20, 2010, 2:00 PM On Tuesday morning (18 May 2010), while birding near Zipolite, Nicole Desnoyers and I watched as 3 flamingos flew over. Has anyone seen flamingos along the coast of Oaxaca before? No real details could be made out other than that they were large, very long-necked pink birds, that were clearly flamingos. I would assume these are escapees, but from where? On Monday afternoon (17 May 2010), while scoping the stack from the Loma Meditacion at Hotel Shambhala, I picked out a northbound Blue-footed Booby flying amongst the 100s of Brown Boobies. Cheers, Justyn Stahl San Clemente Island, CA Back to top Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post Messages in this topic (1) Recent Activity * 1 New Members Visit Your Group Stay on top of your group activity with Yahoo! Toolbar Yahoo! Finance It's Now Personal Guides, news, advice & more. Cat Groups on Yahoo! Groups discuss everything related to cats. Need to Reply? Click one of the "Reply" links to respond to a specific message in the Daily Digest. 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Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Subject: buscando guias From: Manuel Grosselet <birdinnet AT yahoo.com.mx> Date: Fri, 21 May 2010 01:54:13 -0700 (PDT) Hola / Hi Estoy buscando guias que trabajan por estos lugares / I am looking for bird guide for these sites Acapulco, Guerrero Chihuahua, Chihuahua Reserva de la Sierra de san Francisco en Baja California. Gracias de indicarme referencias de gente que sepan de aves./ Thanks to give me good tips, for good birder guide able to take people to bird around). Saludos/ All the Best manuel www.tierradeaves.com Subject: Fw: Re: notable birds from the Oaxaca Coast: flamingo sp. and Blue-footed Booby From: Eric Antonio Martinez <mirmidons_1987 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 20 May 2010 12:16:27 -0700 (PDT) Dear Justyn I Have birded the Oaxacan coast several times, the flamingos sounds great, but is there a chance of them beeing Roseate Spoonbills instead of Flamingos? the blue footed boobie has been spoted in the Oaxacan Coast several times, you can see the reports here http://ebird.org/ebird/GuideMe?speciesCodes=bfoboo&reportType=species&bMonth=01&bYear=2006&eMonth=12&eYear=2010&parentState=MX-OAX&countries=MX&states=MX-OAX&getLocations=states&continue.x=73&continue.y=7&continue=t Eric Antonio Martinez Oaxaca, Mexico Find out more about me here: http://www.oaxacanatureadventuretours.com/ --- On Thu, 5/20/10, Justyn Stahl wrote: From: Justyn Stahl Subject: [Mexico-Birding] notable birds from the Oaxaca Coast: flamingo sp. and Blue-footed Booby To: Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com Date: Thursday, May 20, 2010, 2:00 PM   On Tuesday morning (18 May 2010), while birding near Zipolite, Nicole Desnoyers and I watched as 3 flamingos flew over. Has anyone seen flamingos along the coast of Oaxaca before? No real details could be made out other than that they were large, very long-necked pink birds, that were clearly flamingos. I would assume these are escapees, but from where? On Monday afternoon (17 May 2010), while scoping the stack from the Loma Meditacion at Hotel Shambhala, I picked out a northbound Blue-footed Booby flying amongst the 100s of Brown Boobies. Cheers, Justyn Stahl San Clemente Island, CA Subject: Fw: Re: notable birds from the Oaxaca Coast: flamingo sp. and Blue-footed Booby From: Eric Antonio Martinez <mirmidons_1987 AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 20 May 2010 12:16:27 -0700 (PDT) Dear Justyn I Have birded the Oaxacan coast several times, the flamingos sounds great, but is there a chance of them beeing Roseate Spoonbills instead of Flamingos? the blue footed boobie has been spoted in the Oaxacan Coast several times, you can see the reports here http://ebird.org/ebird/GuideMe?speciesCodes=bfoboo&reportType=species&bMonth=01&bYear=2006&eMonth=12&eYear=2010&parentState=MX-OAX&countries=MX&states=MX-OAX&getLocations=states&continue.x=73&continue.y=7&continue=t Eric Antonio Martinez Oaxaca, Mexico Find out more about me here: http://www.oaxacanatureadventuretours.com/ --- On Thu, 5/20/10, Justyn Stahl wrote: From: Justyn Stahl Subject: [Mexico-Birding] notable birds from the Oaxaca Coast: flamingo sp. and Blue-footed Booby To: Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com Date: Thursday, May 20, 2010, 2:00 PM   On Tuesday morning (18 May 2010), while birding near Zipolite, Nicole Desnoyers and I watched as 3 flamingos flew over. Has anyone seen flamingos along the coast of Oaxaca before? No real details could be made out other than that they were large, very long-necked pink birds, that were clearly flamingos. I would assume these are escapees, but from where? On Monday afternoon (17 May 2010), while scoping the stack from the Loma Meditacion at Hotel Shambhala, I picked out a northbound Blue-footed Booby flying amongst the 100s of Brown Boobies. Cheers, Justyn Stahl San Clemente Island, CA Subject: notable birds from the Oaxaca Coast: flamingo sp. and Blue-footed Booby From: Justyn Stahl <justyn.stahl AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 20 May 2010 12:00:44 -0700 On Tuesday morning (18 May 2010), while birding near Zipolite, Nicole Desnoyers and I watched as 3 flamingos flew over. Has anyone seen flamingos along the coast of Oaxaca before? No real details could be made out other than that they were large, very long-necked pink birds, that were clearly flamingos. I would assume these are escapees, but from where? On Monday afternoon (17 May 2010), while scoping the stack from the Loma Meditacion at Hotel Shambhala, I picked out a northbound Blue-footed Booby flying amongst the 100s of Brown Boobies. Cheers, Justyn Stahl San Clemente Island, CA Subject: update on Sinaloa Martins at KM211 Durango Hwy From: Jon King <calyptura AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 15:07:34 -0700 (PDT)   Between 10-14 May, I visited the Sinaloa Martin colony at KM211 on the Durango Highway on two evenings and three mornings. This site has been occupied annually since 2007, and perhaps before, probably at least March-July, and in one year even in February. We had martins on all five visits, with six birds - two females and four males - at any one time on four of those five visits.   I was able to get some mediocre recordings which are posted at www.xeno-canto.org (search Sinaloa Martin), that are the first to be posted there, and there is even some discussion as to whether these may the first ever recordings for this species. Many of the vocalisations were structurally and functionally similar to Purple Martin, although a little higher pitched on average, and the song less complex.   In terms of viewing these birds, early morning (up to about 0830, or two hours after sunrise) or late evening from 1745 onwards, is essential. The birds were courting and carrying nest material to cavities at this time in this year, and they disappeared, presumably to very high altitudes to feed, and were not visible at all between 0830 and about 1800. They broke roost each of the three mornings just when the sun hit the cliff (about 0635-0640), which was about ten minutes after “official” sunrise for this location (due to hills to the east), before steadily disappearing upwards by about 0830.   In the evening, birds were heard first before they were seen, and then they materialised from way above and behind the cliff at 1757 and 1754 on 10th and 11th, respectively. On one evening, four martins were either perched or flying around the cliff for about an hour before going to roost, on the other they did not reappear until nearly 1900, and then were perched until after dark (sunset at 1925).   We found a great area to camp well off the highway at KM212.1 on the east side of the road. A pull-off there goes down to the improbably-named pueblito of La Laguna.  Initially the track opens out into a flat glade which was perfect for camping. We got permission from the La Laguna folk, which was useful as we were twice challenged by visitors to the pueblo, but they were completely happy once they knew we had permission. The camp was a good base even to bird the excellent La Pataca road much lower down, and the glade area itself produced Aztec Thrush, White-striped Woodcreeper, Black-headed Siskin, Tufted Jay, and Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, among other things.   Cheers, Jon   Jon King currently near Teacapan, Sinaloa Subject: Sierra Madre Sparrows in Durango From: Jon King <calyptura AT yahoo.com> Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 11:10:03 -0700 (PDT) As we were coming down the Durango Highway from Zacatecas via Durango City last week we decided to try for Sierra Madre Sparrow at their (relatively) recently rediscovered location at Ejido Ojo de Agua del Cazador in Durango. If this has been covered before on M-B my apologies for the redundancy. I believe this is the only known site for the subpopulation of the species in the Sierra Madre Occidental. The only info we had to go on was from the paper that published the rediscovery (Bird Conservation International 16:25-32).   Folks might find this Durango site useful as many are birding further west on the Durango Highway anyway, and some may find it more secure than the alternatives (there was an armed robbery of birders at the stakeout at La Cima, D. F., just a couple of weeks after I first saw Sierra Madre Sparrows there in Sept 2006).   Incidentally, the cuota is largely complete and in use from Durango to near El Salto, and although there is massive construction underway all the way west, it looks like it will be a couple of years at least before it is complete through to Mazatlan. Once it is, a good option if coming from the west would be to take the cuota east to El Salto, get on the libre there and try for SM Sparrows, and then bird back west down the libre.   We found the turning for the Ejido well signed at KM85.2 on the north side of the libre. (The next day upon our departure we found the single chain across the cattle grid closed but unlocked, but we asked and you do not permission to go into the Ejido.) The pueblo itself is 1.7km down the dirt track. Initially we carried on through and were trying to use the GPS to find the right turning when a pick-up came by. Long story short, it contained most of the Castro family, who are the only ones in the village who know exactly where the sparrows are!   Don Julio Castro is the Comisariado Ejidal (head of the ejido), very friendly and helpful. He agreed to let us camp overnight at the sparrow site so that I could get some recordings and study the birds for a while. For future reference, the Castros house is not on the front row of houses, but on the next row back and to the right. Just ask for Don Julio or the Castros anywhere in the village, it’s a tiny place. Note that the birds are called gorrioncillos by the ejido folk, but they understand the "official" Gorrion serrano as well.   At the suggestion of Sra. Castro we took their two boys Jose (late teens) and Jesus (early teens), and Jose showed us the valley where the sparrows occur below the small presa 5.3km from the pueblo. We could have found it ourselves, but the catch is you have to go through a military campo de tiro (firing range) to get from the pueblo to the sparrow valley, and you have to have someone from the ejido with you initially, otherwise you would not be able to get past the soldados. After the boys had shown us the spot we dropped them back at the village, and went back out to the valley. At this point the soldiers knew we had ejido permission (likewise for the next morning).   A high clearance vehicle is strongly recommended (very rocky in places), and vehicle access may be tricky after recent rain.   We spent all afternoon of 8th May and the entire next morning until noon at the site. We found a minimum of eight individual sparrows: two established pairs, two unpaired singing males, and unpaired female, and another non-singing but presumed male. Although it was mild in the afternoon, most of the birds were very elusive until near dusk, but the males sang heartily for a few hours in the morning (it was only 4 degrees C at dawn, here at nearly 2400m).   My recordings of the three males that sang well on the morning of 9th May, plus a brief call sequence from the previous evening, are posted at www.xeno-canto.org (just search for Sierra Madre Sparrow), with the exact GPS locations in the comments. These are the first recordings posted there from Durango birds (and maybe the only recordings of this subpopulation at all?).   As we were (very tangentially) associated with the researchers who originally rediscovered the sparrows here, and we spent some time in the Castro’s house playing recordings, looking at photos and discussing the birds, they never charged us for going to look for the sparrows, but we gave their two lads a healthy tip each anyway. I think it is essential that birders make a significant “donation” to the ejido if they look for the birds here, so that the local folk are invested, both literally and figuratively, in preserving the site. I would estimate that a minimum of P500 per visit and at least P1000 for a group would be a very modest amount for western birders to contribute.   Don Julio Castro gave me his mobile number: 675 100 8075 (Spanish only, of course). There is probably no particular need to make any arrangements in advance, as someone is always likely to be around who could show you the spot.   If anyone would like any further info please feel free to drop me a message privately.   Cheers, Jon.   Jon King Teacapan, Sinaloa Subject: Article on birding history in Mexico From: Amy McAndrews <aemcandrews AT yahoo.ca> Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:08:29 -0700 (PDT) Hola MX birders, I just saw this posted on avesdemexico.net, thought it might be of interest to some (note: it's in Spanish): http://www.huitzil.net/HUITZIL_2009-123.pdf Saludos and good birding, Amy McAndrews Xalapa, Veracruz Subject: Oaxaca Fulvous Owl Recording From: Rich Hoyer <birdernaturalist AT me.com> Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2010 12:22:25 -0700 Hi All, I forgot to mention that I uploaded my recording to xeno-canto.org. To hear it, compare it to Jesse Fagan's recording from Guatemala, and to download it, go to http://www.xeno-canto.org/america/browse.php?query=fulvous+owl . Good Birding, Rich --- Rich Hoyer Tucson, Arizona http://birdernaturalist.blogspot.com/ Senior Leader for WINGS http://wingsbirds.com --- Subject: Fulvous Owl in Oaxaca From: Rich Hoyer <birdernaturalist AT me.com> Date: Wed, 21 Apr 2010 11:26:21 -0700 Hi All, Sorry for this belated post, but I got distracted while it was still news. Better late than never. While leading a WINGS tour last month on March 20, I heard and saw the "Barred Owl" on Cerro San Felipe above Oaxaca on. I first heard this bird here in 2004, but did not obtain recordings then. Little did I know that there were no recent records from there. Very people have heard or seen this bird since then, and as far as I know, no photos or recordings have been obtained. This time, one of the participants got a decent photo, and I got recording of the bird. While I haven't had a chance to compare the photo to known specimens from the region, the tawny highlights and the voice are clear enough for me to consider this bird to be Fulvous Owl, Strix fulvescens, not Barred Owl. I will be writing up a short note on this for publication when I get a chance to compare the photo to specimens. The location was at about Km 3.5-3.8 on the road to the west from La Cumbre, or about 300 meters east of the big power line cut down to the right near Km 4. Keep in mind that there is a NP$50 charge to enter the area for birding. It would be great if others birding in the area could get better photos and also find additional locations of this bird. There still remains the possibility that "Barred Owl" (i.e. non- Fulvous Owl Strix species) also occurs in these mountains or at least other areas in Oaxaxa. Good Birding, Rich --- Rich Hoyer Tucson, Arizona http://birdernaturalist.blogspot.com/ Senior Leader for WINGS http://wingsbirds.com --- Subject: Re: Costa Rica birding information? From: Steve Semanchuk <dosgecos AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 20 Apr 2010 07:16:42 -0400 Another place to try is the Central America section at BirdForum: http://birdforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=552 My wife and I went in December and I posted a trip report there: http://birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=160995 There has been at least one other CR trip report since then. The CR forum is very responsive. I hadn't seen your group David but I'll check out the archives. A couple of birding blogs (in English) from CR: http://birdsforbeer.wordpress.com/ (Paul Pickering) http://birdingcraft.com/wordpress/ (Patrick O'Donnell) Steve Semanchuk Weaverville, NC On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 9:47 PM, judd.mike wrote: > > > Sorry to be off topic but are there any analogous groups for birding in > Costa Rica? Any other sources? Thanks, > Mike Judd > Dunedin, FL > > > Subject: Re: Costa Rica birding information? From: David Sarkozi <david AT sarkozi.net> Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2010 20:57:27 -0500 I have a group, http://listserv.uh.edu/archives/neobird.html that is devoted to birding in all the neotropics. Its not very busy and the traffic would be welcome On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 8:47 PM, judd.mike wrote: > > > Sorry to be off topic but are there any analogous groups for birding in > Costa Rica? Any other sources? Thanks, > Mike Judd > Dunedin, FL > > > -- David Sarkozi Houston, TX (713) 412-4409 twitter ID dsarkozi Subject: Costa Rica birding information? From: "judd.mike" <ebwilderae AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 20 Apr 2010 01:47:43 -0000 Sorry to be off topic but are there any analogous groups for birding in Costa Rica? Any other sources? Thanks, Mike Judd Dunedin, FL Subject: Re: Money exchance in Mexico From: "Kevin S." <kevmsharp AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:11:29 -0700 (PDT) Although this is probably not a common event, I had over $1000 dollars of fraudulent charges made on my ATM after using to extract money from an ATM in Cancun . This was clearly perpetrated by someone inside the banking system who was able to get access to the PIN code. So it might be better to go through the hassle of traveler’s checks or just getting the pesos in the USA . ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Over the years we've honed it down to a combination of traveler's checks and credit/debit cards and only start the trip out with enough cash to get us there and to an ATM, bank or casa de cambio. Prior to a recent trip to Colombia we set up a temporary account at our credit union. It had a predetermined amount deposited in it and its own PIN number and everything. We withdrew money from it along the way and never needed to use our credit card (which we had too in case of emergency). It was all for damage control -the account was deactivated once we returned, so no surprises down the line (theoretically and at least not thus far). While we were away we could be in touch with the credit union easily via phone or email. Finding an ATM there that actually accepted the card was one thing but at least our regular account # and PIN # weren't floating around for someone to use. The most anyone would potentially get was whatever was left in that account until we came home (which, by the time we came home, wasn't a lot!) -Kevin S. Subject: Money exchance in Mexico From: "Lethaby, Nick" <nlethaby AT ti.com> Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:07:11 -0500 All: Although this is probably not a common event, I had over $1000 dollars of fraudulent charges made on my ATM after using to extract money from an ATM in Cancun. This was clearly perpetrated by someone inside the banking system who was able to get access to the PIN code. So it might be better to go through the hassle of traveler's checks or just getting the pesos in the USA. I am pretty surprised that such an order has come down given that US Dollars were freely accepted everywhere around Cancun. This will certainly inconvenience US tourists as well as acting as a reminder of drug-related violence in the country, which is not exactly what tourists want to come down for. Nick ________________________________ From: Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com] Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2010 12:44 AM To: Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [Mexico-Birding] Digest Number 995 Mexico Birding Messages In This Digest (1 Message) 1. FYI on travelers planning Mexican trips From: Mark Stackhouse View All Topics | Create New Topic Message 1. FYI on travelers planning Mexican trips Posted by: "Mark Stackhouse" westwings AT sisna.com mazuntebirds Wed Apr 14, 2010 12:33 pm (PDT) I just discovered, that, as of last Monday, U.S. Dollars (cash) are no longer accepted for exchange in my bank (Banamex) and presumably in no other bank in Mexico either, since, according to my banker, the order came down from the National Banking Commission. The only form in which they can accept dollars is as traveler's checks - with the same hassle of seeing the manager, copying your passport, calling the issuer, etc. as ever. But in no way will cash dollars be accepted. The only apparent exceptions are some banks near the U.S. border. Details are still sketchy, and it seems that this is another casualty of the war on drugs, as a way to cut-off the financial resources of the drug gangs. My banker said that they're having a meeting about this in the afternoon today, and further details will be coming - I'll keep you posted as I find out more. Supposedly you can still exchange dollars in private casas de cambio, but I don't know for sure, or for how long you'll be able to do so. It's also likely that small businesses and vendors will no longer accept dollars, as they will have no way to exchange them. Large businesses, such as hotels, can accept dollars for large purchases, but won't be able to offer exchange services. At least for the time that this is in effect, I won't be able to accept dollars as payment for my guide services here in Mexico, unless payment is made by deposit into my bank account in the U.S. For now, it appears that the only way to make payments in Mexico using foreign currency is with a credit card, by taking Pesos out of an ATM machine, or going through the hassle of exchanging traveler's checks. Apparently, this policy applies to all foreign currencies as well as U.S. Dollars. Mark Mark Stackhouse mark AT westwings.com from Mexico: 01-323-285-1243 (San Blas, Nayarit) 001-801-518-5618 (cellular - U.S. and Mexico) from U.S. 011-52-323-285-1243 or 1-801-518-5618 Back to top Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post Messages in this topic (1) Recent Activity * 1 New Members Visit Your Group Yahoo! Finance It's Now Personal Guides, news, advice & more. Group Charity California Pet Rescue: Furry Friends Rescue Yahoo! 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Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Subject: Re: Re:FYI on travelers planning Mexican trips From: Rene Valdes <guacamayero AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:51:01 -0500 Hi Mark, Yesterday when I read your email, I realized I had some dollars from past payments, then I went to my bank (also BANAMEX) and they accepted the cash and it was deposited in my account without a problem (I couldn't ask them about your situation, since they were very busy). The certainly is that I have tried (in past months) to exchange the cash at other couple of banks, and their answer was: we don't accept dollars any more (even having an account with them). That's why I also kept my Banamex account. 2010/4/15 Mark Stackhouse > > > It's been the case for some time that banks will only change money for > account holders. I have an account in Banamex precisely for that reason. But > as of last Monday, they won't accept dollars (cash) as payment for debts, as > deposits, or for exchange for anyone, even account holders, for any reason. > The bank manager told me that this was a federal order, and that the only > exceptions were some banks near the U.S. border (perhaps your Chihuahua bank > is in that zone - or perhaps exchange was still permitted Monday). > Presumably Casas de Cambio will still exchange dollars, but since we don't > have any in San Blas, I can't verify that. If this continues, it probably > won't be long before fewer and fewer private businesses will accept dollars, > too. > > On the other hand, with such a large tourist economy, I can't imagine this > action being very popular, and perhaps it won't last. > > Mark > > Mark Stackhouse > mark AT westwings.com > from Mexico: > 01-323-285-1243 (San Blas, Nayarit) > 001-801-518-5618 (cellular - U.S. and Mexico) > from U.S. > 011-52-323-285-1243 or > 1-801-518-5618 > > > > > On Apr 15, 2010, at 10:07 AM, Rene Sada wrote: > > Casas de Cambio will always accept US Dollars, but most banks do not unless > you have en account with them. > > Some businesses take dollars but at a lower value. > > > Saludos > > René Sada > Monterrey, México > > On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 10:29 AM, Doug "Diego" Rhodes < > doug AT mexicohorse.com> wrote: > >> >> >> Just Monday I changed U.S. dollars with no problem. The change was >> made in a "casa de cambio" in Cd. Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua. Rather than >> being a casualty of the war on drugs, I suspect that the bank does >> not want to lose money because of the falling strength of the U.S. >> dollar. (I.E. U.S. dollars they change today may be worth much less >> in a few days). So, birders, do not panic but be prepared for some >> possible problems until the dollar stabilizes. Separately, nonprofit >> organizations I am associated with have two U.S. dollar accounts in >> the Banorte bank with no problem.--Doug Rhodes (Diego) >> >> > > > -- > Saludos > > René Sada > > > > > > -- _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ *Rene Valdes* Ornithologist & Birding Guide Monterrey & Mazatlan, Mexico. www.birdpicsandmore.com I use eBird.org, are you doing something useful with your data? ( ө > /”) ) / /,, / Subject: Re: Re:FYI on travelers planning Mexican trips From: Mark Stackhouse <westwings AT sisna.com> Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:07:09 -0600 It's been the case for some time that banks will only change money for account holders. I have an account in Banamex precisely for that reason. But as of last Monday, they won't accept dollars (cash) as payment for debts, as deposits, or for exchange for anyone, even account holders, for any reason. The bank manager told me that this was a federal order, and that the only exceptions were some banks near the U.S. border (perhaps your Chihuahua bank is in that zone - or perhaps exchange was still permitted Monday). Presumably Casas de Cambio will still exchange dollars, but since we don't have any in San Blas, I can't verify that. If this continues, it probably won't be long before fewer and fewer private businesses will accept dollars, too. On the other hand, with such a large tourist economy, I can't imagine this action being very popular, and perhaps it won't last. Mark Mark Stackhouse mark AT westwings.com from Mexico: 01-323-285-1243 (San Blas, Nayarit) 001-801-518-5618 (cellular - U.S. and Mexico) from U.S. 011-52-323-285-1243 or 1-801-518-5618 On Apr 15, 2010, at 10:07 AM, Rene Sada wrote: > Casas de Cambio will always accept US Dollars, but most banks do not > unless you have en account with them. > > > Some businesses take dollars but at a lower value. > > > Saludos > > Ren� Sada > Monterrey, M�xico > > On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 10:29 AM, Doug "Diego" Rhodes > wrote: > > Just Monday I changed U.S. dollars with no problem. The change was > made in a "casa de cambio" in Cd. Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua. Rather than > being a casualty of the war on drugs, I suspect that the bank does > not want to lose money because of the falling strength of the U.S. > dollar. (I.E. U.S. dollars they change today may be worth much less > in a few days). So, birders, do not panic but be prepared for some > possible problems until the dollar stabilizes. Separately, nonprofit > organizations I am associated with have two U.S. dollar accounts in > the Banorte bank with no problem.--Doug Rhodes (Diego) > > > > > > -- > Saludos > > Ren� Sada > > > > Subject: Re: Re:FYI on travelers planning Mexican trips From: Rene Sada <renesada AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:07:03 -0500 Casas de Cambio will always accept US Dollars, but most banks do not unless you have en account with them. Some businesses take dollars but at a lower value. Saludos Ren� Sada Monterrey, M�xico On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 10:29 AM, Doug "Diego" Rhodes wrote: > > > Just Monday I changed U.S. dollars with no problem. The change was > made in a "casa de cambio" in Cd. Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua. Rather than > being a casualty of the war on drugs, I suspect that the bank does > not want to lose money because of the falling strength of the U.S. > dollar. (I.E. U.S. dollars they change today may be worth much less > in a few days). So, birders, do not panic but be prepared for some > possible problems until the dollar stabilizes. Separately, nonprofit > organizations I am associated with have two U.S. dollar accounts in > the Banorte bank with no problem.--Doug Rhodes (Diego) > > > -- Saludos Ren� Sada Subject: Re: Re:FYI on travelers planning Mexican trips From: Dany Sloan <danymsloan AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2010 09:04:09 -0700 If any currency needs to worry about stabilising, it's the MX peso. The dollar is currently stronger against that than it was a year ago. Also, it doesn't seem feasible that the banks of a third world country would not exchange the currency from a first world country unless it were to try to stop the out of control drug problem Cheers Dany Sloan La, ca On Apr 15, 2010, at 8:29, "Doug \"Diego\" Rhodes" wrote: > Just Monday I changed U.S. dollars with no problem. The change was > made in a "casa de cambio" in Cd. Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua. Rather than > being a casualty of the war on drugs, I suspect that the bank does > not want to lose money because of the falling strength of the U.S. > dollar. (I.E. U.S. dollars they change today may be worth much less > in a few days). So, birders, do not panic but be prepared for some > possible problems until the dollar stabilizes. Separately, nonprofit > organizations I am associated with have two U.S. dollar accounts in > the Banorte bank with no problem.--Doug Rhodes (Diego) > > Subject: Re:FYI on travelers planning Mexican trips From: "Doug \"Diego\" Rhodes" <doug AT mexicohorse.com> Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2010 09:29:20 -0600 Just Monday I changed U.S. dollars with no problem. The change was made in a "casa de cambio" in Cd. Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua. Rather than being a casualty of the war on drugs, I suspect that the bank does not want to lose money because of the falling strength of the U.S. dollar. (I.E. U.S. dollars they change today may be worth much less in a few days). So, birders, do not panic but be prepared for some possible problems until the dollar stabilizes. Separately, nonprofit organizations I am associated with have two U.S. dollar accounts in the Banorte bank with no problem.--Doug Rhodes (Diego) Subject: FYI on travelers planning Mexican trips From: Mark Stackhouse <westwings AT sisna.com> Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:33:01 -0600 I just discovered, that, as of last Monday, U.S. Dollars (cash) are no longer accepted for exchange in my bank (Banamex) and presumably in no other bank in Mexico either, since, according to my banker, the order came down from the National Banking Commission. The only form in which they can accept dollars is as traveler's checks - with the same hassle of seeing the manager, copying your passport, calling the issuer, etc. as ever. But in no way will cash dollars be accepted. The only apparent exceptions are some banks near the U.S. border. Details are still sketchy, and it seems that this is another casualty of the war on drugs, as a way to cut-off the financial resources of the drug gangs. My banker said that they're having a meeting about this in the afternoon today, and further details will be coming - I'll keep you posted as I find out more. Supposedly you can still exchange dollars in private casas de cambio, but I don't know for sure, or for how long you'll be able to do so. It's also likely that small businesses and vendors will no longer accept dollars, as they will have no way to exchange them. Large businesses, such as hotels, can accept dollars for large purchases, but won't be able to offer exchange services. At least for the time that this is in effect, I won't be able to accept dollars as payment for my guide services here in Mexico, unless payment is made by deposit into my bank account in the U.S. For now, it appears that the only way to make payments in Mexico using foreign currency is with a credit card, by taking Pesos out of an ATM machine, or going through the hassle of exchanging traveler's checks. Apparently, this policy applies to all foreign currencies as well as U.S. Dollars. Mark Mark Stackhouse mark AT westwings.com from Mexico: 01-323-285-1243 (San Blas, Nayarit) 001-801-518-5618 (cellular - U.S. and Mexico) from U.S. 011-52-323-285-1243 or 1-801-518-5618 Subject: NOVEDAD: Manual para el estudio del comportamiento animal [1 Attachment] From: "Victor J. Hernandez" <vjhn1 AT yahoo.es> Date: Fri, 9 Apr 2010 00:54:26 +0200 Hola, acaba de salir de imprenta un interesante manual para quien est� interesado en aprender los m�todos de estudio del comportamiento animal. M�s informaci�n en: http://www.tundraediciones.es/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=36&lang=es&vmcchk=1&Itemid=36 Un saludo INTRODUCCI�N A LA ECOLOG�A COMPORTAMENTAL. UN MANUAL PARA EL ESTUDIO DEL COMPORTAMIENTO ANIMAL. Autor: Kleber Del-Claro Formato: 21X15 cm. 104 p�ginas R�stica Numerosas fotograf�as y esquemas B/N 17,95 euros (gastos de env�o gratis para pedidos prepago, incluidos los pedidos realizados desde Latinoam�rica) La originalidad de este libro se debe a que, en una misma publicaci�n, el lector tiene a su alcance conocimientos de historia de la etolog�a, comportamiento y ecolog�a comportamental, as� como la descripci�n de los pasos b�sicos para la elaboraci�n de un proyecto de investigaci�n y los materiales y m�todos necesarios para trabajar con �xito en cada una de estas vertientes del estudio del comportamiento animal. El lector podr� tambi�n profundizar en el conocimiento sobre la elaboraci�n de hip�tesis y premisas en ecolog�a comportamental, a trav�s de ejemplos ricos y universales, tanto con invertebrados como con vertebrados. Dar a entender las diferencias entre comportamiento animal y ecolog�a comportamental, mostrando al lector todos los pasos, desde lo b�sico a lo m�s elaborado, en el sentido de capacitarle para producir, de forma independiente, un estudio cient�fico sobre el valor adaptativo de un determinado comportamiento, es el principal objetivo de este libro. En esta obra, uno de los cient�ficos brasile�os m�s reconocidos, nacional e internacionalmente, en el �rea de la ecolog�a del comportamiento, traduce el conocimiento espec�fico y m�s avanzado al lenguaje del estudiante y del aficionado, facilitando su comprensi�n y aprendizaje. En ella, el lector tendr� una verdadera gu�a, un orientador de bolsillo, para el desarrollo de sus estudios de etolog�a. As�, esta obra constituye un manual b�sico e indispensable para los estudiantes de biolog�a, ecolog�a, ciencias ambientales, psicolog�a y medicina veterinaria, adem�s de para los naturalistas y aficionados a la observaci�n de fauna, interesados en el estudio del comportamiento y de la ecolog�a comportamental. Kleber Del-Claro es Licenciado en Ciencias Biol�gicas, con Maestr�a y Doctorado en Ecolog�a por la Universidad Estatal de Campinas, Unicamp, Brasil; es profesor y fue coordinador del Posgrado en Ecolog�a de la Universidad Federal de Uberl�ndia; orienta tambi�n en los cursos de Posgrado en Entomolog�a de la Universidad de S�o Paulo/Ribeir�o Preto y de Comportamiento Animal de la Universidad Federal de Juiz de Fora; presidi� la comisi�n internacional de la Unesco que elabor� la enciclopedia Tropical Biology and Natural Resources; es investigador del Consejo Nacional de Desarrollo Cient�fico y Tecnol�gico de Brasil, CNPq desde 1996; y presidente de la Sociedad Brasile�a de Etolog�a; as� como autor de numerosos trabajos cient�ficos y de diversos libros de divulgaci�n y formaci�n sobre etolog�a y ecolog�a comportamental. �NDICE Prefacio Agradecimientos Parte 1 - Historia y definiciones b�sicas. 1.1. Una breve historia de la ecolog�a comportamental. 1.2. Definiendo el comportamiento. 1.3. Cuatro t�rminos b�sicos para iniciar una descripci�n. Parte 2 - Gu�a de introducci�n al comportamiento animal. 2.1. Una l�nea de investigaci�n motivadora. 2.2. Equipo b�sico. Cuaderno de campo o de laboratorio Grabadora C�mara fotogr�fica y filmadora Binoculares/lupas manuales Linterna Br�jula/GPS Materiales de recogida de informaci�n Materiales de recolecci�n Ropa Algunos materiales diversos e instrumentos de laboratorio 2.3. Conociendo al objeto de estudio. 2.4. Familiariz�ndose con el animal y con el ambiente. 2.5. M�todos cl�sicos de observaci�n del comportamiento. Muestreo ad libitum o de todo lo que sucede Muestreo de secuencias o secuencial Muestreo de barrido o escaneo Muestreo focal o de animal focal 2.6. Recomendaciones para estudiar el comportamiento de los invertebrados. 2.7. Recomendaciones para estudiar el comportamiento de los vertebrados. 2.8. Marcando sus animales para estudio. Insectos y otros artr�podos Peces Anfibios Reptiles Aves Mam�feros 2.9. Cuidados personales a tener en el campo y en el laboratorio. Al manipular animales En el laboratorio En el campo 2.10. �C�mo planificar un estudio de comportamiento animal? 2.11. �Qu� son los Etogramas? Parte 3 - Gu�a de introducci�n a la ecolog�a comportamental. 3.1. La cuesti�n funcional y la cuesti�n evolutiva. 3.2. La cuesti�n de la ecolog�a comportamental. 3.3. El contraste de hip�tesis en ecolog�a comportamental. 3.4. Un ejemplo de uso de la ecolog�a comportamental en la ecolog�a de interacciones (poblaciones y comunidades). 3.5. �C�mo encuentro mi camino? Parte 4 - Bibliograf�a y glosario. 4.1. Literatura citada. 4.2. Literatura recomendada. 4.3. Peque�o glosario de t�rminos �tiles. Subject: Yucatan trip report From: "Lethaby, Nick" <nlethaby AT ti.com> Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2010 17:04:29 -0500 All: I was in the Yucatan on a family vacation from Mar 26 -April 5. We initially stayed in Cancun before taking a road trip to Rio Lagartos and Chichen Ixta. I managed a fair amount of birding and will summarize my observations here. First a few general points: 1. Many of the sites in Howell's bird-finding guide (Botanical Gardens, Chichen Ixta) for Yucatan don't have public access until 9.00 AM. Given that there is light for birding by about 5.15 AM and that the wind gets up by about 8.00 AM, I am not convinced that these sites are that great for birding. Certainly I didn't notice any particularly better habitat in these places compared to what you can find just along the road. The Botanical Gardens are now 100 pesos to enter. 2. If you want to do a fair amount of birding, I think Cancun itself is a bad place to stay. The Puerto Morales area would be much better. There are plenty of activities (snorkeling, cenotes, adventure parks, etc.) everywhere for non-birders. 3. I didn't use playback at all. I bought the relevant CDs meaning to finally try this in Mexico but didn't have time to get it all together before I left. 4. Other than Howell's guide I also used a couple of reports sent to me by others on this list. Gail Mackiernan's report was most useful since it alerted me to the Central Vallarta road. Note that this road is mostly signposted to Selvatica, which is some kind of adventure park. 5. I am omitting mention of some widespread species like Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Tropical Mockingbird, Melodious Blackbird, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, and Cinnamon and Buff-bellied Hummingbird that I saw multiple places. 6. I failed to see any trogons and did poorly with woodcreepers. Birds: Cancun: I spent a couple of hours one morning birding in the general vicinity of the golf course in the N. part of the Zona Hotelera. Mostly saw migrant warblers including my only Palm (3), Prairie (1), and Yellow-throated (1) of the trip. I had very good looks at a Yucatan Woodpecker in an overgrown building site. Botanical Gardens: I birded here one morning for about two hours (9-11) on a very windy day. The conditions and time undoubtedly affected the birding but it was very disappointing compared to the incredible lists in Gail Mackiernan's report. I had very few Mexican resident species with the best being a Yucatan Vireo and a Wedge-tailed Sabrewing. Migrants included my only Scarlet Tanager and Blue-winged Warbler along with some Prothonotary Warblers. After this visit (and my relative success earlier on the Central Vallarta road), I decided that the entry time issues and charges didn't make it worth revisiting this location. Central Vallarta Road: I checked this area on three mornings for about 3-4 hours each time. First day was mostly spent along the obviously side roads at the first major dirt road crossroads probably just 2-3 KM (loc#1) in. The next day was mostly along dirt roads (loc #2) located by a restaurant about 6-8KM in. Later that morning and the next day, I birding a broad track (loc #3) leading S off the main road just past KM 13 and just before you reach a "Selvatica 5KM" sign. This location has taller forest. Generally the birding was good with all three jays (Yucatan, Brown, and Green) being common. There were plenty of parrots but the only one I identified for certain was a female Yucatan than obligingly landed in the bare tree above me. 1-3 Rose-throated Tanagers were seen each visit (loc#2 and #3), all coming in to pishing. I had a Black Catbird at loc#1 come into pishing. Orange Orioles were common all along the road. I had a female Canivet's Emerald at Loc#2. Loc#3 was the best spot with Double-toothed Kite, Roadside Hawk, Keel-billed Toucan, Blue-crowned Motmot (heard), Red-throated Ant-Tanager, White-bellied and White-browed Wrens, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Yellow-backed Oriole, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Lesser Greenlet, Blue Bunting, Wedge-tailed Sabrewing, Yellow-billed Cacique, Tropical Gnatcatcher, and Yucatan Woodpecker. Plain Chachalaca were adundant along the road, although not so easy to see, and Ferruginous Pygmy Owls were calling everywhere. I saw 1-2 Laughing Falcons and a Scaled Pigeon somewhere on the road as well as a Red-billed Pigeon. I may well have seen one or more Yucatan Flycatchers but failed to get definitive views. Rio Largartos: I birded here on my own in the first afternoon when it was too hot and windy to find much. The next morning I went with Diego Nunez first by land and then by boat. We saw the expected specialties such as Yucatan Wren, Yucatan Bobwhite, and Mexican Sheartail, along with a female Canivet's Emerald. Gray-crowned Yellowthroats were pretty easy to see and I had great looks at over a dozen Turquoise-browed Motmots and 2 Lesser Roadrunners, along with fly-by Aztec Parakeet and Zenaida Dove. I had very good looks at a Gray-necked Wood-Rail and we found a pair of Yucatan Flycatchers out in the mangroves. Raptors were nice with Common Black-, Great Black-, Crane, and Zone-tailed Hawks and multiple Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures all seen well. The boat trip also produced close views of two Bare-throated Tiger-Herons, American Flamingoes, and a variety of terns including 1-2 Sandwich Terns. A quick check of the salt ponds also produced good views of flamingoes and various shorebirds. Chichen Ixta: The carpark early in the morning was quite birdy (loads of Social Flycatchers) with Squirrel Cuckoo being the only one of the trip. The ruins were pretty crowded and there were limited side trails to explore. I took one that cut back past the parking lot. I saw a few more Turquoise-browed Motmots and Boat-billed Flycatchers along with my only Masked Tityra of the trip. Best birds were single Yellow-throated Euphonia and Yellow-olive Flycatcher. San Diego: This is an area of pretty nice-looking forest on the north side of the road between Chichin Ixta and Valladolid. It is about 15 KM W of Valladolid. Look for the signposted road to San Diego and turn off. Park after a couple of hundred yards in the entrance to a large clearing. I birded the road, the edges of the clearing, and various trails that led off the clearing into the forest. Birds seen here included Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture (3), Yucatan Parrot (4), Red-billed Pigeon (1), Wedge-tailed Sabrewing (1), White-bellied Emerald (1-2), Olivaceous (4) and Ivory-billed (2) Woodcreeper, Greenish Eleania (1), good looks at multiple Spot-breasted Wrens, Long-billed Gnatwren (2), Hooded and Kentucky Warblers, Red-throated Ant-Tanager, Blue Bunting, and Olive Sparrow. Nick Lethaby nlethaby AT ti.com +1 805 562 5106 Subject: Re: Gray-breasted Crake and Blue Seedeater in Chiapas From: raybieber AT comcast.net Date: Sun, 4 Apr 2010 15:25:23 +0000 (UTC) My wife, Sunny Phillips, saw and photographed a Gray-Breasted Crake in Sept 2005, Panama Canal Zone.  At that time, this was the only one sighted in this area.  Her sighting is listed with the Panama Birding organization and posted on the web.  Good for you! ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rich Hoyer" To: "mexico birders" Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 3:09:43 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [Mexico-Birding] Gray-breasted Crake and Blue Seedeater in Chiapas   Dear Birders, Steve Howell and I found at least 3 GRAY-BREASTED CRAKES (Laterallus exilis) in Chiapas on March 27, 2010. The location was the field on the south side of the Carretera Fonteriza del Sur between Km 305 and 306. This is about 20 km by road southwest of Chajul. As far as we know, this is a first record for Mexico. We documented them by recording both the chatter song and the whistle call, both with which we were already familiar, and we saw one fly across the highway, presumably in response to playback. We heard Ruddy Crakes in the same field, so if you go there, be aware of the similarities of the chatter song. We will be writing a short note for publication in time. Perhaps the only other bird of note this week was an immature Blue Seedeater up the Rio Tzendales out of Las Guacamayas Lodge March 28. Good Birding, Rich --- Rich Hoyer Tucson, Arizona http://birdernaturalist.blogspot.com/ Senior Leader for WINGS http://wingsbirds.com --- Subject: rare birds in Mar-Apr From: "Michael L. P. Retter" <mlretter AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2010 22:19:37 -0700 (PDT) Hello, everyone. If any of you has locally rare bird sightings or photos from the previous 5-6 weeks you'd like to contribute for the next ABA Sightings column, we'd love to receive them. Please reply with them by the 7th of the month. Thanks a bunch to those who have submitted stuff in the past! To see how we use sightings of birds in Mexico in the magazine, check out this past column, which includes Mexico's first record of Little Bunting. http://www.aba.org/birding/v40n6p24.pdf Good birding, Michael L. P. Retter --------------------------------- W. Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN mlretter AT yahoo.com home: 765.838.3152 cell: 309.824.7317 http://xenospiza. com/ Tour Leader, Tropical Birding http://www.tropical birding.com/ --------------------------------- Subject: Birders - Terrorists or Criminals - or neither? From: "Robert Gosford" <bgosford AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 01 Apr 2010 13:07:11 -0000 Dear all, As indicated/threatened elsewhere earlier this week I've prepared a blog post at my Crikey blog, The Northern Myth , based on the original post and the responses to the unfortunate incident that a female birder in Queensland, Australia had with one of the local coppers. I've collected a few of the posts together and have thrown a few comments and thoughts of my own in - hopefully we can continue and broaden this discussion. I haven't identified any of the posters to Birding-Aus by name. Since I posted this last evening I've had a lot of funny - and not-so-funny - responses, mainly from the US and Australia - so I thought I'd throw it out a bit wider to see what sort of experiences birders (and bird photographers) have had in other parts of the world. You can read the blog post here: http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2010/03/31/birdwatchers-terrorists-c\ riminals/ - please take the time to register and share your experience - whether funny, sad or otherwise - for us all to share. Cheers and I look forward to hearing more of your adventures with the officious, the nosy and the downright rude - and of course the good news stories where you've been able to convert disbelievers! Bob Gosford Ethnoornithology Research & Study Group Alice Springs Australia Subject: Gray-breasted Crake and Blue Seedeater in Chiapas From: Rich Hoyer <birdernaturalist AT me.com> Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2010 01:09:43 -0600 Dear Birders, Steve Howell and I found at least 3 GRAY-BREASTED CRAKES (Laterallus exilis) in Chiapas on March 27, 2010. The location was the field on the south side of the Carretera Fonteriza del Sur between Km 305 and 306. This is about 20 km by road southwest of Chajul. As far as we know, this is a first record for Mexico. We documented them by recording both the chatter song and the whistle call, both with which we were already familiar, and we saw one fly across the highway, presumably in response to playback. We heard Ruddy Crakes in the same field, so if you go there, be aware of the similarities of the chatter song. We will be writing a short note for publication in time. Perhaps the only other bird of note this week was an immature Blue Seedeater up the Rio Tzendales out of Las Guacamayas Lodge March 28. Good Birding, Rich --- Rich Hoyer Tucson, Arizona http://birdernaturalist.blogspot.com/ Senior Leader for WINGS http://wingsbirds.com --- Subject: Golden Eagle in Villahermosa From: Donald Mac Laughlin <mundobirder AT hotmail.com> Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2010 21:40:44 -0200 At 12:30PM, Sunday, March 14 while walking through the park, 23 de Marzo in the Petrolerra area of Villahermosa we watched an immature Golden Eagle for approximately 30 minutes as it flew around the perimeter of the lake and landed in a tree for a while. It was last seen flying due east away from the park. Very good looks at this bird. This email address is not checked for incomming mail. If you need to send me a mail please send it to dmbluenoser AT hotmail _________________________________________________________________ IM on the go with Messenger on your phone http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9712960 Subject: blue capped Hummingbird From: Manuel Grosselet <birdinnet AT yahoo.com.mx> Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:43:46 -0700 (PDT) Hi Guys, I am looking for reports of Blue capped Hummingbird above Puerto Escondido, just above Puerto Escondido.. Some of you have this kind of seighting?? All the best Manuel Grosselet www.tierradeaves.com www.tierradeaves.com Encuentra las mejores recetas en Yahoo! Cocina. http://mx.mujer.yahoo.com/cocina/ Subject: Your fine photos From: Caroline Callery <carolinecallery AT gmail.com> Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2010 13:14:49 -0600 Thank you, Rene Valdez, for sharing your lovely shots of some of Mexico's great birds. Caroline Callery Houston Subject: Re: gasoline in Xpujil, Campeche From: Steve Semanchuk <dosgecos AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 21:09:58 -0500 Hi all - My wife and I were also in that area December of '06. As luck and and bad timing would have it, we left from Calakmul short on gas and had to stop at the dreaded Xpujil station. Not only were they open very early on Christmas morning but we had no problem with the attendants. Maybe our timing was not so bad and we were given the holiday treatment. So, if you have to stop, all is not lost! Steve Semanchuk North Carolina, US On Wed, Mar 3, 2010 at 8:33 PM, Chris Harrison wrote: > > > We were in the region over the Christmas break. The gasoline situation > is largely unchanged. The only station between Chetumal and Escarcega is > the one(s) in Xpujil. > > > > There is now a newer station in Xpujil just outside of town (E side) and > these folks seemed decidedly less shady than the people working at the older > station. That older station was infamous as a rip-off station. > > > > I don�t know if the new station means there is more gas, but there was gas > every time we went. That hadn�t been true in the past. > > > > The road between Calakmul and Xpujil (and Escarcega) has been improved > significantly. Most of the topes are gone and the trip between Xpujil and > Calakmul is a bit easier and quicker. > > > > There was a lot more traffic going down to the ruins when we were there > including large buses. Be careful driving on the entry road as the buses > seem to have missed the 30km/p/h speed limit signs. We had quite a few > �exciting� encounters on our drives up and down the road. Earlier is > better, but you have to come out sometime! > > > > Chris Harrison > > San Antonio, TX > > > > > > *From:* Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto: > Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com] *On Behalf Of *Lucy and Bob Duncan > *Sent:* Wednesday, March 03, 2010 10:00 AM > *To:* Mexico-Birding > *Subject:* [Mexico-Birding] gasoline in Xpujil, Campeche > > > > > > Friends, > > > > Can anyone advise us on the situation for getting gasoline in Xpujil, > Campeche on Mex. 186? > > We were there in 2006 and the only station there ran out of gas and we had > to spend an extra night in Xpujil. > > Are there any other sources for gas near Calukmul? > > > > Thank you. > > Regards, > > > > Bob & Lucy Duncan > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 9.0.733 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2719 - Release Date: 03/02/10 > 13:34:00 > > Subject: RE: gasoline in Xpujil, Campeche From: "Chris Harrison" <sandboa AT satx.rr.com> Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 19:33:47 -0600 We were in the region over the Christmas break. The gasoline situation is largely unchanged. The only station between Chetumal and Escarcega is the one(s) in Xpujil. There is now a newer station in Xpujil just outside of town (E side) and these folks seemed decidedly less shady than the people working at the older station. That older station was infamous as a rip-off station. I don't know if the new station means there is more gas, but there was gas every time we went. That hadn't been true in the past. The road between Calakmul and Xpujil (and Escarcega) has been improved significantly. Most of the topes are gone and the trip between Xpujil and Calakmul is a bit easier and quicker. There was a lot more traffic going down to the ruins when we were there including large buses. Be careful driving on the entry road as the buses seem to have missed the 30km/p/h speed limit signs. We had quite a few "exciting" encounters on our drives up and down the road. Earlier is better, but you have to come out sometime! Chris Harrison San Antonio, TX From: Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Lucy and Bob Duncan Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2010 10:00 AM To: Mexico-Birding Subject: [Mexico-Birding] gasoline in Xpujil, Campeche Friends, Can anyone advise us on the situation for getting gasoline in Xpujil, Campeche on Mex. 186? We were there in 2006 and the only station there ran out of gas and we had to spend an extra night in Xpujil. Are there any other sources for gas near Calukmul? Thank you. Regards, Bob & Lucy Duncan No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.733 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2719 - Release Date: 03/02/10 13:34:00 Subject: rare birds in Feb-March From: "Michael L. P. Retter" <mlretter AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 14:16:28 -0800 (PST) Hello, everyone. If any of you has locally rare bird sightings or photos from the previous 5-6 weeks you'd like to contribute for the next ABA Sightings column, we'd love to receive them. Please send them (not to me) to Rick Wright at by the 8th of the month. Thanks a bunch to those who have submitted stuff in the past! To see how we use sightings of birds in Mexico in the magazine, check out this past column, which includes Mexico's first record of Little Bunting. http://www.aba.org/birding/v40n6p24.pdf Good birding, Michael L. P. Retter --------------------------------- W. Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co., IN mlretter AT yahoo.com home: 765.838.3152 cell: 309.824.7317 http://xenospiza. com/ Tour Leader, Tropical Birding http://www.tropical birding.com/ --------------------------------- Subject: RE: Red-lored Parrot in Colima From: "Bert Frenz" <bertf AT bafrenz.com> Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 15:29:54 -0600 I can't speak for Colima specifically, but the parrots could be escaped cage birds. I once saw White-crowned Parrots fly over the expressway in Cuernavaca that would have been out of range in that area by Howell's book, only to find out later that escaped parrots occur there. ---------------------------------------------------- Bert Frenz Birding Guide & RV Wagonmaster bert2 AT bafrenz.com Read about our past and future RV caravans at www.bafrenz.com/birds/ _____ From: Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com [mailto:Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of jimarne Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2010 11:15 AM To: Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com Subject: [Mexico-Birding] Red-lored Parrot in Colima I saw a flock of Red-lored Parrots (or what appeared to me to be Red-lored Parrots) while birding in Colima two weeks ago. The link below is to one of the photos that I got. Howell shows them only on the east coast. Is anyone familiar with their status in the Colima area? http://www.flickr. com/photos/17112287 AT N00/4372117005/ _____ I am using the Free version of SPAMfighter . We are a community of 6 million users fighting spam. SPAMfighter has removed 93 of my spam emails to date. The Professional version does not have this message. Subject: Re: from Dgo Hwy: photos have been uploaded From: "Kevin S." <kevmsharp AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 10:58:53 -0800 (PST) ________________________________ From: Rene Valdes To: Mexico-Birding Sent: Wed, March 3, 2010 12:42:40 PM Subject: [Mexico-Birding] from Dgo Hwy: photos have been uploaded I hope you enjoy the photos: http://www.birdpicsandmore.com/february ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wow, wonderful shots! That first one may be the finest photo I've seen of a Tufted Jay! -Kevin S. Subject: Re: Red-lored Parrot in Colima From: "Kevin S." <kevmsharp AT yahoo.com> Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 09:58:28 -0800 (PST) That's a Red-lored alright! -Kevin S. ________________________________ From: jimarne To: Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Wed, March 3, 2010 12:14:48 PM Subject: [Mexico-Birding] Red-lored Parrot in Colima I saw a flock of Red-lored Parrots (or what appeared to me to be Red-lored Parrots) while birding in Colima two weeks ago. The link below is to one of the photos that I got. Howell shows them only on the east coast. Is anyone familiar with their status in the Colima area? http://www.flickr. com/photos/ 17112287 AT N00/4372117005/ Subject: from Dgo Hwy: photos have been uploaded From: Rene Valdes <guacamayero AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 11:42:40 -0600 I hope you enjoy the photos: http://www.birdpicsandmore.com/february good birding to all, -- _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Rene Valdes Monterrey, NL, Mexico. www.birdpicsandmore.com I use eBird.org, are you doing something useful with your data? ( ө > /”) ) / /,, / Subject: Red-lored Parrot in Colima From: "jimarne" <jarneson AT arnesongroup.com> Date: Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:14:48 -0000 I saw a flock of Red-lored Parrots (or what appeared to me to be Red-lored Parrots) while birding in Colima two weeks ago. The link below is to one of the photos that I got. Howell shows them only on the east coast. Is anyone familiar with their status in the Colima area? http://www.flickr.com/photos/17112287 AT N00/4372117005/ Subject: gasoline in Xpujil, Campeche From: "Lucy and Bob Duncan" <town_point AT bellsouth.net> Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 10:00:09 -0600 Friends, Can anyone advise us on the situation for getting gasoline in Xpujil, Campeche on Mex. 186? We were there in 2006 and the only station there ran out of gas and we had to spend an extra night in Xpujil. Are there any other sources for gas near Calukmul? Thank you. Regards, Bob & Lucy Duncan Subject: nice weekend at Dgo Hwy From: Rene Valdes <guacamayero AT gmail.com> Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 16:18:48 -0600 Dear birders friends, I'm glad to share that I had a great time last weekend at the Durango Hwy. I started my trip departing from Monterrey, Mexico, on Saturday 27th, I did a quick stop at El Salto, Dgo. to try to photograph the Sierra Madre Sparrow, I was success with sight (2 individuals), but no too close for a good shot. I continued driving at night to El Palmito, Sinaloa, spent the night at Mesa de los Alisos and tried to look for some Owls, nevertheless it was a very windy night and no success. Early morning was very busy with hummingbirds as Blue-throated, White-eared, Magnificent, Rufus, and Golden-cowned Emerald. Around were many Red-headed Tanagers, Blue Mockingbirds (as usual), at same spot and just for some moment I saw a 5-6 *Aztec Thrush* flock in the very top of the tall trees. After that, looking for a Green-striped Brush-Finch I got many shots of them, and Golden-browed Warblers too. By noon I moved near the cabins and got many other sights of GSBF, GBWA, and Red Warblers, same area were Slate-throated Redstarts, Red-faced Warblers, Pine Flycatchers, White-striped Woodcreeper, among many others joined to mixed flocks. After all morning without seen any Tufted Jays, they started to arrive near the cabins, one of them very silly knocking the cabin bathroom's window attacking to itself. Following the Jays and having many photos of them, suddenly I realize about a very known call that I learned time a go, since I've been looking for many years a* Clark's Nutcracker*record in Mexico. First recognized by voice, I started to run to trying to catch them (never do that above 7000ft, unless its for a lifer!), they were moving fast at the very top from tree to tree, at least 10 nutcrackers were in the flock which didn't last more than 1-2 minutes in the area. This could be the first record for the Sinaloa State, but also very relevant to record its presence in Mexico, which have been scarce and close to null (except for couple recent records in Coahuila and Chihuahua) at least in the past 12 years, when it used to be recorded at C. El Potosi in Nuevo Leon. (maybe at north Baja is more commonly recorded). Well, here is a video of a Green-striped Brush-Finch, being attracted in response of pishing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reE3zk7VIVE Additionally, I'll be uploading some of my photographs at my site www.birdpicsandmore.com (no one uploaded yet from this trip) Good birding to all, -- _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Rene Valdes Monterrey, NL, Mexico. www.birdpicsandmore.com I use eBird.org, are you doing something useful with your data? ( ө > /”) ) / /,, / Subject: eBird Report - "good road" to Alta Cima , 1/10/10 From: Timothy Brush <tbrush AT utpa.edu> Date: Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:31:24 -0600 Well, this is probably the last list from our January trip. We spent a very nice morning and early afternoon birding our way up the rocky road that leads up the hill from the Gomez Farias valley toward Alta Cima. It's not really a good road, except in comparison with the trail that leads more directly to Alta Cima. We parked at the new El Cielo visitors center, which didn't seem to fully open yet, and walked along the road up to the point where it reaches the first crest and heads west. The weather was cool at first (warming up to a very pleasant afternoon) and birds were active. There were very few vehicles, possibly because we were in the post-Christmas lull. Highlights for us were great looks at guans, Singing Quail, and the hawk-eagles, but we are also pleased to see so many trogons and thrushes along the way. Regards and good birding, Tim Brush Edinburg, TX Location: "good road" to Alta Cima Observation date: 1/10/10 Notes: Also saw 10-12 Vaux's Swifts in Gomez Farias on way back through town, and 2 Melodious Blackbirds in valley way below us (mango orchards) Number of species: 60 Plain Chachalaca 6 Crested Guan 4 group flew low over road, one by one, and perched low in vegetation where we could see them Singing Quail 6 saw one foraging by scratching with foot deep into leaf litter. others seen briefly. flushed one or two later, which flew up with sudden loud burst. Black Vulture 2 Broad-winged Hawk 1 unusual for season, but saw medium buteo with fairly long wings, reddish barred underparts, whitish underwings with trailing edge dark, "average size" tail barred black and white. Gray Hawk 2 pair flew over--size difference obvious Red-tailed Hawk 1 Ornate Hawk-Eagle 3 pair--size difference obvious--flew right overhead in late morning. saw and heard juvenile way up on hillside later--called from perch and then took off. Red-billed Pigeon 13 flock flushed from roadside tree Blue Ground-Dove 5 White-tipped Dove 8 White-crowned Parrot 63 also saw a pair of Red-lored Parrots over road from Highway 85 to Gomez Farias (on way in) Squirrel Cuckoo 2 Wedge-tailed Sabrewing 1 Broad-billed Hummingbird 1 Mountain Trogon 1 Elegant Trogon 12 Blue-crowned Motmot 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Smoky-brown Woodpecker 2 Golden-olive Woodpecker 6 Ivory-billed Woodcreeper 2 Barred Antshrike 1 saw from above, on steep slope Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 2 Greater Pewee 5 some were singing, "Jose Marie" (not full "Jose Maria"); others silent Least Flycatcher 15 foraging low along roadside--estimated conservatively and did not recount on way down Dusky-capped Flycatcher 2 seem to relatively few around Great Kiskadee 2 Boat-billed Flycatcher 5 Social Flycatcher 1 White-eyed Vireo 4 Blue-headed Vireo 10 Rufous-browed Peppershrike 2 Green Jay 13 Brown Jay 7 Spot-breasted Wren 7 Carolina Wren 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3 Brown-backed Solitaire 6 Clay-colored Thrush 25 White-throated Thrush 2 Gray Catbird 5 Orange-crowned Warbler 2 Black-throated Green Warbler 1 Wilson's Warbler 11 Fan-tailed Warbler 1 Golden-crowned Warbler 2 Rufous-capped Warbler 3 Yellow-breasted Chat 1 Summer Tanager 1 Western Tanager 3 Flame-colored Tanager 12 Yellow-winged Tanager 1 Olive Sparrow 4 Black-headed Saltator 4 Crimson-collared Grosbeak 5 Blue Bunting 6 Altamira Oriole 2 haven't had the species here before--common in Gomez Farias itself Audubon's Oriole 6 Yellow-throated Euphonia 7 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/averaves/) Subject: Highway between Ciudad Victoria and Ciudad Mante , 1/9/10 From: Timothy Brush <tbrush AT utpa.edu> Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:13:16 -0600 Probably this one is mainly of interest for the large number of Eurasian Collared-Doves along this stretch of road. They continue to consolidate their numbers in southern Tamaulipas. Birds were scattered throughout the farmland and small towns along the way. We also saw a few Tamaulipas Crows, just a hint of the larger number seen nearby the next day. Regards, Tim Brush Edinburg, TX Location: highway between Ciudad Victoria and Ciuddad Mante Observation date: 1/9/10 Notes: We recorded large or other easy-to-identify birds that we could see while driving south along the main road (Route 85). Number of species: 11 White-tailed Kite 1 Roadside Hawk 3 Gray Hawk 2 also saw 2 birds that could have been Gray or Roadside--couldn't stop while driving in traffic along narrow road Red-tailed Hawk 9 Crested Caracara 1 American Kestrel 18 Eurasian Collared-Dove 21 Greater Roadrunner 5 Groove-billed Ani 1 Vaux's Swift 5 at the Rio Sabinas bridge Tamaulipas Crow 3 at El Limon, near crossing of Rio Frio This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/averaves/) Subject: Bocatoma/Rio Frio , 1/10/10, Tamaulipas, Mexico From: Timothy Brush <tbrush AT utpa.edu> Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:48:01 -0600 And here's the result of a short walk at Boca Toma II, near the headwaters of the Rio Frio (it's actually not far at all from the nacimiento of that river, although a bit farther by road). The management now charges for parking (20 pesos, I believe) and a bit more crossing the pedestrian bridge (the latter is optional, but we saw lots of birds and enjoyed the short walk. Regards, Tim Brush Edinburg, TX Location: Bocatoma/Rio Frio Observation date: 1/10/10 Notes: birded in Boca-Toma II area, along Rio Frio and also walked to Poza Azul, the pool on the west side of the river--you have to cross the pedestrian bridge and follow the blue areas upstream and west. Most birds were in a loose flock in the wooded pasture on the way to Poza Azul. Number of species: 38 Sungrebe 1 White-crowned Parrot 6 Elegant Trogon 5 Ringed Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Smoky-brown Woodpecker 2 Golden-olive Woodpecker 1 Olivaceous Woodcreeper 1 Ivory-billed Woodcreeper 1 Greater Pewee 1 Least Flycatcher 3 Eastern Phoebe 2 Dusky-capped Flycatcher 3 Great Kiskadee 2 Boat-billed Flycatcher 2 Social Flycatcher 3 Masked Tityra 1 White-eyed Vireo 4 Blue-headed Vireo 3 Green Jay 3 House Wren 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4 Clay-colored Thrush 5 Tropical Parula 1 Black-throated Green Warbler 2 Louisiana Waterthrush 1 Wilson's Warbler 10 Fan-tailed Warbler 7 Golden-crowned Warbler 5 Flame-colored Tanager 3 Yellow-winged Tanager 1 Blue Bunting 3 Varied Bunting 1 Melodious Blackbird 4 Altamira Oriole 3 Baltimore Oriole 1 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/averaves/) Subject: FW: eBird Report - El Aguja marsh/canal , 1/9/10 From: Timothy Brush <tbrush AT utpa.edu> Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:17:47 -0600 Below is my report from the canal west of Ciudad Mante, Tamaulipas, in January. It's the road that leads to a nacimiento (spring/swimming hole) but we always just do the section that leads to the little marsh. Jacanas are very dependable there, and this time we saw a few raptors also. Regards, Tim Brush Edinburg, TX Location: El Aguja marsh/canal Observation date: 1/9/10 Notes: We did our usual route driving west along the canal bank from the Ciudad Mante bypass to El Aguja Marsh. It was quick check, but good for jacanas, as always! Number of species: 21 Plain Chachalaca 2 Least Grebe 2 Pied-billed Grebe 5 Neotropic Cormorant 3 Great Egret 5 Snowy Egret 2 Tricolored Heron 1 Cattle Egret 11 Green Heron 1 Roadside Hawk 1 Merlin 1 Common Moorhen 1 American Coot 4 Northern Jacana 12 6 adults at marsh, in tiny area of floating vegetation; 3 adults and 3 juvs. scattered along canal Ringed Kingfisher 2 Belted Kingfisher 1 Amazon Kingfisher 2 Green Kingfisher 1 Great Kiskadee 2 Social Flycatcher 1 Common Yellowthroat 1 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/averaves/) Subject: Re: El Tigre/Upper Rio Corona , Tamaulipas, Mexico, 1/9/10 From: jarvin1 AT comcast.net Date: Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:28:19 +0000 (UTC) Tim, The black-hawks that I have seen and photographed at Canon del Tigre have all been Great Black-Hawks. Did you positively identify them or just assume that they were Commons? I think that Common Black-Hawk is essentially confined to coastal mangroves in Tamaulipas. At least some of the early specimens initially identified as anthracinus have been re-examined and have proven to be urubitinga. It would be very interesting to find the two species sympatric. John Arvin Gulf Coast Bird Observatory Lake Jackson, TX ----- Original Message ----- From: "Timothy Brush" To: Mexico-Birding AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, February 22, 2010 2:54:02 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central Subject: [Mexico-Birding] El Tigre/Upper Rio Corona , Tamaulipas, Mexico, 1/9/10 Hi everyone, I'm finally getting around to writing up my January trip to Tamaulipas. This annotated list is from Cañon del Tigre, an excellent birding spot along the upper Rio Corona about 25 miles north of Ciudad Victoria. We have been there in the winter before, but this was the first time it was during a cold snap. As noted below, many birds were foraging very low, along the river. For example, almost our first birds were Slate-throated Redstarts and Painted Redstarts that we looked down on from above. Wilson's Warblers, Black-throated Green Warblers, Townsend's Warblers, etc....all did the same. We figured that the warmer air near the water allowed more insect activity. It was also fun watching all the Fan-tailed Warblers (usually we get 1 or 2 total) foraging almost at our feet or at the water's edge. Add in Common Black-Hawks, a Crested Guan, and two species of woodcreepers, and you have a great morning/early afternoon. It did get up into the 50s F by mid-day as we headed south for Ciudad Mante. I'll have a couple more of these eBird summaries and eventually an overall summary. Regards, Tim (and John) Brush Edinburg, TX ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: "do-not-reply AT ebird.org" To: txbrush AT sbcglobal.net Sent: Mon, February 22, 2010 2:02:26 PM Subject: eBird Report - El Tigre/Upper Rio Corona , 1/9/10 Location: El Tigre/Upper Rio Corona Observation date: 1/9/10 Notes: very cold morning--36 F at Quinta Tesoro (a wonderful bed and breakfast only 20 minutes from El Tigre) where we spent the night! Snow and ice on higher slopes; many birds very low, especially warblers, many of which were along the river-rocks and banks. Interesting to see redstarts. also had 2 Blue Buntings and 7 Red-billed Pigeons on way in Number of species: 51 Crested Guan 1 on rocks above mine road Black Vulture 1 Turkey Vulture 2 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 first time for El Tigre Common Black-Hawk (Common) 2 saw one, then saw the pair together Squirrel Cuckoo 1 Elegant Trogon 5 nice looks as they perched along the trail Blue-crowned Motmot 1 also saw one on way in Belted Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 2 Golden-olive Woodpecker 1 Pale-billed Woodpecker 2 pair; heard calling and double-tapping Olivaceous Woodcreeper 1 heard dry trill in "usual" spot Ivory-billed Woodcreeper 4 Least Flycatcher 15 most of the Empidonax seemed to be these Hammond's Flycatcher 1 good look at gray throat contrasting with olive-brown head, white tear-drop eye ring. also had 2-3 unknown Empidonax Black Phoebe 2 Dusky-capped Flycatcher 4 Great Kiskadee 3 Boat-billed Flycatcher 6 Rose-throated Becard 2 Blue-headed Vireo 2 Green Jay 9 Brown Jay 10 Black-crested Titmouse 8 Canyon Wren 2 Spot-breasted Wren 2 Carolina Wren 2 House Wren 3 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 6 Hermit Thrush 2 Clay-colored Thrush 4 Orange-crowned Warbler 6 Nashville Warbler 2 Tropical Parula 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 Black-throated Green Warbler 3 low Townsend's Warbler 4 several low Black-and-white Warbler 3 Louisiana Waterthrush 9 Wilson's Warbler 7 low Painted Redstart 2 low on rocks, early Slate-throated Redstart 2 new species for both of us--low on rocks, early Fan-tailed Warbler 11 on grass, ground, rocks, etc., often very close to us--in singles and pairs Golden-crowned Warbler 4 Summer Tanager 2 Flame-colored Tanager 4 Olive Sparrow 2 Crimson-collared Grosbeak 4 two in white-fruited trees, eating fruits. other two with fast-moving Audubon's Oriole flock Altamira Oriole 2 Audubon's Oriole 38 in flocks, largest 15-20 birds! This report was generated automatically by eBird v2( http://ebird.org/averaves/ ) Subject: El Tigre/Upper Rio Corona , Tamaulipas, Mexico, 1/9/10 From: Timothy Brush <tbrush AT utpa.edu> Date: Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:54:02 -0600 Hi everyone, I'm finally getting around to writing up my January trip to Tamaulipas. This annotated list is from Ca�on del Tigre, an excellent birding spot along the upper Rio Corona about 25 miles north of Ciudad Victoria. We have been there in the winter before, but this was the first time it was during a cold snap. As noted below, many birds were foraging very low, along the river. For example, almost our first birds were Slate-throated Redstarts and Painted Redstarts that we looked down on from above. Wilson's Warblers, Black-throated Green Warblers, Townsend's Warblers, etc....all did the same. We figured that the warmer air near the water allowed more insect activity. It was also fun watching all the Fan-tailed Warblers (usually we get 1 or 2 total) foraging almost at our feet or at the water's edge. Add in Common Black-Hawks, a Crested Guan, and two species of woodcreepers, and you have a great morning/early afternoon. It did get up into the 50s F by mid-day as we headed south for Ciudad Mante. I'll have a couple more of these eBird summaries and eventually an overall summary. Regards, Tim (and John) Brush Edinburg, TX ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: "do-not-reply AT ebird.org" To: txbrush AT sbcglobal.net Sent: Mon, February 22, 2010 2:02:26 PM Subject: eBird Report - El Tigre/Upper Rio Corona , 1/9/10 Location: El Tigre/Upper Rio Corona Observation date: 1/9/10 Notes: very cold morning--36 F at Quinta Tesoro (a wonderful bed and breakfast only 20 minutes from El Tigre) where we spent the night! Snow and ice on higher slopes; many birds very low, especially warblers, many of which were along the river-rocks and banks. Interesting to see redstarts. also had 2 Blue Buntings and 7 Red-billed Pigeons on way in Number of species: 51 Crested Guan 1 on rocks above mine road Black Vulture 1 Turkey Vulture 2 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 first time for El Tigre Common Black-Hawk (Common) 2 saw one, then saw the pair together Squirrel Cuckoo 1 Elegant Trogon 5 nice looks as they perched along the trail Blue-crowned Motmot 1 also saw one on way in Belted Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 2 Golden-olive Woodpecker 1 Pale-billed Woodpecker 2 pair; heard calling and double-tapping Olivaceous Woodcreeper 1 heard dry trill in "usual" spot Ivory-billed Woodcreeper 4 Least Flycatcher 15 most of the Empidonax seemed to be these Hammond's Flycatcher 1 good look at gray throat contrasting with olive-brown head, white tear-drop eye ring. also had 2-3 unknown Empidonax Black Phoebe 2 Dusky-capped Flycatcher 4 Great Kiskadee 3 Boat-billed Flycatcher 6 Rose-throated Becard 2 Blue-headed Vireo 2 Green Jay 9 Brown Jay 10 Black-crested Titmouse 8 Canyon Wren 2 Spot-breasted Wren 2 Carolina Wren 2 House Wren 3 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 6 Hermit Thrush 2 Clay-colored Thrush 4 Orange-crowned Warbler 6 Nashville Warbler 2 Tropical Parula 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 Black-throated Green Warbler 3 low Townsend's Warbler 4 several low Black-and-white Warbler 3 Louisiana Waterthrush 9 Wilson's Warbler 7 low Painted Redstart 2 low on rocks, early Slate-throated Redstart 2 new species for both of us--low on rocks, early Fan-tailed Warbler 11 on grass, ground, rocks, etc., often very close to us--in singles and pairs Golden-crowned Warbler 4 Summer Tanager 2 Flame-colored Tanager 4 Olive Sparrow 2 Crimson-collared Grosbeak 4 two in white-fruited trees, eating fruits. other two with fast-moving Audubon's Oriole flock Altamira Oriole 2 Audubon's Oriole 38 in flocks, largest 15-20 birds! This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/averaves/) Subject: Re: Fwd: [Tweeters] birding in Akumal From: Robert Straub <straub_robert AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:58:30 -0800 (PST) There is information on the many wonderful local guides on the Yucatan Birds website: www.yucatanbirds.org.mx More specifically, here: http://www.yucatanbirds.org.mx/espanol/agencias/guias.php# The guides are listed by the region where they work. There is also a section on tour agencies that could provide birding guides. Regards, Robert Straub Xalapa, Veracruz .................................................. Aveoptica Tienda de binoculares, telescopios, guías de campo, y más... Distribuidor autorizado en México de: Eagle Optics, Vortex Optics, Kowa Prol. Alfonso Reyes No. 15 Fracc. Coapexpan Xalapa, Ver. México C.P. 91070 tel. 228.818.1894 / 01.800.018.1894 aveoptica AT yahoo.com www.aveoptica.com ________________________________ From: "Antep9 AT aol.com" To: mexico-birding AT yahoogroups.com Sent: Wed, February 10, 2010 7:22:55 PM Subject: [Mexico-Birding] Fwd: [Tweeters] birding in Akumal I am forwarding the following note in case there is someone in this forum who can give information to Johanna. Thanks, Georgia Conti on Lake Patzcuaro -----Original Message----- From: johanna striar To: tweeters AT uw. edu Sent: Wed, Feb 10, 2010 10:34 am Subject: [Tweeters] birding in Akumal Hello all, I am a newbie birder going in the last minute to Akumal, about an hour and a half's drive south of Cancun on the Gulf. Does anyone have birding recommendations, especially tours or individuals who are good guides? I may have a car, I may not. thanks Johanna Striar ____________ _________ _________ _________ ________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washingt on.edu http://mailman2. u.washington. edu/mailman/ listinfo/ tweeters Subject: Fwd: [Tweeters] birding in Akumal From: Antep9 AT aol.com Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:22:55 -0500 I am forwarding the following note in case there is someone in this forum who can give information to Johanna. Thanks, Georgia Conti on Lake Patzcuaro -----Original Message----- From: johanna striar To: tweeters AT uw.edu Sent: Wed, Feb 10, 2010 10:34 am Subject: [Tweeters] birding in Akumal Hello all, I am a newbie birder going in the last minute to Akumal, about an hour and a half's drive south of Cancun on the Gulf. Does anyone have birding recommendations, especially tours or individuals who are good guides? I may have a car, I may not. thanks Johanna Striar _______________________________________________ weeters mailing list weeters AT u.washington.edu ttp://mailman2.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters