TOP 10 SPECIES
Top 10 lists are voted upon by the participants at the completion of
each tour.
The combination of an incredible group, wonderful hosts at Hotel Garza Canela, and excellent birding made Bird Treks' premier San Blas tour a tremendous success. There was obvious damage to the countryside from last October's Hurricane Kenna in the form of downed trees, but the birds were still there. We were also glad to be contributing to the people and businesses of San Blas in their efforts to regain some of what they've lost.
Our birding started early on 12 January as we walked the roads on the eastern edge of town toward the sewage ponds. We saw our first Mexican endemics in the forms of Sinaloa Crow, Yellow-winged Cacique, and great looks at Happy Wren and Blue Mockingbird. Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, another endemic, and Thick-billed Kingbirds adorned many snags and Streak-backed Orioles inspected the brush. We had excellent looks at male Painted and Varied Buntings, and a Collared Forest-Falcon flew in and perched close giving us unexpectedly good looks at this secretive raptor. At the end of the morning, just before getting into the van, a MacGillivray's Warbler distracted us. We followed its movement through the bushes and it lead us right to a Russet-crowned Motmot perched perfectly still only a foot off the ground.
That afternoon we took the boat ride to La Tovara. Amidst the many Northern Jacanas and Green Kingfishers we found a few “Mangrove” Yellow Warblers, the males with brilliant chestnut heads, and a roost of ten Boat-billed Herons. A Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl came in for great views and a pair of diminutive Least Grebes surfaced near our boat as the daylight faded. After dark we made our way back toward San Blas finding many Northern Potoos perched rigidly atop snags, their enormous eyes glowing red in the spotlight.
The forests above La Bajada, about thirty minutes from San Blas, offer many possibilities not found closer to the coast so we spent our next morning there. Gray-crowned Woodpecker (thanks for sticking to your guns, Peter) and San Blas Jay were two of the specialties we found, but the morning's highlight was another endemic. After hearing a few people mention a bird with some red skulking in the hillside brush, I decided to play a tape for Red-breasted Chat. Within a couple of minutes the bird came in and circled us, perching nicely in the open only ten feet away, showing off his brilliant red breast and bold white eyestripe. We also had excellent views of Citreoline Trogon, Bright-rumped Attila, and Sinaloa Wren, while Tufted Flycatcher, Black-throated Magpie-Jay, and Yellow Grosbeak helped to ensure there was never a dull moment. In the afternoon we explored the cemetery and Fort San Basilio. A single Blue-rumped Parrotlet fifteen feet away in the scope and several male Painted Buntings were nice, but the sunset from the fort, set on a bluff overlooking the town, was the true star of the show.
We were back on a boat the following morning but this time we headed for the open sea. Taking advantage of the early morning's calm ocean we took the one-hour ride to Elephant Rock. As we neared the small island flocks of Blue-footed Boobies cruised by and at the island we found several Brown Boobies roosting among their more numerous congeners. The main reason for making the voyage was to see the Red-billed Tropicbirds. Five of these stunning birds circled the rock island with their long white tail streamers flowing behind them. From Elephant Rock we headed for slightly deeper water. Soon afterward a curious dark-phase Northern Fulmar made several close passes of our boat. This arctic breeder regularly winters south to Baja but was a real treat at this latitude. Other highlights in the deep water included a Black-vented Shearwater, a few Black Storm-Petrels, and an enormous Green Sea Turtle. As we made our way back to land a spout of water alerted us to the presence of a Humpback Whale. As we neared the whale we saw that it had a young calf close beside it. Our captain, Armando, estimated the baby's age at three to four DAYS so we did not approach too close hoping not to disturb them. Nearer to shore we noticed a large lump floating on the water. Upon closer inspection the lump became a recently deceased sea turtle and a very happy light-phase Northern Fulmar was trying to devour as much of it as possible before something chased it away. We were able to approach close enough to study its tubenose and the bird barely noticed us. A Hook-billed Kite was perched near the dock to greet us back to land.
Breaking out of the lowlands with our picnic lunches we headed for the pine-oak woods of Cerro San Juan. Our farthest excursion from San Blas, this small mountain offers many possibilities absent from the lowland habitats. White-eared and Berylline Hummingbirds were common. Greater Pewees sang “Jose Maria” from the treetops and both Collared and Painted Redstarts moved through the understory. One mixed flock in particular kept us busy for a while. Among its core of Crescent-chested Warblers we found a male Red-headed Tanager, several Golden Vireos, and some of us enjoyed a brief glimpse of a Red-faced Warbler. A Blue-throated Hummingbird kept watch over our lunch site and a group of Black-headed Siskins foraged in pines at the forest's edge. On our way back to San Blas we stopped at a highway pullout with an amazing view of distant mountains and cliffs. Our reason for stopping, however, was in the valley directly below and as soon as Hector turned off the engine we could hear the raucous calls of Military Macaws. We finally saw a pair and watched as more pairs and then a group of twenty cruised the valley below. The green and blue of their wings showed brilliantly against the forest background. We would eventually watch these birds through the scope as they frolicked in an emergent bare tree at the valley bottom.
We set out early the next morning for Singayta, a small village about ten minutes from San Blas. On the dirt road leading out of the village we found Laughing Falcons and Orange-fronted Parakeets. Gray and Short-tailed Hawks soared with the vultures and Tropical Parulas were the most numerous in the mixed flocks. A Fan-tailed Warbler delighted all as it circled us and called, continuously fanning its tail to show the white tips. That afternoon we went for another boat ride with Armando, but this time we went inland. Our single target species was Rufous-necked Wood-Rail. Going at low tide in the early afternoon gave us more exposed mud along the mangrove forest's edge and a better chance of locating this very secretive bird. After about an hour of cruising the river's edge Armando shouted, ”There it is.” Among the mangrove roots we could see the movement and half of us actually had decent looks before the bird vanished. More time passed and we were about to give up but Armando had one more idea. We turned into a small side channel and he cut the engine. As we drifted slowly, right on the edge of the water, a Rufous-necked Wood-Rail came into view. He moved in a few feet as we floated by, but we all had excellent looks at the entire bird as it stood motionless, futilely trying to avoid detection. We were then dropped onto Peso Island and braved its notorious no-see-ums just long enough to get great looks at the Burrowing Owl that has taken up residence there.
Our final full day in San Blas was scheduled to give us the opportunity to revisit a favorite place or search for some specialties we missed and La Bajada met both of these desires. Taking a different trail we had much better looks at Elegant Trogon and a male Rose-throated Becard. We also watched a Brown-backed Solitaire through the scope as it sang its ringing, eerie song. A group of mobbing birds that included a Blue Mockingbird drew our attention to a Colima Pygmy-Owl. This tiny predator sat on a low pile of dead branches long enough for all to have several scope views. After checking the shrimp ponds for new shorebirds we spent our last evening in San Blas back at the fort. With a cooler of assorted libations we relived our San Blas memories and watched another spectacular sunset. And on the way down a Buff-collared Nightjar in the spotlight was a welcome bonus.
The next morning we managed a few hours back at Singayta before returning to Puerto Vallarta. This last minute addition became one our best mornings. We found Stripe-headed Sparrows foraging with the Blue-black Grassquits. A Crane Hawk landed on a snag very close and allowed us a chance to study its unique features through the scope. We found two young Zone-tailed Hawks perched, showing us the white flecking on their underparts. While studying the finer points of Myiarchus identification with Dusky-capped and Brown-crested Flycatchers, Robert Coley brought our attention to a small bird with a black cap working methodically through the brush. We all eventually had great looks at this Black-capped Vireo before having to turn around and head back.
I had a wonderful time with my first group in San Blas and am very much looking forward to future trips to this still great birding destination. We found 18 Mexican endemics and will be looking for more next year!