This post may be exclusively for Paul because it is all about birding but there will be some nice pictures of Oaxacan scenery (and birds) if you carry on.
Let's go back a bit. When I was still home and planning my vacation, I checked online for a bird guide for Oaxaca. Roque Antonio Santiago (or just Roque, every birder here knows him or knows of him) came up with excellent reviews. So, I emailed him and he was available for two of the days that I was on my own, Sunday, Feb 3 & Monday, Feb 4. He sent me an itinerary for the two days and all was great.
Then I went to Sunday Bird Group on my first Sunday here and met a bunch of local birders. They all agreed Roque was the best. I mentioned to Francis just as we were leaving that if anyone wanted to join me, I was open for company (especially since the cost was a bit high for my budget -totally worth it but still... I am but a poor traveller). Francis sent an email to the birding crowd and I spent the next few days trying to keep track of who was interested and could come. Francis and her husband were going to be out of town, another lady I hadn't met yet, Gail from Victoria, was also leaving for the week, but fortunately, Marilyn that I had met at bird group and whom I knew to be a good birder (certainly better than me) was keen to join.
Side note: Roque was going to pick me up at 6am. I forgot to bring an alarm clock so I spent the first week of my trip trying to find an alarm clock (not easy!). One day, I got turned around (code for lost) and found a clock shop on a side street. I went in, mimed alarm clock, said the word for cheapest and bought a clock. I tell you this story, not because it is interesting, which it is not, but because I have a picture and you are going to need some variety from birds and mountain ranges.
Ok, back to 6am Sunday. Roque picked me up and we swung around and picked up Marilyn and then headed to the hills (with a stop at Oxxo for coffee and rice pudding). In his itinerary, Roque said we would spend the first day getting familiar with local Oaxacan birds. I know the birding ladies were worried that this would cover only birds they had previously seen, but not so! Even Marilyn who has been birding here for years found new birds.
We started on a farm (?) at sunrise. Lots of birds sitting on tops of cactus and scrubs so I was able to get some pictures. (complete bird list at the bottom of this post)
After the farm, we went up to higher elevations for different birds.
Roque had said we would be out until 4 each day but we didn't get back until after 5 so I was super happy. Extra birds! Roque is the kind of guide who is more interested in the satisfaction of his clients than clock watching. If the birding is good, we stick around.
But we did see lots of hummingbirds, orioles (red headed!), etc. Unfortunately, little birds who flit around and hang out in scrub are hard to photograph.
We just kept going uphill looking for more habitats in different elevations, and therefore more distinct bird species. Roque has his favourite spots where he knows who hangs out there.
Two awesome days for sure. And lots of new birds (life listers), especially the ones endemic to Oaxaca that I NEVER would have found, let alone seen and identified, without Roque. Seriously, if you are looking for a Oaxacan bird guide, google Roque Antonio Santiago and book him early. He is worth every penny!
One bird that I had never heard of and have no idea what it even looks like, but that all of the local birders seem to really want to see is the Oscillated Thrasher (I just looked it up, kind of boring but apparently elusive). We did not see one but like a Vegas gambler in the throws of a winning streak, I felt like it was just the next role of the dice/next birding spot away.
Since Marilyn had paid half, I felt like I got a day for free so I booked Roque for a morning the next day. When I got home, I realized that mom's flight was going to land at 12:48 so I probably should have cancelled but I was sure I could make it work. I was pretty wishy-washy about going but that stupid Oscillated Thrasher!. Anyway, fate stepped in, Roque came to get me at 6 but his car was acting up (battery?) so we decided it was best that since I HAD to be home at a specific time, we would cancel. But he told me where to find that bird (Monte Alban, where I am going to be anyway!)
So now, the sheets are being washed, la Nina is coming to clean at 10:30, I have dropped my clothes at the lavanderia across the street. I didn't want to have wet clothes hanging everywhere for la nina and for mom when she arrives.
Now, I just have to figure out how to get to the airport to pick up mom in three hours.
Here is some street art:
Let's go back a bit. When I was still home and planning my vacation, I checked online for a bird guide for Oaxaca. Roque Antonio Santiago (or just Roque, every birder here knows him or knows of him) came up with excellent reviews. So, I emailed him and he was available for two of the days that I was on my own, Sunday, Feb 3 & Monday, Feb 4. He sent me an itinerary for the two days and all was great.
Then I went to Sunday Bird Group on my first Sunday here and met a bunch of local birders. They all agreed Roque was the best. I mentioned to Francis just as we were leaving that if anyone wanted to join me, I was open for company (especially since the cost was a bit high for my budget -totally worth it but still... I am but a poor traveller). Francis sent an email to the birding crowd and I spent the next few days trying to keep track of who was interested and could come. Francis and her husband were going to be out of town, another lady I hadn't met yet, Gail from Victoria, was also leaving for the week, but fortunately, Marilyn that I had met at bird group and whom I knew to be a good birder (certainly better than me) was keen to join.
Side note: Roque was going to pick me up at 6am. I forgot to bring an alarm clock so I spent the first week of my trip trying to find an alarm clock (not easy!). One day, I got turned around (code for lost) and found a clock shop on a side street. I went in, mimed alarm clock, said the word for cheapest and bought a clock. I tell you this story, not because it is interesting, which it is not, but because I have a picture and you are going to need some variety from birds and mountain ranges.
Ok, back to 6am Sunday. Roque picked me up and we swung around and picked up Marilyn and then headed to the hills (with a stop at Oxxo for coffee and rice pudding). In his itinerary, Roque said we would spend the first day getting familiar with local Oaxacan birds. I know the birding ladies were worried that this would cover only birds they had previously seen, but not so! Even Marilyn who has been birding here for years found new birds.
We started on a farm (?) at sunrise. Lots of birds sitting on tops of cactus and scrubs so I was able to get some pictures. (complete bird list at the bottom of this post)
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| Yea, the view was ok (!!) |
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| Curved-bill Thrasher |
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| Maybe a Loggerhead Shrike? |
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| my first pee break |
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| White Winged Doves. The place was lousy with them. |
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| Green Kingfisher |
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| The beautiful and ubiquitous Vermillion Flycatcher |
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| Kestrel |
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| Not a bird |
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| I was happy to discover on our road trip that Carolyn and Joe also yelled out any animal they saw as we passed (Cow!, Horse!), but for serious birding, I was on my own for farm animal road-identification SHEEP! |
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| A hummingbird (species?) visiting a blooming yucca (?) |
Next morning, back out a 6am. Another rice pudding stop. This time we started higher into the mountains. At our first stop, we were looking for the Oaxaca Sparrow. We saw some brown flashes that might have been but never enough to properly identify.
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| Marilyn and Roque looking for the elusive Oaxaca Sparrow |
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| The sun comes up over the mountains |
We just kept going uphill looking for more habitats in different elevations, and therefore more distinct bird species. Roque has his favourite spots where he knows who hangs out there.
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| Yea, I don't remember what this is |
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| This guy I remember, elusive little bugger, the Collared Towhee |
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| Lunch (with Coke and Fantas!) |
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| This is the Dwarf Jay habitat. We found one! |
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| Least Grebe |
One bird that I had never heard of and have no idea what it even looks like, but that all of the local birders seem to really want to see is the Oscillated Thrasher (I just looked it up, kind of boring but apparently elusive). We did not see one but like a Vegas gambler in the throws of a winning streak, I felt like it was just the next role of the dice/next birding spot away.
Since Marilyn had paid half, I felt like I got a day for free so I booked Roque for a morning the next day. When I got home, I realized that mom's flight was going to land at 12:48 so I probably should have cancelled but I was sure I could make it work. I was pretty wishy-washy about going but that stupid Oscillated Thrasher!. Anyway, fate stepped in, Roque came to get me at 6 but his car was acting up (battery?) so we decided it was best that since I HAD to be home at a specific time, we would cancel. But he told me where to find that bird (Monte Alban, where I am going to be anyway!)
So now, the sheets are being washed, la Nina is coming to clean at 10:30, I have dropped my clothes at the lavanderia across the street. I didn't want to have wet clothes hanging everywhere for la nina and for mom when she arrives.
Now, I just have to figure out how to get to the airport to pick up mom in three hours.
Here is some street art:
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| Combining my two favourite things! Chicken art and street art! |
Here are my bird lists for my two days with Roque (for anyone who has made it this far and who cares to continue.)
February 3, 2018
Curved-bill Thrasher
Lark Sparrow
Grey-breasted Woodpecker
American
Bucard's Wren
Loggerhead Shrike
White-throated Towhee
Cassin's Kingbird
Blue
Rufous-capped Warbler
Indigo Bunting
Common Ground Dove
Blue-grey Gnatcatcher
Vermilion Flycatcher
Bridled Sparrow
House Finch
Lincoln Sparrow
Ladderback Woodpecker
Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater
Black Vulture
Green Heron
Crested Caracara
Western Tanager
Slate-throated Redstart
Tropical Kingbird
Grey Silky-flycatcher
Nashville Warbler
Plumbeous Vireo
Rufous-backed Robin
Great Egret
Cattle Egret
Lesser Egret
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Black Pheobe
Clay-coloured Robin
Bullock's Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Summer Tanager
Black-backed, Lesser Goldfinch
Turkey Vulture
Dusky Hummingbird
Zone-tailed Hawk
Least Grebe
American Coot
Blue-wing Teal
Killdeer
Least Sandpiper
Berylline Hummingbird
Little Blue Heron
Spotted Sandpiper
Hepatic Tanager
Blue-throated Hummingbird
Tufted Flycatcher
Mexican Violetear
Collared Towhee
Peregrine Falcon
Grey-breasted Wood-wren
Grey-barred Wren
White-tailed Kite
Red-tailed Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Stellar's Jay
Monday, February 4
Broadbill Hummingbird
Berylline Hummingbird
Boucard's Wren
White-eared Hummingbird
Grey Silky-flycatcher
Greater Pewee
Stellar Jay
Hepatic Tanager
Orange-crowned warbler
Violet-green Swallow
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
White-throated Robin
Western Tanager
American Robin
Rufous-capped Brush Finch
Spotted Towhee
Bushtit (black-eared)
Elegant Euphonia
Beautiful Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Scrub-Jay (Sumicrast's)
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Dwarf Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Townsend Warbler
Ladderback Woodpecker
Audubon Oriole
Western Tanager
Violet-crowned Hummingbird
Slaty Vireo
Collared Towhee
Brown-backed Solitaire
Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer
Yellow-eyed Junco
Blue-throated Hummingbird
Amethyst-throated Hummingbird
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Hutton's Vireo
Lesser Goldfinch
Hermit Warbler
Reb Warbler
Golden-browed Warbler
Dwarf Jay
Painted Redstart
Mexican Chickadee
Turkey Vulture
Vermillion Flycatcher
Rock Pigeon
Great-tailed Grackle
Looks awesome! I'm not even a birder but I am very jealous of your two days in the outdoors.
ReplyDeleteP.S. That chicken rocks!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great!
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