Friday 30 December 2011
SANTA CATARINA 30-12-2011
Raining today at SC, only had 2 hours there and here is what I saw - Canvasback 1 female. Semipalmated Plover 1 not a bad bird for SC. White Tailed Kite 2, Raven 2, American Wigeon 5, nothing unusual and all the usual suspects with good number of Great Blue Heron approx 40 and American Avocets and Long Billed Dowitchers numbering at between 300-400 each. Smaller number of Stilt Sandpiper approx 15 and Least Sandpiper approx 50. Off to Michoacan in 2 days so expect better things there.
Wednesday 28 December 2011
DAMN ! 26-12-2011
I was driving to a party 2 nights ago accross farm fields on a dark road, between where I live in Puerta Real and Gardenas De Hacienda. When a large broad winged owl ghosted past me - flying over the road all i caught was its form and wide wings and its brownish colour, as soon as I saw it it was away - damn ! Only natalia and I saw it. I had no way of turning back and we were late for the party damn ! But now I know its here I can come out again and search. The only owl ive seen in Mexico after all is a Barn Owl In Tequis. Last time I went looking for Owls I ended up finding a skunk instead !
Monday 26 December 2011
BOXING DAY TRIP TO TEQUISQUIAPAN
So after two weeks of parties and eating too much we got out of town and over to Tequisquiapan a small town about 35 miles east from Queretaro. On the road we saw 7 Red Tailed Hawks, 5 American Kestrals and 1 Crested Caracara. We had a nice lunch and day out in central Tequis. and was really hot so we headed to the park. Not much around there and I wasnt really birding, apart from American Robins wintering (5) and feeding alongside a small smelly river. On way back we stopped off at a lake ( Queretaro-Mexico City Motorway) I always wondered about it as had seen it many times before but never stopped as it is in an industrial area, horrible place to be honest and really nasty - but birds dont care for aesthetics and there was loads of them there nothing spectacular but 5 Gadwall was a good record for Queretaro as they are a somewhat uncommon duck here. Also on water were Pintail and Shoveler. Along the muddy edges were approx 100 Long Billed Dowitchers, approx. 5 least sandpipers and approx. 20 Back Winged Stilts. Okay it is not much but the place showed good signs for spring or autumn and I reckon that it is worth a check when passing in future. All in all a quiet family day with no serious birds.
Sunday 25 December 2011
HAPPY CHRISTMAS !!
Happy Christmas to Mum, Dad, Lewis, Molly and Daisy and everyone in the UK ....and poor Steve stuck working in Romania eating micro lasagne on Christmas Day - better luck next year brother !
Wednesday 21 December 2011
GARDEN THIS LAST WEEK
So birds in the garden included Loggerhead Shrike on wall and Nashville Warbler in bushes. Fly overs included Cattle Egret, White Faced Ibis and Crested Caracara. Killdeers on fields easy to see and hear ! from bedroom window.
MANDUJANO GTO
Went to check on Buffleheads seen earlier at Mandujano, drove car down through village and along front of reservior on dirt track - there had been no rain - so I obviously expected all to be dry and no problems - I couldnt have been more wrong as the crossfox went straight into mud and got stuck - again - twice in a year here ! Nightmare ! I had to go and get help by time I got out I had to head home to Qro. So no info at all on buffleheads and a totally unsuccessful day at Mandujano. Just one Greater Yellowlegs, an Eared Grebe and a Pied Billed Grebe all on the reservior above Mandujano.
Monday 19 December 2011
Constitucion de 1917 QRO
19 December 2011.
Early in morning. Lovely sunny day clear and little wind. Approached lake from main road and drove to edge of water and parked. Opened door and looked up to see an OSPREY circling close over my head - nice start. Then a ring tailed female Northern Harrier flew over. Two Eared grebes and a Pied Billed Grebe were diving close in to the shore line. Dominating the ducks were huge numbers of Pintail. One American Wigeon was amongst the Pintails and a flock of Ruddy Ducks were in the centre of the lake. From the previous week 3 of the 4 Ross Geese remained but outside of that there was nothing much of note a few Greater Yellowlegs and Lesser Yellowlegs and the normal waders were around and that was about it.
Early in morning. Lovely sunny day clear and little wind. Approached lake from main road and drove to edge of water and parked. Opened door and looked up to see an OSPREY circling close over my head - nice start. Then a ring tailed female Northern Harrier flew over. Two Eared grebes and a Pied Billed Grebe were diving close in to the shore line. Dominating the ducks were huge numbers of Pintail. One American Wigeon was amongst the Pintails and a flock of Ruddy Ducks were in the centre of the lake. From the previous week 3 of the 4 Ross Geese remained but outside of that there was nothing much of note a few Greater Yellowlegs and Lesser Yellowlegs and the normal waders were around and that was about it.
LA LLAVE
LA LLAVE 19 DECEMBER 2011
I arrived at La Llave in the late morning approaching from Motorway on road to La Llave village just south of village a Common Yellowthroat (female) was feeding near a group of Lesser Goldfinches.
The pools next to the bridge over to the village held water and muddy edges around the reeds. Birds present there were Lesser Yellowlegs 2, Wilsons Phalarope 2 (this is by far the furthest into winter I have seen them in Queretaro) and 2 Northern Jacanas. La Llave seems to be the only location in Queretaro where this species can be found.
Circling over the marsh were 3 Crested Caracaras, 1 Northern Harrier female and up to 7 Turkey Vultures. Ducks included massive numbers of Pintail, Shoveler, Coot, Green Winged Teal and Mexican Duck, and smaller numbers of Blue Winged Teal, Cinnemon Teal and Ruddy Duck. Also seen were Wilson Snipe approx 10 and at least 75 Long Billed Dowitchers and loads of Least Sandpipers. I am not much one for counting bird numbers. At the far end of lake is where the action came (And just before I had to turn back to Queretaro and do Christmas shopping...great ! ) on the edge of the water I picked up two large white birds, and it was the birds id been hoping to see here as I read from previous studies into avifauna in Queretaro that La Llave holds best opportunity for Snow Geese. And there they were 2 SNOW GEESE great and new for Mexico and Queretaro for me. One was a spectacular white adult with normal black edging and distinctive black grin to beak. Larger heavier bird than the Ross Geese and immediately distinctive. The other was a juvenile and no doubt on its first winter migration. I was not able to approach as they spooked easy so I decided to let them rest and feed and watched them feed from the track. Identification was simple and their behaviour was very wild and wary. First for Mexico for me and great end to the day.
I arrived at La Llave in the late morning approaching from Motorway on road to La Llave village just south of village a Common Yellowthroat (female) was feeding near a group of Lesser Goldfinches.
The pools next to the bridge over to the village held water and muddy edges around the reeds. Birds present there were Lesser Yellowlegs 2, Wilsons Phalarope 2 (this is by far the furthest into winter I have seen them in Queretaro) and 2 Northern Jacanas. La Llave seems to be the only location in Queretaro where this species can be found.
Circling over the marsh were 3 Crested Caracaras, 1 Northern Harrier female and up to 7 Turkey Vultures. Ducks included massive numbers of Pintail, Shoveler, Coot, Green Winged Teal and Mexican Duck, and smaller numbers of Blue Winged Teal, Cinnemon Teal and Ruddy Duck. Also seen were Wilson Snipe approx 10 and at least 75 Long Billed Dowitchers and loads of Least Sandpipers. I am not much one for counting bird numbers. At the far end of lake is where the action came (And just before I had to turn back to Queretaro and do Christmas shopping...great ! ) on the edge of the water I picked up two large white birds, and it was the birds id been hoping to see here as I read from previous studies into avifauna in Queretaro that La Llave holds best opportunity for Snow Geese. And there they were 2 SNOW GEESE great and new for Mexico and Queretaro for me. One was a spectacular white adult with normal black edging and distinctive black grin to beak. Larger heavier bird than the Ross Geese and immediately distinctive. The other was a juvenile and no doubt on its first winter migration. I was not able to approach as they spooked easy so I decided to let them rest and feed and watched them feed from the track. Identification was simple and their behaviour was very wild and wary. First for Mexico for me and great end to the day.
Friday 16 December 2011
MANDUJANO GTO
BUFFLEHEAD 4 -6 all in centre of lake possibly more but did not have time to walk around and check them out. Will try and get back here soon and do more exhaustive search as there are high densities of ducks ( pintail american wigeon, green winged teal, blue winged teal and shoveler. etc.) and waders ( stilt sandpipers, long billed dowitcher, american avocet, black winged stilt and least sandpipers etc.). Also seen Northern Harrier 2 Red Tailed Hawk 2 and normal suspects on lake. No sign of Grey Plover seems to have left. This is a record from 15 December 2011.
SANTA CATARINA QRO
Canvasback 1 female on shoreline. Laughing gulls 8, Ring Billed Gulls 8, Red Tailed Hawk 1. 16 December 2011
SANTA CATARINA QRO
WOOD STORK 1 Located at dusk and was feeding and very active. Also present and noteworthy was Peregrine Falcon 1 Crested Caracara 1 Northern Harrier 1 Canvasback 2 ( male and female)
No sign of wood stork 2 days later on next visit to SC.
10 December 2011
No sign of wood stork 2 days later on next visit to SC.
10 December 2011
Constitucion de 1917 QRO
ROSS GOOSE 4 white phase - feeding on grass edges, flew off to central of reservoir. Small beak and rounded head and lack of black grin to beak diagnostic as well as smaller size. Also present 1 Spragues Pipet, with 20 American Pipits, 2 Long Billed Curlews, 4 Laughing Gulls, 6 Ring Billed Gulls and approx 30 Horned Larks. 16 December 2011.
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