West Mexico Tour Report 2017

21st February - 9th March 2017


TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
Either for rarity value, excellent views or simply a group favourite.

 

  • Rufous-bellied Chachalaca

  • Elegant Quail

  • Long-tailed Wood-Partridge

  • Rufous-necked Wood-Rail

  • Lesser Roadrunner

  • Balsas Screech Owl

  • Mexican Barred Owl

  • Colima Pygmy Owl

  • Northern Potoo

  • Mexican Whip-poor-will

  • Eared Poorwill

  • Mexican Hermit

  • Mexican Violetear

  • Mexican Woodnymph

  • Bumblebee Hummingbird

  • Citreoline Trogon

  • Coppery-tailed Trogon

  • Russet-crowned Motmot

  • Golden-cheeked Woodpecker

  • Lilac-crowned Amazon

  • Mexican Parrotlet

  • Military Macaw

  • Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo

  • Black-capped Vireo 

  • Dwarf Vireo

  • Golden Vireo

  • San Blas Jay

  • Tufted Jay

  • Black-throated Magpie-Jay

  • Flammulated Flycatcher

  • Grey Silky-Flycatcher

  • Spotted Wren

  • Blue Mockingbird

  • Brown-backed Solitaire

  • Russet Nightingale-Thrush

  • Olive Warbler

  • Crescent-chested Warbler

  • Colima Warbler

  • Red-faced Warbler

  • Golden-browed Warbler

  • Red Warbler

  • Collared Towhee

  • Rusty-crowned Ground Sparrow

  • Green-striped Brush-Finch

  • Red-headed Tanager

  • Red-breasted Chat

  • Varied Bunting

  • Orange-breasted Bunting 

 

SUMMARY:

Cinereous Owl - West Mexico 2017 _00080West Mexico is a birders paradise with a superb variety of habitats that harbour an exciting cast of endemics, along with an excellent supporting cast of amazing birds. Our tour produced 327 species seen, of which 47 were Mexican endemics. But it’s not just about numbers and the overall experience of seeing a wide variety of wintering warblers usually in large flocks, some good shorebirds, and a wide variety of hummers, parrots and other really rare birds all in lovely warm sunshine certainly made this a very enjoyable tour.  We travelled from Puerto Vallarta, where Blue Mockingbird was a garden bird, along the coast to Volcan de Fuego and its sister, Volcan de Nieve where we encountered Lesser Roadrunner, numerous Orange-breasted Buntings and the fabulous Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo. Incredible San Blas was next and a couple of boat rides were thoroughly enjoyed by everyone with views of Northern Potoo that just couldn’t be beaten. Possibly the Tufted Jays along the Durango Highway were our birds of the trip, although some great night birds including Balsas Screech-Owl, Colima Pygmy-Owl, the huge Cinereous Owl, Mexican Whip-poor-will and Eared Poorwill also took some beating.  With great food and an excellent local guide in Kim Risen this is a tour we cannot wait to repeat.

 

 

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