Birds and Wines in Chile and Argentina: Let the Birding Begin – Chile Part I

Posted on February 29, 2024February 27, 2025 by blairbirding

February 4, Day 1:

After our group first met in the 12th floor lobby of the Hyatt Place Hotel in Santiago, we boarded our van and went of to visit the Central Market (Mercado) in downtown Santiago where we wove our way through the produce, wine and seafood booths arriving at “Richard’s ‘King of Seafood’ Restaurant, a hole in the wall owned by Richard who like most everyone we would meet on the tour, was a long time friend of Marcelo’s. The market was alive with vendors, hawkers, buyers, restaurants and customers.

**Lots of Seafood – Here Weighing Giant Squid Tentacle**

Razor Clams and Cheese One of Many Dishes at First Lunch – with Much Wine As Well

After lunch we drove to the Farrelones Ski Resort area for our first birding at the Nevado Ski Resort. It is summer below the equator – so dry with no snow and at elevation pleasantly cool. Our first birds included Diuca Finch, Chilean Mockingbird, Rufous Collared Sparrow, White Crested Elaenia, Tufted Tit-tyrant and Plain-mantled Tit-spinetail. [NOTE: Throughout these blogs I will identify new lifers in bold italics.] I got pictures of all but the latter – a fate which would recur every time I “saw” that skulky bird during the trip.

Shortly thereafter a Black-chested Buzzard Eagle flew overhead shortly followed by our first Andean Condor. I had seen the impressive large Condors in Peru and in Ecuador and would see more later on this trip. Too far away for any meaningful photo. As we continued along our climb into the Andes, Marcelo noted some trees off to our left and said we should keep our eyes open as sometimes Lesser Horned Owls roosted in them. Literally two minutes later, Marcelo called out “Pare, pare”, the signal to our driver to stop. He did and we backed up maybe 50 feet and Marcelo pointed out a Lesser Horned Owl buried in the branches. Magic like this would recur often during the trip.

Continuing our climb, we turned onto Camino a La Parva and got out of the van for some “serious” birding just as more Andean Condors flew overhead – a little closer for a first photo – still distant and not very satisfying – but any Condor is a treat.

This was a good stop with many new birds – all new for Chile as this was my first visit to this country and new lifers including White-sided Hillstar (our first hummingbird), Gray-breasted Seedsnipe (heard only), Rufous-banded Miner, White-browed Ground Tyrant, Gray-hooded Sierra Finch, and Greater Yellow Finch. I also got lifer photos of Austral Thrush, Buff-winged and Gray-flanked Cinclodes, and Black-chinned Siskin.

Neither lifers or life photos but new photos for the trip were two doves that would be seen often on our trip Eared Dove (abundant and everywhere) and Black-winged Ground Dove seen mostly at higher elevations and which I had seen and photographed initially in Ecuador in 2022.

I was disappointed that we never got even a glimpse at the calling Gray-breasted Seedsnipe as especially after great looks and photos of the Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe in Ecuador, it was high on my target list. Not to kill the suspense, those looks and photos would come later. We continued on to the Nevado Ski Resort where I picked up three more lifers: Mourning Sierra-finch, Moustached Turca and both Cordilleran and Sharp-billed Canasteros. No picture of the latter until Argentina. We would see another Turca later, but they are not seen on every tour – great bird.

There would be one more lifer and accompanying life picture on this wonderful first day. At a last stop as we retraced our steps back to Santiago, we found a Fire-eyed Diucon, the fire eye quite obvious.

Especially with only a half day of birding, Day 1 was a great success. We had seen 34 species and I had photos of 24 of them. Fully 15 species were world lifers (bringing me to 3289 species) and lots of new world life photos as well. Back to Santiago. We were back to Santiago for dinner ready for Day 2.

February 5, Tour Day 2:

Today was anther day up into the mountains out of Santiago with our prime target being the species I most wanted to see on the trip – the Diademed Sandpiper-plover. We traveled on the Camino Embalse El Yeso in the area of San Jose de Maipo. After a fairly long drive Marcelo had the driver pull over saying that it seemed like a good spot to him for a Crag Chilia. Magic again as we heard its distant song from a rock embankment quite a ways off. Marcelo located it on a rock on got the scope on it. I had a decent ID view and a very distant photo, Appearance and habitat-wise it reminded me of our Canyon Wren. Responding to playback it came in closer, not real close but good enough for a decent highly magnified photo – another lifer.

Continuing on we came to a wet area that might be good for the Sandpiper-plover. We covered it extensively without finding it but there were other birds there including lifers Yellow-billed Teal a fast flying Magellanic Snipe, Creamy-rumped Miner and Yellow-rumped Siskin.

More importantly to me, however, was that we had great photo opportunities for the Gray-breasted Seedsnipe – a lifer photo that had been missed the previous day and I was also able to get a good photo of a Black-billed Shrike-tyrant. I had seen one 11 years earlier in Peru but no photo.

Cindy and I had seen Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe at high altitude in Ecuador, a much sought after species that is often missed, so this was a vey pleasing moment for us. And just as had been the case in Ecuador, we also saw Andean Gulls. Although I thought I had gotten a photo of another bird seen in Peru, I could not find a photo of the Rufous-naped Ground-tyrant seen with the Shrike-tyrant. It would have been a lifer photo. Bummer. I should mention that the area was spectacular , made better of course by the birds!!

So we had good birds but not the prize. When we went over the materials provided by Field Guides, they suggested warm hats and jackets and gloves for the high altitudes and also waterproof boots extending over the ankle for pursuit of the Diademed Sandpiper-plover which prefers watery areas. We had brought all on the trip but never used any of the cold weather clothing. When we got to our next area though, we did use some zip-up waterproof covers that went over our regular books. It was a good idea as there was a fair amount of ankle deep water in the area that Marcelo took us to for the Sandpiper-plover. This was an area that had hot springs and several non-birders were there as well, a concern for a hard to find and possibly skittish bird.

It took some time but finally Marcelo’s keen ears heard its calls and after quite a bit of searching he located one. The good news was that everyone could get good views through the scope. The not so good news was that the really striking bird was backlit and not real close. I took a lot of photos as best I could. This was probably the most frustrating experience on the trip for me. If when first spotted, we had positioned ourselves another 50 yards further along, there would have been good light on the bird enabling a much better picture. Although I understood the decision to stop at the spot where it was first viewed, the group had scattered and it took a while for everyone to get to the scope and get their view. Group protocol rightly requires no movement until everyone has had that first good view. It was very frustrating. When that first view for all was finally accomplished, we began moving to the better lit spot that would have enabled good photos. The bird had been essentially still or foraging in the same area for several minutes. Its patience ran out and it flew off way into the distance never to be seen gain. I include my best photo below but also for the only time I will do so in these blogs, I include a photo from the internet that shows just how cool this bird is.

***Diademed Sandpiper-plover – My Photo***

**Diademed Sandpiper-plover – Photo by Fernando Diaz**

**Marcelo on the Lookout for the Diademed Sandpiper-Plover**

**Blair and Cindy at Termas Plomo (hot springs) after Seeing the Diademed Sandpiper-plover**

On the return back to Santiago, there was a near disaster. Our van was making odd noises. First we slowed and then carried on a bit but the noises continued. We stopped and a not very happy Marcelo Padua went into to action. Probably best that we did not speak Spanish as there was a very heated conversation between Marcelo and someone – either the transportation company or the ground agent that Field Guides coordinated with in Chile. It could have been a full-on disaster, but this is where Marcelo’s talents in addition to birding paid off. We made our way to a small boutique hotel on the highway and waited as another van was sent to rescue us. Maybe it took an hour, maybe two. We had some desserts and drinks as we waited. It probably cut into some birding options, but the bottom line was that another van came and got us by late afternoon. Serviceable, but it was not nearly nearly as birding friendly as our original carriage – darker windows, with a more constraining seat configuration. It would have to do.

With our new driver we were off to our hotel back in Santiago and then to dinner at the Bodeguita Miguel Torres Restaurant with local wines of course – except being quite full from several nights of dining and for the first time feeling a bit jet lagged, I chose to sit this dinner out. Marcelo said to order whatever I wanted from room service and just put it on the bill. I passed and had a little snack protein bar and that was it. Cindy enjoyed the restaurant dinner. This thoughtful detail for room service speaks highly of Marcelo and the approach by Field Guides on this trip – always felt like we had first class service. OK we paid for it, but you don’t always get what you pay for.

End of Day 2 – 6 more lifers (now at 3295) and many new life photos. Running trip count now at 49 as we had added a Long Tailed Meadowlark on our way back to Santiago.

February 6, Day 3:

In our new van, in the morning we headed off to Rio Clarillo National Park. On the way I picked up a new lifer, a Picui Ground Dove. The hope was that whatever trouble our first van had could be fixed to enable it to take us to Argentina as there were licensing complications if not. Time would tell. In addition to the Picui Ground Dove, I got a life photo of a Black Faced Ibis, a bird I had first seen in Junín, Argentina in 1989 on my fishing trip.

On the way to Rio Clarillo NP, we picked up a couple of birds along the road in Pirque County including a surprising California Quail, introduced as a game bird for hunters in Chile. I also got pretty nice photos of a Tufted Tit-tyrant, a species I had first seen in the Amazon region in Ecuador.

We birded several hours at Rio Clarillo but did not add that many species although three of them Dusky Tapaculo, Dusky-tailed Canastero and Austral Blackbird were lifers. Another new species for the trip was a Giant Hummingbird (seen previously in Ecuador).

***Dusky Tapaculo – a Very Hard Bird to Photograph***

From Rio Clarillo, we headed to the Santa Rita Winery for another multi-course lunch, a tour of the winery and a wine tasting. There was also a small museum with pottery and weavings. It was an enjoyable and long visit taking most of the afternoon before we headed back to Santiago. We drank a lot of wine with an excellent Carmenere and an equally good (to me) Chardonnay. In the U.S. the Pewen Carmenere sells for over $50/bottle and the Alta Floresta Chardonnay for $20.00. These photos give a taste of what our afternoon was like. Santa Rita is r than 140 years old and is the largest wine producer in Chile.

It was then the drive back to the hotel, a short rest and then dinner at the Peumayen Ancestral Food Restaurant featuring – yes ancestral foods – not the highlight of our gustatory trip, but good and interesting and different. This would conclude the first part of our visit in Chile as we would head off the next morning for the long ride over the Andes to Argentina. We would later return to Chile to visit the coast before concluding with a return for flights home from Santiago.

At the end of day 3, I had listed 56 species for Chile and the trip, added 25 lifers to get to 3298 and again many new life photos.

My Last Day in Mexico – Feeder Foto Ops

Posted on January 1, 2024August 15, 2025 by blairbirding

After a good night’s sleep at El Cielito, it was time to start our last day. When I made the first flight reservations for the trip I had great non-stops both ways and the departure was pretty late on that last day giving us enough time for lots of birding. Unfortunately when I had to reschedule, the nonstop departing flight was not available. Instead I would have to leave several hours earlier and fly to LAX in Los Angeles and then stay overnight with an early flight back to Seattle early the next morning — the joys of international travel. But that was for later, first we headed to El Tuito and the Rancho Primavera.

The Rancho Primavera was in some ways the highlight of the trip. I have copied a description of this beautiful place from its website http://ranchoprimaveramexico.com/ with a couple of modifications to update it:

“Rancho Primavera is a quiet retreat just 1 hour south of Puerto Vallarta, but feels world’s away from the city life. Here, you’ll be treated like family by the owner Bonnie – a full time resident of the ranch who enjoys entertaining and cooking for guests. She is a bilingual American who has lived in Mexico for decades. Her family purchased this former mango and cattle ranch and proceeded to heal its overgrazed lands by planting over 5000 native trees on the 200 acres and were quickly rewarded by a return of the native birds and wildlife. Nowadays, it’s a top destination for bird-watching groups and nature lovers…Rancho Primavera is a bird-watcher’s paradise, with its restored woodlands, meadows, creeks and riparian areas supporting over 265 species of birds, including parrots, trogons, cuckoos and 16 types of hummingbirds! Birding tour groups regularly visit and cherish Rancho Primavera for its birdlife and solitude…Over 300 species of birds can be found in this region of Mexico including over 19 regional endemics such as the Citreoline Trogon, Orange-breasted Bunting, Lilac-crowned Parrot and the Mexican Woodnymph.”

We did not stay at the Rancho, but there are three homes available to rent. Were I to return to the area, I would seriously consider renting one for a week and using it as a base of operations to explore and enjoy the area. Greg had called ahead to let Bonnie know we were coming and she graciously delayed stocking the feeders until we were scheduled to arrive. We made ourselves comfortable and watched the show. And what a great show it was. We spent most of the time at the feeders by the main house with a short visit to the large pond on the property. During our two hours there, we had 44 species. Had this been the first place we visited on our trip, 40 of them would have been new year birds, and 12 would have been lifers. I don’t know how many would have been world life photos, but many would have been and beyond that the quality was extremely high. However, since we had already had 5 days of super birding, there were fewer new species, but the quality remained unmatched. There were just 3 new species for both the trip list and my year list and only 2 lifers.

Without question the most spectacular visitors to the feeders were the Magpie-jays. I had had only a brief view of a distant Black-throated Magpie-jay. This was very different with these magnificent birds very close by. So close, that with their magnificent long tails, it was at times difficult to get the whole bird in the viewfinder/photo. In Oaxaca in 2021 I had seen White-throated Magpie-jays. Adding this species was a top priority. An unexpected bonus was that there was a hybrid Black-throated/White Throated Magpie-jay among the visitors to the feeders.

**Black-throated/White-throated Magpie-jay Hybrid**

Two species that had been seen before but without photos appearing in earlier blog posts were the Streak-backed Oriole and Broad-billed Hummingbird. I had seen both in Arizona, the former quite rare and the latter quite common. Another species mentioned in earlier posts without a photo was the Cinnamon-bellied Saltator. We had wonderful views of this somewhat plain but attractive bird frequently on and around the feeders.

Similarly we had great views and photo ops for other species seen previously with some photos in earlier blogs: Cinnamon Hummingbird, Yellow Grosbeak, White-throated Thrush, Rufous-backed Robin and Golden-cheeked Woodpecker.

The birds and photo ops just kept on coming. Not new for the trip or any lists, but such treats to see and photograph were the Groove-billed Ani, White-winged and White-tipped Doves, and Masked Tityra, the latter a species I associate with tropical birding as I have seen them previously in Mexico, in Brazil, Peru, Belize, Costa Rica and Ecuador. I had missed a photo of one earlier, just nice to have one of an “old friend” again.

If we had not had such great intersections with the Military Macaws at the Sanctuary, this would have been at the top of the list. More than a half dozen visited us and gave us again spectacular views. The photo of the back shows the color mix so well. Truly awesome birds. We also had Orange Fronted Parakeets and Lilac-crowned Parrots fly over.

And then there were the lifers – rewarding and frustrating. First the frustration. In November 2020, I made a quick trip to Arizona chasing several world and/or ABA lifers or life photos. The most important was an Eared Quetzal that was being seen at Cave Creek Canyon. Other targets were a life photo of a Northern Jacana, an ABA Lifer Ruddy Ground Dove, an ABA Lifer White-eared Hummingbird and a barely possible Plain-capped Starthroat. The Jacana was easy but thrilling because I had seen only one in the ABA area before – in 1978 at Maner Lake in Texas where they were regular at the time. After that, however, they essentially disappeared from the ABA area, so this was exciting. Much harder to find was the Ruddy Ground Dove. I failed at several places where they had been seen in this incursion year and then finally got one at Fort Lowell Park in Tucson. [Interestingly we had a Ruddy Ground Dove just before getting to Rancho Primavera and the picture although REALLY poor was the only one I had of it this trip.] The Eared Quetzal was also pretty easy as I found other birders looking at it along he main road into Cave Creek. Ah, then there were the hummingbirds. A White-eared Hummingbird had been seen regularly the previous couple of weeks coming to a feeder in Ramsey Canyon. Unfortunately the regularity had declined by the time I got to Arizona. A Plain-capped Starthroat was seen there as well, but not in the last few days before I arrived.

**Ruddy Ground Dove – just before Rancho Primavera**

With another birder, I staked out feeders at the Ramsey Canyon Inn hoping for the Starthroat and White-eared Hummers.. There were lots of birds. While being essentially stationary, I had 27 species and interestingly that list included 14 species that would have been 2023 Year birds had I not gone to Mexico and 10 of the others would be additional year birds even after this trip. Back to the hummers. There were several Rivoli’s Hummingbirds, a Rufous Hummingbird and at least a half dozen Anna’s Hummingbirds, and they were the problem. Every time a hummer came to the feeder, one of the Anna’s would aggressively chase it off. This continued for the 4 hours that we were there. Lasting no more than 2 seconds, a White-eared Hummingbird came in to one of the feeders and was immediately chased off. Not a chance to get a photo. It happened once more with an even quicker assault by the Anna’s contingent. Did the Plain-capped Starthroat visit? I didn’t see it if it did. The other birder there thought maybe he had, but I think it was mind over matter and wishful thinking. In any event, that species was now on my – “I really want to see one” target list.

After maybe an hour at the Rancho Primavera feeders, Greg called out “Plain-capped Starthroat” – unfortunately, I looked for it at the closest hummingbird feeder and it had been seen – very briefly at the back feeder. Still no lifer Starthroat but now I knew where to look. There were two problems: the first was that the hummer was at best a very infrequent visitor and the second was that there were so many other birds coming in that it was impossible to watch only that feeder. Almost at the end of our stay, I exclaimed that I had the Starthroat as it perched briefly on that rear feeder at a time when I was watching it. Had I been birding through my camera which I often do, I could have gotten a photo. But I wasn’t, so I had to be happy with a really good if quick view that even showed the “star” throat – but no photo. The one below is from someone else who was either luckier or more skilled than me. But that is not the end of the story.

**Plain-capped Starthroat – Photo by Luis Vargas**

Being so close but not getting a photo of the Starthroat would have felt like a bad ending to what otherwise was an incredible visit to Rancho Primavera and that feeling would have been compounded by missing the one bird we were most looking for at this location. A Blue Mockingbird had been coming in to these feeders regularly. It would be a world lifer for me. When Bonnie met us as we arrived, she said it had been seen. There was no sign of it while we waited for almost 2 hours, and we were preparing to leave after missing the Starthroat photo, when – drumroll please – it finally made an appearance. The joy of seeing and photographing it quickly overcame any disappointment about the Starthroat which is now just a good story. I had looked forward to seeing this species the whole trip, knowing it was only likely at this spot. It was a great moment and the bird stayed and posed for quite a while.

**Blue Mockingbird’s First Appearance at the tray Feeder**

**Blue Mockingbird in a more natural setting**

There was one last stop at Rancho Primavera before we moved on. At the beautiful pond on the property we finally saw a Least Grebe, which we had surprisingly had missed at several perfect habitat locations previously. It was not a lifer as I have seen it in Texas many times and in Oaxaca in 2021 and it would be the next to last new bird for the year.

There would be two more stops before getting back to Puerto Vallarta for my return flight. The first was forested area along the Camino Sierra Paraiso and the second was back near the Military Macaw sanctuary. We tried hard but unsuccessfully to bring in a Ferruginous Pygmy Owl for a visual and tried very hard and again unsuccessfully to find a Collared Becard. Ironically, the Becard was being seen in Texas, I think an ABA first, and further ironically two species that were supposedly “guaranteed” on this trip but missed were also being seen as mega-rarities there. The two were Bare Throated Tiger Heron and Roadside Hawk. It wasn’t new for the trip but I finally got a decent photo of a Sinaloa Wren. I had seen and got the world’s worst picture of one in Arizona in February 2018. This one was much better and greatly appreciated. We also added a Common Raven to our trip list.

**Sinaloa Wren – Finally a Decent Photo**

Our final official stop in the area near the Sanctuary produced the final two birds for the trip, and another year bird and world lifer and some good photos including one of a species that was on our trip list but looking back I was not sure I had actually heard.

The new trip birds were a lifer Black Headed Siskin and a Chipping Sparrow. I was really disappointed that I missed what would of course have been a life photo of the Siskin. A small flock flew in directly overhead and I got my camera on one of the birds in the flock. Unfortunately it was a Black-throated Gray Warbler and not a Siskin. The Siskins flew off as quickly as they came in and that was that. The photo I got that made sure that the bird was really on my list was of a Russet-crowned Motmot. The best thing about this photo was that I actually saw the bird at all. In Indonesia earlier in the year I was really frustrated not being able to see many birds seen by others – especially in foliage. I simply could not focus with or without binoculars. It turned out that a film had developed on the lens implanted in cataract surgery a number of years ago. I visited an ophthalmologist who found the problem and removed it with laser surgery. The difference was immediate and positive both actually in what I could see and also emotionally as I had lost confidence in my abilities. I picked the Motmot out of pretty heavy foliage across a ravine and at least 70 yards away and was able to get the very satisfying life photo. Yes it was a colorful bird, but before the corrective surgery, there is zero chance I would have seen it.

I will close out the last birding part of the trip and the stop with three final bird photos and one short story. The three photos are of a Boat Billed Flycatcher with a large insect in that large bill, a Gray Crowned Woodpecker and another Rose Breasted Becard.

The story is about the Rose-throated Becard. As I have said repeatedly throughout my blog posts, Greg Homel was a fantastic guide and birding companion. He knew everything the about the area, the birds, habitats, calls, notes, songs, behaviors etc. He was great company with fun stories and informed views on subjects ornithological and otherwise. He was also phenomenal at locating birds and helping me to get on them. And then there was the photography. He is an exceptional photographer and not only took care to line up shots when we could but also in teaching me much about photography and my equipment. I hope and expect to engage his services again and look forward to his company and to birding with him. There was this one slip-up however, a tiny one, but magnified only because it would have been really great if it had not happened. The picture above of the Rose-throated Becard is the best one I have. The other two are a horrible distant shot from Arizona and the one from the previous day in the evening of a female or young bird in poor light. When I shot that photo, the bird was fairly distant and somewhat hidden and behind some foliage. Just as the bird came completely into the open and in great light and I was about to get what “obviously” would have been a phenomenal photo of it, Greg barely brushed my arm and by the time I recovered – not even a second, the bird was gone. If you can spend six intense days with someone and that is the sole complaint/transgression, NO BIG DEAL!!

**This is the best photo of a Rose-throated Becard I have seen.** **It is by Owen Deutsch an excellent photographer.** **At least is my mind this is what my photo would look like.** **Nice, huh!**

We made it back to Puerto Vallarta in plenty of time for my flight. My last photo was of a pretty large Crocodile at a spot near the airport where they hang out. It doesn’t make it on to my list. Here are my final numbers for the marvelous trip. Species for the trip 216; new species for the year 150 to get to 1082; new lifers 29 to get to 3273; and lots of new photos to get to get 1990ish (“ish” because my list and Ebird don’t exactly match and it is just way too much work to figure it out given how Ebird shows photo totals.).

Postscript: I got back home on December 11th. If I had no commitments for the rest of the year, I would have looked at my numbers and said – “Wow, with another 18 species I could get to 1100 for the year – not as “special” as 1000, but doubting I would ever be close to that number again, 1100 is another nice round number so why not?” And seeing a photo total of 1990 or so, I would have said – “Wow, only 10 more photos to get to a really nice number, 2000”. Well, first of all I did have lots of commitments (including relieving Cindy of dog and other responsibilities that she had shouldered alone while I was gone” and 18 more species was maybe a lot but not impossible with well planned trips, time and luck. Ten new life photos was out of the question without another foreign trip and that was out of the question. But what about 1100? Well there were commitments and I should just call it a year and tend to other matters. And that’s what I did for 10 days – happy to have gotten my thousand plus.

But on the 11th day – December 21st – I took a look at my actual list for Washington for the year and realized that there were a fair number of birds that I had just assumed I had seen, because they are so easy, but I had not. And there were some rarities still around – the itch to list and count – wanted to be scratched. I made a target list that was a little stretch and would need good luck – but was possible over on the Olympic Peninsula. The target list was Lesser Black-backed Gull (returning to the farm in Sequim where it has been seen the past 2 winters), Harlequin and Long Tailed Ducks (the first a given and the second maybe 50/50); Common Murre, and both Marbled and Ancient Murrelets (all for sure at the right place), Red Throated and Yellow-billed Loons (the first probable and the second a long shot), Herring Gull (probable with the Lesser Black-backed), White Winged Scoter (how could I have missed one this year), and American Dipper (strong possibility in Sequim, but it has been a nemesis this year, missed in several likely spots). I figured if I could get at least 10 of these 11 targets, then with one long (overnight) and one all day trip to Eastern Washington and/or maybe also a long trip to Neah Bay, I could have a chance at another 10 species – so count on 8 and Voila – 1100. (Of course my indebtedness to Cindy would grow – deal with that later.)

Not to draw out the story, I only found 7 of the targets, missing both loons, the Long Tailed Duck and yet again the damn Dipper. I swallowed my pride, recognized that it was better to be very happy with more than 1000 rather than be disappointed missing a less charismatic 1100 and quit. Four days passed and a Yellow-billed Loon was discovered about 2 miles from my home. It was very rare for the County and would be a great last bird for the year – better than a White-winged Scoter. If it was seen again the next day, I would give it a go. It was so I went the next morning and got it – a new county bird for me and everyone else who saw it )lots of people) and species 1090 for the wonderful year of 2023. I am writing this on New Year’s Day morning – so the chapter for Year 2023 is done. Time to start a new list. If the Yellow Billed Loon remains, I will go to see it. But travel this year while birdy, will be far less birdy. If it even comes close to as much fun, it will be a wonderful year.

**Yellow-billed Loon – #1090 for 2023 and #271 for Snohomish County**

Happy New year!!

Day 5 in Western Mexico – Around El Cielito

Posted on December 31, 2023February 27, 2025 by blairbirding

The little cabins at El Cielito were comfortable – well except for the croaking geckos and the chirping crickets. I know it comes with the territory but I needed sleep. Actually the geckos were pretty well behaved – going off in chorus only once, but the crickets started early and persisted. Stop complaining Blair, the setting was beautiful, hot weather was ahead but there was no rain or wind, beautiful birds awaited AND most importantly when we returned that night and I switched cabins – no wildlife – no noise!! Staff was great and it was the kind of place that Cindy would also love with views of the beach, the ocean nearby and lovely grounds. I am sure there were birds right there, but we were off again – Day 5 awaiting us.

Birding mostly in the nearby scrublands, we fairly quickly added three of the species I most wanted to see: Black Throated Magpie Jay, Golden Vireo and Orange Breasted Bunting – all lifers and I also finally got a photo of a Happy Wren. We had heard the latter before but I had never gotten a look. The view of the jays was not great and Greg promised great views later at another spot – so no picture of that one, but oh my, the others. The Orange Breasted Bunting is simply spectacular – even gives Painted Bunting some competition. And the Golden Vireo is really special as well. Nifty little bird and quite the contrast from Warbling Vireo which we also saw.

**Orange Breasted Bunting Male – Lifer**

**Another Orange Breasted Bunting Male**

**Warbling Vireo – Most Common Vireo in Washington**

The Happy Wren gets its name from its truly happy sounding song, but I was not very happy when I failed to get a good look at in Oaxaca in 2021 or on the two occasions when we had heard it earlier on the trip. But I was very HAPPY when this fellow cooperated coming into the open long enough to be both admired and photographed. I continued to miss seeing Sinaloa Wren which we also heard in the area and which we had heard before as well. Greg suggested patience.

We had lots of birds – 49 species in about 2 hours with other new birds for the trip being Laughing Gull – flyby and I had seen it earlier in the year at Tokeland in Washington – a rarity there, Blue Bunting – which somehow I missed getting a photo, Lucy’s Warbler, and Black Headed Grosbeak, a species common in Washington. We had many Blue Gray Gnatcatchers adding to those seen on other days and of course many other species seen earlier in the trip.

**Lucy’s Warbler – About as Plain as It Gets**

As an aside, I note that both the Blue Gray Gnatcatcher and Lucy’s Warbler, like the Laughing Gull are rare in Washington, although the number of Gnatcatchers seems to be growing and they are seen regularly now at Neah Bay, which is also where I was present when another birder found the first state record for Lucy’s Warbler – in a terrible downpour. Painted Buntings have been seen in Washington. Lazuli Buntings breed there and Indigo Buntings are seen occasionally. So far no Varied or Blue Buntings and an Orange Breasted Bunting would draw every birder immediately.

**Varied Bunting – Somehow I Missed the Blue Bunting that was right next to it**

With apologies, I acknowledge that this is not the best approach, but I see that I omitted to mention Summer Tanagers and include photos in earlier blog posts. We did NOT see one on this leg of our journey, but hey they were almost certainly in the area. Anyhow, here is a photo of one from yesterday – maybe I will go back and edit the blog post, but since it has already been shared, maybe not. I love all tanagers in part because of their wild mix of colors. Not so with the Summer Tanager – red on red only.

We moved higher up and into more forested areas and had 63 species in the next couple of hours. Seven were new for the trip, getting us to over 200!! And six were new for the year – getting me to 1076!! The Golden Vireo and Orange Breasted Buntings had been lifers and I would add 2 more here to get to 3270!! As best I could tell there would not likely be many more ahead – unless we went high into the mountains. That would have been possible with one more day but tomorrow would be my last day and there was a great spot ahead and not enough time to get to the higher habitats and still catch my flight. The seven new species for the trip were White Bellied Wren, Ovenbird, Broad-winged Hawk, Gadwall, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Citreoline Trogon and Red Breasted Chat. The Gadwall of course was the one not new for the year and the last two were the lifers. Although we heard many Ferruginous Pygmy Owls and used its hoots to attract birds, we could never get one to come in close for a photo. Fortunately I have a photo of one in Texas at the King Ranch hotspot.

I was very pleased to get photos of the White Bellied Wren. I had seen it in Belize but no photo then. The Broad-winged Hawk disappeared as quickly as it first came in – no photo. And the Ovenbird skulked and hid as usual – no photo of it either. But there is a nice life photo of the Citreoline Trogon and a photo of the Red Breasted Chat – but you have to use your imagination. It is a gorgeous bird but stays hidden. We heard more than one during our adventure and tried really hard to get one in the open, but the best I could do was of one buried deeply in foliage – lucky even for that.

**What A Good Picture of a Red Breasted Chat Looks Like – Sadly not Mine**

We were able to have lunch and then get back to our cabins at El Cielito for a little siesta. Greg had not originally planned for a two night stay so we had to move to different cabins. Worked for me as it was gecko and cricket free. After a nice rest we were back to the birds continuing roads in the area as before. We had 36 species with nothing new but I added a couple of photos – Squirrel Cuckoo and Tropical Parula.

We then moved on to a birdy area where the river ran into the sea – so lots of waders and shorebirds. New for the trip were a Long Billed Curlew, a Reddish Egret and a Wilson’s Snipe. An unexpected new species was a Rose Throated Becard. It was hanging out with a flock of passerines that included mostly Orchard Orioles but also had Hooded Orioles, and a Golden Cheeked Woodpecker.

It was then back to El Cielito for my last night in Mexico. No crickets and no partying by neighbors. It was a good night’s sleep.

**My little home away from home at El Cielito**

At the end of day 5, the trip list was at 210 species, my world list was at 3270 and I had 1078 species for the year. It had been an incredible trip. I was sorry there was only one day left.

Many (A)Mazing Mexican Military Macaws (and) More

Posted on December 30, 2023February 26, 2025 by blairbirding

December 8th/Day 4 – Again less than decent sleep because of the noisy central AC in the hotel. Fortunately the adrenalin kicked in and I needed it this morning. We were heading south going to start Day 4 at a very special place, the Rancho El Santuario in Cabo Corrientes where there was a successful conservation project going to expand the population of Military Macaws (Mexican subspecies) which are endangered in part because of habitat loss but also due their young being captured for the pet trade. We arrived at the sanctuary around 7:30 a.m. and were welcomed by the manager/owner of the area – a good friend of Greg’s. (On that note, everyone seemed to be a good friend of his as he was welcomed with hugs, smiles and laughs at each place we stopped by some owner/manager/supervisor/server with whom he had built a strong relationship and friendship over the years).

We spent many hours at the reserve and the surrounding area. Again the weather was perfect, there were no bugs, and there were lots of birds. Macaws are large, colorful and raucous birds, so not surprisingly we heard them before we saw them. Fairly soon some of the large parrots flew by and then others flew closer overhead. Finally several came into trees very close to us and cameras were clicking – actually that was not the case as we were both on silent mode. The parrots really are spectacular with both bold and subtle colors. They form very strong bonds with pairs staying together for many years. It was another lifer for me with accompanying photos.

This photo shows one of the Macaws peeking out of a nest box. They are cavity nesters so generally would need large tracts of aged forest for nesting/breeding. Building nest boxes and placing them high up on big trees together with strong protection has been the key to the conservation efforts.

The Macaws were definitely the stars of the show, but there were other great birds as well. In and around the sanctuary we had 58 species including 23 that were new for the trip with all but one of them being new for the year as well, and that is a story. When I got Greg’s target list for the trip, one of the sure things was a Black and White Warbler. A very rare bird in Washington, I had only seen my first one there last year. Then in the last week of November a few days before I had originally planned to depart for Mexico, one showed up at Greenlake in Seattle. It quickly became a sensation and many Washington birders, including me raced to see it. It was very active but remained in the same general area so not too hard to find. That was the only species of the 23 that I had seen previously and then only because of that fortuity in Seattle. [As a side note the Black and White Warbler is still being seen in essentially the same area at Greenlake today making it a 5 week wonder!!]

**Black and White Warbler – Washington**

Of the 22 that were new for the trip, only three were lifers (although the peek at Military Macaws earlier in the trip should now be overwritten as there was simply no comparison). The other lifers were Yellow Grosbeak, Golden-Crowned Emerald and Orange Billed Nightingale Thrush (heard only). I got photos of the first two but not the last.

**Golden Crowned Emerald – Only Hummingbird Lifer of the Trip**

I also got photos of many but not all of the other 18 and would get photos of others of them later. Just below the Military Macaws on my rating system for the morning was finally getting a photo opportunity for Pale Billed Woodpecker. One had been seen/heard briefly earlier, but this was the real deal.

**Gray Crowned Woodpecker – Life Photo**

**Rufous Capped Warbler – Much better photo than of the one seen in Arizona**

After our birding in and around the sanctuary, we visited the Jardin Botanico Vallarta – the Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens – a famous and wondrous place with a great restaurant, indoor and outdoor gardens, a gift shop and bird feeders. It was started in 2004 by Bob Price – and of course he greeted Greg warmly when we arrived. There is a fee for entry – well worth it for botany lovers as well as birders. It preserves the native plants as well as showcasing many others. Our bird watching was limited to the feeders watched during our lunch, but it has many walking trails and the Ebird hotspot lists more than 260 species!!

**Our lunch spot at the Botanical Gardens Restaurant**

Officially our only new bird for the trip, and for my year, was West Mexican Chachalaca, but we had 13 species with Green and San Blas Jays, Yellow Winged Caciques and Golden Cheeked Woodpeckers coming to the tray feeders and Cinnamon Hummingbirds only feet away from us at the feeders next to the restaurant porch.

Staying in the Cabo Corrientes area, we next birded along Camino La Bascula which translates to something like Scale Street. I have no idea why. It was again a relatively early close to the day (around 7:00 p.m.) as we would be driving to the coast for a two night stay at a beautiful little resort with private cabins – used mostly by Mexican holiday seekers. So we spent almost three hours birding in the area. I had 42 species (and Greg heard a couple I did not). Six were new for the trip and they were also new for my year. None were lifers nor were there any life photos. The new year birds were Calliope and Violet Crowned Hummingbirds, Brown Backed Solitaire (heard only), Hepatic Tanager, Black Throated Green Warbler (truly a terrible photo) and Arizona Woodpecker. In the morning we had heard an Elegant Trogon and we heard another one later on this part of the trip – but I never got even a glimpse.

**Berylline Hummingbird** **– Seen Previously with no Photo**

**Dusky Capped Flycatcher – Seen Previously with no Photo**

It was now off to El Cielito, something like little heaven or little sky, where we would be staying for two nights in cabins by the beach. At day’s end our trip list was 190 species; my year list was up 1065 species; my world list was 3266 and I have lost track of photos. More to follow.

Mexico Day 3 – Birding around San Blas and then Back to Puerto Vallarta

Posted on December 29, 2023December 30, 2023 by blairbirding

It was bonus or gravy time. The goal that had initiated this trip to Mexico, reaching 1000 species for the year had been achieved with more than ten species to spare. There really had not been any pressure to achieve that and focus had turned to new species for life and photo lists, for the trip and to add to that year total. Moreso, however, the tone of the trip had already changed to just having fun and today with another early start would continue on that path. Greg Homel and I had really good rapport and we saw eye to eye on what could have been controversial topics like politics, religion, guns, diversity, humor and economics. Story telling came easily and there was no need to impress or compete. On that score it was very easy not to compete with Greg. He had traveled the world birding in over 100 countries, had seen more than 9000 bird species and had been doing this seemingly since he was old enough to walk. He was the expert on this trip and even though I was compensating him for that, it never felt that way – just out birding.

We again were off to an early start and would be birding in a number of habitats around San Blas in the Mexican State of Nayarit. We began birding along the Camino Crocodilario – the Crocodile Path. We would see crocodiles on several occasions on the trip, but the concentration was always on the birds. Not too far into the morning I yelled “Stop” as I had seen what seemed to be a very large woodpecker on a palm tree maybe 50 yards off the road. Repeating maneuvers familiar to all birders, Greg quickly found a place to make a U-turn and we got back to the palm where a large woodpecker was on the left side of the tree (later to move all around the trunk) and a smaller one was on the right side. One should never be disappointed seeing a Lineated Woodpecker as this turned out to be, but I was hoping for a very similar Pale Billed Woodpecker which I had heard earlier to count as a lifer but never saw or photographed. And the smaller guy on the left was a Golden Cheeked Woodpecker, another lifer seen briefly earlier but not photographed. It is a truly gorgeous bird.

Soon thereafter Greg called out Muscovy Ducks – “real ones” – in a field on the right side of the road. Another U-turn and I was able to get a photo. These were “real ones” as compared to the domesticated ones that are “countable” in the ABA area but are released/domesticated and gone wild in many urban parks, particularly in Florida. The only other real one I had seen was at Iguassu Falls in Brazil in 2005. In another field later, we had a partially blocked view of a Limpkin and later in another field some Cinnamon Rumped Seedeaters. I had seen and photographed both species before, but they were nice adds for the trip and year.

The first lifer added that morning was a Rufous Bellied Chachalaca, the 6th Chachalaca species on my world list and was later followed by a Cinnamon Bellied Saltator. No photos of the latter here, but there would be many more in the future. Keeping on the cinnamon theme, however, we had our first Cinnamon Hummingbird, seen and photographed before in Oaxaca, but new for 2023.

Altogether during this part of our birding day, we had 49 species and I added 14 species for the trip list and 12 species for my 2023 year list. A species that we worked very hard to find, see and photograph was one that I usually have each year in Washington – Green Tailed Towhee – usually found in wild rose thickets in the Blue Mountains East of Walla Walla. I had not gone their in my reduced year of birding in-state this year, so when we finally got it, it added to the 2023 World Year list. Not the greatest shot, I am including it only because we worked so hard to get any shot at this notorious skulker.

We moved on to bird the area around Chacalilla noted as a “Pueblo” on the Ebird list. That is a good segue to an important appreciated detail on the trip. For reasons I do not want to discuss here, my cell phone carrier (Comcast) does not provide service in foreign countries unless one uses a “Global Pass” at the exorbitant charge of $10/day and even then with limitations. So I keep my phone on “Airplane Mode” when travelling and rely on Wi-Fi connections including to make free calls to those who use WhatsApp. This of course means that I cannot use my GPS in the field and cannot do accurate Ebird reports. Our arrangement was that Greg would keep and file Ebird reports every day and then share them with me later. This worked very well, except, and this will be the only time I will say it, Greg was close to perfect in almost every way, but even he missed some species when he recalled them from memory after the fact. Details. Details. (Actually I will say it again – with a big grin – in the post for December 8th to follow.)

On this Chacalilla part of our day, we had 53 species, repeating many previously seen but adding 10 new species to our trip list of which 6 were new for my year and two were lifers with photos – well sort of photos for one. The two lifers were Elegant Quail and Mexican Parrotlet. Trying to get a photo of the first was as frustrating as almost anything on the trip. The only one(s) we saw were on a small dirt track/road with high grass on both sides. One would walk briefly on the side of the road and then disappear in the grass, repeating this several times, but never getting fully in the open from my position in the car, and we dared not get out. The only time it was sort of clear, I was not fast enough so I settled for a very poor shot. I did better on the Mexican Parrotlet, an endemic species in the region so an important one to see, but not by a whole lot as a small flock flew in overhead mostly buried in foliage atop a fairly tall tree in not great light. But – I saw it, heard it and got my photo – a great new lifer.

**Elegant Quail (Lifer) in a Very Inelegant Photo – Use your Imagination**

**Mexican Parrotlet – An Important Endemic – Lifer**

Below I am including images of some other birds seen on this leg of the trip, some seen earlier as well but I had not included photos in earlier blog posts.

**Black Necked Stilt and Blue Winged Teal**

Two species deserve special attention here: West Mexican Euphonia and Nutting’s Flycatcher. Both were seen (or heard) earlier on the trip but on this morning we got good views and I got good photos. Both were new world life birds and the pictures also new world photos.

The last leg of our trip this morning included a number of shrimp ponds – great habitat for waders, shorebirds and ducks. Of the 45 species seen, 4 were ducks, 13 were shorebirds (somewhat broadly defined) and 12 were waders. The 4 new species for the year were Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork, Yellow Crowned Night Heron and Ridgway’s Rail, none life birds and all photographed before but great birds for the year and nice photo ops. Finding the Ridgway’s Rail was particularly fun. We went to a pond that Greg thought would be really good for the Rail. There were lots of waders and ducks and just as we stopped at a corner of the pond, we heard a loud “bang” and many dozens of birds took off in flight. More importantly a Ridgway’s Rail called as well. The bang was probably a vehicle backfiring, but the response confirmed we were at the right place. With not too much playback, we coaxed the Rail into the open. I had seen one in California before and had photos, but this was definitely better.

Although we had Orange Fronted Parakeets earlier on the trip, as is often the case with this and related species, “had” was mostly “heard” with a very fast flyover. This time we heard them, saw them fly over and then land – and better yet, sort of pose while they preened. Photo op presented – photo taken.

After another good lunch it was back to the hotel for a little rest and then we were back out birding in late afternoon. It was a bit confusing to keep track of time as there are different time zones in Jalisco and Nayarit, with the former 2 hours earlier than my usual Pacific Standard Time and the latter only an hour earlier as it is further west. A benefit of that and of course from being much further south was that it did not get dark as early. We have just passed the Winter Solstice which meant it was starting to get dark by 5:00 p.m. in Edmonds – at least 2+ hours later where we were in Mexico. Our birding now took us to Tepic, the capital of Nayarit about an hour from San Blas. As is almost always the case, it gets harder to add new species as the trip goes along since so many new species were seen in each preceding birding day.

In this afternoon and evening of birding we had 42 species of which 9 were new for our trip, only 3 were new for the year and none were lifers. No new ones were especially exciting but I will add a few photos of some of the species seen. Interestingly one was a Lincoln’s Sparrow which would have been a new for the year species had I not seen one in Washington the week before I departed.

There would be no late birding into the night because we were on the move again, this time a long drive back to Puerto Vallarta where I thought I would be staying at the Holiday Inn Express hoping it would be quieter than the “fancier” Holiday Inn Suites which had very noisy AC. When I went to check in there, however, I was told I had been upgraded to the Holiday Inn Suites. I should have refused as the AC was just as noisy as the first night…Sigh! It would be another early start the next morning as we would be off to the Coast and birding south of Puerto Vallarta.

Puerto Vallarta Day 1 – The Count Begins

Posted on December 28, 2023 by blairbirding

It is embarrassing to admit that I know very little about the geography of Mexico. Before this trip I had been there just twice – once over 40 years ago on a week long vacation to Mazatlán – and how I wish I had been birding then – and then in 2021 to Oaxaca on a birding trip with Cindy – her first. Now I knew I was in Puerto Vallarta – a seaside tourist city – and that it was in Western Mexico in the state of Jalisco, but I really had little geographical sense of where that was. I knew it was between Mazatlán and Oaxaca but little more. I knew there were mountains nearby and that we would be visiting them. I also knew we would be birding in the San Blas area which was in the state of Nayarit but I honestly had a mental map that was totally wrong as to that location. Before leaving Edmonds, I had gone over some field guide information about the birds in the area, but my thoughts were focused mostly on getting to 1000 species for the year rather than on specific targets. I was confident I was in good hands and the details would take care of themselves.

I wrote up the 2021 trip to Oaxaca in two previous blog posts almost exactly two years ago. There were great parts of that trip, but the birding was disappointing as the leaders did not use playback at all and others in the group seemed to be satisfied with distant views. We had 170 species in 10 days but there were many really good species missed (seen by friends who birded the same area much more aggressively a couple of weeks later) and photos (except at the Lagoon) were too few and far between. I guess on that trip I was still in good hands as the logistics worked very well; but those were hands with different goals, responsibilities and expectations. How different this trip would be. We birded intensely from the start, and Greg Homel in addition to being a fabulous guide and birder is also a superb photographer. Much attention would be paid to getting pictures of our finds. Better yet Greg also was using the same camera set up as me – a Canon R5 body and the Canon RF 100-500 zoom lens. The only difference was that he was using a 2X extender while mine was 1.4X. Actually the biggest difference was that he really knew what he was doing and the intricacies of the camera very well. I have a long way to go to really get it down. By the end of the trip, however, I learned a lot from him and there would be many great photos.

From the airport, we made a quick stop for me to check in and drop off luggage at the Holiday Inn Suites Hotel pretty close to the airport, and then we were off heading east and a little north of town birding along the way to Mirador de Mojoneras – the Mojoneras viewpoint. It was great birding. Habitats included agricultural land, some ponds, and varying kinds of forest. We essentially birded the entire afternoon and then into the night grabbing a late dinner at an authentic hole in the wall kind of restaurant – terrific enchiladas. Covering more than 30 miles over maybe 7 hours we had a total of 75 species of which more than 50 were new for 2023 and 11 were World Lifers. If I faithfully recounted all the details of this day (and the succeeding ones), I would fill many blog pages and consume way too many hours – so I will just cover the highlights – of which there were many. Not surprisingly we saw many vultures on the trip, more Black Vultures than Turkey Vultures but probably well over a hundred of each. Greg cautioned to always look for other raptors in the soaring groups we saw. In one early group there was a bird that I most likely would have missed entirely and definitely would have misidentified without Greg. It was a Short Tailed Hawk – dark phase. I had seen this species several times in Florida and also in Costa Rica, but never the beautiful dark phase. Getting a picture was important as I had missed doing so in Florida. I thought I had taken one but it was instead of a Northern Harrier (there is a long story, but not going to that length here), so this was a new year bird and a new life photo.

**Dark Phase Short Tailed Hawk – Life Photo**

A more common hawk was the Gray Hawk – which I have seen and photographed in Texas and Arizona. These are my best pictures of the species though.

On this first day the numbers were high but many of the species were either seen just briefly or even heard only – and Greg was awesome at hearing and then identifying calls and songs of the various species – always making sure that I heard the distinctive sounds as well. There were many different flycatchers – a species group common in the Tropics. Especially common, and noticeable, were the many somewhat similar appearing Great Kiskadees, Social Flycatchers, and both Tropical and Thick Billed Kingbirds. Much less common but also seen were Nutting’s Flycatcher (a lifer that I would photograph well later), Brown Crested, Ash Throated, Dusky Capped and Boat Billed Flycatchers.

The birds just kept on coming. Lifers were the Nutting’s Flycatcher, Military Macaw, San Blas Jay, Stripe-Headed Sparrow, Lilac Crowned Parrot, West Mexican Euphonia, Bright Rumped Attila, Pale Billed Woodpecker, and Colima Pygmy Owl and two more that I have saved for later – and last. We had better looks or photos later, some of which will be in later blog posts. Here are a couple.

**Stripe Headed Sparrow – one of only two seen**

**Colima Pygmy Owl – heard frequently and a great playback to attract other species**

As darkness approached we went to a special spot where Greg was confident we would see both Common Pauraque and Buff Collared Nightjar, the former seen and photographed in the U.S. and the latter a rare visitor to the U.S. that I had never seen. Right on cue a Pauraque flushed up from the road ahead of us and we heard others. We never had the chance for a photo. Then Greg brought the car to a stop and said there was a nightjar up ahead. I could barely make it out – visible by the light shine of the reflected headlights. Greg saw that one had settled on the road, so we quietly got out maybe 100 feet away and slowly approached it. Greg put his spotlight on it and fortunately it stayed. I started taking photos and continued to approach closer, stopping every ten feet or so for a better shot. This continued until I was no more than 10 feet away – with dozens of ever improving photographs. I kneeled down on the dusty road to try for a low level shot. I got a couple and then the bird finally flew almost grazing my head as it went past. An incredible experience and a photo I never expected to get. We would see a total of 4 birds of this species that night.

**Buff Collared Nightjar – with Collar Visible**

Someday I hope to get a Buff Collared Nightjar in the U.S. and now with this photo, it will be okay even if it is just seen as a shadow in the darkening sky. I have 34 species related to the Buff Collared Nightjar on my World list – nighthawks, nightjars, frogmouths and potoos. I consider myself fortunate to have photos of almost half of these species and to have actually seen a couple of others in flight with the rest heard only. Not sure if it applies to all of these species, but they are known as Caprimulgiformes – Goatsuckers, the term coming from the ancient belief that they latched on to goats’ udders and sucked their milk…nah, don’t think so! Any way very cool birds.

And now that we are speaking of very cool birds, how about owls. There is just something special about them. We had already seen a lifer Colima Pygmy Owl, had heard it often and had used its calls with playback to attract other species. Now we would go for something bigger. It was time for Greg to stand and deliver – a Black and White Owl. He had discovered a territory a couple of weeks ago – the first in Jalisco and then had found a second territory. I really, really, really wanted to see this owl. We went to the location where Greg first found them and even before we began to call, we heard one. Adrenalin started to flow. Within a couple of minutes of playing back its own call, first one and then a second owl flew in and perched – IN THE OPEN – very near us. Greg located its perch and turned on the spotlight. WOW! There he was – just as spectacular as hoped for. Although it was seemingly very unconcerned about us, we moved only very slowly to get into position for photos, and then more photos and then more again. Prior to Greg’s message that he had located this owl, it was not even on my dreamed of list – just not going to happen. Definitely the highlight of the day and one of the top highlights of the trip. We later found and photographed a second Black and White Owl and at another nearby territory had another.

We were almost done for this first marvelous day. There would be one more stop – at the territory of some Mottled Owls. I had heard this species in Oaxaca but had not seen it and obviously thus did not have a photograph. The procedure and the results were the same as with the Black and White Owls. First heard, then called in, then located with spotlight and then photographed – over and over. Day one in Mexico was awesome with a great start and an even better finish – Buff Collared Nightjar, Black and White Owls, and Mottled Owls. We returned to Puerto Vallarta for at least some sleep. Early the next morning we would be off for a boat trip to Islas Marietas National Park. I couldn’t wait. Gracias Mexico and Gracias Greg Homel.

A New Project and Quest – South of the Border – Precursors and Arrival

Posted on December 27, 2023March 13, 2025 by blairbirding

My earlier blog post very briefly covered the birding that was a very small part of the trip Cindy Bailey and I took to Italy in October this year. There was little birding on that trip, but since I had only birded a single half day in Europe (Hungary) more than 20 years ago, I did add 15 species to my World Life List and photos to my world photo list. I had not been paying attention at the time, but at the end of that trip I had seen 918 species worldwide in 2023, thanks largely to great trips to Tanzania and Indonesia as well as far less active than usual birding in my home state of Washington.

Shortly after returning from Italy, I successfully chased a King Eider that was being seen at the Tokeland, WA marina and it was accompanied by a Surfbird, hardly a rarity, but I had missed it at the Edmonds Marina, a mile from my home, and in this very reduced year of birding in the U.S., I had not seen one previously. Again at the time unbeknownst to me, my 2023 Year List was thus at 920 species. I don’t recall the specifics of how it came up, but in a conversation with good friend and very good birder, Jon Houghton, he asked how many species I had seen in 2023. When I finally looked it up and saw that number, the wheels started turning. This was already a new milestone for me, as the most species I had seen in any previous year was 811 last year due to a great trip to Ecuador (450+ species), my usual 320+ species in Washington, a 3 day trip to Texas (75+ species) and some birds in both British Colombia and Maine with some overlap of course. Passing 900 was nice, but somehow the lure of round numbers instantly said – how can I get to 1000?

It was October 23rd and I had seen only 228 species in Washington. Normally there would have been 300 or more and I would already be past 1000, but especially as there was a complicating factor, I could not do a mad chase around Washington and find another 80 species – too late. And the complicating factor limited other options as well. Cindy had some elective surgery on her foot and she would be unable to do a lot of walking for some time afterward as well. She is a trooper and would have been ok around the house, but I would have to take on the daily dog walks plus shopping etc. Originally we thought this meant I would be a “free agent” on November 27th, but this later changed to December 2nd. I would be able to get for short trips in Washington before then, but not more. And then what? Assuming I could add maybe 10 or so birds locally, I would still need 70 species to hit the mark. A bunch of rarities were being seen in Texas so that was the first option that came to mind. In January 2022 I had 77 species there in just 3 days. December 2023 should have similar species available – especially for a longer trip – maybe even 5 or 6 days. But it wasn’t 77 species that mattered, it was how many would be new for the year and then the list shrank to just over 40. With another 3 days, 70 was certainly possible but it was not guaranteed, What next?

My only birding in Mexico was a trip to Oaxaca with Cindy in November 2021. In 10 days we had seen 171 species of which more than 110 would be new for 2023. So how about somewhere else in Mexico. Jon Houghton had birded in the Puerto Vallarta area – with a local guide that in fact we had been with in Oaxaca. I checked the Ebird lists and it looked like a great option. I contacted the guide and he was unavailable, but he gave me several names. Luckily one was available for several days starting November 27th. I signed on and made hotel and flight reservations using Alaska Airlines miles. It was only after that we learned that Cindy would still be constrained until December 2. Fortunately the guide could accommodate the change, the hotel reservation was cancelable and I found new flights. Cindy convinced me to add another day and the flight to PV got in early enough to add that half day as well and a later departing flight added a half day then as well. When all was said and done, I was onboard with a 5+ day guided tour with Greg Homel whose company is Natural Encounters Birding Tours. Don’t know how it would have gone with any of the other guides, but Greg was fantastic and the trip was terrific.

With only a couple of exceptions, my foreign birding trips have been with big companies, not with pre-arranged independent guides. Whatever worries I might have had disappeared quickly with great exchanges with Greg by email and the wondrous ability to call for free on WhatsApp. After our earliest exchange, it was pretty clear that getting past 1000 would not be a problem. I was excited and I got even more excited when Greg sent me a gorgeous photo of a Black and White Owl, a species that had not been on my target list nor his reply – because one had never been reported in the area before. He had just located a breeding pair and was pretty sure he could show them to me. But that added to my concern when I had to change the dates. Yes, Greg could accommodate the date change but I heard nothing further about the Black and White Owl – a truly awesome species and definitely a lifer for me.

Since I would be the only person on this trip, the cost was higher than a trip with more birders. Additionally, in my head I had originally conceived of a trip with guide for maybe three days only – get the needed number of species and get back home – and all in the immediate area of Puerto Vallarta in the Mexican State of Jalisco. After talking with Greg and with encouragement from Cindy, we had redesigned and to some degree re-purposed the trip to be 5+ days with lots of birding in the neighboring Mexico state of Nayarit, which includes the birding area around San Blas. This would not only mean more species for the year but also new World Lifers, new World photo ops and some pretty awesome birds. And the air travel cost would be the same – go we decided to go for it.

But there was still Cindy’s surgery and recovery – about a month before I would head south. As stated, no chance for big trips as I could not leave before walking Chica (around 7 a.m.) and I had to be back in time for the afternoon walk – not later than 4 p.m. A number of rarities were being seen regularly at Neah to Bay and I probably could have added maybe even a dozen species if I could have made that trip for a couple of days. Not possible, but now thinking of a big world year list, I chased some good birds that were close to home. There were Canvasbacks at the Everett Sewage Lagoons and a pair of Gray Crowned Rosy Finches appeared at Brackett’s Landing in hometown Edmonds and stayed for several days. I somehow managed to get my scope on a Cassin’s Auklet from our living room which has a view of Puget Sound. I picked up a Lincoln’s Sparrow and a Northern Shrike at Port Susan about 45 minutes north of me and then added two pretty uncommon birds on November 21st, a Yellow Bellied Sapsucker at a stakeout in Mt. Vernon (an hour north) and a Northern Waterthrush that Ryan Merrill had found in Carkeek Park (about 15 minutes south of me) with a Fox Sparrow thrown in as a bonus – hard to believe I had not seen one earlier. On November 25th, I squeezed in a trip to Greenlake in Seattle with friend Tom St. John to see a very rare Black and White Warbler – only my second in Washington and then on the 27th – the earlier planned day of departure, Tom and I did a longer trip first to the Langus Riverfront Trail in Everett to see the Tropical Kingbird that was hanging out there – another rarity – and then to Barnaby Slough in Skagit County looking for a very rare for the area Winter Wren (only the second Washington record). We missed the Wren (relocated about 30 minutes after we left) and dipped yet again on American Dipper on the way, but we did find a Swamp Sparrow and a very unexpected Northern Pygmy Owl.

**Gray Crowned Rosy Finch – Brackett’s Landing**

Great birds for a usually slow time of the year and as my departure date finally came on December 2nd, my year list was now at 932 species. I got to the airport well in advance of my early departure time, breezed through security and boarded with a carry-on suitcase and small pack filled with camera gear, my computer, binoculars, and clothing to cover temperatures that might range from the high 30’s in the mountains to the mid 90’s in the coastal lowlands. Needing only 62 species to get to 1000, I was now thinking more about lifers, photos, and specialties. The day before Greg had seen the Black and White Owls again and we would be looking for them this night. The non-stop flight was around 4.5 hours and it being two hours later in Puerto Vallarta than in Seattle. If all went well, I would be through security and immigration and looking for Greg Homel around 1:00 pm local time. There is always a moment of trepidation landing in a foreign country, not knowing the language, and counting on being met by someone you have never met before at the airport. Greg said he would be easy to find since he would be wearing binoculars. I said the same thing to him. I was somewhat taken aback by the number of people at the fairly small airport – lots of tourists, locals visiting and relatives and friends meeting them and dozens of cab drivers looking for fares. Fortunately there was one guy in the crowd wearing binoculars. ”Hola Blair”. ”Hola Greg” and we were off.

80 Days – 10 Amazing Birds – and Then COVID Hit

Posted on December 27, 2023April 16, 2025 by blairbirding

I began a blog post about these extraordinary birds in 2020 as COVID raged around the world and shut down my bird travel and much of my local birding as well. Somehow with the depression that accompanied that lingering COVID period, I never got around to adding any details. We are now on the brink of a new year – 2024 – so almost 4 years have passed. When I started a new blog post about travels earlier this month to Mexico, I noticed the draft of this post and seeing these birds again brought good memories, so I am posting it now. Cindy and I have been extremely fortunate to so far have completely avoided COVID ourselves and while we never made up the trip to Cuba that was the first we lost due to COVID cancelations, we did make it to Tanzania and will be leaving for Chile and Argentina in February making up for those trips lost.

These 10 birds were seen in Washington State, Montana, and Massachusetts in 80 days. Doubt that I have ever had or ever will again have such a collection of ABA rarities in such a period again

Glaucous Gull – February 17, 2020

Siberian Accentor – February 10, 2020

Ivory Gull – February 3, 2010

Gyrfalcon – January 28, 2020

Barnacle Goose – January 20, 2020

Dovekie – January 21, 2020

Emperor Goose – December 19, 2019

Ross’s Gull – December 1, 2019

Lesser Black Backed Gull – December 6, 2019

Mountain Plover – November 30, 2019

Before the “Project” – Italy and Then…

Posted on December 25, 2023March 13, 2025 by blairbirding

On October 2nd this year, Cindy and I began our visit to Italy, my first time there. We planned a few days on our own in Florence before joining “Walk About Italy” for walking tours first in Cinque Terre and then in Tuscany, both with full time guides. Cinque Terre was just Cindy and me, and in Tuscany we were joined by friends Anne and Steve White. I could write a lengthy blog about the sights, sounds, people and experiences in this wonderful country. If I did, much of it would be about incredible wine and food of which we had had much. But this site is for my blogs about birds, and while this was to be a non-birding trip, there are birds in Italy. I looked for them when I could and since I had birded only on a single day in Europe way back in July 2002 while visiting Hungary, odds were good I could add some species to my World Life List and/or my World Photo List.

As indicated in the title of this post, there is a “project” to follow. In my posts over the years, I have talked about how one aspect of birding that I greatly enjoy is creating and executing projects – chasing birds, birding in new areas, adding to lists etc.. In the past the projects have typically been about Big Years in my home state of Washington, hitting a meaningful “round number” for the ABA region (like 700), or in my biggest project, seeing 50 species in each of the 50 states on single days (50 of them). Lately, and especially since meeting Cindy, the projects have been more about adding birds to my World lists – either total species or total photos. For now I am just going to leave it that the referenced project is about reaching a number and that while Italy was an important precursor, I had not conceived of the project until long after my return. Since it is about numbers, though, here are some benchmarks. When I arrived in Italy my World Species List was 3228; I had seen 889 species in 2023 and I had photos of fewer than 1940 species. Now for Italy.

On October 2nd, that first day in Florence, being the complete tourist marveling at the Duomo, sculptures by Michelangelo, the Ponte Vecchio, I did not even carry my binoculars, but it was impossible not to notice some birds including the numerous Rock Pigeons and European Starlings that seem to be in every city in the world. But there were some that were new as well – European Jackdaw, Hooded Crow and Yellow Legged Gull – the latter on the Arno River right at the Ponte Vecchio. No photos but happy for anything new. The next day we visited the Boboli Gardens – a beautiful large formal garden across the Arno from most of the central Florence attractions. This time I had camera and binoculars in hand – needed to add the European Blackbird, Common Wood Pigeon, and European Serin to my species and photo lists. Later I finally saw an Italian Sparrow – so similar to House Sparrow – and then on an early morning visit along the Arno which was dedicated to finding birds, I got acceptable photos of the Yellow Legged Gull, Hooded Crow, and that Italian Sparrow and heard but never got good looks of Cetti’s Warbler and European Robin. That was it for Florence – 6 new species and 4 new photos. Not awesome, but for a non-birding trip in a very busy city full of museums, restaurants, pastries, cappuccinos, and churches, just fine. The only camera we took on the trip was my “back up” Canon SX70 – not great photo ops and not great photos – but they count for “my list”.

After Florence it was off to Cinque Terre and then Tuscany. Again, I could go on and on about these places and the great times we had, but just including birding memories here. Bottom line is that I added 9 World Lifers and 6 new life photos. The lifers were Sardinian Warbler (heard only), Goldcrest (seen briefly), Song Thrush (single glimpse), Cirl Bunting (heard only), Firecrest (seen briefly), Eurasian Magpie, Eurasian Blue Tit, Great Tit, and Short Toed Treecreeper with new life photos of the last four and life photos of the previously heard only European Robin and of a Eurasian Nuthatch. The reason the Nuthatch was not new for my life list was that I had seen one 40 (yes FORTY) years ago in Wajima, Japan before I was taking photos at all.

Altogether I had 40 species in Italy – 16 new lifers and 24 that I had seen elsewhere before, there were the 13 new life photos and something I was not tracking at the time 29 new species for 2023. And actually as a footnote – there were three species seen in Italy that were on my life, photo and year lists that now were meaningful in a different way: European Starling, House Sparrow and Eurasian Collared Dove. I have seen all of these species in many places BUT as they are now treated by Ebird, they are seen as “introduced” species. The ones seen in Italy were in their native habitats – so officially part of my life lists going forward. On the way home, we had a layover at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam. As we taxied for what surely was miles to get to our Gate at this giant airport, we passed by several ponds. On one I saw a Great Crested Grebe – no photo and seen before, but new for 2023.

To update the numbers set forth in the second paragraph above and thus change the benchmarks for the “project” to follow: World Life List – 3244; World Year list – 918; and World Photo List – 1958.

Shortly after returning from Italy, I saw reports of a rarity in Washington – a King Eider at Tokeland, a species I had seen twice before in Washington and also in Nome, Alaska. Definitely worth a trip. On October 23rd, it was easily found and I also added a Surfbird for the year – a species I usually see at the jetty at Edmonds, my hometown, but missed this year. So there I was ending October at 920 species for the year, although I had not noticed that number at the time. But when I did… To Be Continued

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blairbirding

Sharing pictures, stories, reflections of my birding adventures – past and present: great places, great people and great birds…

Tag: nature