Durango Highway

Our day birding along the Durango Highway began in spectacular fashion with a  flock of 15+ Tufted Jays and they instantly became our bird of the trip. Not only are they stunningly beautiful, but they are a very localised endemic and hung around for a good 25 minutes or so. 

Tufted Jay - a stunner and another Mexican endemic

We decided to have our field breakfast here and by hanging around we were lucky that a large flock moved through with Painted Redstart, 8+ Olive Warblers, several Grace’s Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Black-and-white Warbler, both Cassin’s and Plumbeous Vireos, Yellow-eyed Junco and Mexican Chickadee. 

Painted Redstart

Arizona Woodpecker

Black-headed Siskin

Grace's Warbler

Zone-tailed Hawk

Across the road a White-breasted Nuthatch appeared and is of the western form that is due to be split. Moving on a Zone-tailed Hawk flew over and we enjoyed great views of Flame-coloured Tanager, Bridled Titmouse and Brown Creeper. 

Flame-colored Tanager

The rest of the morning was spent birding along the quiet highway, and our setting was fantastic as the views were unbelievably stunning as we looked across the deep canyons to forested ridges stretching away to the horizon. So we also saw Scott’s Oriole, Red-faced Warbler, several Blue-throated Mountaingems at a large flower bank, along with Green-crowned Emerald, White-eared Hummingbird, and both Green-striped and Rufous-capped Brush-Finches.

Berylline Hummingbird

Blue-throated Mountaingem

Green-striped Brush-Finch - endemic

Rufous-capped Brush-Finch - endemic

From here we drove up to the Tufted Jay Reserve where we had our picnic lunch. Here we had a territorial Mountain Trogon giving it large and flying in to check us out, as well as a Red warbler of the form with dark grey cheeks.

Mountain Trogon

Military Macaws

We got back to the lodge at 5pm and had a short while to shower and admire some low-flying Military Macaws before taking an early dinner and then we drove out in the dark to a quiet road where a Mexican Whip-poor-will played hard to get but fortunately most of the group saw it perched before it flew away. A calling Vermiculated Screech-Owl  was here as well.

San Blas - Copala

At first light we checked out some coastal areas around San Blas and this proved to be rather productive as at a small beach we found a gathering of Ring-billed Gulls, along with a few Laughing and a single 1^st year American Herring Gull. But the Elegant Terns perched on the rocks were much appreciated, and in perfect light we watched them for a little while and thoroughly enjoyed our time here. 

Nice views of terns this morning

Heermann's Gull

Laughing Gull

Laughing Gulls

Magnificent Frigatebird perched on a light by the beach

Ring-billed Gull

Check out the following video from the beach this morning:

There was also a few Cinnamon-rumped Seedeaters present as well before we set off into the hills where we saw a flock of Mexican Parrotlets and more Black-throated Magpie-Jays. 

Mexican Parrotlet (endemic)

Then we drove to Cerro de San Juan, a forested mountain where we found endemic Mexican Woodnymph and the endemic Bumblebee Hummingbird, along with a flock of endemic Red-headed Tanagers. 

Bumblebee Hummingbird (endemic)

Mexican Woodnymph (endemic)

Red-headed Tanager (endemic)

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

White-eared Hummingbird

There were also Eastern Bluebirds, Cassin’s Vireo, Greater Pewee, and lots of the by now more familiar warblers seen before we left on the longish drive to Copala near the Durango Highway.

San Blas Magic....

We connected with the calling Mottled Owl in the car park this morning as we loaded the luggage before dawn. Then we drove up into the hills, checking a roadside site that held 3 brief Purplish-backed Jays, San Blas Jay and a Russet-crowned Motmot. 

Russet-crowned Motmot (near endemic only found in Mexico & Guatemala)

Then we drove higher and went to one of Kim’s secret sites where we played with a group of stunning Elegant Quails that took some effort but it was worthwhile, as eventually everyone got very good views. 

Elegant Quail (endemic)

At this spot we also enjoyed fantastic looks at a gang of noisy Black-throated Magpie-Jays in a large tree right overhead our picnic table. 

Black-throated Magpie-Jay (endemic)

There was also close Boat-billed Flycatcher, Lilac-crowned Amazon, Orange-fronted Parakeets and another Russet-crowned Motmot interrupting our field breakfast. 

Boat-billed Flycatcher

Lilac-crowned Amazon (endemic)

Orange-fronted Parakeet

Russet-crowned Motmot

Moving up the cobbled track a group of 5 Swainson’s Hawks were seen migrating north, but with time pressing we drove to another area to search for Five-striped Sparrow. This drew a blank but a Blue Mockingbird showed well, as did MacGillivray’s Warbler, Varied Bunting and others.

Lunch was taken at a beachside restaurant complete with Vaux’s Swifts flying overhead in San Blas and then we had a short siesta before we drove to the small quay for our late afternoon boat trip. 

Definitely not endemics! Photo courtesy of Lynne Rackstraw

This time we went along the main river, getting close and I mean very close to common herons and egrets perched on some rocks before heading into a narrow channel. 

Boat-billed Herons

Great Kiskadee

Green Kingfisher

Louisiana Waterthrush was a common sighting along the river

Red-billed Pigeons 

Who doesn't love Western Osprey?

We again enjoyed nice close views of lots of birds and it was a shame that a calling Spotted Rail never showed. But our main purpose for doing this boat trip would have to wait until our boatman took us to a day roosting Northern Potoo and this incredible bird was much larger than we expected with the cryptic plumage being a sight to behold. 

Northern Potoo

After dark we spotlighted at least 2 different Northern Potoos, Common Pauraque and lots of Lesser Nighthawks before returning to the quay. It had been a fantastic experience.

Northern Potoo