Birding West Mexico Endemics

Sunday, January 28: San Sebastian Del Oste
Hotel Posada Del Oste

Bird the highlands of La Bufa and along roads in San Sebastián

BIRD of the DAY: Red Warbler

This was a day of up, up and up. Luis and Chris were staying a different place, but they arrived at our hotel before dawn with a cooler of hot coffee/tea and snacks.



We set out towards La Bufa before dawn, up steep stone road switchbacks in our new van. We saw the sun rising. Interesting that the stone roads are made with physical labour using sledgehammers. We saw a group getting ready to work.



Our first stop was at a turn high up on the mountain. The cool weather was quite a contrast from San Blas weather. The sun shone on the trees and flowers. Lucky Barbara spotted and photographed a Red-faced Warbler.



We then moved further up the road to a large clearing where Luis set out a picnic breakfast for us on a large stump. We birded around the edges of the clearing with some success, snacking at the same time. We saw a few varieties of colourful birds standing out in the light green busehes. The bright red birds are among our favorite birds for the trip.



Then we walked up the steep road, birding on both sides. Some of us spotted the tiny Bumblebee Hummingbird – the smallest hummingbird except for Cuba's Bee Hummingbird. Further up the road, we got a Hepatic Tanager, and Barbara spotted a Transvolcanic Jay.



A few of us made it up to a spectcular view at a large tower on the mountain top and others preferred to bird back to the clearing. Some kids at the top gave Barbara a big smile for their new Canada pencils.



We all returned to the clearing. Some cows had moved in. One seemed interested in scoping! We found a few more birds then headed back to town.



Back down the steep rocky road. Our new van handled well. There was a busy parade of noisy motorcycles zipping by, couples enjoying the thrill of the fast bumpy ride.



We checked into our hotel. Note that Margaret’s room is “Alcatraz” – she took this in good humour. Bill and Barbara enjoyed the view of rooftops and fruit trees from their room.



Before dinner we birded along a road close to our hotel.



We had supper just around the corner from our hotel later in the evening. Unfortunately, Chris2 wasn’t feeling too well and did not join us for dinner. Marilyn made sure she got a bowl of hot rice to bring back for him.

January 28 Birds
Cerro La Bufa, Jalisco, MX
Jan 28, 2018 8:00 AM
Protocol: Incidental
34 species

Turkey Vulture 2
Band-tailed Pigeon 6
Rivoli's Hummingbird 8
Bumblebee Hummingbird 1 Female type
White-eared Hummingbird 10
Mountain Trogon 2
Hammond's Flycatcher 1
Pine Flycatcher 1
Hutton's Vireo 3
Cassin's Vireo 1
Warbling Vireo 2
Transvolcanic Jay 3
Violet-green Swallow 1
Brown-backed Solitaire 4
Blue Mockingbird 1
Olive Warbler 2
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
MacGillivray's Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 6
Black-throated Gray Warbler 1
Townsend's Warbler 2
Hermit Warbler 2
Wilson's Warbler 5
Red-faced Warbler 1
Red Warbler 1
Slate-throated Redstart 2
Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer 1
Grayish Saltator 1
Hepatic Tanager 4
Summer Tanager 1
Black-headed Grosbeak 3
Bullock's Oriole 1
Black-headed Siskin 2

San Sebastián del Oeste (pueblo), Jalisco, MX
Jan 28, 2018 4:30 PM
Protocol: Incidental
27 species

Turkey Vulture 1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 4
Inca Dove 1
White-winged Dove 1
Vaux's Swift 45
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2
Smoky-brown Woodpecker 1
Tufted Flycatcher 2
Greater Pewee 2
Dusky-capped Flycatcher 1
Warbling Vireo 2
Green Jay 1
Canyon Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Brown-backed Solitaire 4
White-throated Thrush 5
Blue Mockingbird 1
Gray Silky-flycatcher 6
Black-and-white Warbler 1
MacGillivray's Warbler 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 10
Grace's Warbler 2
Black-throated Gray Warbler 1
Wilson's Warbler 1
Bullock's Oriole 1
House Sparrow 3