Birding West Mexico Endemics

Monday, January 29: San Sebastian Del Oste to El Tuito
Rancho Primavera

Bird along road at Capilla de San Judas and travel to El Tuito/Rancho Primavera

BIRD of the DAY: Black-throated Magpie-Jay

This would be a long travel day. First, Luis had planned some birding before breakfast. Chris2 decided to rest at our hotel and join us later when he was feeling better. Luis's planned road for birding was closed because they were making a Netflix movie on location. So, we birded nearby on the Capilla de San Judas road by a shrine. We had some good sightings.



We returned to El Tuito for breakfast at a hotel. Chris2 joined us and selected some tea.



After breakfast we headed to Puerto Vallarta where we stopped at a pharmacy to get Chris2 some medication. Bill purchased some cream for our no-seeum bites which were still itchy. With everyone looked after, we proceeded on to the town of El Tuito where we had a late lunch.



After our lunch we headed to Rancho Primavera, about 3 km outside of town. It is a large ranch run by Bonnie and her mother Pat. It is an amazing location for colourful flowers, birds and animals. Bonnie and her dogs welcomed us late afternoon and we quickly settled into our rooms so we could explore the property and wildlife before dinner. Where to start? Just like the birds, we were attracted to the feeders. The feeders were surrounded by eyepopping flowers. After our feeder fix, we took a leisurely hike to a nearby pond, accompanied by a two turkeys and a horse. There were rental cottages at the pond – Lucky Marilyn and Andy will be staying at extra week at one of them. At the pond we saw some water birds and tree birds were nearby. A Russet-crowned Motmot sighting was a highlight for Bill.



After a spaghetti dinner and listing we settled into our large comfortable room with a porch and two rocking chairs (used by Barbara to dry some laundry).


January 29 Birds
Capilla de San Judas, Jalisco, MX
Jan 29, 2018
Protocol: Incidental
20 species

Turkey Vulture 2
Berylline Hummingbird 1
Greater Pewee 1
Hammond's Flycatcher 1
Social Flycatcher 3
Green Jay 3
Spotted Wren 1 Singing
Happy Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3
Brown-backed Solitaire 1
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Black-throated Gray Warbler 1
Wilson's Warbler 1
White-collared Seedeater 2
Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow 2
Flame-colored Tanager 1
Blue Bunting 1
Varied Bunting 6
Hooded Oriole 1
Streak-backed Oriole 1

Selva El Tuito--Rancho Primavera (acceso restringido), Jalisco, MX
Jan 29, 2018 4:30 PM
Protocol: Incidental
47 species (+1 other taxa)

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 10
West Mexican Chachalaca 3
Least Grebe 3
Wood Stork 1
Neotropic Cormorant 4
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 1
Green Heron 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 2
Cooper's Hawk 1
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl 1
Plain-capped Starthroat 3
Cinnamon Hummingbird 1
Russet-crowned Motmot 2
Ringed Kingfisher 1
Green Kingfisher 1
Golden-cheeked Woodpecker 3
Military Macaw 2
Greater Pewee 2
Hammond's Flycatcher 1
Vermilion Flycatcher 2
Dusky-capped Flycatcher 1
Great Kiskadee 5
Social Flycatcher 5
Tropical Kingbird 6
Thick-billed Kingbird 2
Black-throated Magpie-Jay 2
San Blas Jay 5
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3
Rufous-backed Robin 5
Blue Mockingbird 1
Louisiana/Northern Waterthrush 1
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Nashville Warbler 1
MacGillivray's Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
American Redstart 1
Yellow Warbler 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Black-throated Gray Warbler 2
Wilson's Warbler 1
Grayish Saltator 2
Stripe-headed Sparrow 1
Summer Tanager 1
Yellow Grosbeak 1
Black-headed Grosbeak 1
Yellow-winged Cacique 3
Hooded Oriole 1