Western Mexico

WEST MEXICO: JALISCO AND COLIMA WINGSWEST BIRDING  FEB. 15-26, 2011
$2,295 per person double occupancy; $250 single supplement

DAY 1:  Please select your flights to arrive in Puerto Vallarta by 4pm.  Rather than stay in PVR our first night, our plan is to transfer to Rancho Primavera which is located in the foothills about 2 hours south from the airport.  Rancho Primavera is a refreshing oasis worlds away from the commercial spectacle of PVR.  Our hosts, Pat Morrow and her daughter Bonnie, have created a remarkable wildlife preserve from what was once a severely overgrazed cattle ranch.  Dinner and night at Rancho Primavera

DAY 2:  Our first full day of birding will take us lower in elevation through thorn forest habitat to the coast.  Of the many possible sightings today, high on our radar will be White-bellied Wren, Flammulated Flycatcher, and Red-breasted Chat.  Lunch will be at El Cielito overlooking the Pacific, complete with classic beach and rocky point views.  Before heading back to  the ranch, we will do a bit of estuary birding with a good chance of seeing Collared Plover.  Late afternoon finds us back at Rancho Primavera, leisurely watching the feeder show that often brings San Blas Jay, Black-vented Oriole, and various hummingbirds including Plain-capped Starthroat.  Dinner El Tuito, night Rancho Primavera.

DAY 3:  Today it’s time to go up rather than down.  The nearby road to Provincia quickly takes us into pine/oak forest.  In addition to the regulars found in this habitat, specialties such as Long-tailed Hermit, Mexican Woodnymph, and Red-headed Tanager occur.  After  our to go lunch, we will descend back to the ranch for birding around several ponds.  As sunset approaches, we will be on alert for Lilac-crowned Parrots going to roost.  Following dinner on the ranch, we will attempt to call in the resident pair of Mottled Owls. Night Rancho Primavera

DAY 4:  Sunrise finds us looking near HQ for a known pair of Rosy Thrush-Tanagers, a misnamed species that looks and acts like a catbird-only with a breathtaking magenta chest and belly.  After breakfast, it’s off to the Bioto Road a few km west of El Tuito.  Great birding here with Golden and Black-capped Vireos, Rufous-crowned Motmot and Ivory-billed Woodcreeper all good possibilities.  Following lunch in El Tuito, we’re heading south, pausing at the Cruz de Loreto marshes for various waterbirds including Bare-throated Tiger Heron.  Night will be in Punta Perula at Paraiso Costa Alegre.

DAY 5:  We have a rare opportunity this morning to visit Cuixmala Biosphere Preserve, an area usually reserved for scientists.  Part of the tour price will include a donation to the efforts at this research station.  Purchased by British financier James Goldsmith, this preserve has protected some impressive forest.  The ringing calls of Thicket Tinamou (sorry, we are unlikely to see this shy forest floor den izen) are a reminder of the wildness that once ruled here.  Venturing further into the preserve, we may encounter W. Mexican Chachalaca, White-throated Magpie Jay, Blue Bunting, and a host of wintering N. American songbirds.  If birdbanding is happening, we will be able to view it in progress.  As the day heats up, we will press on south.  Following lunch, we will head to the highlands and the Las Joyas Research Station in the heart of the Sierra de Manantlan Biosphere Reserve. This sanctuary protects some of the most pristine habitat remaining in southeast Jalisco. Night at research station.

DAY 6:  Today we will explore the lush surroundings of Las Joyas where we may encounter Long-tailed Wood Partridge, Bumblebee Hummingbird, Crested Guan, and Singing Quail-the latter an extremely scarce species in W. Mexico. Other highland species to be sought include Flame-colored and Red-headed Tanagers. Night at Las Joyas.

DAY 7:  Our first excursion into the shadow of a volcano is today.  We head east toward Nevado de Colima, a towering, snow-covered volcano near the Jalisco/Colima border. Although primarily a travel day, we will bird the Floripondio microwave tower road up into humid evergreen habitat. Our most sought after species will include Green Violetear, Amethyst-throated Hummingbird and Red Warbler. Night will be in the bustling city of Guzman.

DAY 8:  Today we ascend Nevado de Colima. Nevado de Colima is higher (14,500’) than Volcan del Fuego but is inactive and snow covered year round. While having an opportunity to see species present on Fuego, we enter the domain of new species such as Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer, Bumblebee Hummingbird, Elegant Euphonia and Golden-browed Warbler. This is also our best chance to see the elusive Aztec Thrush. Night in Ciudad Guzman.

DAY 9:  Another volcano day!  How many of us have experienced different volcanos two days in a row? Volcan del Fuego is the shorter (over 12,000’) of the two volcanos but the active one. Lots happening along the entry road that passes through farm country-Rusty Crowned Ground Sparrow, Spotted Wren, and our best chance to see Banded Quail. Higher up, we begin to enter pine/oak and the home of Chestnut-sided Shrike Vireo, Dwarf Vireo, and Gray-barred Wren. The rollicking calls of Long-tailed Wood Partridge will be heard but whether we see this skulker will depend ion our birding karma. Rarer possibilities include Gray-collared Becard and, overhead, Hook-billed Kite and Great Swallow-tailed Swift. Late afternoon we must pull ourselves away to head for our night in Ciudad Colima.

DAY 10:  We will make a morning foray north from Colima to a known spot for Slaty Vireo. The Howell guide fails to do justice to this vibrant little songbird and we will make every effort to find it. In the same area we are likely to encounter Elegant Trogon and Orange-billed Nightingale Thrush. Higher up around a lake on the flank of Volcan del Fuego, we will search for Gray-crowned and Smoky Brown Woodpeckers as well as mixed species flocks of wintering warblers that may have the likes of Hermit and Black-throated Green side by side. After an authentic Mexican lunch at the nearby home of Dona Elena, we head back to Colima. Following a mid afternoon rest time, we are off to nearby El Cumbre home of the Black-chested Sparrow. This W. Mexican endemic is almost as big as a towhee! At the summit, while we wait for sunset, we will search for Rufous-naped Wren and the vocal but elusive Lesser Ground Cuckoo. After dark, we hope to call in the Balsas Screech Owl, a large screech owl with deep brown eyes. On our return to the hotel, we may flush Buff-collared Nightjar on our descent. Night in Colima.

Day 11:  Today we descend out of the mountains for our last full day of birding, mostly in the Cuyutlan estuary. Our boat ride will place us in the mangrove domain of the Wood Stork and Boat-billed Heron. Later, we will check the Manzanillo marshes for Snail Kite, Ruddy-breasted Seedeater, and, possibly, Ruddy Crake. Night in Barra de Navidad.

Day 12: As most departing flights out of Manzanillo are mid day, we will squeeze in some early thorn forest birding along the Playa de Oro road before it’s time to say “Vaya con dios, y muchas gracias”

Trip Bird List from February 2010