El Rio de Las Aves
October
1-8, 2005
Central Veracruz boasts the largest migration of birds in the world and is well known for its bird diversity (over 500 species, see Veracruz checklist), particularly the abundance of migrating raptors (~30 spp.), warblers (~50 spp.), and local endemics (~17 spp.).
The tour begins in Cardel, a town just north of the city of Veracruz and the location of Pronatura’s main raptor count site on the roof of Hotel Bienvenido (photo below), where we will stay. We will make daily excursions from Cardel in the mornings and afternoons to several nearby locations including Chichicaxtle, Pronatura's second count site further inland from Cardel on the coastal plain.
The nearby San Julian Lagoon harbors species such as ALTAMIRA ORIOLE, ROSE-THROATED BECARD, and GROOVE-BILLED ANI. At Playa Juan Angel APLOMADO FALCON cruise the shore above foraging COLLARED PLOVER, and DOUBLE-STRIPED THICK-KNEE hide in pastures amidst sand dunes. The well-preserved La Mancha Ecological Reserve harbors species including BLACK-HEADED TROGON, AZTEC PARAKEET, BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD, and BAT and LAUGHING FALCONS in coastal dunes, ponds, and dense deciduous forest.
We will visit other nearby locations such as the coastal scrub forest of La Catalina with RUFOUS-NAPED WREN and CANIVET'S EMERALD and Rio Escondido's riparian corridor with BLUE-BLACK GRASSQUIT, MASKED TITYRA, and SCRUB EUPHONIA. We will take a boat excursion from La Antigua to see waterbirds such as ROSEATE SPOONBILL, BLACK SKIMMER, SANDWICH TERN, and BELTED, RINGED, AMAZON, and GREEN KINGFISHERS, plus numerous shorebirds such as WILSON'S and PIPING PLOVERS and Calidris sandpipers.
We will observe migrating raptors with Pronatura’s count team on several
afternoons in
Cardel and Chichicaxtle (right photo) to see the migration of incredible numbers of species including
vultures, falcons, HOOK-BILLED and MISSISSIPPI KITES, BROAD-WINGED and
SWAINSON'S HAWKS, plus ZONE-TAILED HAWK, COMMON BLACK-HAWK, GRAY HAWK,
WHITE-TAILED HAWK and SHORT-TAILED HAWK. On some days there can be
more than one million raptors passing over either of the count sites in
one day. The migration seen from these sites also includes numerous
non-raptors such as SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, WOOD STORK, and ANHINGA.
The
next part of the tour is based much higher in the mountains in the city of
Xalapa. We will make excursions
into the pine-oak forest and deep canyons around
Las Minas (left photo) harboring species such as
RED WARBLER, STRIPED SPARROW, and BEARDED WOOD-PARTRIDGE; and La Joya, with
CRESCENT-CHESTED WARBLER, BUMBLEBEE HUMINGBIRD, and MOUNTAIN TROGON.
We will also bird the coffee plantations and tropical forest near the
spectacular Texolo Waterfall where RUFOUS-CAPPED WARBLER, MONTEZUMA OROPENDOLA,
BAT FALCON and numerous other species may be seen.
Finally, we will visit Macuiltépetl Ecological Park,
located in Jalapa, where good numbers of migrant warblers as well as residents
such as BLUE MOCKINGBIRD, FAN-TAILED WARBLER, SQUIRREL CUCKOO, and GREEN JAY can
be found.
After
our stay in the mountains, we will descend back down from the mountains and
travel south of Veracruz City to Alvarado wetlands, Sierra de los Tuxtlas and
finally the grasslands of Las
Barancas. This area offers fantastic
birding with species such as PINNATED BITTERN, over-wintering GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, resident LESSER YELLOW-HEADED
VULTURE, and numerous migrating SCISSOR-TAILED, and resident FORK-TAILED
FLYCATCHERS. Our last night will be spent in Veracruz City for a taste of Mexican nightlife.
Day 1 (Sat): Arrival at Veracruz International Airport PM. Night in Cardel.
Day 2 (Sun) Early morning visit to La Mancha for morning migration in coastal forest and lagoons;
Target species: Black-headed Trogon, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Aztec Parakeet, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Northern Jacana, Bat Falcon, Laughing Falcon.
Mid-day in Cardel for raptor migration;
Target species: Mississippi Kite, Common Black-Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, Gray Hawk, White-tailed Hawk, Crested Caracara, Swainson’s Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, Merlin.
Late afternoon boat-ride on La Antigua River.
Target species: Green Kingfisher, Black Skimmer, Roseate Spoonbill, Magnificent Frigatebird.
Night in Cardel.
Day 3 (Mon): Early morning to Playa Juan Angel for coastal birding and non-raptor migration;
Target species: Aplomado Falcon, Double-striped thick-Knee, Rufous-naped Wren, Tropical Kingbird, Groove-billed Ani, Magnificent Frigatebird, Laughing Gull.
Mid-day in Cardel for raptor migration;
Visit to Rio Escondidio en route to Xalapa
Target species: Amazon Kingfisher, Blue-black Grassquit, Masked Tityra.
Night in Xalapa.
Day 4 (Tue): Early morning visit to the Parque Macquiltepetl in Xalapa for cloud forest spp. and migrants;
Target species: Golden-crowned Warbler, Fan-tailed Warbler, Blue-crowned Motmot, Squirrel Cuckoo, Rusty Sparrow, Wedge-tailed Sabrewing, Tufted Flycatcher.
Afternoon visit to Xico and the spectacular Texolo Waterfall.
Target species: Rufous-capped Warbler, Montezuma Oropendola, Yellow-throated Euphonia.
Night in Xalapa.
Day 5 (Wed): Early morning visit to montane pine-oak forests of Las Minas and La Joya;
Target species: Olive Warbler, Red Warbler, Hooded Grosbeak, Slate-throated Redstart, Gray Silky, Crescent-chested Warbler, Golden-browed Warbler, White-eared and Bumblebee Hummingbirds, Mountain Trogon, Collared Towhee.
Mid-day travel to Tlalcotalpan with visit to Rio Escondido en route. Night in Tlalcotalpan.
Day 6 (Thu): Morning birding in wetlands around Tlalcotalpan
Mid-day for hawk-watching in Tlalcotalpan. Night in Montepio.
Day 7 (Fri): Morning birding near the UNAM biological station and Laguna Escondida.
Afternoon visit to Las Barrancas and La Piedra for birding in tropical savannah and wetlands;
Target species: White Ibis, Grasshopper Sparrow, Grassland Yellow-Finch, Scissor- and Fork-tailed Flycatchers, Common Tody Flycatcher, Pinnated Bittern, Aplomado Falcon, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck.
Late afternoon return to Veracruz City. Night in Veracruz City.
Day 8 (Sat): Morning departure.