Arroyo Frio Delivers Again

Two lifers yesterday! Dance a jig! Great looks! Beautiful birds!

Rusty-crowned Ground-sparrow

Banded Wren

Six of us took off from Patzcuaro for a Sunday birding trip. At the first stop outside of Opongio, on the road up to Santa Juana, we got good looks at the Mountain Trogon. There were a number of other nice birds. South of Tacambaro, Rio Corucha was not as productive as usual. Arroyo Frio gave me "eyefuls" of two lifers. Can't beat that. The Rusty-crowned Ground-sparrow is endemic to western and southwestern Mexico. The species occurs both in the Sierra Madre Occidental range, and the Cordillera Neovolcanica mountain belt. The Banded Wren is a beautiful bird--but then, aren't they all.

We had lunch in Tacambaro, and then visited a gifted local artist to see linocut and woodblock prints. That was a special treat.

There were Georgia, Thomas, Tracy, Glen, Steve and Janet. Once again, viva the Patzcuaro Birding Club.

Patzcuaro's the place.

Birding La Estación in Erongaricuaro

Yesterday the Patzcuaro Birding Club again visited our easily accessible La Estación site. We all benefited from the competent skills of Georgia Conti and Hugo. I enjoyed an eyeful of many good birds, including the Hybridized Towhee, Blackthroated Grey Warbler, Spotted Wren, Slate-Throated Redstart and especially a long look at the Tufted Flycatcher. The company was good, and the wild zarzamoras (blackberries) juicy.

After La Estación we stopped at Hugo's for brilliant displays of hummingbirds at feeders. The Calliope dazzled us with the iridescent display of its violet gorget; the Broadbill darted in and out; numerous Rufous and Allen's hummers displayed their showy gorgeous colors as they darted, perched and hovered in good light. It was particularly useful to see numerous Rufous and Allen's Hummingbirds at the same time in the same place. The beautiful Allen's was a Lifer for me.

We topped our viewing off with the tasty crunchy sandwiches and crisp fresh pizzas at Testarelli's on the Eronga plaza.

Live in Patzcuaro.

Backyard Birds - Patzcuaro

Hooded Grosbeak (Photo on flickr by Jorge Montejo)

Backyard birding at La Jacaranda in Patzcuaro is a pleasure, epecially since we eat most meals on the back veranda with binoculars and bird books at hand. At this time of the year, when it is very dry, many birds come to the water we put out. The cool and green summer rainy season should soon kick in; it is overdue.

My best yard bird yesterday was an endemic Hooded Grosbeak. We ran into a friend when out walking today, and he said he just had a Sparkling-Tailed Woodstar in his backyard here in town.

Patzcuaro living.

Red-Headed Tanager

Watching my backyard birds in Patzcuaro is always a pleasure, and the variety, the plumage and the activity in Spring is a special treat. Yesterday, a Red-Headed Tanager with its knock-out colors was my best bird of the day. It sat conveniently still for me in the fresno tree.

Bird from your house in Patzcuaro.

"Birds of Patzcuaro" in San Miguel de Allende

On 17 March 2009, master birder Georgia Conti presents "Birds of Patzcuaro" to the members of Aubudon in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

"Red warbler. Blue Mockingbird. Black-polled yellowthroat. White-tailed hawk. Mountain Trogon. Squirrel cuckoo. Painted redstart. Russet-crowned motmot. Green kingfisher. White-striped woodcreeper. Cinnamon-bellied flowerpiercer. Berylline hummingbird. This is a short list of the birds found in the Pátzcuaro area.

...Georgia Conti, founder of the Pátzcuaro Birding Club, will present a lecture about the avian wonders of Pátzcuaro and its environs. The lecture will be accompanied by beautiful photographs, many by San Miguel resident Wayne Colony. San Miguel’s Audubon Society is planning a field trip to Pátzcuaro in the near future, and this lecture may entice you to join up to see these birds in person."


Live in Patzcuaro.

Wow! Look at This Bird

We get to observe a colorful species like this one every March, to usher Spring into Patzcuaro.
Spring Display

Your house in Patzcuaro.

Patzcuaro Birding: Bright-Rumped Attila

There was a good look at a Bright-Rumped Attila at Cerro Hueco near Tacambaro last week, by Master Birder Georgia Conti and Hugo, whom Georgia is mentoring. Hugo is turning out to be a great birder, and seems to know where many interesting species can be sighted. The region around Lake Patzcuaro continues to provide good birding.

View Larger Map

You, too, can live or vacation in charming, colonial Patzcuaro.

Folk Art for Birders

Detail from a hand-woven wall hanging

When not out seeking birds in the field, you may want to seek out bird motifs in the folk art that abounds on the cluster of plazas in the center of Pátzcuaro. See Parvada de Pájaros.

Patzcuaro: Defining Birders in Spanish

These are aficionados de aves.

This is a pajarero.