BIRDS OF WESTERN MEXICO
Mazatlan, San Blas, and the famous Barranca de Liebre!

February TBA , 2011

March TBA, 2011

$ TBA  plus airfare

Western Mexico is a hotbed of birding activity and hosts numerous endemic species. Our trip will start in the area north of Mazatlan for endemics such as Red-beasted Chat, Purplish-backed Jay, and Black-throated Magpie Jay. Then into the higher elevations of the Sierra Madre to search out the beautiful endemic Tufted Jay! Travelling to San Blas we will visit nearby mangroves for Northern Potoo and Rufous-necked Wood-rail as well as the oak/pine forests for the large roosting flocks of Military Macaws!

Our 2007 trip saw 280 species including almost all of the endemics!

ITINERARY

DAY ONE Participants will arrive at Mazatlan Sinaloa international airport and be taken to the Estrella del Mar Club and Resort, a five minute drive from the airport for our welcoming dinner.

DAY TWO An early start as we head off for birding areas to the north of Mazatlan, about a 30 minute drive from the hotel. This morning we will primarily be looking for some of the numerous Tropical Deciduous West Mexican Endemics, like the Red-breasted Chat, Purplish-backed Jay, Flamulated Flycatcher and Black-throated Magpie Jay. After Lunch we will start making our way up the Durango Highway to the sleepy historic mining town of Copala. Daniel's is a simple and clean establishment and what it lacks in amenities and style, it more than makes up for with its wonderful staff and proximity to good birding! Dinner will be at Daniel's restaurant.

DAYS THREE and FOUR For two days we will cover the high elevations of an area known as the "Barranca de Liebre". This is one of the best places to find the amazingly beautiful and highly endemic Tufted-Jay. Although the Jay is certainly our big target, this area is a wonderful place to find a large number of Mexico's endemic high elevation dwellers. We have a good chance to see all of the following species, Green-striped Brush-finch, Golden-browed Warbler, Red Warbler, White-striped Wood creeper and Eared Quetzal to name a few. This day will require a fair bit of walking at high elevation, so be prepared to take it slow and steady! It can also be a bit chilly at this elevation, particularly in the morning. Lunches will be a picnic at the top of the canyon, and dinners will be back at the hotel.

DAY FIVE After breakfast we will drive about 10 minutes to the Panuco road and a morning of birding at the mid elevation habitat. This is a great morning to get a look at fantastic birds like Military Macaw, Yellow Grosbeak, Orange-fronted Parakeet, and Russet-crowned Motmot. We will have lunch back at Daniel's before packing up and heading off for the lowlands and San Blas Nayarit, 4 hours to the south. Our hotel for the next several nights is the family owned and operated "Garza Canela", one of the most birder friendly hotels in the world.

DAYS SIX through NINE This morning the close proximity to great birding just outside the village of Singayta will give us the chance to sleep in a bit. We will search the nearby area for Squirrel Cuckoo, Cinnamon Hummingbird, Citreoline Trogon, Russet-crowned Motmot, Bright-rumped Attila, Happy Wren, and the Sinaloa (Bar-vented) Wren. As will be the case on all but one of our days in San Blas, we will be going back to the hotel for lunch and a siesta which will give us a break from the tropical sun before going out for afternoon birding.

One morning we will go to La Bajada, a coffee growing area about 35 minutes from San Blas. An excellent birding spot - we will look for Orange-fronted Parakeets, Violet-capped Hummingbird, Plain-capped Starthroat, Yellow-winged Cacique and Rosy Thrush-Tanager among others.

An evening trip will take us on a boat trip through the mangroves of La Tovara as we attempt to pick-up not only the Boat-billed Heron, Northern Potoo, Mangrove Cuckoo, Purplish-backed and San Blas Jays, but also the Rufus-necked Wood-rail, and fish eating bats! A wonderful trip!

On a trip to Cerro de San Juan, and the mountains above San Blas, we will hope to find a large assortment of pine/oak forest birds, and experience a much cooler climate. White-eared Hummingbird, Bumblebee Hummingbird, Brown-backed Solitaire, Blue Mockingbird. Black-vented Oriole, and Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush are some of the birds we could see.

A morning boat trip up the San Cristobal river typically rewards us with incredible numbers of shore and water birds such as Bare-throated Tiger-Herons, Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills, White Ibis, and White-faced Ibis. The afternoon will see us at the Crocodile farm and the shrimp ponds finding Solitary Sandpiper, Northern Jacanas, Zone-tailed Hawk, Common Moorhens, and Rufous-bellied Chachalaca.

DAY TEN Depending on the departure time of people's flights, we may have time to do some early morning birding before going back to the hotel for our bags and the drive to Mazatlan.