Down right here in Mexico, most of the longest life lists belong to full- or part-time birding guides. Now, I am no skilled, however I’m very happy to take folks to satisfy the great birds of this nation’s southwest. I’ve by no means obtained any pay for doing so, nor do I plan on taking any pay sooner or later. However generally I profit in different methods.
Simply two weeks after taking my good friend Alberto “Chivizcoyo” to the subtropical city of Paso Ancho to search for Sinaloa Martins, one other birder from the identical discussion board/chat contacted me to see about making the identical pilgrimage. I did not realize it on the time, however René is the #3 birder on eBird’s all-time “Prime 100” listing for Mexico. And Ricardo, who’s #4 on the identical listing, can be accompanying him. I used to be to be within the firm of birding royalty.
An ever-so-humble notice: Numbers 1 and a pair of on that listing have stayed in our dwelling, and have additionally gone with me to Paso Ancho. A more-genuinely-humble notice: I’m at the moment at #572 on the identical listing. The factor is, you’ll be able to’t attain the birding stratosphere with out shirking off all earthly attachments, and doing nothing however touring the nation searching for “only one extra species”. I, in distinction, have a day job, and a household.
René and Ricardo had been, the truth is, searching for precisely the identical two species Alberto had come to search out, no extra, no much less. Alberto had traveled two hours east of Morelia in the future to search out the White-fronted Swiftand one hour southwest of Morelia the following day to see the Sinaloa Martin. (He discovered each.) René and Ricardo deliberate to do each in a single day: the Martin within the morning, and the Swift within the night. I’ll admit, I had my doubts.
The truth is, I had by no means seen the Sinaloa Martin twice in a single 12 months, though that’s in all probability as a result of I simply do not make that rather-arduous journey all that usually. However, simply as with Alberto, it rained the evening earlier than, and I used to be guardedly hopeful.
I needn’t have apprehensive. I instructed them to look at for a sure trio of energy/phone strains, and there they had been: 50 Sinaloa Martins! Two Pink-breasted Chats sang from the bushes, one a male simply growing his crimson breast, and the opposite all the best way there already. A pair of Black-chested Sparrowsa species which René had solely seen as soon as earlier than, flew throughout the highway. Yellow-winged Caciques and Golden-cheeked Woodpeckers created a raucous refrain.
Sure, Virginia, that’s numerous Sinaloa Martins.
This male Pink-breasted Chat was simply a youngster. However he clearly felt that he was actually one thing.
Blue-black Grassquits are simply little bitty issues. However their basic song-jump transfer suggests they, too, suppose they’re actually one thing.
Now, earlier than I proceed with this story, I ought to make clear that I had by no means seen my new associates’ second goal species, the White-fronted Swift. This chicken is so tough that it had solely been reported on eBird 27 instances, as of the day of our journey. I had briefly thought-about touring on with René and Ricardo to Tacámbaro to search for it, regardless of what a grueling day that might make. However, as I stated earlier than, I’ve a day job, and a household.
So there we had been, making an attempt to get ever-better pictures of the Martins, when an sudden form darted overhead. I had already warned them that Chestnut-collared Swifts had been pretty widespread at this website. However we began to wildly try and take images of this one, simply to make certain.
There are a couple of birding duties as irritating as making an attempt to {photograph} a swift. They by no means perch; the truth is, they’re bodily incapable of doing so. Their flight could be very quick, and infrequently in a straight line. They usually are inclined to fly very excessive. I’ve typically seen swifts when taking a look at hovering birds of prey. The truth is, my best choice is commonly to get the digicam to concentrate on the bigger raptor, after which click on on the swifts earlier than it tries to refocus.
Luckily, this swift selected to fly a lot decrease than most do. Sadly, it was always flying behind the bushes. And but, someway, each René and I managed to get some form of images of it, earlier than it moved on.
A fast examine at our viewfinders left little doubt, this Swift restricted quantity Chestnut-collar. We checked our guides, and our pulse quickened. René managed to ship his greatest picture to the exact same Alberto, and… OMG… it was a White-fronted Swift! First for René, first for Ricardo, first for me, first for Paso Ancho.
René’s greatest picture was higher than this considered one of mine, consider you me.
Considerably later within the morning, we noticed some extra swifts within the distance. (We had been, after all, a bit swift-crazy at this level.) You keep in mind what I stated about specializing in swifts? Properly, right here you go, courtesy of a pleasant neighborhood Quick-tailed Hawk:
Whereas these swifts turned up at an awesome distance, I may simply see the chestnut collars on a pair of adults, and the extra-long tails on a pair of immatures. Another species for the day… the Chestnut-collared Swift. However our lifer White-fronted Swift would proceed to face (fly?) alone.
Among the surroundings was fairly cool, too.
