VALLE NACIONAL, TUXTEPEC to VILLAHERMOSA & LISTS

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VALLE NACIONAL, TUXTEPEC to VILLAHERMOSA & LISTS

MEXICO

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00o00´/00o00´ ha 
Protected/registered status 
Best Time for visit (18th to 21st December 2006)

 

Birding Site Guide

This is undoubtedly one of the best places we visited and, in retrospect, we should have spent at least 1 more day here to bird the higher reaches. Unfortunately the weather up in the cloud forest was abominable when we were here (thick cloud banks alternating with heavy rain) leading to much frustration as we could often hear a lot of birds, but see none or only shadows in the mist. We ended up retreating to the lower slopes where we did see quite a bit, but missed most of the high-altitude species. 

December 19: Valle Nacional: We started birding from km 50 onwards continuing up the mountain, catching a fleeting glimpse of a single Plain Chachalaca, our first flights of Brown-hooded Parrots, a Squirrel Cuckoo, a single White-faced Quail-Dove, male Bumblebee, Blue-throated, Garnet-throated and a male Stripe-tailed Hummingbird, White-bellied Emeralds (common), Keel billed-Toucan, 4 species of woodpecker (Lineated, Golden-fronted, Golden-olive and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker), Ivory-billed and Olivaceous woodcreeper, a single Spectacled Foliage-gleaner, a female Red-capped Manakin, Green and Brown Jays, an Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush at La Esperanza, Green Shrike-Vireo, Brown-capped Vireo, Golden-crowned Warbler, Blue-crowned Chlorophonia, Blue-grey, Crimson-collared and White-winged Tanagers, Black-headed Saltator, Yellow-faced Grassquits, White-collared Seedeaters, Montezuma’s Oropendolas, Audubon’s Oriole, Olive-backed Euphonia,…. We only stopped birding for a quick lunch at the comedor “Lulu” in La Esperanza, returning to Valle Nacional after dark. 

December 20: Valle Nacional: We started the day in the orchards at the edge of Valle Nacional back in the direction of Oaxaca, where they meet first forest patches and hit a nice mixed flock of species consisting of a good number of North American warblers and forest birds coming down to forage. We quickly added Red-lored Parrots, Aztec Parakeets, a pair of Violaceous Trogons, several Collared Aracaris and a Masked Tityra. Regis found a single Chestnut-headed Oropendola and a Yellow-billed Cacique, both of which I missed. Continuing up the mountain and stopping wherever there was activity we found Blue-crowned Motmot, Grayish Saltator, Scarlet-rumped Tanager, Red-throated Ant-Tanager, 2 Plain Chachalacas perched in the trees at eye level, a Spotted Woodcreeper, Little Hermit and Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Spot-breasted Wren, Blue-black Grosbeak, Thick-billed Seedfinch, Blue-black Grassquit, Barred Antshrikes and a Yellow-tailed Oriole. A pair of what only could have been hawk-eagles disappeared too quickly from view to be identified. We did manage to see (and see well) other birds of prey though. A Roadside Hawk and a Grey Hawk perching close by the road, and distant, though once we had the scope on it, a very good look at a perched White Hawk. Once again visibility was very poor to non-existent once we reached the cloud forest zone, though we still managed to find and get good looks at a Slate-colored Solitaire feeding on berries and a Southern House Wren in La Esperanza. With the weather deteriorating even further we headed back down finding a female Lovely Cotinga in the same bush we had the chlorophonias the day before, a male White-collared Manakin and in a glade just before reaching the outskirts of Valle Nacional, several Orange-billed Sparrows.

Leaving Valle Nacional, Tuxtepec to Villahermosa December 21: Tuxtepec: A very quick trip to the orchards, and a scan of the river delivered an Amazon Kingfisher and a lone Neotropical Cormorant. We then headed for the sites decribed in Howell for Tuxtepec. Though there’s obviously still woodcutting going on there is still some good forest left on the hills described in Howell and we found birding was good, though we arrived only after the heat had started to set in. A calling Black Hawk-Eagle, our first Groove-billed Anis, several White-crowned Parrots, 3 Grey-crowned Yellowthroats were all added. And then a Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl came flying in, responding to its call and perching on an exposed branch allowing for great looks. The river nearby held good numbers of waders, a Caspian Tern and Mangrove Swallows, while the immense reservoir held some gulls and wintering American White Pelicans. Unfortunately we were short on time and we skipped over most of the often extensive marshes along the Usumacinta river on our way to Villahermosa, where we spent the night at Hotel Tabasco (very basic but cheap, 180 peso for a double, no hot water) and enjoying the Christmas market and festivities going on. 


Species seen

 

Species seen TUXTEPEC to VILLAHERMOSA 21.12.2006

 

For a full Excel species trip list please contact the authors:

Regis Nossent: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Filip Beeldens: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

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