OAXACA: TEOTITLAN DEL VALLE, BENITO JUAREZ, MONTE ALBAN, LOWER ROUTE 175, CERRO SAN FELIPE, LA CUMBRE, YAGUL & LISTS

MEXICO

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00o00´/00o00´ ha 
Protected/registered status 
Best Time for visit (16 to 18.12.2006 then 10.01.2007)

 

Birding Site Guide

December 16: Teotitlan del Valle and Benito Juarez: This is the only day we had booked a guide for. Roque Antonio, a local from Teotitlan del Valle met us before dawn, and took us straight to the area near his hometown. A walk through the remaining desert scrub, fallow fields and then some birding near a small reservoir on the valley floor netted us Boucard’s Wren, White-throated Towhee (both plentiful), Dusky and Beryline Hummingbirds, Black Phoebe, our first Great Kiskadees and Social Flycatchers, neat looking Bridled Sparrows and taking some effort, a pair of Grey-breasted Woodpeckers, but no Oaxaca sparrows. The valley floor is good for raptors as we saw several species as well as several species of heron near the small reservoir. 
As it started to get hot we moved up the mountain flank to the large reservoir described in Howell, adding several species of heron, shorebirds and ducks to the list. A Blue Mockingbird was briefly seen by Regis and Roque, but refused to be lured into the open. By the time we left it was getting close to noon and really hot, so we drove straight up the mountain to the little hamlet of Benito Juarez where at the small visitor center we had tlayudas, an Oaxaca specialty, and fresh juice for lunch. We then birded the gardens around the villages adding Collared Towhee (hard work), a family group of Grey-barred Wrens, a Pine Flycatcher and a Russet Nightingale-thrush, before descending through the pine-oak forest birding all the way down to the valley floor. A sudden stop for a bird on the road, resulted in a flash of red taking off on the left, a call of “Mountain Trogon” followed by everyone piling out of the car, to be rewarded with great views of a male and female perching in the trees close by the side of the road. A stop at a small humid valley leading steeply up the mountain netted us 2 more collared towhees, several Amethyst-throated Hummingbirds, and a pair of Black Robins. A cinnamon-bellied flowerpiercer was seen by Roque, but failed to reappear and was missed by both of us.

 We headed back to Oaxaca round 6 PM, dropping Roque of near the Zocalo and after freshening up headed into town, where market day was in full swing. Dinner was had at one of the small stalls and after watching the Christmas procession passing by the Hostel, we called it a day and tucked in. 
December 17: Monte Alban: We decided to take it easy and only visit Monte Alban and set out at dawn, birding the tomb trail below the site described by Howell. Though we did find several good species it took hard work, especially after 9 as the sun was then blazing away resulting in almost no bird activity anymore. Surprisingly, despite a good number of trees flowering not a single beautiful hummingbird was found. New birds seen on the trails on the lower slopes were a surprisingly confiding Belted Flycatcher and a Nutting’s Flycatcher. Regis found a Dwarf Vireo that staid in sight for just a few seconds and then disappeared back in the scrub never to show again. So far we hadn’t found any sparrows. Trailing back we decided to split up, me taking the lower trail and Regis taking a trail leading back but up from the tomb described in Howell, where finally a single Oaxaca Sparrow was found. The bird showing well enough before retiring under some of the thorn scrub and disappearing from view. 

It being close to Christmas and a Sunday to boot also meant a lot of local visitors and thus a lot of disturbance at the ruins. We found few birds here, but still added a few to the trip list. Our only pair of Thick-billed Kingbirds was seen, as well as Rock Wrens, which were foraging through the ruins. The ruins are well worth a visit, and it was after noon when we called it a day and headed back to the center for a stroll around town and a siesta. The last species added was the pair of Tropical Kingbirds hanging around on the roof of the hostel. 

December 18: Lower route 175, Cerro San Felipe and the road to Valle Nacional: Leaving the hostel after breakfast we headed for Valle National, birding some sites along the way. First stop was the “8 km” site just a few kilometers up the route 175. Though it was already fairly late in the morning bird activity was still quite good, and though the dwarf vireo didn’t show itself, a Golden Vireo responded well and came right out in the open near the little stream to the right of the road. Other birds found in the scrub on the left were several Black-vented Orioles, and a male Painted Bunting. By the time we finally reached La Cumbre it was already noon. A small visitor center is being built here and it appears efforts are being made to preserve the remaining forest. We first took the track on the right side of road (as described in Howell) and found a Strong-billed Woodcreeper in the first remnant forest patch. Several family groups of grey-barred wrens were heard or seen, but our target bird, the dwarf jay was not among them. We then decided to try the route on the left side of route 175 and after paying the locals the fee to use the trail (80 pesos) we set off. Our patience was finally rewarded when the next group of wrens we encountered, about 2 km up the track, held our target bird: 4 Dwarf Jays! We followed the group for some time regularly catching glimpses to good views of the jays. We could easily have spent more time here, but as our goal was to reach Valle Nacional before dark so we turned back towards route 175, encountering a nice mixed flock of warblers which held several Crescent-chested Warblers, another new bird for the trip. We made a short stop to stretch our legs in the valley bottom on the other side of La Cumbre, and then continued straight on until we hit the hamlet of La Esperansa (km 79-80) on the atlantic slope shortly before dusk, quickly birding some of the gardens finding Common Bush-Tanager, Yellow-winged Tanager and White-naped Brush-Finch before continuing our descent, arriving well after dark in Valle Nacional, checking in at “hotel del Valle” (basic but clean: 280 pesos for a double with airco/180 with a fan, no hot water). There are plenty of small places serving basic food in the town.

 

Species seen TEOTITLAN DEL VALLE 16.12.2006

  • Least Grebe Podiceps dominicus
  • Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
  • Great Egret Egretta alba egretta
  • Snowy Egret Egretta thula thula
  • Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis ibis
  • Green Heron Butorides virescens
  • Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis
  • Blue-winged Teal Anas discors
  • Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
  • Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus
  • Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis jamaicensis
  • Black Vulture Coragyps atratus atratus
  • Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura aura
  • White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus majusculus
  • Marsh Harrier Circus hudsonius
  • Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii
  • Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
  • Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway
  • American Kestrel Falco sparverius
  • Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus cachinnans
  • American Coot Fulica americana americana
  • Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria cinnamomea
  • Spotted Sandpiper Tringa macularia
  • Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata
  • Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla
  • Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas
  • White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica
  • Berylline Hummingbird Amazilia beryllina
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris
  • Green Violet-ear Colibri thalassinus thalassinus
  • Dusky Hummingbird Cynanthus sordidus
  • Amethyst-throated Hummingbird Lampornis amethystinus
  • Mountain Trogon Trogon mexicanus
  • Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus
  • Grey-breasted Woodpecker Melanerpes hypopolius
  • Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
  • Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina
  • Boucard's Wren Campylorhynchus jocosus
  • Grey-barred Wren Campylorhynchus megalopterus
  • Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii
  • Blue Mockingbird Melanotis caerulescens
  • Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre
  • Brown-backed Solitaire Myadestes occidentalis
  • Russet Nightingale-Thrush Catharus occidentalis
  • Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
  • Black Thrush Turdus infuscatus
  • White-throated Thrush Turdus assimilis
  • Blue-grey Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea cozumelae
  • Greater Pewee Contopus pertinax
  • Pine Flycatcher Empidonax affinis
  • Cordilleran Flycatcher Empidonax occidentalis
  • Tufted Flycatcher Mitrephanes phaeocercus
  • Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
  • Social Flycatcher Myiozetetes similis
  • Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus
  • Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans nigricans
  • Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans
  • Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
  • Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus
  • Western Scrub Jay Aphelocoma californica
  • Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata
  • Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla
  • Virginia's Warbler Vermivora virginiae
  • Townsend's Warbler Dendroica townsendi
  • Hermit Warbler Dendroica occidentalis
  • MacGillivray's Warbler Oporornis tolmiei
  • Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
  • Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla
  • Red Warbler Ergaticus ruber
  • Painted Redstart Myioborus pictus
  • Slate-throated Redstart Myioborus miniatus
  • Rufous-capped Warbler Basileuterus rufifrons
  • Golden-browed Warbler Basileuterus belli
  • Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens
  • Olive Warbler Peucedramus taeniatus
  • Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria
  • Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus
  • Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
  • Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii
  • Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna
  • Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus
  • Hepatic Tanager Piranga flava hepatica
  • Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
  • Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana
  • Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii
  • Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
  • Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus
  • Bridled Sparrow Aimophila mystacalis
  • Collared Towhee Pipilo ocai
  • Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus
  • White-throated Towhee Pipilo albicollis

 

Species seen MONTE ALBAN 17.12.2006

  • White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus majusculus
  • Marsh Harrier Circus hudsonius
  • White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi
  • Berylline Hummingbird Amazilia beryllina
  • Dusky Hummingbird Cynanthus sordidus
  • Grey-breasted Woodpecker Melanerpes hypopolius
  • Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris
  • Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus
  • Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
  • Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
  • Blue-grey Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea cozumelae
  • Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
  • Nutting's Flycatcher Myiarchus nuttingi
  • Greenish Elaenia Myiopagis viridicata
  • Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans
  • Thick-billed Kingbird Tyrannus crassirostris
  • Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus
  • Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
  • Belted Flycatcher Xenotriccus callizonus
  • Common Raven Corvus corax sinuatus
  • Dwarf Vireo Vireo nelsoni
  • Virginia's Warbler Vermivora virginiae
  • Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia
  • Rufous-capped Warbler Basileuterus rufifrons
  • Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana
  • Oaxaca Sparrow Aimophila notosticta
  • White-throated Towhee Pipilo albicollis

 

Species seen Lower route 175, Cerro San Felipe and the road to Valle Nacional 18.12.2006

  • Green Heron Butorides virescens
  • American Kestrel Falco sparverius
  • White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica
  • Berylline Hummingbird Amazilia beryllina
  • Dusky Hummingbird Cynanthus sordidus
  • Magnificent Hummingbird Eugenes fulgens
  • Blue-grey Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea cozumelae
  • Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans nigricans
  • Common Raven Corvus corax sinuatus
  • Golden Vireo Vireo hypochryseus
  • Western Warbling-Vireo Vireo swainsonii
  • Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata
  • Virginia's Warbler Vermivora virginiae
  • Black-throated Grey Warbler Dendroica nigrescens
  • Rufous-capped Warbler Basileuterus rufifrons
  • Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus
  • Painted Bunting Passerina ciris pallidior
  • Hooded Oriole Icterus cucullatus
  • Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii
  • Black-vented Oriole Icterus wagleri
  • Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana
  • White-collared Seedeater Sporophila torqueola

 

Species seen La Cumbre 18.12.2006

  • Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus
  • Strong-billed Woodcreeper Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus
  • Grey-barred Wren Campylorhynchus megalopterus
  • Tufted Flycatcher Mitrephanes phaeocercus
  • Mexican Chickadee Parus sclateri
  • Dwarf Jay Cyanolyca nana
  • Cassin's Vireo Vireo cassinii
  • Crescent-chested Warbler Parula superciliosa
  • Red Warbler Ergaticus ruber
  • Slate-throated Redstart Myioborus miniatus
  • Golden-browed Warbler Basileuterus belli

 

Species seen Yagul 10.01.2007

  • Dusky Hummingbird Cynanthus sordidus
  • Boucard's Wren Campylorhynchus jocosus
  • Blue-rumped Euphonia Euphonia elegantissima
  • White-throated Towhee Pipilo albicollis
  • Berylline Hummingbird Amazilia beryllina
  • Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris
  • Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
  • Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus
  • Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre
  • Brown-backed Solitaire Myadestes occidentalis
  • Greater Pewee Contopus pertinax
  • Nutting's Flycatcher Myiarchus nuttingi
  • Virginia's Warbler Vermivora virginiae
  • Black-throated Grey Warbler Dendroica nigrescens
  • Rufous-capped Warbler Basileuterus rufifrons
  • Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria
  • Painted Bunting Passerina ciris pallidior
  • Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii
  • Black-vented Oriole Icterus wagleri
  • Bridled Sparrow Aimophila mystacalis
  • Rufous-crowned Sparrow Aimophila ruficeps
  • Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
  • Grey-breasted Woodpecker Melanerpes hypopolius
  • Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris
  • Common Raven Corvus corax sinuatus
  • House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus

 

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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