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Tucson Audubon Society Reprinted from the April, 2001 Vermilion Flycatcher, newsletter of the Tucson Audubon Society. Birding
In Oaxaca Beware, those of you with delicate constitutions, who want to travel deep into Mexico. Ten of our twelve participants were sick during the trip, either from the “Revenge” or the putrid smells, or the motion of the curving, winding, precipitous roads. But, then, there are the birds! They are breathtaking and unforgettable. Of the nearly 300 species we saw in our circuit of the state, 58 were life birds for me. Try and picture a bright, solid red, pudgy, perky little warbler with a white circle on its cheeks and you’ve got the Red Warbler that bounces low in the scrub and comes in close to take a look at you. Or, how about the White-throated Magpie Jay with its punk hairdo and long, flowing tail? There are showy Slate-throated Redstarts, beautiful Golden-browed Warblers, stunning Rosita’s Buntings and elegant Bridled Sparrows. The trees are full of toucans and trogons and pygmy owls. White-eared hummers, Ruddy Ground-Doves, wrens, Clay-colored Robins, and orioles abound. The hillsides echo the indescribable calls of Brown-backed and Slate-colored Solitaires, and motmots and antshrikes sound off from their hiding places. In fact, Oaxaca has the most overwhelming dawn choruses I’ve ever heard! However, I have two new “favorite” species. We were in a brushy spot near Tehuantepec, close to the Chiapas border, when we played a bit of tape for the Orange-breasted Bunting. No amount of studying the field guides had prepared us for the bird that flew straight in and perched in the open. There was an audible group gasp as we gazed at the little bird’s neon turquoise upperparts, and its neon yellow breast, throat, and spectacles. WOW! And then, on a road near Tuxtepec, we had our socks knocked off by the stunning Crimson-collared Tanager. The field guides don’t even come close! You’ll just have to see that one for yourself to believe it! So, if you go, do it with a group and a good Mexican driver. Take your repellant and medications and be prepared for a real adventure and some great birds! Bird questions? Check Birding | General questions? Contact: Tucson Audubon Society | Webmaster: Email This page was updated on 02/09/06 |