Laura and Jay in Mexico 2005 - Day 4

Picture Album

Random Recollections
  • Today we traveled to the little town of El Naranjo in the state of San Luis Potosi and several of our passengers had trouble with motion sickness due to the winding roads. The bus driver lowered the temperature in the bus and slowed the vehicle down in an effort to minimize the motion. Those of us who weren't affected were cracking jokes however. Why is it someone's discomfort brings out the comedy in others? Richard, who had first-hand experience with boats, rocking water, and nausea educated us on preventative measures, including offering us medication. Fearful that the power of suggestion would affect all aboard, he stated, "we don't need a pukefest this morning." Then the birder sitting behind me stated, "Never barf in your own hat, use someone else's." And so the comments went.
  • As we passed through El Naranjo, I recognized the hotel where Randy, Jay, and I stayed in March, 2004. Of course I had to point out the brightly painted orange hotel to everyone within earshot. A few minutes later we had pulled over beside the road that led to El Maguey and I was hearing my favorite bird once again, the Brown-backed Solitaire. Its ethereal, metallic song evoked so many memories of the previous year's trip, I couldn't wait to set binoculars on it. But before I knew it I was going the opposite direction of the song, having hooked up with the "fifty dollar" group, this time led by Mike Overton. The first bird we heard and subsequently saw was the Pale-billed Woodpecker, a large impressive cousin of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. And like the Ivory-billed, the Pale-billed gave two loud double raps on the bark of the huge trees in the area. Before rejoining the larger group we had incredible looks at a Rufous-capped Warbler, Golden-crowned Warbler, Flame-colored Tanager, Brown-backed Solitaire (my favorite!), Clay-colored Robin, Mountain Trogans (male and female), and White-bellied Emerald Hummingbird. Can someone say ecstatic?!
  • Back in the bus we drove further west toward the arid habitat beyond Agua Zarca where we stopped at a shrine. In this area many of us saw our first Spotted Wren, a cousin to the Cactus Wren. Other show off birds were Scott's Oriole, Hepatic Tanager, Mexican Jay, Indigo Bunting, Black-headed Grosbeak, Blue Grosbeak, and Broad-billed Hummingbird. Lots of western birds for sure.
  • Lunch time brought us to Rio Paraiso Restaurant, a collection of tables underneath thatched roofs located beside a river. Here we saw, up close and personal, three Yellow-crowned Parrots in cages. Their numbers are dwindling in the wild due to the "pet" trade. After lunch we walked the grounds of the restaurant and got the-light's-just-right looks at Yellow-winged Tanager and other familiar Texas migrants such as American Goldfinch, Vermilion Flycatcher, Eastern Bluebird, and Black-crested Titmouse.
  • The afternoon's birding highlight happened not far from El Salto. Our birding guides discovered a convoy of army ants disappearing into the dense forest floor. The ants were disturbing all sorts of ground dwelling insects which in turn had lured many hard to see birds to the area. I've never seen thirty people be so quiet for so long as we all reverently sat, squatted, or hunched to look at Red-throated Ant Tanagers, Clay-colored Robins, Green Jays, several species of Woodcreepers, and a possible Ant Shrike snatch up the fleeing bugs. One could have heard a pin drop it was so quiet.
  • Before the sun set, we stopped at El Meco falls for several picture memories. Reflecting on the day's events, I smiled as I remembered Kathy's statement about her blisters and swollen ankles: "I think it (my ankle) helps being swollen; the blisters don't rub so bad." What a positive attitude!
  • By day's end we had 104 different species of birds seen by the participants that day.