Copper Canyon

Mexico’s Scenic Wonder

September 17th – October 2nd 2012

A Greentours Tour Report

Led by Phil Benstead and Eric Miranda

Daily report by Phil Benstead

Day 1 17th September to Mexico City

We all met up at the gate at Heathrow or eventually on board the plane and settled down to face the long flight to Mexico. Nothing exciting happened and 12 hours later we were negotiating Immigration at this busy airport. Customs offered little resistance and thenwe were on our way to the hotel and most of us collapsed for a short night’s sleep. Christine and Phil though hit the hotel restaurant for the first of many enjoyable Mexican meals.

Day 2 18th September Los Mochis and El Fuerte

Meeting up at 0430 our odyssey continued, the shuttle from the hotel dropping us in good time to get checked in, have a caffeine and food injection and get on our plane to Los Mochis. Departing late we left Mexico City at dawn and flew on to the coast. After two hours we came into land and enjoyed great views of the coast and fairly champed at the bit to get down there and see some wildlife. Getting out this small airport was a stark contrast to our arrival last night and we were soon out and meeting up with Eric (our local guide and catering officer) and Pepé our driver. The heat even at 0800 was staggering and we all had to knuckle down to acclimatise, after a truly awful European summer we had all had scant practise at dealing with the sun in recent times!

Running late our first port of call was the saline pools, mangroves and coastline accessible along the road to Maviri. Just after the airport Phil noticed a small pool with a roseate spoonbill on the main road but elected to continue to the quieter side road before stopping. Unfortunately we caught the tide wrong in the morning without realising for some time. The more inland pools still had exposed mud and we had a fantastic flock of Wilson’s phalaropes and added many more shorebirds before moving on to explore further towards the coast. Here sadly water levels were higher and wading birds became scarce. Herons were a feature though and we particularly enjoyed the reddish egrets. Ospreys whistled shrilly and perched photogenically on cacti.

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Eventually Eric called a halt to cook us a real breakfast and we explored along the edge of a pool and into the coastal scrub. Butterflies were evident and we spent most of the time acquainting ourselves with what was going to be an exciting feature of the trip for some of us. Beautiful common buckeyes nectared around us. We got stuck into the pierids and enjoyed our first tropical leafwings and Mexican fritillaries. Our first dragonflies appeared too over a tasty breakfast in the form of a lazily gliding Pantala flavescens or two. Whilst Eric packed away we continued on foot towards the coast, happily photographing butterflies and looking at birds. Migration was evident because we found at least two northern waterthrushes around a large saline pool (hardly typical habitat) and we played hide-and-seek with some vocal but very shy northern cardinals. Finally we got to the sea. A photogenic willet of the huge western race begged to be photographed. Beer and soft drinks disappeared as we enjoyed a parade of blue-footed boobies, marvelled at the mass of frigatebirds swirling overhead and learnt the flight id criteria of turkey and black vulture. Dragging ourselves from the Sea of Cortez we headed back, stopping to enjoy the plunge-diving antics of the brown pelicans, and connecting with our only Heerman’s gull (a rather sad-looking immature) before stopping for the bat cave. Here we watched the huddled masses of Mexican free- tailed bats hanging around before the stench of ammonia and the legions of mosquitos at this spot sent us hurrying back to the car.

Our plan now was to head inland for El Fuerte and sort out the malfunctioning AC unit on the car. The police had other ideas though pulling us over for a chat which Phil put to good use finding our first Orthemis ferruginea and Erythrodiplax funerea on a roadside wetland. The heat in the middle of the day was quite something and we kept moving until we found a mechanic for a our defunct AC at El Fuerte and checked into our hotel for the next three nights.

Lunch in a local restaurant took up the hottest part of the day and then we were out in the still unbelievable sweltering heat to enjoy a walk alongside the river. The hinterlands of El Fuerte provided some memorable moments. But first the gardens of the town offered up some fantastic butterflies including our first pipevine swallowtails, curious long-tailed skippers and the lovely elf. Down by the river Phil was really able to add to the dragonfly list. Peter found the first of what was to be one of the best dragonflies of the tour a superb female filgree skimmer – just amazing. Mud-puddling butterflies provided a focus and it was nip-and-tuck whether we joined them as they sucked up badly-need salts on this scorching day.

Birds got more active as the sun started to dip although by this time the group had wandered back to the hotel. Tired migrants like Wilson’s warblers and painted buntings bathed at the edge of the river. Canyon towhees and curve-billed thrashers emerged from the scrub. Tiny brightly-coloured lizards appeared. A riverside wetland produced yet more odonates including the diminuitive damselfly Ischnura hastata and the tiny libellulid Erythrodiplax basifusca. Inca doves fed on the track oblivious to my presence. A McGillivray’s warbler appeared and disappeared like a wraith.

After all this excitement most of us assembled for an encounter with an introductory margherita and Zorro was at the bar too apparently. Dinner however was a subdued affair, I think it would be fair to say we were tired, but not too tired for Ann to notice our first cane toad on the way home. A massive toad actually climbing the steps to a municipal building in the middle of town!

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Day 3 19th September Choix road and El Fuerte

An early start saw us assembling for a ride up the Choix road. Crested caracaras put on a great show, many perched on roadside cacti and a disproportionate number loafing on the railway tracks at one point. Turning off towards the reservoir we tried to make for a breakfast spot by the reservoir bund but birds kept delaying us. Northern flicker showed well for some of us. The prehistoric groove-billed ani appeared too. We stopped for a small group of well-behaved red- billed pigeons as well, before the dam wall and the reservoir appeared. Here Ann found our first greater roadrunner but it was rather elusive and only a few of us saw it.

Taking to our feet we found that the streets were paved with a large number of big grasshoppers – the often pestilential plains lubber (Brachystola magna)! Flightless and beautifully marked, they lumbered around and after the initial excitement we just tried not to tread on them. Phil found a tiny southern spadefoot (Scaphiopus multiplicatus) and we wandered in the general direction of the dam, looking mostly at birds until we spotted the huge ears of an antelope jack-rabbit. Sadly this was just about all we saw of the beast before it made itself scarce. We enjoyed our best views of vermilion flycatcher as it hawked from a nearby snag and we spent some time puzzling over Myiarchus and Empidonax flycatchers. Best of all though was a small group of rufous-winged sparrows, that popped up briefly for ‘scope views.

Called back for breakfast we were shown a splendid Mexican golden redrump tarantula (Brachypelma albiceps) that was crawling about under the vehicle. Nearby Peter found our first bicarinate tree lizard (Urosaurus bicarinatus) whilst we munched away. After a tasty cooked breakfast we were ready for more but the sun was getting up and the heat of the day was once more upon us. Despite this we managed to get to the edge of the reservoir. On the way we saw our first young iguanas, beautiful green lizards with lovely black markings.

The reservoir was devoid of waterbirds but the fringes provided great views of black and turkey vulture standing side-by-side and our only cattle egret of the trip flew by in the company of a great egret and a large flock of red-winged blackbirds was obvious too. En route the grassy clearing had produced views of a few new butterflies including the lovely white peacock, the soldier and a queen. Particularly appealing was the beautiful Mexican amberwing dragonfly, a vision in orange and much-photographed. Checking the edge of a small pond produced an incredible number of dragonflies and Phil had to be dragged away. Great pondhawks skimmed the surface. Common green darners were indeed common and our first tiny red Telebasis salva damselflies appeared.

Driving back towards the hot springs we stopped in the scrub to enjoy a pair of elegant quail on the track. The hot springs at midday was perhaps not an ideal choice and was a steaming hot venue, the water was incredibly hot and the small streams contained a quite distressing number of parboiled frogs. Apparently even large mammals succumb to the waters sometimes and we certainly found the bleached bones of a few dogs as we walked about. The easy highlight here (apart from the fantastic dragonflies) was the group’s discovery of a our first black-throated magpie jays – confusingly of the white-throated morph, they were nevertheless enjoyed to the full.

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Heading back to town we picked up some cold drinks at a supermarket and then some elected to start their siesta whilst the rest of us accompanied Eric to a roadside chicken grilling restaurant for some fantastic Mexican fast food. Tasty! The butterfly team spent a pleasant afternoon going through the images captured so far and building the list. We then all went through the bird list and then it was time for a short break before heading out into the field again for a walk around the river at 1730.

Birds started to appear as soon as we got down to the river. A single tree produced social flycatcher, warbling vireo and Wilson’s warbler. Butterflies appeared including the southern skipperling, western pygmy blue and more splendid clytie ministreaks. Maggie found her most- wanted bird later in the form of a superb male painted bunting. We watched two through the ‘scope for some time as they fed low in the roadside vegetation. Also here we finally got good views of inca dove, Gila woodpecker and a sharp-shinned hawk sat up to be looked at. A male summer tanager flew towards the river and northern cardinals finally popped up for a good view. The heat defeated everyone again though this afternoon and Phil was left to his own devices again to enjoy great views of a roosting gray cracker before he too headed back for dinner and sleep.

Day 4 20th September the boat ride

No two days the same round here, this morning we headed off bright and early and met up with the boatman en route to the river. Jumping out of the vehicle near the river at dawn we watched a small gang of black-bellied whistling duck. Behind in the water hyacinth was our first northern jacana and overlaying the whole experience was the incredibly loud booming call of a bullfrog (the introduced Rana catesbeiana). Walking to the river we had a tasty breakfast, enjoyed a splendid lily and found yet another large wonderfully marked grasshopper.

And so to the river. Our small open boat drifted slowly downstream for the most part past an array of splendid birds and butterflies. Noisy chachalaca parties shouted at each other across the river and we spotted one high in a tree. I think the easy highlight of the morning though was our encounter with a flock of tiny Mexican parrotlets perched up close in a riverside tree, occasionally flying to reveal their turquoise rumps. Bare-throated tiger-herons came in a close second though and we saw many of these during the journey together with small numbers of the more prosaic black-crowned night-herons. Ladder-backed woodpeckers surrendered too during this first drift along and painted buntings were obviously common. A grey hawk appeared in a gap briefly and then we were past it.

Parking up we took to our feet for a wander around the island in search of the petroglyphs, despite a good look around the fenced-in site that we reached after a short walk we could not find them! Plenty of birds at the start of this walk though and we managed to see large numbers of painted buntings and our first wrens in the shape of a very elusive party of happy wrens. Sadly the sun was beating down again and by 0830 bird activity was dropping off and we switched our focus to invertebrates. Whilst we searched for the wretched petroglyphs we all got great views of grey cracker (even hearing a displaying male at one point), enjoyed a number of encounters with

4 the really atractive male blackened bluewing and added many more images of other new butterflies to our memory cards. Maggie found a curiosity in the shape of a pair of leaf-footed bugs (Leptoglossus zonatus). Phil pointed out a nice black-and-white Argiope aurantia, sitting in the middle of its web decorated with a showy vertical stabilimentum.

Reaching the other end of the enclosure we waited for Eric to fetch the boat down to us and watched an immature broad-billed hummingbird and Phil added yet more dragonflies to the growing list down at the rivers edge, as well as finding a more universally appreciated banded peacock, a lovely butterfly. The heat was really on when we got back into the boat for the last drift back into town. Around us swarms of small Erpetogomphus dragonflies flew, occasionally landing on the boat. Tiger-herons continued to entertain and then we were back. The group elected to return to the nearby hotel but Phil could not resist another look at the nearby marsh and was rewarded with the splendid amethyst dancer, a beautifully coloured damselfly.

A tasty lunch in a local cantina and a lengthy siesta took up most of the afternoon before we headed out in the vehicle for a look at the reserve across the bridge with Pepé. We had a pleasant stroll back towards the ‘petroglyphs’. Good views of broad-billed and violet-crowned hummingbird were obtained. A well-named giant swallowtail mud-puddled by a stream and we watched Guatamalan crackers come into roost. Phil found a tarantula, another Brachypelma albiceps. A little later we found an actively hunting tarantula hawk (Pepsis or Hemipepsis sp. – they are tricky to identify) – a wasp with bright red wings and one of the most painful stings in the invertebrate kingdom. Luckily they usually save their venom for the hapless spiders that provide live food for the developing youngsters. As we drifted back across the bridge the first lesser nighthawks of the evening appeared high above us.

Day 5 21st September train to Posada Barrancas

After a hearty breakfast, we set off to the nearby station a long hard day of sitting on a train in prospect. A pair of elegant quail flushed off the road in front of us. We said our goodbyes to Pepé, who would be driving on the road round to Divisadero on a journey which would take two whole days! At the station, just a few kilometres out of town, we had just a short wait for the train which turned up very close to on time. Eric handed our tickets to the porter and we were shown to our seats in first class - good stuff! We were able to get places at the open window by the doors between each carriage more or less as required for photos and some of us did not sit down much during the journey, preferring instead to drink in the scenery, diesel fumes and passing flora and fauna from the open windows. Incredibly this was Ann’s first-ever ride on a train – what a start!

The journey took us through a long section of undulating Tropical Deciduous Forest hardly interrupted by anything before all of a sudden the cliffs of the Sierran foothills were close at hand. The scenery jumped up a level when a reservoir accompanied us, the blue waters, green forests and orange cliffs made a great picture. Then we were into the entrance of the canyon. This was quite sudden and took us immediately into spectacular scenery. No gentle rise, just big cliffs either side immediately. The next two to three hours were sublime. We followed the substantial river

5 upwards, the river bed littered with boulders, small and house sized! Waterfalls came and went, some of those coming down the cliff sides were high. Cliffs reared up, dotted with Furcraeas, Agaves and their relatives, and Bromeliads started to appear. Where there weren't cliffs tiered forests stretched up into the sky, the luxuriant green-ness really quite incredible. We started switch-backing and passed through innumerable tunnels. It seemed impossible to turn the train round for the next upwards section but somehow they had engineered the corners! We saw the line above and then above again, tunnel entrances seemingly on cliff faces. And when we got up to them they were, the drops palpitating.

The incredibly steep terrain suddenly seemed to ease, just about the same moment that richly varied Tropical Deciduous Forest changed into pine-oak woodland and the botanists perked up as the flora became more colourful. The change was really quite sudden and the new habitat totally different. We were now following a smaller river of pools and riffles and the forest was open and flowery, very flowery. Orange Bidens aurea splashed grassy meadows dotted with oak with colour. A lengthy stop whilst we waited for the down train allowed us plenty of time to look at flora and we even added a few reptiles to the list. Soon we had arrived at Posada Barrancas and we piled out with all our luggage and took to the hotel bus for the short ride up the hill to our hotel. This was an incredible spot, the scene was unbelievable. The land fell away a vertical mile below us. But it wasn't just the depth, it was the sheer size of the landscape you could see that was incredible - the canyon and other canyons seemed to go on for ever.

Our hotel rooms opened right out onto a balcony above the canyon wall – stupendous! We settled in and enjoyed the view. The hotel feeders offered up some great views of a small number of hummingbird species.

After settling in, our late arrival allowed for a short walk along the canyon rim and round in a circular walk that gave us a taste of things to come. Birds were scarce and rather too shy for our liking. Spotted towhees appeared for the only time though and we encountered a flock of chipping sparrows. The botanists got their heads down at this point and drifted off towards the rim. We found a few new butterflies too, finally getting proper views of the splendid gulf fritillary and adding variegated fritilary too. A little later a small flock appeared but the light was poor and we were left speculating on the identity of many of its components!

After dinner Phil checked out a variety of seepages for amphibians in the dark but drew a complete blank. We need some rain! His only consolation a calling mountain pygmy-owl and a nice Lobelia.

Day 6 22nd September El Divisadero

We all met up as the sun crept above the rim of the canyon for a pre-breakfast walk. Almost straight away we were listening to a calling male mountain pygmy owl and careful stalking got us underneath this fierce little bird. He sat still quite unconcerned by our presence and glared down at us occasionally as the first rays of sun lit him just enough for photographs to be taken. A little

6 further on we came across our first hepatic tanagers and a new butterfly posed for us – the bordered satyr. Walking back through the woods, we admired the light carpet of wild flowers.

Breakfast was most welcome, especially as it came with three species of hummingbird and fantastic views of an acorn woodpecker with a sweet-tooth – all on the feeders on the balcony. Afterwards we walked out exploring along the road towards the Park. There was much to see and so the relatively short distance took some time. Reaching the main road we inspected a wet flush area, finding our first rock squirrels, some loafing striped plateau lizards and our first Californian sister butterfly. Walking the road produced a number of new plants for the botanists and Phil was pleased to find a variegated meadowhawk on a roadside pond.

A small group of yellow-eyed juncos drank from a roadside drain. Our first tree-frog (Hyla wrightorum) appeared hopping along the road. Reaching the park we headed down for another look at the canyon from a different perspective – just spectacular. Along the rim here we found another new butterfly – the wonderfully variable bordered patch. As luck would have it a bus from our hotel passed by and we got a lift back, allowing us some time for checklists before lunch.

We pioneered another circuit after lunch contouring round below the hotel and up round and back onto the access track. We saw another Californian sister at the start and then had to wait some time before we bumped into an acorn woodpecker cache tree. It was being tended by at least four woodpeckers, who were very agitated when a Steller’s jay flew up and helped itself to an item from their larder. Nearby Peter and Phil were pleased to find the first (and only) Nabokov’s satyr of the trip.

Day 7 23rd September to Batopilas

Last night we received the unfortunate news from Pepé that the road we intended to use to access Batopilas had been closed for roadworks! The upshot a much longer drive round and very little time to look at stuff on the way – a great shame because there was evidently plenty to see during the day and we just had to keep bumping along the track picking up what we could during comfort stops.

The day started though with a short walk down the hotel track whilst the Mexican team loaded the car. We all finally got good views of the splendid painted redstart and nearby another California sister was showing off. Driving off we stopped by the hotel at El Divisadero to admire a Salvia and also got good views of some rock squirrels and better still a nice red-naped sapsucker.

The first comfort stop an hour later found us still high on the plateu and Ann found us some cute little snakes hunting tadpoles in a small puddle, the beautiful tanner’s garter snake. Driving on we eventually stopped for lunch by an unassuming river that provided some great wildlife. Our first Camberwell beauty appeared alongside another Californian sister. In the riverbed Peter found our first canyon treefrog plus some obliging lizards. After a tasty lunch we drove on again. More interminable driving through amazing scenery as the road stretched out in front of us. After Guachochi the road turned to dirt. Another comfort break produced a Habenaria orchid plus a

7 small bird flock containing our first Mexican chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch and brown creeper. The splendidly marked Abert’s squirrel appeared for the first time.

As dusk approached we finally found ourselves perched on the rim above the canyon and descending slowly down into Batopilas vertically 1800 metres below us.

Day 8 24th September Camino Real and Batopilas

An early breakfast had us out in the field bright and early. Pepé drove us through town and we all walked the old silver trail, the Camino Real, for a couple of kilometres at a slow pace. At the start we were introduced to the ‘gold mills’, water powered grinding devices for the extraction of gold from ore. Those of us into invertebrates were very pleased with our walk, adding many new dragonflies and butterflies to the list, although many of the latter were skippers... We also met many talkative Mexicans during our walk and learnt much about the area and also purchased some royal limes fresh from the tree for our evening margheritas.

Birds were few-and-far-between on the walk sadly. A green kingfisher zipped downstream and landed under the bridge. Phil spotted an elegant trogon but it was too shy for wider viewing. We had a nice close encounter with a Wilson’s warbler. A few verdin played hide-and-seek with us. Generally though birds remained at low density and were shy and hard to watch. But there were always butterflies to look at, huge black and giant swallowtails sailed about and the skipper diversity, whilst perhaps not breathtaking at least kept us occupied both at the time and later when we tried to identify them.

Dragonflies were also a noticeable feature of the walk, especially as the day warmed up. Libellulids swarmed over the trail-side irrigation canal and in the trackside vegetation we found a big Phyllogomphus (nyaritensis?), another Erpetogomphus species and the rocks had our first red rock skimmers. In shaded rocky areas we found the delightful red damselfly Argia funcki. Peter excelled himself by spotting a single male great spreadwing (Archilestes grandis) – a monster lestid. Wandering back we found a small riverside pool with our first desert whitetail – a striking dragonfly that sadly was far too busy chasing filigree skimmers to land.

We trundled back for lunch and after a lengthy siesta (or butterfly id workshop) and checklists we headed out again with Pepé to try pastures new. The roadworks had upset our plans yet again and so we tried an area suggested by the locals for flowers. We crossed the river by a ford and climbed high up the valley but never got high enough to hit a flower-rich area. Eventually time ran out and we just had to get out and walk down for 45 minutes. A new Euphorbia was spotted. Phil found a nice mantis and another (new) species of tarantula, much darker than our Brachypelma albiceps at El Fuerte, this one Brachypelma vagans. Eventually we returned to the hotel to find that Eric had been busy in the kitchen mixing margheritas and cooking up a fine meal. And so to bed.

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Day 9 25th September Satevó Mission and Batopilas

Another early start saw us driving out on the road to Satevó and walking back down river along the road. The large mission church (the lost cathedral of the Sierra Madre) rose up above a small village as we drove round the bend in the road but it was sadly locked up so all we could do was peek through a small window in the door to see inside. The village was full of rather timid Indians and also a good number of birds, we watched Gila woodpeckers on cacti at last and a few house finches added a splash of colour. As we walked out Phil found a good-sized and very colourful silk moth (Rothschildia forbesi) that we trained to behave for the cameras in pretty short order. A lovely big moth. The walk back down the road towards town was greatly enhanced by the presence of up to four military macaws and we were rarely out of earshot of these excellent large parrots. At one point we watched a pair feeding in trees across the river. Splendid. Birds played hard to get during the walk though leaving us free to enjoy the dragonflies, butterflies and plants. The strange spiky fruit of Randia echinocarpa (a member of the Rubiaceae) was admired at length. Phil was kept busy with roadside dragonflies and (according to the men who know consulted later) may have photographed a Stylurus new to science. Much clearly remains to be done with the Odonates of northern Mexico, especially the gomphids.

By midday the heat had defeated us and we climbed aboard the van for the short ride back to the hotel, lunch and a lie-down.

Our afternoon constitutional saw us heading up a nicely shaded narrow arroyo on the edge of town. Birds were scarce but included our only varied bunting (a dull female), our only western tanager (a female again!) and a perched greater pewee (gender undetermined but both are dull). Invertebrates stole the show again unsurprisingly. We finally got good views of white-striped longtail, watched a curious invertebrate scuttling about at high speed (a lovely velvet ant, a wingless Mutillid wasp) and Ann found us a superb longhorn beetle.

With a tropical low and attendant rain on the way and the roadworks putting paid to our third day’s plans at Batopilas, Phil elected to put in an extra night at Cusararé and so we were packing our bags in the evening after another one of Eric’s superb dinners.

Day 10 26th September Batopilas to Cusararé

We left very early this overcast morning and attacked the road up to the canyon rim, producing easily one of our more memorable mornings of the trip. It had been difficult for us to pass the habitat on our descent on our way here but we made the most of our ascent, stopping and walking sections that took our fancy.

Birds were mercifully much more obvious this morning. At the bottom of the climb we stopped to watch our first loggerhead shrike being buzzed by a violet-crowned hummingbird. A little further on we watched a small group of perky little rufous-crowned warblers. Walking the next section produced some great birds including a yellow grosbeak and two five-striped sparrows.

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Driving on Christine soon called a halt, she had spotted the ulitimate tour plant, the bizarrely named bat-faced monkey plant and one we were beginning to think we had missed. Many photographs were taken and we all breathed a sigh of relief. Nearby birds flocked and we managed to pull out our first bridled titmouse, our only slate-throated redstarts, and more brown creepers. Whilst we were photographing plants Maggie disturbed an eared quetzal, it showed briefly and then we all heard it call as it flew off out of sight into a nearby gully... Gripping stuff.

At midday we stopped for a great cooked lunch of burritos. The botanists fanned out and Phil found narrow-headed garter snake and two new damselflies along the stream – the fantastic painted damsel and the improbably named Tonto dancer. Peter found us a new butterfly – the Arachne checkerspot.

Moving on we finally arrived at Guachochi and stopped for an ice-cream and then settled down to the long drive through the most fantastic scenery towards the Sierra Madre Hiking Lodge near Creel. We stopped just once at ‘Moonshine’ pond where we spotted some good birds including killdeer, blue-winged teal, a white-faced ibis, and lots of american coot.

Finally we arrived at our next lodgings at Cusararé. A short walk for some of us produced a pair of American dipper and a short night walk only produced more canyon treefrogs. Perhaps the forecast rain would stir things up?

Day 11 27th September Cusararé

This morning some of us met up at a rather murky, cloudy 0630. Down the canyon we could hear a vocal great horned owl – something for tomorrow perhaps? We mooched about but other than Steller’s jays little seemed to be abroad before breakfast. Fortified by an excellent breakfast we headed off down the canyon to try our luck with the eared quetzals.

Amazingly considering we saw few if any other birds in the four-hour walk we had an excellent encounter with a pair of fantastic eared quetzals halfway down the canyon. The male flew in to examine us closely and we got scope views as they drifted off calling their weird nasal call. The botanistas were happy looking at Monotropas, a nice Aquilegia and a new orchid. The falls at the end of the walk were quite impressive and we browsed the Indian tourist-ware as we walked back out. Rain started to fall lightly as we walked back and it became heavy over lunchtime. Perhaps amphibians would finally be on the menu tonight?

After lunch it was still raining so we took a drive out to Creel, for shopping and internet use. Creel did not look its best in the rain I suspect and soon we were on our way back. We stopped several times on the way back to admire a succession of birds, our first western bluebirds were well received and we finally found yellow-rumped warbler here too. Dumpy striped sparrows sang lustily from fenceposts. We all got out at one point to admire the bluebirds at close range and were treated to more views of yellow-rumped warblers and secretive lazuli buntings. A white-breasted nuthatch flew over calling.

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Arriving back at the lodge we bumped into a flock containing Lincoln’s sparrow, buff-breasted flycatcher and western pewee – a great end to the day. Was the rain finally producing a few migrants?

After dinner Ann and Phil went for a quick walk in the rain to see if any amphibians had been activated. We found a single North-western Mexican toad hopping along but could find nothing else. Frustrating.

Day 12 28th September Lago de Arareco and Cusararé

Rain fell through the night causing us to abandon our pre-breakfast owl hunt. After breakfast things were not much better but wrapped up we headed out to drive the nearby Valley of the Mushrooms and Valley of the Frogs. Few birds were noted as we trundled out but we bumped into some on the way back. First up was a large flock of Brewer’s blackbirds, that included a few yellow-headed blackbirds and our first brown-headed cowbirds. A little further on we noticed a roadside pond with green-winged teal, blue-winged teal and our first pied-billed grebe. A small flock feeding in a nearby garden produced house finch and curve-billed thrasher and then we were off to the lake.

Despite the rain we had a good walk along one side of the lake. At the dam end we were treated to brief views of a canyon wren and then chased a good-looking Durango chipmunk through the rocks. Sierra Madre ground squirrel appeared too for the first time. Nearby we found a good mixed-species flock that produced a number of great birds. First up was a lively gang of pygmy nuthatches moving through the pines. Walking deeper into the flock we found many yellow- rumped warblers and western bluebirds, plus smaller numbers of Mexican chickadees, brown creeper, ruby-crowned kinglet and a single olive warbler. On we walked hoping to get to the axolotl stream, en route we stopped to enjoy our first and only American wigeon and more pied- billed grebes. Durango chipmunks played hide-and-seek with us. Walking back we dropped off the dam wall to look at a wet flush filled with a nice Gentianopsis and other pretty plants (especially the mauve Lobelia).

The rain continued on through the afternoon and all night, Phil failed to tempt anyone out for an afternoon session so we all stayed rooted in our snug rooms, the fires lit and our wet clothes steaming gently as we drowsed in the welcome fug.

Day 13 29th September to Chihuahua via Laguna de los Mexicanos

The rain stopped at dawn and that was the last we saw of it, it stayed overcast though. Working the fields and nearby trees before and after breakfast produced a few good birds. We found the Lincoln’s sparrow again, this time he was accompanied by two smart little white-crowned sparrows. In the pines a little further on we found a good-sized flock coalescing and it contained plenty of olive warblers, as well as Grace’s warbler and white-breasted nuthatch. After breakfast Phil added blue grosbeak to the list and found at least two buff-breasted flycatchers in the fields.

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Waving goodbye we drove on, briefly stopping at Lago de Arareco again to see if the weak sun was opening the Gentianopsis flowers. No joy there but they still looked marvelous.

We drove on, past Creel and stopped in the pine woods to look at some flowers and check out a bird flock. Bushtit, bridled titmouse and Mexican jay were all well received. Towards lunchtime we neared the Laguna de los Mexicanos, nestled in the heart of the Mennonite community, we shopped for lunch, asked directions and eventually found ourselves eating a cooked lunch down by the rather low lake. Around us dozens of immature Great Plains toads scampered about.

Swainson’s hawk, prairie falcon and northern harrier all drifted past. Out on the wet meadows a huge flock of 300+ long-billed curlews were feeding. Further out we could make out a large flock white-fronted geese, a few laughing gulls and good numbers of duck that were mostly blue- winged teal but doubtless included other species, the range being too distant for enjoyment. Whilst we ate though we heard sandhill cranes and eventually located two birds from a high point as we tried to find a way down to the geese. We never did find a way down to the birds and had to leave without getting closer sadly. Maggie found a superb painted grasshopper (Dactylotum variegatum), quite the prettiest of a very showy group seen on the tour.

Driving off we soon covered the ground to Chihuahua and found ourselves settling in to our last hotel of the trip, a little oasis in the million-strong town.

Day 14 30th September Villa Adama road

We all got out of Chihuahua bright and early this morning to work the semi-arid brush and grassland to the NW of town under a blue sky. The many puddles a testament of recent wet weather. Our first stop produced some fantastic birds and reptiles. Birds were very obvious in the early morning. Small groups of Brewer’s sparrows were noted. Following the sweet song of the black-throated sparrow produced great views of adult males, many of them busy feeding young. Clay-coloured and lark sparrow appeared and we also got our first views of lark bunting. A Cooper’s hawk slipped past, followed a little later by a sharp-shinned. Warblers popped up occasionally, in amongst the yellow-rumped and orange-crowned warblers were our first Townsend’s warblers.

Our first Empress Leila butterflies were also well received and we spooked a black-tailed jack- rabbit at one point. Underfoot we encountered numerous caterpillars of the white-lined sphinx (Hyles lineata) and we even saw an adult of this impressive, large hawk-moth nectaring later on. Another velvet ant appeared hyperactively running about on the track – this one more easily identified retrospectively as Dasymutilla magnifica. Another big, colourful grasshopper appeared too, the horse lubber (Taeniopoda eques).

All this was as nothing though when Ann shouted that she had found a Texas horned lizard! A superb big adult, beautifully and cryptically marked and all horns and spikes. We spent some time admiring and photographing this beauty, once we had coaxed it from the depths of a thorn bush. As if this was not enough Ann later found another species of horned lizard – this time the rather

12 more delicate and subtly marked round-tailed horned lizard, what a result. Another photo-session took place. We went on to find two more, one of each species. The last Texas horned lizard would have easily fitted in a matchbox, a tiny hyperactive youngster.

Moving on well-pleased with our start we stopped again soon at our next site for lunch. Tasty tostadas eaten we walked upslope to look for plants. Reptiles featured here too with a pretty blue- tailed whiptail (Aspidoscelis inornata) and our only side-blotched lizard of the trip. On the way upslope to look at the cacti Phil found an active tarantula burrow and ‘fished out’ a nice but very aggressive female Brachypelma albiceps for all to see. The vegetation high on the slope was worth the hike, strange compact desert ferns grew in amongst the sotol standing sentinel on the hill. Nectaring on the flowers we found a beautiful grey hairstreak. It was starting to get warm as we dropped carefully downslope through more buntings and sparrows and walked back to the car.

We tried a little further up the road, finding more cacti and a flowering succulent and superb views of a bare mountain range to the north-west before calling it a day and heading back to Chihuahua and our last supper in a local fish restaurant. Later on some of the team attended the open-air concert given by the town’s symphony orchestra.

Day 15 1st October flight home

A leisurely start in the morning saw us packed and ready to go at 1000. Maria-José had been enjoying the murals in the governor’s palace and we picked her up en route to the airport. We said our heartfelt thanks to Eric and Pepé and surrendered to the travel machine.

Saying goodbye to Christina and Maria-José at Mexico City (their odyssey was to continue) we headed for the International terminal, where after a last slap-up Mexican feed we found that our overnight flight was delayed by two hours...

Day 16 2nd October

Despite our late start, a demon tail-wind meant that we made up all the time lost and had to beg to be let onto our original connecting flights at Heathrow. I think we all got home but Phil’s luggage at least took some time to catch up...

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Systematic List Number 1 Birds

Pied-billed grebe Podilymbus podiceps Valley of the Mushrooms and Lago de Arareco. Blue-footed booby Sula nebouxii Maviri. Brown pelican Pelecanus occidentalis Maviri. Double-crested Phalacrocorax auritus Maviri (1). cormorant Neotropic cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Maviri and El Fuerte. Magnificient frigatebird Fregata magnificens Maviri. Bare-throated tiger-heron Tigrisoma mexicanum At least ten on the boat ride down the river at El Fuerte. Great blue heron Ardea herodias Widespread. Great egret Egretta alba Maviri and Miguel Hidalgo reservoir (El Fuerte). Snowy egret Egretta thula Maviri. Little blue heron Egretta caerulea Maviri. Tricolored heron Egretta tricolor Maviri (1). Reddish egret Egretta rufescens Maviri (3) Cattle egret Bubulcus ibis Single at the Hidalgo dam near El Fuerte. Green heron Butorides virescens Maviri. Black-crowned night- Nycticorax nycticorax El Fuerte – a few from the boat ride. heron Roseate spoonbill Platalea ajaja Maviri (1). White-faced ibis Plegadis chihi Noted on a number of wetlands during the tour. White-fronted goose Anser albifrons Large numbers at Laguna de los Mexicanos. Black-bellied whistling- Dendrocygna autumnalis Small numbers daily at El Fuerte. duck Mallard Anas p. platyrhynchos One male at Lago Arareco. ‘Mexican’ duck Anas p. diazi Currently considered to be a race of mallard, small numbers noted at El Fuerte, Batopilas and Lago Arareco. Green-winged teal Anas crecca Small numbers in the Valley of the Mushrooms and Lago de Arareco. American wigeon Anas americana One at Lago de Arareco. Blue-winged teal Anas discors One on Miguel Hidalgo dam. Frequently encountered on suitable wetlands thereafter. Black vulture Coragyps atratus Widespread. Turkey vulture Cathartes aura Widespread. Osprey Pandion haliaetus Small numbers at Maviri and El Fuerte. Northern harrier Circus cyaneus One or two around the Laguna de los Mexicanos. Sharp-shinned hawk Accipiter striatus A few around El Fuerte. Cooper’s hawk Accipiter cooperi Single migrating (?) bird in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Grey hawk Buteo nitidus Singles at the hot springs near El Fuerte and from the boat along the river there. Recently split from the southern subspecies. Swainson’s hawk Buteo swainsoni Several noted around the Laguna de los Mexicanos and one in the desert NW of Chihuahua.

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Red-tailed hawk Buteo jamaicensis A few above the Satevó road (Batopilas) and near Creel. Crested caracara Caracara plancus Frequently encountered in lowland areas during the early days of the tour. American kestrel Falco sparverius Frequently observed when driving about and good views at Cusararé. Prairie falcon Falco mexicanus Single watched hunting at length over Laguna de los Mexicanos. Rufous-bellied Ortalis wagleri El Fuerte – several seen in the early morning form the chachalaca boat ride. Elegant quail Callipepla douglasii Miguel Hidalgo Reservoir (pair) and another pair flushed off the road just before El Fuerte train station. American coot Fulica americana First noted at ‘Moonshine’ pond en route to Creel. More seen at Lago de Arareco, around Creel and even one on a waterhole in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Sandhill crane Grus canadensis Two at Laguna de los Mexicanos were a big surprise – over-summering or early arrivals? Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Three at ‘Moonshine’ pond en route to Creel. Many more at Laguna de los Mexicanos. American oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus Maviri (1). Black-necked stilt Himantopus mexicanus Maviri and Laguna de los Mexicanos. American avocet Recurvirostra americana 6+ from train as we neared our destination in the mountains were an odd sight. More at Laguna de los Mexicanos. Northern jacana Jacana spinosa El Fuerte (single). Marbled godwit Limosa fedoa A few at Maviri. Greater yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Maviri. Lesser yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Maviri. Willet Catoptrophorus Maviri. The big western race, a potential split in the semipalmatus future, the breeding plumages of the two subspecies are very different and the biometrics of this race do not overlap with the eastern race. Spotted sandpiper Actitis macularia El Fuerte and Batopilas. Long-billed curlew Numenius americanus Large numbers (300+) feeding in the wet grassland at Laguna de los Mexicanos. Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Maviri. Western sandpiper Calidris mauri Maviri. Wilson’s phalarope Steganopus tricolor 30+ at Maviri. Laughing gull Larus atricilla A few at Maviri and Laguna de los Mexicanos. Yellow-footed gull Larus livens Single adult at Maviri. Heerman’s gull Larus heermanni A single first-year bird at Maviri. Caspian tern Sterna caspia Maviri. Forster’s tern Sterna forsteri Maviri. Black skimmer Rhynchops niger Maviri. Red-billed pigeon Columba flavirostris Miguel Hidalgo reservoir Feral dove Columba livia Common in urban areas. White-winged dove Zenaida asiatica Widespread.

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Mourning dove Zenaida macroura Widespread. Inca dove Columbina inca Widespread. Ruddy ground-dove Columbina talpacoti Lowlands. Common ground-dove Columbina passerina Widespread in lowlands. [White-tipped dove] Leptotila verreauxi Heard only in lowlands. Military macaw Ara militaris Small numbers daily at Batopilas, a pair watched feeding from the road to Satevó. Mexican parrotlet Forpus cyanopygius 20+ in one flock from the boat in El Fuerte. The highlight of our boat ride. Greater roadrunner Geococcyx californianus Miguel Hidalgo reservoir (1) and another from the train. No good sighting sadly. Groove-billed ani Crotophaga sulcirostris El Fuerte only. [Great horned owl] Bubo virginianus Heard at Cusararé one morning. Mountain pygmy-owl Glaucidium gnoma Single seen well at El Divisadero. [Ferruginous pygmy-owl] Glaucidium brasilianum Heard only at Batopilas. Lesser nighthawk Chordeiles acutipennis A few at El Fuerte on the last evening. Broad-billed Chlorostilbon latirostris El Fuerte ad Batopilas. hummingbird White-eared Basilinna leucotis El Divisadero. hummingbird Violet-crowned Amazilia violiceps El Fuerte and Batopilas. hummingbird Magnificent Eugenes fulgens At least two birds coming to the feeders at our hotel hummingbird in El Divisadero. Broad-tailed Selasphorus platycercus El Divisadero. hummingbird Rufous/Allen’s Selasphorus sp. Noted at El Divisadero and in the Batopilas canyon. hummingbird Elegant trogon Trogon elegans One for Phil at Batopilas along the Camino Real. Eared quetzal Euptilotus neoxenus A pair in the canyon at Cusararé. [Russet-crowned Momotus mexicanus Heard only at El Fuerte. motmot] Green kingfisher Chloroceryle americana Small numbers at El Fuerte, Batopilas and Cusararé. Belted kingfisher Ceryle alcyon Maviri and El Fuerte. Acorn woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus El Divisadero and a few other locations in the high sierra. Gila woodpecker Centurus uropygialis El Fuerte and Batopilas. Hairy woodpecker Picoides villosus Only seen poorly in flight whilst in transit in the high sierra. Ladder-backed Picoides scalaris El Fuerte – at least three on the boat ride. woodpecker Northern flicker Colaptes auratus Miguel Hidalgo reservoir and Cusararé. Red-naped sapsucker Sphyrapicus nuchalis One male at El Divisadero. Greater pewee Contopus pertinax Single at Batopilas. Western wood-pewee Contopus sordidulus Single on road above Batopilas. Another at Cusararé. Pine flycatcher Empidonax affinis El Divisadero (1). Buff-breasted flycatcher Empidonax fulvifrons Several at Cusararé in the corn fields. Black phoebe Sayornis nigricans Los Mochis and El Fuerte.

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Say’s phoebe Sayornis saya Single near Cusararé and another in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Vermilion flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus El Fuerte and Batopilas. Ash-throated flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens Recorded in the semi-arid desert scrub around Chihuahua. Dusky-capped flycatcher Myiarchus tuberculifer Miguel Hidalgo Reservoir (El Fuerte). Brown-crested flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus Miguel Hidalgo Reservoir (El Fuerte). Great kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus El Fuerte. Social flycatcher Myiozetetes similis El Fuerte. Sulphur-bellied Myiodynastes luteiventris Single at E Fuerte. flycatcher Tropical kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus El Fuerte. Cassin’s kingbird Tyrannus vociferans El Fuerte and the deserts around Chihuahua. Thick-billed kingbird Tyrannus crassirostris El Fuerte. Western kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus El Fuerte. Rose-throated becard Pachyramphus aglaiae Female at El Fuerte. Tree swallow Tachycineta bicolour Widespread in small numbers. Violet-green swallow Tachycineta thalassina lowlands Northern rough-winged Stelgidopteryx Widespread. swallow serripennnis Barn swallow Hirundo rustica Widespread Steller’s jay Cyanocitta stelleri Frequently encountered in the high sierra. Black-throated magpie- Calocitta colliei Two birds at the hot springs near Miguel Hidalgo jay reservoir. Both were white-throated! Grey-breasted jay Aphelocoma ultramarina Small flock from the train and seen by all on the drive out of Batopilas. Also noted in a small flock in the pinewoods as we left Creel en route to Chihuahua. Sinaloa crow Corvus sinaloae Noted in town of El Fuerte. Chihuahuan raven Corvus cryptoleucus Occasionally recorded, especially noted in the desert around Chihuahua. Northern raven Corvus corax Occasionally recorded in the mountains. Mexican chickadee Parus sclateri En route to Batopilas and at Cusararé. Some in flock encountered in pinewoods en route to Chihuahua. Bridled titmouse Parus wollweberi Single in flock on way up out of canyon from Batopilas. A small number in a flock at the roadside stop on the way down from Creel en route to Chihuahua. Verdin Auriparus flaviceps Small numbers at El Fuerte, Batopilas and the desert NW of Chihuahua. Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus Ann had one at El Divisadero. A small flock entertained some of us when we stopped in the low pinewoods en route to Chihuahua. Brown creeper Certhia americana Recorded on three days in the high sierra. White-breasted nuthatch Sitta carolinensis En route to Batopilas and near Creel. Seen well at Cusararé. Pygmy nuthatch Sitta pygmaea Small flock encountered as we walked around Lago de Arareco.

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Brown creeper Certhia americana En route to and from Batopilas. Canyon wren Catherpes mexicanus Just one around Lago de Arareco. Happy wren Thryothorus felix El Fuerte Brown-throated wren Troglodytes brunneicollis Singles at Batopilas canyon and Cusararé. American dipper Cinclus mexicanus Two pairs at Cusararé. Ruby-crowned kinglet Regulus calendula A few around Lago de Arareco. Blue-grey gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea El Fuerte, Batopilas and in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Western bluebird Sialia mexicana Common along the road between Cusararé and Creel. Also at Cusararé and Lago de Arareco. Northern mockingbird Mimus polyglottos A few around El Fuerte and in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Curve-billed thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre Widespread. Loggerhead shrike Lanius ludovicianus Two or three the day we left Batopilas. A few in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Plumbeous vireo Vireo plumbeus Single at Batopilas. Cassin’s vireo Vireo cassini Single in flock above Batopilas on the way out. Hutton’s vireo Vireo huttoni Single above Batopilas on the way out. Warbling vireo Vireo gilvus One at El Fuerte. Orange-crowned warbler Vermivora celata Small numbers in the desert around Chihuahua. Nashville warbler Vermivora ruficapilla Small numbers along the river in El Fuerte. Yellow warbler Dendroica petechia Migrants present in the mangroves and scrub around Maviri on the first day. Yellow-rumped warbler Dendroica coronata Common along the road between Cusararé and Creel and around Cusararé. Townsend’s warbler Dendroica townsendi A few in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Grace’s warbler Dendroica graciae Cusararé – finally seen well on our last morning in the mountains. MacGillivray’s warbler Opornis tolmiei El Fuerte (1). Wilson’s warbler Wilsonia pusilla El Fuerte, El Divisadero and Batopilas. Northern waterthrush Seiurus novaeboracensis Two migrants in the mangrove edge at Maviri. Painted whitestart Myioborus pictus Small numbers each day at El Divisadero. Slate-throated whitestart Myioborus miniatus Several in a good flock on the way out of Batopilas. Rufous-capped warbler Basileuterus rufifrons Small group encountered on side of canyon on the way out of Batopilas. Olive warbler Peucedramus taeniatus Small numbers at Lago de Arareco and Cusararé. Hepatic tanager Piranga flava A few at El Divisadero and in the high pine at the top of the canyon on the way out of Batopilas. Summer tanager Piranga rubra Two males at El Fuerte. Western tanager Piranga ludoviciana Single female at Batopilas. Greyish saltator Saltator coerulescens A few around El Fuerte. Northern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Widespread. Pyrrhuloxia Cardinalis sinuatus A few in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Yellow grosbeak Pheucticus chysopeplus One stunner on the way out of the Batopilas canyon. Black-headed grosbeak Pheucticus One male at El Fuerte. Several on the way out of the melanocephalus Batopilas canyon. Blue grosbeak Passerina caerulea Single noisy individual on the last morning in the corn-fields at Cusararé.

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Lazuli bunting Passerina amoena El Divisadero – single female. Large numbers in fields near Creel. Varied bunting Passerina versicolor Single female at Batopilas. Painted bunting Passerina ciris Frequently encountered at El Fuerte. Spotted towhee Pipilio maculatus El Divisadero only – small numbers on the first day. Canyon towhee Pipilio fuscus Widespread. White-collared seedeater Sporophila morelleti El Fuerte. Five-striped sparrow Aimophila quinquestriata At least two in a flock on the way out of the Batopilas canyon. A pleasant surprise. Rufous-winged sparrow Aimophila carpalis Small numbers along the grassland/scrub border near the Miguel Hidalgo reservoir (El Fuerte). Striped sparrow Oriturus superciliosus First noted at ‘Moonshine’ pond en route to the lodge near Creel. A few more along the road near Creel. Black-throated sparrow Amphispiza bilineata Small numbers in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Chipping sparrow Spizella passerina Widespread. Clay-coloured sparrow Spizella pallida Cusararé and the desert scrub NW of Chihuahua. Lark sparrow Chondestes grammacus A few at Miguel Hidalgo reservoir near El Fuerte. Small numbers in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Lark bunting Calamospiza melanochorys Small numbers in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Savannah sparrow Ammodramus One at Miguel Hidalgo reservoir (El Fuerte). sandwichensis Lincoln’s sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Single at the Sierra Lodge (Cusararé). Yellow-eyed junco Junco phaeonotus Frequently encountered in the high sierra. White-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys Cusararé and the desert NW of Chihuahua. Red-winged blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Small flock at the Miguel Hidalgo reservoir (El Fuerte). Yellow-headed blackbird Xanthocephalus Small numbers with a large flock of Brewer’s xanthocephalus blackbirds in the Valley of the Mushrooms (near Cusararé). Western meadowlark Sturnella neglecta Single at Laguna de los Mexicanos. Brewer’s blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus Large flock in the Valley of the Mushrooms (near Cusararé). Great-tailed grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Ubiquitous away from the highest areas. Bronzed cowbird Molothrus aeneus El Fuerte. Brown-headed cowbird Molothrus ater Valley of the Mushrooms (near Cusararé) and the desert NW of Chihuahua. Under-recorded. Streak-backed oriole Icterus pustulatus El Fuerte and Batopilas. House finch Carpodacus mexicanus Widespread. Lesser goldfinch Carduelis psaltria Heard at El Divisadero. First seen well at ‘Moonshine’ pond en route to the lodge near Creel. Also in the garden at the Sierra Lodge (Creel). House sparrow Passer domesticus Common in urban areas and around habitation.

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Systematic List Number 2 Odonata

Zygoptera Calopterygidae American rubyspot Hetaerina americana El Fuerte and Batopilas.

Lestidae Great spreadwing Archilestes grandis Batopilas (1).

Protoneuridae Orange-striped Protoneura cara El Fuerte – on boat ride only. threadtail

Coenagrionidae Yacqui dancer Argia carlcooki Hot springs at Miguel Hidalgo reservoir. Spine-tipped dancer Argia extranea Batopilas. the red dancer Argia funcki Batopilas. Harkness’ dancer Argia harknessi El Fuerte. Amethyst dancer Argia pallens Hot springs and El Fuerte a dancer Argia pulla Miguel Hidalgo hot springs and El Fuerte. Blue-ringed dancer Argia sedula Batopilas (1). Tezpi dancer Argia tezpi Batopilas. Tonto dancer Argia tonto Several between Yocuivo and Guachochi at the lunch stop on the way out from Batopilas. Probably one at Cusararé. Dusky dancer Argia translata El Fuerte. Neotropical bluet Enallagma El Fuerte. novaehispaniae Painted damsel Hesperagrion Single male between Yocuivo and Guachochi at the heterodoxum lunch stop on the way out from Batopilas. Very attractive species. Citrine forktail Ischnura hastata El Fuerte. Desert firetail Telebasis salva Choix road day and around El Fuerte.

Anisoptera Aeshnidae Common green darner Anax junius Miguel Hidalgo reservoir (Choix road) and some in the desert NW of Chihuahua.

Gomphidae a ringtail Erpetogomphus bothrops El Fuerte. a ringtail Erpetogomphus sp. The ringtail at Batopilas remains unidentified... a leaftail Phyllogomphoides ?? This is a difficult and poorly-known genus that is hard to identify, even in the hand. Individuals photographed at Batopilas probably belong to nayaritensis but that odo has yet to be recorded in Chihuahua.

20 a clubtail Stylurus sp. nov? The gomphid found on the way back from Satevó (Batopilas) was a Stylurus close to olivacea over the border to the north but looked sufficiently different enough to possibly constitute a new, undescribed taxon. The Odonata of northern Mexico (especially the gomphids) are so poorly known this is a distinct possibility.

Libellulidae Black setwing Dythemis nigrescens El Fuerte, Miguel Hidalgo reservoir and Batopilas. Great pondhawk Erythemis vesiculosa El Fuerte and Miguel Hidalgo reservoir. Plateau dragonlet Erythrodiplax basifusca El Fuerte, Miguel Hidalgo reservoir and Batopilas. Black-winged dragonlet Erythrodiplax funerea Shallow roadside ponds near Los Mochis. Neon skimmer Libellula croceipennis Batopilas. Hyacinth glider Miathyria marcella El Fuerte. Spot-tailed dasher Micrathyria aequalis El Fuerte and Miguel Hidalgo reservoir. Roseate skimmer Orthemis ferruginea Los Mochis, El Fuerte, Batopilas and in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Red rock skimmer Paltothemis lineatipes Batopilas. Globe skimmer Pantala flavescens Los Mochis, El Fuerte and in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Mexican amberwing Perithemis intensa El Fuerte and Miguel Hidalgo reservoir. Desert whitetail Plathemis subornata Batopilas (1 male). Filigree skimmer Pseudoleon superbus El Fuerte and Batopilas. The most intricately marked libellulid in the world? Variegated Sympetrum corruptum El Divisadero and in the desert NW of Chihuahua. meadowhawk Red saddlebags Tramea onusta El Fuerte and Miguel Hidalgo reservoir.

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Systematic List Number 3 Butterflies

Papilionidae Pipevine swallowtail Battus philenor Widespread away from the highest areas. Two-tailed swallowtail Papilio multicaudatus El Divisadero. Giant swallowtail Papilio cresthontes El Fuerte and Batopilas. Black swallowtail Papilio polyxenes Batopilas. Probably under-recorded.

Pieridae Great southern white Ascia monaste Los Mochis and El Fuerte. Common green-eyed Leptophobia aripa Maviri (1). white Southern dogface Colias cesone El Divisadero. White angled-sulphur Anteos clorinde Lowlands. Yellow angled-sulphur Anteos maerula Lowlands. Cloudless sulphur Phoebis sennae El Fuerte. Boisduval’s yellow Eurema boisduvaliana Batopilas. Sleepy orange Eurema nicippe Batopilas. Tailed orange Eurema proterpa El Fuerte and El Divisadero. Dainty sulphur Nathalis iole Widespread.

Lycaenidae Clytie ministreak Ministrymon clytie El Fuerte Grey hairstreak Strymon melinus One in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Ceraunus blue Hemiargus ceraunus Lowlands. Reakirt’s blue Hemiargus isola Upland areas. Marine blue Leptotes marina Batopilas. Western pygmy blue Brephidium exile El Fuerte.

Riodinidae Zela metalmark Emesis zela El Fuerte. Checkered tanmark Emesis oeas Batopilas.

Nymphalidae American snout Libytheana carinenta El Fuerte and the desert NW of Chihuahua. Variegated fritillary Euptoieta claudia El Divisadero. Mexican fritillary Euptoieta hegesia El Fuerte. Gulf fritillary Agraulis vanillae El Divisadero. Under-recorded. Bordered patch Chlosyne lacinia El Divisadero. Tiny checkerspot Dymasia dymas Batopilas (PM only). Arachne checkerspot Poladryas arachne Single at lunch stop near Guachochi on the way out of Batopilas. Elf Microtia elva El Fuerte and Batopilas. Common buckeye Junonia coenia Maviri. Tropical buckeye Junonia genoveva Batopilas. Painted lady Vanessa cardui El Divisadero.

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Mourning cloak Nymphalis antiopa aka Camberwell beauty. First seen at lunch stop near Guachochi on way to Batopilas. A few thereafter. Banded peacock Anartia fatima El Fuerte. White peacock Anartia jatrophae El Fuerte. Californian sister Adelpha bredowii El Divisadero and other upland sites. Common mestra Mestra amymone El Fuerte. Blackened bluewing Myscelia cyananthe El Fuerte. Tropical leafwing Anaea aidea El Fuerte. Grey cracker Hamadryas februa El Fuerte. Guatemalan cracker Hamadryas guatamalena El Fuerte. Empress Leilia Asterocampa leilia Small numbers in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Nabokov’s satyr Cyllopsis pyracmon El Divisadero (1). Red-bordered satyr Gyrocheilus patrobas El Divisadero, probably also at Cusararé. Queen Danaus gilippus El Fuerte. Soldier Danaus eresimus El Fuerte. Monarch Danaus plexippus Batopilas.

Hesperidae Zilpa longtail Chioides zilpa El Fuerte. White-striped longtail Chioides catillus Batopilas. Brown longtail Urbanus procne Batopilas. Dorantes longtail Urbanus dorantes El Fuerte. Coyote cloudywing Achalarus toxeus El Fuerte. Common checkered Pyrgus communis El Divisadero. skipper White checkered skipper Pyrgus albescens El Divisadero (PM only). Tropical checkered Pyrgus oileus Batopilas. skipper Turk’s-cap white skipper Helioptes macaira Batopilas (PM only). Erichson’s white skipper Helioptes domicilla El Fuerte Juvenal’s duskywing Erynnis juvenalis El Divisadero Southern skipperling Copaeodes minimus El Fuerte Clouded skipper Lerema accius Batopilas (PM only). Dun skipper Euphyes vestris El Fuerte

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Systematic List Number 4 Mammals

Mexican freetail bat Tadarida brasiliensis Big roost at Maviri. [Black bear] Ursus americanus Scat in Cusararé Canyon. Rock squirrel Spermophilus Several around the other hotel at El Divisadero and variegatus one perched on a building near Laguna de los Mexicanos. Sierra Madre ground squirrel Spermophilus Two on the walk around Lago de Arareco. madrensis Abert’s squirrel Sciurus abertii Small numbers in the forests of the high sierra. Durango chipmunk Tamias durangae Two on the walk around Lago de Arareco. Antelope jack-rabbit Lepus alleni One in the grassland around the Miguel Hidalgo reservoir (El Fuerte). Ears only! Black-tailed jack-rabbit Lepus californicus Two in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Eastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus A few.

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Systematic List Number 5 Amphibians & Reptiles

Cane toad Bufo marinus El Fuerte. North Western Mexican Bufo mexicanus Cusararé (1). toad Great Plains toad Bufo cognatus Many youngsters on the roads around Laguna de los Mexicanos. Canyon treefrog Hyla arenicolor Lunch stop near Guachochi on way to Batopilas and Cusararé. Wright’s treefrog Hyla wrightorum Singles at El Divisadero and Lago de Arareco. [Bullfrog] Rana catesbeiana Heard ‘only’ at the jacana pond by the boat launching spot at El Fuerte. An impressive sound. Introduced to Mexico. Southern spadefoot Scaphiopus One near Miguel Hidalgo reservoir (El Fuerte). multiplicatus Mediterranean gecko Hemidactylus turcicus El Fuerte, hotel rooms and restaurants (introduced in Mexico). Texas horned lizard Phrynosoma cornutum Two in the semi-desert NW of Chihuahua. Round-tailed horned lizard Phrynosoma modestum Two in the semi-desert NW of Chihuahua. Sonoran spiny-tailed lizard Ctenosaura macrolopha El Fuerte area. Clarke’s spiny lizard Scleropus clarkia El Fuerte. Yarrow’s spiny lizard Scleropus jarrovii The blue lizard seen near El Divisadero. Crevice spiny lizard Scleropus poinsettia Just one from the train. Bicarinate tree lizard Urosaurus bicarinatus Only noted around Miguel Hidalgo reservoir (El Fuerte). Side-blotched lizard Uta stansburiana One in the desert NW of Chihuahua. whiptail sp. Aspidoscelis sp. A striped species around El Fuerte. Another red-tailed species by the river in El Fuerte. Little striped whiptail Aspidoscelis inornata A few in the desert NW of Chihuahua. Tanner’s gartersnake Thamnophis cyrtopsis Two hunting tadpoles in a roadside puddle in the sierra en route to Batopilas. Narrow-headed Thamnophis One posed well for us by the small creek at the gartersnake rufipunctatus lunchstop on the way out of Batopilas. [Twin-spotted rattlesnake] Crotalus pricei Dead one at Cusararé.

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