WEST : THORN FOREST TO THE SIERRA MADRE JANUARY 16–26, 2020

The endemic Red-headed Tanager male © Brian Gibbons

LEADERS: BRIAN GIBBONS & VICTOR EMANUEL LIST COMPILED BY: BRIAN GIBBONS

VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM

Western Mexico provided us with a feast of avian wonder and culinary delight. We started by logging a few Northwestern Mexican endemics in the bustling Nuevo Vallarta. Then we enjoyed home-cooked meals at the birdy Rancho Primavera. Our final installment was four nights in the charming San Sebastian del Oeste, where we logged several montane endemics and some wonderful meals along the cobbled streets.

Female Elegant Quail was our first endemic targeted in Nuevo Vallarta © Brian Gibbons

In Nuevo Vallarta the remaining fields and scrub are home to a surprising array of . We found three endemics that we would not encounter later in the trip. A covey of Elegant Quail sat cooperatively on fence posts as we admired them in the scope; the male’s rufous headdress fluttered as he surveilled the landscape. A very obliging trio of Rufous-bellied Chachalacas sat for scope views before they moved to the Royal Palms for their evening meal. Our third endemic in Nuevo Vallarta darted past in tight squeaky flocks, the Mexican , never settling for good views. Crossing from the state of in Nuevo Vallarta to took us to our next birding location, Boca de Tomates, where we saw huge loafing American Crocodiles and San Blas Jays before walking along the beach to the Rio Ameca mouth where we found shorebirds and waders. Tricolored Herons trotted along in the shallows while Sanderlings raced the surf on the beach. Offshore we spied distant Blue-footed Boobies and a single Brown Booby. With our search narrowed to plovers, we quickly found several Snowies but not the hoped-for Collared Plover. A little more searching and it was there, right amongst fishermen and beachgoers; fine scope studies ensued. Our next task was to navigate the congested, sinuous streets of Puerto Vallarta, which we did in fine fashion. Finally, we arrived at Le Kliff on the southern end of Vallarta sprawl. We enjoyed the superb views of the Bay of Banderas, some distant Humpback Whales, and a very fine meal. We wound into the foothills as we made our way through the lush forests and into the drier and around El Tuito and Rancho Primavera, our base for the next five nights.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 2 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020 The birds at the ranch never disappoint. We quickly tallied Cinnamon , Plain-capped Starthroat, Yellow , and many other yard birds.

On our first morning at the ranch the feeders were frenetic. Yellow- winged Caciques stormed in; Stripe- headed Sparrows and Grayish Saltators were a little more polite. Finally, the guests of honor arrived, the stunning endemic Black-throated -Jays. A dozen swooped in to feast on tortillas and fruit placed by our amazing host, Bonnie. The raucous calls and the long, flowing black tails are a lifer experience like no other. As the feeder show continued, I pulled the group away, as I knew there was a little white flower up in the hills that would be hosting . We bumped our way up to the tiny village of Provincia, home to 2–4 people, according to the Rancho Primavera gardens © Brian Gibbons sign. The first tree was full of flowers, but the only hummers we found were the brilliant Berylline Hummingbirds. The next set of trees were bursting with tiny flowers, and we immediately found hummers chasing each other as we exited the van. This was both good and bad news—good news because the flowers were full of nectar, bad news because the tiny Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird is easily driven off by all other hummers. The dominant was the Berylline Hummer. A male Ruby-throated Hummingbird had a tiny section of one tree that it stuck to. A fine male Rufous made a few appearances as well. The tiny wintering Calliope Hummingbirds kept a low profile, feeding wherever they could. The chattery Mexican Woodnymph never seemed to settle and was hard to get a good look at. Finally, the star

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 3 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020 appeared, a bumblebee-sized sprite floating high in a flowering tree. The tiny female Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird hovered among the tiny flowers sipping nectar. Soon a

A pair of Military Macaws commuting over Rancho Primavera © Brian Gibbons second appeared, and to my chagrin they chased each other off and disappeared. We had a couple more sightings of females before Victor spotted a fine male feeding high in the same tree. He made multiple appearances as we enjoyed these tiny hummers. As the hummingbird activity waned, we headed down the mountain hoping for some flock activity which we failed to detect, but we did find a Barn Owl family lurking in a small cave in the top of a sandy bank. Our afternoon was spent on the ranch, and the evening by the ponds was always a show worth watching. We often had flyover Military Macaws and the endemic Lilac-crowned commuting. Each morning we were at Rancho Primavera the birds did their thing, visiting the feeders and giving us great views of many secretive birds, especially the Blue . The stunning Russet-crowned Motmots are always one of my favorites, with their jade-green breasts and blue and lavender facial highlights. Midmorning we made a visit to Bioto Road where we scored Citreoline Trogons and multiple flyover Lilac-crowned Parrots. Pale-billed Woodpeckers made regular appearances at the ranch with many other species. Our morning checklists often topped 70 species in Red-bordered Pixie on the chocolate cake batter daisy © Brian Gibbons a couple of hours birding.

One of my favorite West Mexico birding days is the drive into the thorn forest, culminating with an excellent lunch in an idyllic cove hosting a tiny Mexican fishing village, Tehuamixtle. An early departure from the ranch put us along a stream at dawn

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 4 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020 surrounded by magnificent forest and a few huge fig trees. Soon I heard the Pygmy-Owl tooting back to my imitation. Then three were tooting away, but they stayed away for a while. One tiny owl finally was too curious and flew in for brief scope views before disappearing to join its unseen fellows tooting in the forest. With another endemic in the bag we continued down through the drier forests and into the thorn forest, which was still green from recent rains. Along the way we spotted a large group of West Mexican Chachalacas that lingered in a huge leafless tree for scope views. A farmer herding his cows down the road threatened to flush our first stunning Orange-breasted Bunting. While we were soaking up the outrageous yellow, orange, green, and blue of this beautiful endemic, I heard the rich gurgling of the equally brilliant Rosy - Tanager. I played a little tape, and uncharacteristically this male popped up affording good views of this skulker. While we were watching the Thrush-Tanager, a Red-breasted Chat began singing nearby. So, after the Thrush-Tanager exited, I tried a little chat tape. I was disappointed when it made its appearance; it was a young male, not yet sporting the amazing plumage for which it is named. But he was Victor's Lifer Flammulated cooperative, as he came out and sang on bare branches Flycatcher © Brian Gibbons

The spectacular Yellow-winged Cacique was a common feeder bird © Brian Gibbons

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 5 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020 for us to admire his future greatness. We worked our way down the road for a couple more stops in the thorn forest; again we heard a chat and our first Flammulated Flycatcher, a lifer Victor was keen on seeing. Frustrated by these individuals we headed down the road. There, we would lay our eyes on a fine adult male Red-breasted Chat, a cooperative Flammulated Flycatcher, and a flighty Golden-crowned Emerald. Along the trail into the thorn forest we called up the cute little White-bellied . One of my favorite West Mexican butterflies also made a couple of appearances, the White Morpho with its floppy flight on giant opalescent wings.

Our second Red-breasted Chat was this fine male © Brian Gibbons

Our final exploration based out of the ranch was a trip to Vallarta Botanical Gardens for birding and lunch. The birds were a little slow, but the freshly stocked feeder lured in Yellow-winged Caciques and their antics, along with a noisy flock of San Blas Jays. After a delicious lunch we made our way back to the ranch for our final trail walks and pond watch. Our last morning near El Tuito saw us visit a Macaw Reserve where two dozen nest boxes were placed, monitored, and protected by a man and his son on the ejido community land. From the moment we arrived, after a rough dirt road into the beautiful oak forest, we heard the raucous squawks of pairs of Military Macaws coursing through the hills. We were able to see pairs allopreening and resting after their morning feeding bouts, as most of the nest boxes had chicks. We also added Boat-billed Flycatcher to the trip list. Another fine lunch at Le Kliff carried us through another hectic transit of Puerto Vallarta. We wound our way through fields and pastures, into the dry forest before finally arriving in the corn and blue agave fields of La Estancia, the turnoff to San Sebastian del Oeste. Our evening arrival didn’t allow for much birding, so we embarked on an amazing dining experience overlooking the sunset in the valley that we had just traversed. This wonderful meal would set the tone for many great meals in this

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 6 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020 charming colonial-era mining town. If you could vanish the powerlines and pickups, you’d be transported to eighteenth century Mexico.

Leaving the cobbled streets behind in the dark, we embarked on our first ascent into the mountains and our destination, La Bufa. The morning started slowly with cloudy skies, but when we stopped for a roadside flock we were wowed by a cooperative Red Warbler and a slew of other forest birds. As we approached the open pine oak woods of the summit, the American Robins were chattering; this was a good sign as there are often Aztec Thrushes in these flocks. Victor spotted the first male Aztec Thrush, but it slipped away from us; finally, a half hour later, we got a cooperative female that sat for scope views. Also partaking in the fruit were several Gray Silky-Flycatchers, Black- headed , and a sneaky Russet Nightingale-Thrush. After working a Collared Towhee earlier, there were a few bold birds hanging around La Bufa with a couple of

Slate-throated Redstart was a common bird in the mountains around La Bufa © Brian Gibbons

Rufous-capped Brushfinches, both endemics. Around the abundant flowers we saw White-eared and Rivoli’s hummingbirds. The crown jewel of the day had to be a mixed species flock that we enjoyed for over an hour as waves of warblers, , flycatchers, and tanagers entertained us until our necks tired. Crescent-chested, , Townsend’s, Olive, Wilson’s, Red, Red-faced, Orange-crowned, and Black-and-white warblers were all noted. Green-striped Brushfinch was very confiding for this normally underbrush-loving endemic. Tufted Flycatchers sallied regularly into the insect-filled air.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 7 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020 We were enthralled even before Eugenia spotted a furtive Chestnut-sided - overhead as it slowly rotated its head back looking for a katydid to dismember. Flame- colored and Hepatic tanagers were also present; this mega-flock was surely a trip highlight for me. Sadly, we had to pull away to start our long bumpy trip down the mountain. But we found another flock, this one much lower on the mountain, with different constituents like Dickey’s of Audubon’s Oriole and Golden-browed

The endemic Rufous-capped Brushfinch © Brian Gibbons

Warblers, and we heard a nearby pair of Singing Quail that we couldn’t quite convince to come into the open. What a day!

The next day we concentrated on the fields and forests around town. The weedy corn fields below town are generally full of birds including a couple of our targets, the Lesser Roadrunner and the Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow. With a gray morning the roadrunner is less likely to be sitting out, as they love basking to shake off the morning chill. The roadrunner didn’t appear, but we found a flighty pair of Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrows, another fine endemic. The rest of the day we birded above town along the forested streams and canyons, but the birds seemed to be taking an extended siesta. On our last full day we returned to La Bufa, dodging fog and showers quite well until the fog finally engulfed us late afternoon. While we didn’t cross paths with the mega-flock, we were able to add some good sightings for the day. The super-shy Long- tailed Wood-Partridge was glimpsed by all parties, a victory for sure. In the flower banks

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 8 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020 among the Blue-throated Mountain-gems and White-eared Hummingbirds we found a male Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer stealing nectar from the bright red Salvias. The robins were around again, but we were unable to extract an Aztec Thrush from their

The White-eared Hummingbird male is a stunner © Brian Gibbons midst. Down the road, Rachel spotted the second Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo of the trip, a bird that had just had a bath and was content to loaf around while we admired it. Again, we stopped at Bumblebee corner to take in the antics of these tiny songsters that mostly evaded our photographic efforts. Another good flock materialized in a lush canyon; Golden-crowned Warblers made a brief appearance along with a sneaky Colima Warbler. The strikingly beautiful endemic Red-headed Tanagers were part of this flock too and gave us pretty good looks a couple of times. We also finally had scope views of a male Amethyst-throated Hummingbird. Having had our final evening engulfed in fog, we had just our departure morning to catch up with one final great bird, the elusive Lesser Roadrunner. We were thwarted again by a slow start to the day, as a few clouds hung on the horizon above La Bufa before we had to head to Lupita’s for a fantastic breakfast. Then we loaded up and would pass through the roadrunner realm one last time. This time we struck gold! Not one but two Lesser Roadrunners were sunning on one of the many stone walls we had looked at over the previous days. They stayed around long enough for everyone to get great looks and take a few photos. The perfect bird to end our trip.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 9 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020 Rancho Primavera and San Sebastian del Oeste are excellent locations to seek some of the avian riches of Western Mexico, and we enjoyed every bird! We saw 258 species, 34 of which were Mexican endemics.

Thanks for traveling with VENT. I look forward to our next birding adventure, wherever in the world that may be.

Brian Gibbons and Victor Emanuel

Lesser Roadrunner near San Sebastian del Oeste © Brian Gibbons

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 10 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020

ITINERARY:

16 January 2020 Nuevo Vallarta area 5 pm until 6:40 pm 17 Jan Nuevo Vallarta, Boca de Tomates Rio Ameca mouth, Lunch at Le Kliff, Rancho Primavera in the afternoon 18 Jan Rancho Primavera, Provincia Road, Rancho Primavera 19 Jan Rancho Primavera, Bioto Road, Rancho Primavera 20 Jan Tehuamixtle Road and back, Rancho Primavera in the late afternoon 21 Jan Rancho Primavera, Vallarta Botanical Gardens, Rancho Primavera, Nightjar Hunt up Provincia Road late 22 Jan Rancho Primavera, Macaw Reserve, Lunch at Le Kliff, Evening birding at San Sebastian del Oeste 23 Jan 7am depart for La Bufa and area Return to SSDO 5 pm 24 Jan 7:45 depart for La Estancia return to SSDO for breakfast, bird above town before lunch at Montebello, bird above town in the afternoon quiet. 25 Jan 7:15 depart for La Bufa, Return to SSDO and bird below town until 5 pm 26 Jan 7:45 depart for birding below town on the entrance road until 9 am breakfast at La Lupita, load bags and depart at 10:15. Short stop for Lesser Roadrunner on the way to Puerto Vallarta Airport arrive airport noon.

BIRDS:

Waterfowl Anatidae Blue-winged Teal Spatula discors RP - Rancho Primavera Green-winged Teal Anas crecca RP - Rancho Primavera Guans, Chachalacas & Curassows Cracidae Rufous-bellied Chachalaca (E) Ortalis wagleri NV - Nuevo Vallarta West Mexican Chachalaca (E) Ortalis poliocephala RP & Thorn Forest on Tehua Road Crested Guan Penelope purpurascens HO - Heard Only at RP & Thorn Forest New World Quail Odontophoridae Long-tailed Wood-Partridge (E) Dendrortyx macroura LB - La Bufa glimpsed Elegant Quail (E) Callipepla douglasii NV Singing Quail Dactylortyx thoracicus HO above San Sebastian del Oeste SSDO Grebes Podicipedidae Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus RP Pigeons and Doves Rock Pigeon (I) Columba livia Towns Red-billed Pigeon Patagioenas flavirostris RP Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata LB Eurasian Collared-Dove (I) Streptopelia decaocto Towns Inca Dove inca RP and near SSDO Ruddy Ground-Dove Columbina talpacoti RP White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi RP and SSDO areas White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica Common Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura NV

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 11 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020 Cuckoos Cuculidae Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris NV, RP, PV - Puerto Vallarta Lesser Roadrunner Geococcyx velox Near SSDO a fine pair! Squirrel Cuckoo Piaya cayana RP Nightjars Caprimulgidae Common Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis RP Buff-collared Nightjar Antrostomus ridgwayi Provincia Road Mexican Whip-poor-will Antrostomus arizonae RP, a rare find here! Swifts Apodidae Vaux's Swift Chaetura vauxi Near La Estancia below SSDO Hummingbirds Trochilidae Mexican Hermit (E) mexicanus RP an excellent endemic thanks Bonnie Rivoli's Hummingbird Eugenes fulgens LB Plain-capped Starthroat Heliomaster constantii RP Amethyst-throated Mtn-gem Lampornis amethystinus Above SSDO & LB area Blue-throated Mountain-gem Lampornis clemenciae Above SSDO & LB area Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird Tilmatura dupontii Provincia a great show with several seen! Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris RP & Provincia Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri RP & lowlands Bumblebee Hummingbird (E) Atthis heloisa Above SSDO Broad-tailed Hummingbird Selasphorus platycercus LB Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus Provincia & near LB Calliope Hummingbird Selasphorus calliope Provincia Golden-crowned Emerald (E) Chlorostilbon auriceps Thorn Forest on Tehua Road Broad-billed Hummingbird Cynanthus latirostris RP & many low to mid-elevation sites Mexican Woodnymph (E) Thalurania ridgwayi Provincia & SSDO area Berylline Hummingbird beryllina Provincia & SSDO area Cinnamon Hummingbird Amazilia rutila RP & lowland areas Violet-crowned Hummingbird Amazilia violiceps Thorn forest, just a couple glimpsed White-eared Hummingbird Hylocharis leucotis LB Rails, Gallinules and Coots Rallidae Sora Porzana carolina RP ponds American Coot Fulica americana RP ponds Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinica RP ponds Limpkin Aramidae Limpkin Aramus guarauna Rio Ameca Mouth aka Boca de Tomates Stilts and Avocets Recurvirostridae Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus Rio Ameca Mouth aka Boca de Tomates Plovers and Lapwings Charadriidae Collared Plover Charadrius collaris Rio Ameca Mouth aka Boca de Tomates Snowy Plover Charadrius nivosus Rio Ameca Mouth aka Boca de Tomates Sandpipers and Allies Scolopacidae Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Rio Ameca Mouth aka Boca de Tomates Sanderling Calidris alba Rio Ameca Mouth aka Boca de Tomates Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Rio Ameca Mouth & RP Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Rio Ameca Mouth aka Boca de Tomates

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 12 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020 Willet Tringa semipalmata Rio Ameca Mouth aka Boca de Tomates Gulls, Terns and Skimmers Laridae Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Rio Ameca Mouth aka Boca de Tomates Heermann's Gull Larus heermanni Rio Ameca Mouth & Tehua Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis Rio Ameca Mouth aka Boca de Tomates Gull Larus californicus Rio Ameca Mouth & Tehua black-backed gull sp Larus sp Le Kliff Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Rio Ameca Mouth aka Boca de Tomates Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus Rio Ameca Mouth & coastal areas Storks Ciconiidae Wood Stork Mycteria americana RP Frigatebirds Fregatidae Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens Coastal areas Boobies and Gannets Sulidae Blue-footed Booby Sula nebouxii Tehua Brown Booby Sula leucogaster Rio Ameca Mouth Anhinga Anhingidae Anhinga Anhinga anhinga NV Cormorants Phalacrocoracidae Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus NV & RP Pelicans Pelecanidae Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis Coastal areas Herons, Egrets and Bitterns Ardeidae Bare-throated Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma mexicanum RP a fine adult Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias RP Great Egret Ardea alba RP Snowy Egret Egretta thula RP Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea RP Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor Rio Ameca Mouth Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis RP Green Heron Butorides virescens RP Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax RP Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea Rio Ameca Mouth Ibises and Spoonbills Threskiornithidae White Ibis Eudocimus albus Rio Ameca Mouth White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi RP New World Vultures Cathartidae Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Common Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Common Osprey Pandionidae Osprey Pandion haliaetus Rio Ameca Mouth Hawks, Eagles and Kites Accipitridae Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus RP & SSDO area Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii LB Common Black Hawk Buteogallus anthracinus Provincia Gray Hawk Buteo plagiatus Lowlands

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 13 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020 Short-tailed Hawk Buteo brachyurus RP, Thorn forest & SSDO area Zone-tailed Hawk Buteo albonotatus El Tuito Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis SSDO area Barn-Owls Tytonidae Barn Owl Tyto alba Provincia Road & El Tuito church! Owls Strigidae Colima Pygmy-Owl (E) Glaucidium palmarum Tehua Road Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium brasilianum Thorn Forest Mottled Owl Ciccaba virgata RP seen a couple times Trogons Trogonidae Citreoline Trogon (E) Trogon citreolus Bioto Road & Thorn Forest Elegant Trogon Trogon elegans RP Mountain Trogon Trogon mexicanus Above SSDO Motmots Momotidae Russet-crowned Motmot Momotus mexicanus RP Kingfishers Alcedinidae Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata RP Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon RP Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana RP Woodpeckers Picidae Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius Provincia Road Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus RP, SSDO area & LB Golden-cheeked Woodpecker Melanerpes chrysogenys (E) RP Ladder-backed Woodpecker Dryobates scalaris RP & SSDO Woodpecker Dryobates arizonae Provincia & SSDO area Pale-billed Woodpecker Campephilus guatemalensis RP Lineated Woodpecker Dryocopus lineatus RP & Tehua Road Gray-crowned Woodpecker (E) Colaptes auricularis RP & Provincia Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus LB Falcons and Caracaras Falconidae Collared Forest-Falcon Micrastur semitorquatus HO at RP Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway Thorn Forest on Tehua Road American Kestrel Falco sparverius SSDO & La Estancia Merlin Falco columbarius NV Bat Falcon Falco rufigularis SSDO great looks Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus SSDO area African & New World Parrots Lilac-crowned (E) Amazona finschi RP flyovers, Bioto Road flyovers Mexican (E) cyanopygius NV Orange-fronted Parakeet Eupsittula canicularis RP and area Military Macaw Ara militaris RP & Macaw Preserve Ovenbirds & Woodcreepers Furnariidae Olivaceous Woodcreeper Sittasomus griseicapillus SSDO area Ivory-billed Woodcreeper Xiphorhynchus flavigaster RP, Thorn Forest & SSDO area

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 14 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020 White-striped Woodcreeper (E) Lepidocolaptes leucogaster LB Tyrant Flycatchers Tyrannidae Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Camptostoma imberbe RP & Thorn Forest Greenish Elaenia Myiopagis viridicata RP, Thorn Forest & SSDO area Tufted Flycatcher Mitrephanes phaeocercus Provincia, SSDO, LB Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi Provincia a rare winter bird here Greater Pewee Contopus pertinax RP, SSDO & LB Least Flycatcher minimus RP Hammond's Flycatcher Empidonax hammondii SSDO & LB Pine Flycatcher Empidonax affinis LB Pacific-slope Flycatcher Empidonax difficilis RP & lowland areas Cordilleran Flycatcher Empidonax occidentalis SSDO area Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans RP Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus Common in open country Bright-rumped Attila Attila spadiceus HO below SSDO Dusky-capped Flycatcher Myiarchus tuberculifer RP and common many places Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens Thorn Forest on Tehua Road Nutting's Flycatcher Myiarchus nuttingi Thorn Forest on Tehua Road & RP Flammulated Flycatcher (E) Deltarhynchus flammulatus Thorn Forest on Tehua Road Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Common Boat-billed Flycatcher Megarynchus pitangua Macaw Reserve Social Flycatcher Myiozetetes similis Common Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus Common Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans Below SSDO Thick-billed Kingbird Tyrannus crassirostris Fairly common, RP & SSDO Becards, Tityras & Allies Tityridae Masked Tityra Tityra semifasciata RP, Thorn Forest & SSDO Gray-collared Becard Pachyramphus major RP Rose-throated Becard Pachyramphus aglaiae RP & Thorn Forest Vireos Vireonidae Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo Vireolanius melitophrys LB & forest above SSDO Golden Vireo (E) Vireo hypochryseus RP & near SSDO Black-capped Vireo Vireo atricapilla SSDO area Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii Thorn forest & lowland areas Hutton's Vireo Vireo huttoni SSDO & LB Cassin's Vireo Vireo cassinii RP, SSDO & LB Plumbeous Vireo Vireo plumbeus RP & SSDO Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus Common most elevations Crows, Jays and Black-throated Magpie- (E) Calocitta colliei RP and thorn forest What a bird! Green Jay yncas Provincia & SSDO area (E) Cyanocorax sanblasianus Boca de Tomates, Vallarta Botanical Gardens Transvolcanic Jay (E) ultramarina LB Common Raven corax El Tuito area & mountain areas Swallows Hirundinidae

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 15 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020 Northern Rough-winged Stelgidopteryx serripennis Swallow RP, NV Gray-breasted Martin Progne chalybea NV Bank Swallow Riparia riparia NV Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica NV & open fields elsewhere Nuthatches Sittidae White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis LB Creepers Certhiidae Brown Creeper Certhia americana LB Troglodytidae House Wren Troglodytes aedon LB including some Brown-throated ssp Spotted Wren (E) gularis Provincia & below SSDO Happy Wren (E) felix Thorn Forest on Tehua Road, HO many locs. Wren (E) Thryophilus sinaloa NV, RP, SSDO White-bellied Wren Uropsila leucogastra Thorn Forest Gnatcatchers Polioptilidae Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Common wintering bird in most Kinglets Regulidae Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula Provincia & LB Thrushes and Allies Turdidae Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis La Estancia below SSDO Brown-backed Solitaire Myadestes occidentalis Provincia, SSDO & LB Orange-billed Nightingale- Catharus aurantiirostris Thrush Seen around SSDO Russet Nightingale-Thrush (E) Catharus occidentalis LB, glimpsed by a few Aztec Thrush (E) Ridgwayia pinicola 2 birds seen at LB, scope views White-throated Thrush Turdus assimilis SSDO American Robin Turdus migratorius LB flocks were hosting Aztecs Rufous-backed Robin (E) Turdus rufopalliatus NV & RP and Thrashers Mimidae Blue Mockingbird (E) caerulescens RP & mountains around SSDO Silky-flycatchers Ptiliogonatidae Gray Silky-flycatcher (RE) Ptiliogonys cinereus SSDO & LB Olive Warbler Peucedramidae Olive Warbler Peucedramus taeniatus LB Finches, Euphonias & Allies Fringillidae Scrub Euphonia Euphonia affinis RP & Thorn forest House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus NV Black-headed Siskin Spinus notatus Provincia Thrush-Tanager Rhodinocichlidae Rosy Thrush-Tanager Rhodinocichla rosea Thorn forest near Llano Grande New World Sparrows Passerellidae Stripe-headed Sparrow Peucaea ruficauda Common in open country 1st at RP Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum SSDO fields Green-striped Brushfinch (E) Arremon virenticeps LB fine looks for this skulker Yellow-eyed Junco Junco phaeonotus LB area

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 16 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020 Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii NV & LB area Rusty-crowned Ground- Melozone kieneri (E) Sparrow SSDO area Rusty Sparrow Aimophila rufescens Provincia Road Collared Towhee (E) Pipilo ocai LB, good looks! Rufous-capped Brushfinch (E) Atlapetes pileatus LB & SSDO area Yellow-breasted Chat Icteriidae Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens RP for some folks Troupials and Allies Icteridae Yellow-winged Cacique Cassiculus melanicterus Common in lowlands and mid-elevations Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius NV Hooded Oriole Icterus cucullatus NV & SSDO Streak-backed Oriole Icterus pustulatus Common in middle and low elevations Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii SSDO Audubon's Oriole Dickey's ssp Icterus graduacauda dickeyae Above SSDO Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Common New World Warblers Parulidae Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla HO often at RP Golden-winged Warbler chrysoptera Provincia a fine male Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia Common wintering bird Crescent-chested Warbler Oreothlypis superciliosa SSDO to LB Orange-crowned Warbler Oreothlypis celata Common around LB & SSDO Oreothlypis ruficapilla Common Colima Warbler crissalis one above SSDO for a few folks MacGillivray's Warbler Geothlypis tolmiei NV, RP, mountains often HO Hooded Warbler citrina 2 fine males at RP American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla RP Tropical Parula Setophaga pitiayumi Thorn Forest & Vallarta Botanical Gardens Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia RP Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia RP and lowlands where common Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata SSDO & LB all Audubon's Yellow-throated Warbler Setophaga dominica Provincia Road for some folks Grace's Warbler Setophaga graciae Provincia Road Black-throated Gray Warbler Setophaga nigrescens Common RP, Thorn forest & SSDO Townsend's Warbler Setophaga townsendi SSDO to LB Hermit Warbler Setophaga occidentalis LB area many in the mega-flock Black-throated Green Warbler Setophaga virens Provincia Fan-tailed Warbler lachrymosus RP glimpsed for a few Rufous-capped Warbler Basileuterus rufifrons Provincia Golden-browed Warbler Basileuterus belli LB and above SSDO Golden-crowned Warbler Basileuterus culicivorus Above SSDO Wilson's Warbler pusilla Common wintering bird Red-faced Warbler Cardellina rubrifrons Above SSDO & LB Red Warbler (E) Cardellina rubra LB area 3 seen! Painted Redstart Myioborus pictus Provincia, Macaw Preserve & SSDO area

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 17 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020 Slate-throated Redstart Myioborus miniatus SSDO to LB Cardinals and Allies Cardinalidae Hepatic Tanager Piranga flava SSDO to LB Piranga rubra NV, RP and many locations Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana NV Flame-colored Tanager Piranga bidentata SSDO Red-headed Tanager (E) Piranga erythrocephala Above SSDO & LB area Red-crowned Ant-Tanager Habia rubica RP & SSDO Yellow Grosbeak chrysopeplus RP Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus SSDO & LB Red-breasted Chat (E) Granatellus venustus Thorn Forest Blue Bunting Cyanocompsa parellina Thorn Forest Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea NV & SSDO Orange-breasted Bunting (E) Passerina leclancherii Thorn Forest Varied Bunting Passerina versicolor NV, Provincia, SSDO Painted Bunting Passerina ciris NV Dickcissel Spiza americana NV flyover calling Tanagers and Allies Thraupidae Cinnamon-bellied Diglossa baritula Flowerpiercer Near LB Blue-black Grassquit Volatinia jacarina NV, RP & SSDO fields Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater Sporophila torqueola NV, RP & SSDO fields Grayish Saltator Saltator coerulescens Common Old World Sparrows Passeridae House Sparrow (I) Passer domesticus Common

MAMMALS Squirrels, Prairie Dogs & Marmots Sciuridae Mexican Gray Squirrel Sciurus aureogaster Plain-nosed Bats Vespertilionidae Bat spp. Dogs Canidae Gray Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus Raccoons Procyonidae White-nosed Coati Nasua narica Deer Cervidae White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus Rorquals Balaenopteridae Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae Other Fauna Green Sea Turtle Green Iguana Spiny-tailed Iguana Mexican Brown Snake Brown Basalisk

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 18 West Mexico: Thorn Forest to the Sierra Madre, 2020