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MEXICO -- NAYARIT & JALISCO
Based in Bucerias, near Puerto Vallarta

28 March - 2 April 2006

by Allan Welby


State of Nayarit:
El Guamuchil
Islas Marietas (Marietas Islands)
State of Jalisco:
Los Tules (Puerto Vallarta)
Mismaloya
Las Palmas


Puerto Vallarta is a great base for birding the states of Jalisco and Nayarit.  I found it easy to get around the area, do some birding, and return to my resort and my non-birding family by late morning.  For the week I was there the temperatures were quite comfortable in the early morning hours, but became very hot at approximately 10 a.m..  I found that bird activity decreased markedly after 10 a.m.. 

Local Orientation and Transportation:

Highway 200 runs north/south bordering the Banderas Bay.  Highway 70 is north of town and runs east to Las Palmas.  The bus service along these routes is easy to use.  It is regular and inexpensive (generally less than $1) and serves all towns, resorts and stops along these highways.  Bus service does not seen to get running until after 6 am, so if you want to leave early to arrive at a birding area by sunrise it is best to take a taxi.  Taxi rates are negotiable, with longer routes (one hour) costing more than $15 to $30.  My accommodations were at Los Tules, a resort condominium complex north of downtown Puerto Vallarta and just south of the Terminal Maritima.  I was easily able to catch buses and taxis right outside of Los Tules.

Bahia area

References:

Howells “A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America” was what I carried in the field.  However, I found it frustrating that a number of migrants were not illustrated.  It would be advisable to also have the “National Geographic Guide to Birds of North America” available to reference migrant species.  There is a pamphlet available, “The Birds of Paradise – The Guide & Checklist of the Birds of Puerto Vallarta” by Dennis W. Boddy.  I did not use this guide so I can’t comment on its value.

Defend yourself from chiggers!:

Although I did not encounter any mosquitoes in the areas I birded (I did not bird the mangroves), chiggers were another story.  Unfortunately, I did not take the proper precautions to avoid chigger bites.  Chiggers were plentiful, particularly in Las Palmas and El Guamuchil.  I had hundreds (thousands?!) of bites and itched miserably for about a week after I returned to the United States.  Please take the proper precautions to avoid chigger bites.  I can’t stress this enough!  Click here for a chigger fact sheet.

The Los Tules area:

Birding the resort property itself was not very rewarding except for a few common species.  This is probably the case for most of the resorts near town, but I understand that some of the large property resorts well north of town have more satisfying habitat.  What I found rewarding near Los Tules was habitat just to the east of the resort (less than ten minute walk).  I did not bird this area extensively, but it was productive and many more species can probably be found with a little more concentration  Across the road east of the resort is a large grocery store mall called “Gigante.”  If you walk east along the south side of the mall you will arrive at a busy road.  Cross that busy road and you will find farm pastures bordered by large rows of trees and scrub.  I asked guards (why they were there I don’t know) if I could “camino la sendoro” (walk the trail), and with no problem they allowed me to walk under a fence and walk along the tree lines.  Following is a list of birds seen in the area east of the “Gigante” shopping mall:

Neotropic Cormorant
Snowy Egret
Turkey Vulture
Elegant Quail
Common Ground-Dove
White-winged Dove
Ruddy Ground-Dove
Mourning Dove
Mexican Parrotlet
Orange-fronted Parakeet
Groove-billed Ani
Broad Billed Hummingbird
Greater Kiskadee
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Yellow Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Great-tailed Grackle
Painted Bunting
Indigo Bunting
Black-headed Grosbeak
White-collared Seedeater
House Sparrow

Islas Marietas:

We booked a day trip to the Marietas Islands, a bird sanctuary in Banderas Bay 35 miles (about an hour on the boat) northwest of the marina.  We booked the trip through Vallarta Adventures, which has daily trips to the islands on a 150 person motorized catamaran (with bathrooms).  The trip to and from the islands was a lot of fun, with music, dancing, food, and drinks.  I kept alert to the possibility of whale sightings.  Most of the whales have left the bay by late March, but a few stragglers remain.  I saw four whales on this boat excursion, although the glimpses were brief.  I also saw a sea turtle on the surface. 
Once we got to the islands we were able to snorkel for about an hour.  The water was extremely cold, but the snorkeling was fantastic.  The variety of fish and sea creatures was outstanding.  Cost $70 per person.  The views of the nesting seabirds on the islands are awesome.  The birds did not seem to mind the close proximity of human observers.  Following is a list of seabirds seen on the Isla Marietas excursion:

Turkey Vulture
Brandt's Cormorant
Brown Booby
Blue-footed Booby
Heermann's Gull
Laughing Gull
Brown Pelican
Magnificent Frigatebird
Royal Tern

Mismaloya mountain road:

Just south of Peurto Vallarta is the town of Mismaloya.  A road leaves the coastline and climbs the mountain valley to the east of Mismaloya.  At the end of this road (approximately 4 kilometers from the coast) is a place called “El Eden.”  This was the area where the Arnold Scharzenegger film, “Predator,” was filmed.  I took a taxi ($15) from my resort to “El Eden” with the intent on walking back down the valley road and catching a bus back the the resort from Mismaloya.  My taxi driver thought I was crazy, being dropped off at the top of the hill at 6 am with the intent of walking down.  But the experience was quite enjoyable and the hike down the road quite easy.  It was easy to catch a bus back to Puerto Vallarta and I was back at my resort by 11 am.  The habitat between “Chino’s” and “El Eden” along the mountain road is great and there were quite a number of birds.  Orange Breasted Bunting was outstanding.  Following is a list of birds seen on the hike down from “El Eden.”

Broad-winged Hawk
Inca Dove
White-fronted Parrot
Orange-fronted Parakeet
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
Golden-cheeked Woodpecker
San Blas Jay
Green Jay
Citrioline Trogon
Greater Kiskadee
Masked Tityra
Grey-bBreasted Martin
Happy Wren
Rufous-backed Thrush
Wilson’s Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Orange-breasted Bunting
Stripe-headed Sparrow
Yellow-winged Cacique

Las Palmas:

I hired a local guide, Gerardo Hernandez, for one morning of birding (gerardomexico@yahoo.com.mx, telephone (01-322)227-9750).  Gerardo is very personable, speaks great English, and was an enjoyable birding companion.  He took me to a farm area on the road to Las Palmas, northeast of Puerto Vallarta.  It was an area of deciduous and thorny/scrub habitat.  We parked the car in one location and birded the entire morning within walking distance of the car.  This was a tremendous area for birding as the trees were jumping with activity.  It probably is not necessary to hire a guide as I did.  A taxi out and bus service back will probably suffice (although bus service is a less frequent along this road).  To get there take highway 70 east towards Las Palmas.  Go through the town of Ixtapa (no, not the famous Ixtapa), and continue a few kilometers (5?) to the bridge over the Rio Mascota.  There is a sign at the river which reads, “Peunte Rio Mascota” (Rio Mascota bridge).  This river was completely dry on my visit.  Just after the bridge, take a right at the first road and you will soon come to the small town of Las Desembocada.  Continue through this town for about 11 kilometers.  Keep an eye out for large white sign just next to the road on the right side that reads “Bienvenidos Al Poblada De Sta Cruz De Quelitan” (the sign appears to be permanent brick work).  Park at the dry riverbed just before this sign.  Walk this riverbed to the right and various connecting trails.  Also bird the road up to and beyond the farm by the sign.  The entire area was brimming with bird activity.  Black throated Magpie Jay is apparently seen often in this area but I did not see any (it was heard).  Military Macaw sighting was a pair flying high overhead.  The following is a list of species seen:

Cattle Egret
American Kestrel
Gray Hawk
Common Black-Hawk
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture
Ruddy Ground-Dove
Red-billed Pigeon
Orange-fronted Parakeet
Lilac-crowned Parrot
Military Macaw
Mexican Parrotlet
Inca Dove
Berylline Hummingbird
Mexican Woodnymph
Broad-billed Hummingbird
Cinnamon Hummingbird
Golden-cheeked Woodpecker
Tropical Kingbird
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Social Flycatcher
Great Kiskadee
Masked Tityra
Rose-throated Becard
Gray Saltator
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
San Blas Jay
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Rufous-backed Thrush
Warbling Vireo
Plumbeous Vireo
Scrub Euphonia
Nashville Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Summer Tanager
Blue Mockingbird
Blue Bunting
Blue Grosbeak
Yellow Grosbeak
Hooded Oriole
Streak-backed Oriole
Stripe-headed Sparrow
Yellow-winged Cacique
Bronzed Cowbird

El Guamuchil:

I referenced a trip report from Blake Maybank regarding birding near the village of El Guamuchil.  I’m glad I spent a morning hiking this valley because the birding was great.  My target bid was the Black throated Magpie Jay.  I saw 11 of them!  El Guamuchil is a small village north of Bucerias approximately 45 minutes cab ride north of Puerto Vallarta.  The village is located just a few paces east of highway 200.  I wanted to start birding at the first light of day, so I negotiated a cab ride from my resort at 5am.  The first cab driver insisted on $50 for the one way fare.  I offered $35 and he refused.  I offered a second cab driver $30 and he was more than happy to take me (everything is negotiable!).  You can return to Puerto Vallarta by public bus (just a couple of dollars).  They run between Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita every 30 minutes (the return bus stop, with shelter, is just north of the road into El Guamuchil on the west side of highway 200).  Have the taxi drop you off in the middle of the village.  If he drops you off at the highway 200 bus stop, walk east into the village across a stone bridge.  Pass through the village, keeping left along the main route and you will pass a dilapidated playground on your left.  Continue over a river wash (dry when I visited) and continue keeping to the left (dry river will be on your right).  You’ll then pass the school on your right.  At the end of the cobblestones, keep to the left.  You’ll be in the back part of the town where the road forks.  Again, stay to the left.  From here you can continue up the valley along livestock trails.  Further up the trail you’ll pass through a livestock gate that reads “Rancho Playo 14 HNOS.”  The birding was great the next few kilometers up this valley.  Song and movement was everywhere.  Be sure to ask any locals you encounter for permission to walk the trails.  I had no trouble getting permission (I showed them pictures of Black-throated Magpie-Jay).  I encountered one local, named Sosamo, and asked permission to walk the trails.  He not only gave permission, he grabbed a machete and walked along with me.  Be sure to heed my warning regarding chiggers! 

Note: for a more complete description of El Guamuchil, including a site list, read Blake Maybank's trip report here.

The following is a list of species seen on the hike up the El Guamuchil valley:

Gray Hawk
Common Black-Hawk
Turkey Vulture
Black Vulture
West Mexican Chachalaca
Common Ground-Dove
Ruddy Ground-Dove
White-tipped Dove
Inca Dove
Orange-fronted Parakeet
Mexican Parrotlet
Groove-billed Ani
Berylline Hummingbird
Cinnamon Hummingbird
Squirrel Cuckoo
Elegant Trogon
Golden-cheeked Woodpecker
Lineated Woodpecker
Ivory-billed Woodcreeper
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Greater Kiskadee
Social Flycatcher
Masked Tityra
Happy Wren
Sinaloa Wren
Rufous-backed Thrush
Swainson’s Thrush
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Black-throated Magpie-Jay
Cassin’s Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Tropical Parula
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Hooded Oriole
Streak-backed Oriole
Stripe-headed Sparrow
Yellow-winged Cacique
Yellow Grosbeak
Great-tailed Grackle
Bronzed Cowbird

Alan Welby
antpitta AT comcast.net


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