Birding the Americas Trip Report
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MEXICO - BAJA CALIFORNIA
25 November - 1 December 2004
by Dave Klauber & Dennis
Dipietrantonio
Thanks to a fare of $300 round trip ($400 with “taxes”) from New York
to Cabo San Lucas on American Airlines, I took a short trip to the
lower Baja peninsula in Mexico to see some of the endemics, especially
my last Yellowthroat – Belding’s. There are some endemic
subspecies in the Sierra de Laguna mountains, but this area is fairly
inaccessible by vehicle and requires at least an overnight hike and
camping to find the specialties – Cape Pygmy-Owl, Baird’s Junco, San
Lucas Robin, Cape (Oak) Titmouse, and a local race of White-breasted
Nuthatch. I did try a road that got me part way into the mountains, but
not high enough. I could not organize a hiking or camping trip this
time, but it would be well worth it. Note the caveat in Dan’s trip
report about the severity and heat of hiking in the warm weather
without shade. I went with Dennis, a non-birding friend, and this trip
was mild and luxurious by my usual standards, duly and thankfully noted
by him. The temperature averaged 80 during the day, but there was
always a breeze to make things comfortable. Two mornings were quite
cool and windy, requiring a jacket for the first couple of hours, and
most evenings were cool. Sparrows were surprisingly absent, except for
Lark Sparrow.
Reference
Material
Articles & Trip Reports taken from
www.birdingtheamericas.com
Dan Lockshaw’s May 31-June 5, 2001 report has some logistical
information for camping in the mountains.
Michael Carmody of Legacy Tours provided me with helpful information
and a trip report from Steve Mlodinow that had specifics on the road
into the mountains. Thanks Michael. He does some interesting and
unconventional tours of Mexico, which I hope to take someday.
Books
A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico
– Steve N.G. Howell, 1999
A Guide to the Birds of Mexico &
Northern Central America – Howell & Webb, 1995
Field Guide to the Birds of North
America – National Geographic
Moon Handbooks – Cabo, 4th
edition, Jan 2003 – pretty good for hotels, restaurants, etc, and also
has decent sketch maps of the trails into Sierra de Laguna
Names and
Contacts
Tom Donini – Sunhouse (store) in Todos Santos – phone:
52-114-50355 (Not contacted by me, but used by Dan Lockshaw for
outfitting his mountain camping expedition )
CARS
I rented from Hertz, arranged in the USA before arrival. Nobody was
there at the airport, and we didn’t get the car until the next day. It
cost $300 for a mid-size car with all taxes and extra collision
insurance for a week.
MONEY
MATTERS
The peso was depreciating while we were there, to an all-time low of
11.1 to the dollar when I changed some cash at a bank. There are also
ATMs in the larger cities
ACCOMMODATIONS
& FOOD
This is a bit more costly than other parts of Mexico due to the influx
of North American visitors and retirees. I stayed in fairly expensive
hotels, averaging about $80 a night. We splurged on dinner also, but
you can eat reasonably. Fish and seafood tacos are a good local
specialty. Note tacos here are actually soft tortillas rather than the
hard shell tacos I was used to. Beware (or rejoice in) many local hot
sauces. There are many budget options here as well.
TELEPHONE
/ COMMUNICATIONS
You can buy telephone cards in various stores, although I never needed
one. There are also various Internet cafes in the larger cities for
about $3-4 / hour. My MCI calling card worked from pay phones.
BIRDS
I saw 122 species and heard 1, with 3 lifers – the current
endemics. Inquiries about specific species will gladly be
answered at: davehawkowl@msn.com
THE TRIP
November
25, Thanksgiving Thursday – travel day
Flights from JFK to Dallas to Cabo San Lucas went smoothly, and we
arrived about 8:30 PM. There was nobody at the Hertz counter
(supposedly open till 10:30), although National and Budget had people
present. They told me Hertz was out of cars, had their office 1.5
kilometers away and had left. National wanted to charge us $400, so we
took a taxi van into town for $10 each, arriving at the El Encanto Inn
about 9:30. Fortunately we did not need a car for the morning, since my
plan was to bird the Estero on foot. The town was quiet and going to
sleep around 10 PM, except for a couple of bar / restaurants. It was
cooler than expected, and I was surprised to see the receptionist
wearing a fleece jacket. The El Encanto Inn where we stayed had a nice
small courtyard and was pleasant enough, but pricey, totaling about $90
a night with all the taxes. The town has many tourist stores, but the
town square definitely has the feel of a Mexican town where the local
families hang out. Christmas decorations were being put up while we
were there.
November
26, Friday – San Jose del Cabo and vicinity
It got light about 6:30, and I left the hotel around 7 and walked the
few blocks to the river, arriving a bit north of the sewage treatment
plant. There was a great deal of construction on the road and path
along the river, and with the cool windy conditions it was very dusty.
In a small patch of reeds I found my first Belding’s Yellowthroat. The
male’s bright yellow mask is very striking, even noted by Dennis, a
non-birder. A few more were found in patches of bushes and reeds as we
walked south towards the mouth of the Estero, along with at least a
couple Commons. I passed on trying to ID the females and immatures. In
spite of the construction there was waterfowl along the river. Behind
the restaurant next to the Presidente Hotel is a small pool of water
and reeds, and a Sora was feeding in the middle of the pool, unusually
unwary for a rail. We walked back through the thickets, seeing both
hummingbirds and a few others. Surprisingly absent were sparrows – I
only saw one Lincoln’s.
We returned to the town about 11 AM, having lunch and a very good fruit
smoothie at La Jungla juice stand, by the corner of Obregon &
Morelos, a bit west of the plaza. Hertz didn’t get us a car until 1:30,
and then they drove us to the Westin hotel to get the car. So we didn’t
set out in the afternoon until after 2 PM. We drove to Cabo San Lucas,
an overdeveloped tourist town, and birded the harbor for about 30
minutes. On the return we pulled off before a bridge over a dry wash,
with RTVs driving along the beach, about halfway between the 2 towns. I
drove north about 1 mile on the dirt road along an embankment and
birded this desert until near dusk. I found a Gray Thrasher with the
help of a tape, but it only skulked in a thicket. I chased the first of
many gnatcatchers all of which turned out to be Blue-grays. Return to
town and dinner at the expensive but excellent Tequila Bar Restaurant –
good margaritas too.
November
27, Saturday – drive to La Paz on highway 1
There was a male Xantu’s Hummingbird in the small hotel garden outside
our room. Departure about 7:30 to the desert wash just north of
the airport mentioned in Howell’s book, about a mile north of the
airport turnoff before the bridge. We went north or west a mile or so,
and there was active sand mining in the area. No great surprises in the
desert scrub here, and the best birding was actually by the small cliff
or excavation site by the highway turnoff. Still no California
Gnatcatcher, although I had a candidate. There was no fixed agenda for
the day, with the idea being to maybe stay in a small town along the
way or possibly go up to La Paz.
The next stop was a small active stream crossing on highway 1 just
before the Miraflores turnoff. MacGillivray’s Warbler was here, and a
Tropical Kingbird, along with a few others. I took the turn to
Miraflores, then to Boca de la Sierra, a small town with a spring. The
water was flowing through cement pipes and as far as I could see had
barbed wire along the sides which didn’t allow for exploring. Crossing
over the pipe then turning right along a trail leads to a large dry
wash, which had a very active male Xantu’s which perched right next to
us. It was now hot and sunny and late for birding, so we drove to
Santiago for lunch at Las Palomas. It had a nice shady outdoor area
with a small path and some scrub. The food was good although the wait
was long. They also have a hotel and this would be an excellent
location for a base in the area.
After lunch we explored the area, which surrounds a wet area used for
agriculture, and saw the only Clay-colored Sparrows of the trip.
Continuing north on highway 1 we drove the first couple of kilometers
of the San Antonio de la Sierra road to check out its condition. It was
a decent dusty dirt “washboard” road. Arriving in La Paz near dusk we
checked into the pricey but nice Hotel Los Arcos right on the
waterfront for about $90 with taxes. There were a few birds along the
beach, including a nice adult Yellow-footed Gull. About a ¼ mile
south of the hotel is a small group of restaurants on the right on the
water. We ate at the third one, and it was very good and moderately
priced, although not budget. We tried to extend our hotel stay for
another night but they were booked. The result was I saw very little of
La Paz or the surrounding birding areas.
November
28, Sunday – San Antonio de la Sierra and drive back to San Jose
Finally a reasonably early start before 6:30 to the San Antonio de la
Sierra road, about 80 minutes drive from La Paz. This road is well
marked in both directions, and is near km 148, a few hundred yards
north of a bridge currently under construction. The road is dirt and
very “washboardy” in many areas, but is doable at least in dry weather
with a normal sedan – we had a Nissan Sentra – although there are a few
bad spots. I think it is the only road that gets you part way up the
sierra in a normal car, reaching oak woodlands and some cottonwoods, if
not the pine-oak preferred by the high altitude species.
At the turnoff on highway 1 there was a lot of bird activity, so we
stopped here for about 20 minutes before proceeding up the mountain.
Steve Mlodinow’s report mentions a dry wash at kilometer 16 which was
uneventful when we visited. There is a wet stream crossing a bit
further down the mountain which I didn’t check out. At about km 23.6
there is a large wash that had a small stream flowing down to the left.
We parked here and birded the area for a couple of hours. There are
some large cottonwoods and oaks, and Steve saw both the Robins and
Junco here in January 2003. None this time, although it was a birdy
area. An earlier start would have helped also.
Later we drove up the left fork another 2 km or so, and the road
started to deteriorate. It was only traversing the near side of a ridge
and was not approaching different habitat. We returned and stopped at
another stream area somewhere below km 23, which I unfortunately did
not note. I had 3 species of woodpecker here including the sapsucker, a
California Towhee, and Cassin’s Vireo. We returned to highway 1 before
2 and had lunch in a taco stand in San Bartolo. Further south on
highway 1 there was a large wash where bridge construction was going on
that had some reeds to the east, where I had an immature Belding’s
Yellowthroat (I think) and heard a Marsh Wren.
We made brief stops in Los Barriles and Buena Vista, and returned to
San Jose around dusk, staying at the Tropicana Inn, a much better deal
and on the river for $80 including all taxes. They also have a
restaurant and bar, with lethally potent margaritas. It was Dennis’
birthday and we had a good meal at their restaurant enjoying the
audition of a very good Mexican band playing guitars and Andean flute
with a mixture of originals and covers. Celebrations precluded an early
start the next day.
November
29, Monday – drive to Todos Santos
Sleep in due to the above, then a brief look behind the hotel along the
river’s edge. Had a local smoothie fix at La Jungla, then departed
before 11 for Todos Santos. We arrived at Todos Santos after 1, and
walked around a bit. I didn’t like the place much as it was full of
American tourists. Steve’s report had mentioned the Adobe restaurant,
but after a quick look at all the tourists, the high prices, and total
lack of Mexicans, we settled for a local taco joint. After we drove
outside of town, which surrounded an agricultural and wetlands area,
mostly fenced off. This area could be promising early in the morning.
Returning south on the main highway I pulled off near km 70, south of
Pescadero, a bit south of a blanket “factory”, and north of Rancho
Nueva. There was a dry tidal marsh area that looked promising. The
marsh area was devoid of birds, but the nearby scrub was among the most
productive of the trip: Gilded Flicker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker,
Costa’s Hummer, Gray Thrasher, GT Towhee, and finally a California
Gnatcatcher among others. This bird had a black outline on the lower
edge of its cap, like a male Blue-gray, but a darker blue cap, and I
finally saw the grayish undertail. It was very similar to a Blue-gray
to my eyes. As we returned to the Tropicana around 5:30 there were a
few Lesser Nighthawks flying north and east. The previous night there
had been medium sized bats in the parking lot.
November
30, Tuesday – Estero & La Playa area
I left the hotel before 6:30 on a cold very windy morning to bird the
Estero, especially near the river mouth. The wind made it difficult for
land birds, but the water birding was productive. A few vultures were
feeding on the dead pelicans on the shore. I had many new trip species
here, including swallows, Forster’s and Elegant Terns, Pied-billed
Grebes, a few ducks, shorebirds, and pipits. Back to the hotel by 9:30
for the continental breakfast.
Later we departed east along the beach for the Pueblo La Playa area,
which was a construction zone. Meandering eastward we found access to
the beach and some dunes, which had productive desert scrub. Another
small developing town was encountered, and we returned in early
afternoon for lunch and a little shopping, especially in a very
interesting liquor store on the corner of Mijares and Benito Juarez,
Los Barriles de Cuevo. The owner was a pleasant knowledgeable man who
offered samples of some excellent tequilas. No more birding, although
we had a Xantu’s both in the pool area of the hotel and right on
Mijares in some flowers between some stores. Dinner at Baan Thai, a
Thai restaurant run by non-Thais that nonetheless had some tasty food.
December
1, Wednesday – flight home
We returned the rental car at the Hertz office by the airport at 7 AM,
waiting 10 minutes before the staff arrived. Our flight to Dallas was
uneventful and early, but high winds in New York delayed our return
flight by 3-4 hours
SPECIES
ACCOUNTS
ENDEMICS or endemic subspecies are in capitals and underlined
Pied-billed Grebe – a few in the Estero Nov 30
Brown Pelican – every day
Brandt’s Cormorant – one at Cabo San Lucas harbor Nov 26
Double-crested Cormorant – Estero Nov 30
Magnificent Frigatebird – every day
Great Blue Heron – Estero Nov 26 & 30
Great Egret – seen most days
Snowy Egret – seen most days
Little Blue Heron – Estero, 1 or 2 Nov 30
Louisiana (Tricolored) Heron – Estero & La Paz
Reddish Egret – Estero Nov 26 & 30
Cattle Egret – Estero Nov 26 & 30
Green Heron – Estero Nov 26 & 30, mountains Nov 28
White-faced Ibis – common, seen every day in small numbers
Turkey Vulture – everywhere
Canada Goose – 3 in Estero Nov 26 & 30, looked small and
short-necked – small Canada’s probably rather than Cackling, but too
far to tell with binoculars only
American Widgeon – Estero Nov 29
Blue-winged Teal – Estero, common
Cinnamon Teal – Estero, a few each visit
Northern Shoveler – Estero Nov 30, one pair
Northern Pintail – Estero Nov 30, 1 or 2
Green-winged Teal – Estero Nov 26 & 30, only a few each time
Ring-necked Duck – possible in Estero Nov 30, not counted. I was
distracted by a friendly passer-by and never relocated the birds
Ruddy Duck – 1 female by the Presidente restaurant, Estero Nov 26
Osprey – small groups at Estero Nov 26 & 30
Northern Harrier – Estero Nov 30, 1 female / immature
Cooper’s Hawk – Estero Nov 30, possibly one in mountains Nov 28
Red-tailed Hawk – every day
Crested Caracara – a couple every day in deserts
American Kestrel – most days
Merlin – 1 flyby near Estero Nov 26
Peregrine Falcon – Nov 26 & 30, 1 each time. Nov 30 bird flying
laboriously with what looked like a Coot or Moorhen
Sora – 2 in Estero Nov 26; 1 feeding in open next to Presidente
restaurant in marsh pool
Common Moorhen – Estero Nov 26 & 30
American Coot – Estero Nov 26, 29 & 30
Semipalmated Plover – Estero Nov 30, 1 or 2 birds on beach
Killdeer – Estero Nov 26 & 30
Black-necked Stilt – Estero each visit, especially near sewage
treatment plant outlet
Greater Yellowlegs – Estero Nov 26 & 30
Lesser Yellowlegs – Estero Nov 30, 1 or 2 birds
Spotted Sandpiper – Estero each visit, common
Long-billed Curlew – Estero Nov 26 & 30, a couple each time
Marbled Godwit – Estero Nov 26 & 30
Sanderling – Estero Nov 30
Western Sandpiper – only 1, Estero Nov 26
Least Sandpiper – Estero Nov 26 & 30
Long-billed Dowitcher – Estero Nov 26 & 30, identified by voice
Wilson’s (Common) Snipe – Estero each visit
Laughing Gull – 1 or 2 immatures La Paz, Nov 28
Heerman’s Gull – immatures in Cabo San Lucas harbor Nov 26
Ring-billed Gull – Estero Nov 30, possibly at La Paz Nov 28
California Gull – 1 or 2 La Paz, Nov 27, and Estero Nov 30
Western Gull – 1 or 2 Cabo San Lucas harbor Nov 26, La Paz Nov 27 &
28
Yellow-footed Gull – 1 - 2 La Paz, Nov 27 & 28
Herring Gull – Estero Nov 30
Caspian Tern – Estero Nov 26 & 30
Elegant Tern – 2 in Estero Nov 30
Forster’s Tern – a few in Estero and beach, Nov 30
Rock Dove – flying around San Jose de Cabo
Band-tailed Pigeon – Nov 27 & 28, mountains and foothills
White-winged Dove – seen most days
Common Ground-Dove – seen most days in small numbers
Ruddy Ground-Dove – Nov 26, Estero area
Lesser Nighthawk – about 6 flying at dusk from rear of Tropicana Hotel
flying north / northeast Nov 29
XANTU’S HUMMINGBIRD
(L) – Got lucky with this one. Seen all days except Nov 28, even in
gardens at each hotel. Also seen in Estero Nov 26, Mijares Street near
plaza of San Jose feeding on flowers, and in Boca de la Sierra, site
1.11 in Howell.
Costa’s Hummingbird – seen in Estero Nov 26, deserts near San Jose on
each visit, and near Todos Santos & surrounding deserts – mostly
females but 1 or 2 nice males
Belted Kingfisher – Estero each visit
Laughing Gull – 1 or 2 La Paz, Nov 28
Acorn Woodpecker – a few individuals and small groups in mountains Nov
28
Gila Woodpecker – common everywhere
Red-naped Sapsucker – 1 immature in mountains near stream with other
woodpeckers Nov 28
Ladder-backed Woodpecker – a few in mountains Nov 28, 1 near Estero Nov
30
Gilded Flicker – uncommon in deserts; seen Nov 28 & Nov 29 south of
Todos Santos in desert
Gray Flycatcher – one actively calling at the San Antonio de la Sierra
turnoff Nov 28
Pacific Slope (Western) Flycatcher – a couple at the 23.6 km wash in
the sierra Nov 28
Black Phoebe – seen a few times in the Estero and mountains, always
near water and streams
Vermillion Flycatcher – 1 or 2 immatures along the Estero Nov 26
Ash-throated Flycatcher – 1 or 2 seen on several desert visits
Thick-billed Kingbird – 1 calling from trees at stream crossing near
Miraflores Nov 27
Cassin’s Kingbird – A couple seen Nov 28 and 29 in mountains and near
Todos Santos
Cassin’s Vireo – One in mountains near stream Nov 28
Unidentified vireo – One glimpsed briefly at km 23.6 on Nov 28,
probably a Hutton’s - not counted
Western Scrub Jay – foothills Nov 27 and 28
Common Raven –mountains, foothills, and deserts Nov 27-29
Tree Swallow – Estero Nov 30
Violet-Green Swallow – Estero Nov 30
Barn Swallow – Estero Nov 30
Bank Swallow – 1 or 2 with swallow flock Estero Nov 30
Verdin – Fairly common and active in deserts. Found a couple of nests,
including one active
Cactus Wren – Common everywhere; this race has pale flanks
Marsh Wren – One heard only along highway 1 in reeds
House Wren – one in mountains Nov 28
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – A couple along the 23.6 km wash Nov 28
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – very common in a variety of habitats,
especially desert scrub. I tried in vain to turn many into
California’s. The call is somewhat different than those in the east
CALIFORNIA GNATCATCHER
(Endemic subspecies) – Very tough. I spent a lot of time chasing desert
gnatcatchers that turned out to be Blue-grays. I had one candidate near
the airport on Nov 27, but only definitely identified one south of
Todos Santos Nov 29. It looks fairly similar to Blue-gray, but the cap
was darker and the undertail was gray, not white like Blue-gray or
black like the northern Californias.
Northern Mockingbird – fairly common most days.
GRAY THRASHER (L) –
Supposedly fairly common in desert scrub, but I only saw 3 or 4 birds,
two tape assisted. My first was along the desert wash between San Jose
and Cabo San Lucas Nov 26, the second was Nov 29 south of Todos Santos,
and the last 2 were found a bit southeast of San Jose near the beach on
Nov 30. Squeaking usually resulted in Mockingbirds rather than
thrashers, except on Nov 30
European Starling – I was unpleasantly surprised to see them in and
around San Jose Nov 26 & 30
American Pipit – a small flock on the beach near the Estero on Nov 30
Phainopepla – One outside La Paz Nov 27 and another Nov 28 by the San
Antonio turnoff on highway 1
Yellow Warbler – Estero Nov 26
Orange-crowned Warbler – abundant, I’ve never seen so many in 1 area
Yellow-rumped Warbler – both Audubon’s and Myrtle seen Nov 26 near
Estero and Nov 28 in mountains
Black-throated Gray Warbler – 2 or 3 seen Nov 28 in mountains
American Redstart – 1 seen Nov 28 in mountains at km 23.6
MacGillivray’s Warbler – Nov 27 stream crossing near Miraflores and Nov
28 in mountains
BELDING’S YELLOWTHROAT
(L) – a few among the reeds and scrub on the Estero Nov 26, 1 seen
along highway 1 in reeds near bridge construction. This bird had the
rear part of its upper mask lining yellow but the front part gray –
immature male?
Common Yellowthroat – Estero Nov 26. Many immature yellowthroats were
left unidentified
Wilson’s Warbler – Estero, mountains and foothills Nov 26 – 28
Western Tanager – several Nov 28 in mountains, various locations
Spotted Towhee – km 23.6 wash Nov 28, 1 bird
Green-tailed Towhee – 1 or 2 seen every day
California Towhee – 2 seen Nov 28, 2 locations – km 23.6 and lower
stream area
Clay-colored Sparrow– a couple seen Nov 27 outside Santiago
Lark Sparrow – common in desert areas and foothills Nov 26 - 28
Lincoln’s Sparrow – 1 bird Nov 26 Estero
Northern Cardinal – Nov 26, 27 & 30
Pyrrhuloxia – 1 bird Nov 30 desert scrub near beach east of La Playita
Varied Bunting – 1 or 2 in foothills Nov 28
Lazuli Bunting – 1 female Nov 28 in foothills
Unidentified blackbirds – near the Estero I saw several small flocks of
distant flying blackbirds too far to identify. Not counted
Hooded Oriole – a few seen Nov 26, 27 & 29
Scott’s Oriole – one or two seen all days except Nov 30
Purple Finch – one silent male seen on treetop Nov 28, about km 20.
This western race is browner on the flanks than the eastern race with
which I am familiar. Out of range according to Howell?
House Finch – Nov 26 & 30 Estero
Lesser Goldfinch – 1 female in mountains Nov 28
House Sparrow – can’t do a trip without seeing this one
OTHER
Jackrabbit – Black-tailed?
Medium sized bats in the Tropicana parking lot at dusk
Lots of nice butterflies – swallowtails, fritillaries, skippers, and
more
Dave Klauber
davehawkowl@msn.com