December 2000

by Bob Cecil

As stated in a recent post, my wife and I were in Colima and Jalisco in late Nov to early Dec 2000 on a non-birding trip, but I did make some observations of possible interest to birders planning to visit.

• La Manzanilla, Jalisco.  This is a small, quiet beach village about 10 miles north of Barra de Navidad/Melaque.  We stayed for two nights in a beautiful and modern chalet nestled in the hillside woodland and offering a breathtaking view of Tenacatita Bay.  More interesting birds seen from the porch included: Red-billed Pigeon, Orange-fronted Parakeet, Lilac-crowned Parrot, Cinnamon Hummingbird, Citreoline Trogon, Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, large woodpecker sp.  (Lineated or Pale-billed), Masked Titrya, San Blas Jay, Orange-breasted Bunting, and Yellow-winged Cacique.  Late afternoons were good for raptors: Osprey, Sharp-shinned Hawk, White-tailed Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, Crested Caracara, and a few that I wasn't able to identify.  I left a hummingbird feeder here for use by guests, but the hummers seemed more interested in the abundant flowers.  Impressive were the giant caimans (15 ft.?) in a lagoon a block north of the main downtown street.  La Manzanilla is about 15 miles from Barranca El Choncho, site 7-4 in Howell's Bird Finding Guide to Mexico.  For information on the chalet, contact Mexicodan@hotmail.com .  For more information on the area, check www.eden.com/~tomzap/manza.html.

• City of Colima.  The small pond on the south edge of town (in Howell, "pulloff and lake," on site map 7-10) is still filled with birds but is not accessible due to changes in the bypass around Colima to Guadalajara.  I didn't have time to look for an alternative vantage point, but you can't stop on the highway anymore.  The good news about the bypass is that it can get you around Colima quickly, and that there is a new connection to Villa de Alvarez and La Maria (or Las Marias, depending upon the sign), site 7-9 in Howell.  I think this will work...  From the south edge of Colima (coming from the coast), take the bypass around the east side of the city, following the signs to Guadalajara.  When the bypass rejoins the old highway/autopista, turn back, going a short distance to the new road to Villa de Alvarez/Comala, following the signs.  After 2-3 miles, this road ends on the Comala road.  Go right to Comala/La Maria.

• La Maria, site 7-9.  There has been an effort to clean this place up and improve it overall, although I have always been impressed with it as a birding area.  Entrance fee is now 8 Pesos, but improvements include tree identification signs, and trail maps.  I don't know if they were here before (I never found them if they were), but there are short tunnels thorough the ridges, making it easier to walk the higher elevation trails and see the birds below.  I also checked out the cabanas - austere but adequate, and cheap.  If you're planning to stay, bring along an air mattress - as far as I could tell, their mattresses involved boards with a blanket over them.  I forgot to ask about hot water but presume they don't have any.  Note: the management at La Maria will change in December, whatever that means.

• Comala.  The free food wars appear to be escalating.  Buy a drink in one of the town's restaurants and they begin hauling out the free tacos, tostadas, ceviche, guacamole, etc.  - plate after plate.  According to my friends from Colima, this is the only place in Mexico they know of that do it.  Evidently, the beer companies provide the food as a promotion.

• Volcan de Nieve.  Check the post by Steve Dinsmore from April 2000 for directions on the easy route up the inactive volcano.  The rainy season and traffic has made the road a little rougher, but four of us had no trouble going up in my Saturn sedan.

• Laguna Sayula, Site 7-7.  This vast lagoon between Cd.  Guzman and Guadalajara is virtually dry - only small wet spots near k markers 51-52.

• Laguna San Marcos.  This is another vast lagoon like Sayula but closer to Guadalajara.  Completely dry.

Please feel free to contact me if you have questons, need additional info, etc.

Bob Cecil
Des Moines, IA
wewarb@aol.com