Laura and Jay in Mexico 2005 - Day 5

Random Recollections

• In hindsight I wish I had brought the camera along with me this morning. But I wasn't feeling well, I wanted to keep my load light, so the camera was left on the bus. Enough pity, more description: The little town we stopped to bird was west of Ciudad Mante. There weren't very many houses alongside the highway but numerous houses were clustered down dirt roads once we started walking the neighborhood. Audubon's, Altimira, and Hooded Orioles made appearances along with considerable Tamaulipas Ravens, White-winged Doves, and Green Parakeets (flyovers). A few birders got a quick look at a Blue-black Grassquit before it plunged into dense foliage never to show itself to the rest of us. Before boarding the bus a Black-headed Saltator perched across the road to allow up close scope views. Yvette acted as shoe monitor as we boarded; seems someone had stepped in poo the previous day and stunk up the whole bus. (I confess I never watch where I'm stepping; I've got my eyes turned to the trees.) Oops, sure enough I caught myself before repeating the same mistake.
• As we traveled to our next birding destination (and lunch) a Grey-headed Dove flew off to the side giving us less than satisfactory views. I like to see my life birds better than this so I'll be debating whether to list it or not. "Attencion, attencion!" Jay made the following announcement: "Last week when Mel and I birded this area the bathrooms were beyond dirty. So if you need to go, place toilet tissue down on the seat, place some more, and then make do." The whole bus erupted in laughter at Jay's pun and we soon discovered the toilets weren't as bad as Jay had described. But what a birdy stop: Blue Mockingbird and Rufous-capped Brush-finch showed off for the Fifty Dollar Group while the larger group saw White-eared Hummingbird, Townsend's Warbler, Brown-capped Vireo, Painted Redstart, Acorn Woodpecker, Crescent-chested Warbler, and Crimson-collared Grosbeak. (A Tamaulipas Pygmy-Owl sounded off for awhile but never put in an appearance.) Later, the larger group managed to get the Blue Mockingbird. It was during this time that Kathy took her second fall. I wasn't around (I had gone with another Fifty Dollar Group to look for specialties) but Jay saw Kathy step on some rocks, slip, and go down.
• Near Tula at the Laguna La San Isidro Reservoir we found many familiar ducks, coots, grebes, herons, and egrets. Along a fence perched atop each post was either a Say's Phoebe or a Vermilion Flycatcher, too numerous to count. American Pipits traveled in small flocks and the excitement of the day was seeing a large swarm of White-throated and Vaux's (pronounced Vose) Swifts high overhead. Upon our return to Mante our guides continued to call out birds being seen. Depending on where you sat in the bus you either saw the bird or didn't (most of the time you didn't). Jay was heard making the remark, "It's really good birding up here in the front of the bus." Another time I looked up to see our bus driver standing up adjusting the front windshield shades so all could see out the front of the bus better. "Excuse me!," I exclaimed, "Who's driving the bus? Laughter exploded as I noticed Richard's hand securely on the steering wheel.
• Dinner in Mante was once again at Saul's restaurant, but we were seated outside. A special ceremony was planned with speeches from the mayor, and entertainment was provided by a nine-year old girl and our birding guides. Seems the guides made a bet at the start of our trip. Losers had to dance for the winners. Mel (a Saltator loser) asked me (a Sungrebe winner) to dance with him. To his dismay I announced: "A Sungrebe would never associate with a Saltator." So to the familiar Mexican Hat Dance tune Mel and the other Saltators spun while the Sungrebes clapped.
• Total species of bird seen this day: 145