Photo ABCs

Northern Beardless Tyrannulet

The Northern Beardless Tyrannulet may have the largest ratio between the length of its name to the size of the bird!

Here is one photographed in the mountains east of Puerto Vallarta in March, 2014:

Rancho Primavera

A few more shots from Rancho Primavera, one of Mexico's premier birding locations.

Photographed in March, 2014, on a trip led by birding guide and photographer Greg Homel.

The pond on the property is large enough to take a boat on. The casita on the hill can be rented.

An immature Little Blue Heron, photographed from a boat on the pond.

Cinnamon Hummingbird:

Streak-backed Oriole:

Stripe-headed Sparrow:

Vallarta Botanical Garden

Vallarta Botanical Garden is a tropical paradise just south of Puerto Vallarta.

In addition to being a bird watcher's paradise and diner's paradise (the Hacienda del Oro restaurant there is amazing!), of course it is full of interesting tropical plants.

Here are a few abstract pictures I took while there in March, 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Golden-cheeked Woodpecker

The Golden-cheeked Woodpecker is common in the tropical lowlands of western Mexico.

Here is one taking advantage of the bird-feeder banquet at the Vallarta Botanical Garden south of Puerto Vallarta.

Photographed in March, 2014.

San Blas Jay

Why do all types of jays look so, well, feisty?

Here is a San Blas Jay, photographed at the Vallarta Botanical Garden (a great birding spot, and dining spot!) in March, 2014.

I overlooked this photo previously because I rarely, if ever, include bird feeders in my photos.

The food in this feeder, though, looks as colorful as the bird!

Also, it's the only decent photo I have (so far) of a San Blas Jay...

Another armchair life-bird! (see yesterday's post)

Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo

Many birders enjoy hearing about species splits, that is, when the birding-powers-that-be (the American Ornithological Society) decide to split one species into two or more. If a birder has seen that bird in the two geographical areas defined by the split, they have an "armchair life-bird," that is, a life-bird they can add to their list without leaving home!

In a similar vein, I can find life-birds just by reviewing photos from previous trips! While I don't keep an actual life-list, it's always a nice feeling to discover a species I don't remember having seen or photographed before.

Since I take more photos than I can easily review in a timely manner, I tend to focus on more artistically photographed birds, and might overlook others. Which can leave some interesting species behind!

Here is just one example, the Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo. (that's a mouthful!)

Since I photographed this bird eight years ago near Puerto Vallarta, and didn't post the photo at the time, I had forgotten ever having seen it. So, when re-viewing the birds of the trip, I was happy to come across it.

Life-bird!

 

Orange-breasted Bunting

There aren't many birds a flamboyant as the Orange-breasted Bunting.

Here is one photographed near the town of El Tuito, Jalisco, Mexico in March, 2014.

Rosy Thrush-Tanager

The Rosy Thrush-Tanager has a small range in Mexico, as well as a scattered distribution with a small range in four other Central and South American countries.

As the Birds of the World website states, "the Rosy Thrush-Tanager can be a frustratingly difficult bird to see in the dense low foliage it inhabits." The Merlin app states that the bird is "skulking and rarely seen."

I can still remember the excitement of our guide, Greg Homel, when he spotted this bird for us at Rancho Primavera, in El Tuito, Jalisco.

Photographed in March, 2014.

Military Macaw

The owners of Rancho Primavera rehabilitated this bird. It stayed on their property, semi-domesticated, for a time, but later rejoined a wild flock.

Photographed in El Tuito, Jalisco, in March, 2014.

Reviewing these photos makes me want to make a return visit soon!

Here is a photo of a Military Macaw leaving its nest, in a location south of Puerto Vallarta. I posted this photo 8 years ago, but it's worth posting again. Thanks to guide Alex Martinez for leading our group of birders to see this bird.

This threatened species is found mostly in the states of Jalisco and Nayarit. I saw many flying above in my recent trip to Sinaloa.

To learn more about the Military Macaw, the dangers posed by poachers, and the efforts to save them, please watch this film produced by Alex Martinez, which features the photography of birding guide, photographer, and ornithologist Greg Homel:

Elegant Trogon

An Elegant Trogon, photographed at Rancho Primavera in March, 2014.

Unfortunately this view doesn't show the brilliant red front of the bird, but nevertheless it's pretty spectacular!

Here's the front of a Mountain Trogon, photographed in the mountains east of Puerto Vallarta during the same week.