Photo ABCs

Aguascalientes Doves

I spent a short time in a small plaza in the Encino neighborhood of Aguascalientes.

During this time I saw three different dove species.

All were quite tame, accustomed to a constant flow of people.

A Rock Pigeon, with a birdy background:

Inca Dove:

I saw this White-winged Dove from a distance, with no other people around. It seemed to be doing a broken-wing display (like the killdeer, usually used to lure potential predators away from a nest). This was puzzling, since the doves in this park were certainly accustomed to people. An Inca Dove walks by nonchalantly:

After a minute, the bird was its normal self, now unconcerned with my presence and others strolling by.

Aguascalientes Birds, cont.

Photographed in early November of this year.

American Kestrel:

Just as the arrival of the Yellow-rumped Warbler signals winter birding in Southern California, it also does throughout Mexico and Central America:

The same holds true for the Wilson's Warbler. I rarely bird in Mexico without seeing them:

Lincoln's Sparrow, as well, winters in the southern United States, most of Mexico, and parts of Central America.

Chipping Sparrow:

Loggerhead Shrike:

Northern Shovelers breed mostly in the northern United States and Canada, and spend the rest of the year throughout most of the United States and Mexico:

More Aguascalientes Birds

More birds found during two mornings in Aguascalientes, Mexico, in November of this year:

The Least Grebe can be found throughout most of Mexico, Central, and South America. In the United States it is only found in southernmost Texas, so I was happy to see them in Aguascalientes:

Spotted Sandpipers breed in most of the United States and Canada, but winter in the southern United States, Mexico, Central and South America.

Since they are one of my favorite birds, I am happy to see them anywhere!

Another. Spotted Sandpipers lose their spots in the winter:

Black-necked Stilt:

A non-breeding Ruddy Duck:

Canyon Towhees are found in the Southwest United States through central Mexico:

I saw these White-tailed Kites from a very great distance, perhaps over 100 yards away. So it wasn't until I reviewed my photos that I realized that they are passing a mouse from one to another! This is known nesting behavior; the male hunts for prey and delivers it mid-air to the female, who takes it back to the nest.

A closer look:

More birds tomorrow.

Aguascalientes Birds

I could not spend a week in Aguascalientes without investigating the bird life there.

In November of this year, I spent two mornings in two different large city parks, and found them home to a great number of birds.

Most bird species in this part of Mexico can be also found in California or the Southwest United States, nevertheless it was great to get out a see what I would find.

Here are a few, photographed in early November of this year.

The Golden-fronted Woodpecker was one species I most wanted to see. Though I have seen them elsewhere in Mexico and in Texas, it is a bird I will never see in San Diego!

I played hide-and-seek with this bird before it came into view for a moment. Why is it that woodpeckers always want to explore the opposite side of the tree?

Another:

In most of Mexico, Vermilion Flycatchers are as common as, say, Black Phoebes are in San Diego. They are still a joy to see.

White-winged Dove:

Another:

Inca Dove:

More birds to come!

Festival de las Calaveras, Aguascalientes

Each year, the Festival de las Calaveras in Aguascalientes ends with a parade. The parade route was jam-packed with spectators 5-deep for a solid mile.

This year's theme was The Golden Age of Mexican Cinema.

All of the floats represented, calavera-style, legendary movie stars from the 1940s and 50s.

A few of my favorites:

Pedro Infante (1917-1957) sang with a velvet voice, and charmed all of the women in Mexico (many of them personally!). He tragically died at age 39 in a plane crash:

Maria Felix (1914-2002) known as La Doña, starred in 47 films. Her second husband was composer Agustin Lara, who composed a song about her, Maria Bonita:

Jorge Negrete (1911-1953) along with Pedro Infante and Javier Solis was one of the three great male Mexican voices of his time:

Dolores del Río (1904-1983) was a star in Hollywood before becoming the most famous actress in the history of Mexican cinema:

Antonio Aguilar (1919-2007) was a hugely influential singer, actor, and charro, who married actress Flor Silvestre, was the father of singer Pepe Aguilar, and grandfather of Angela Aguilar. I love this float!

More Day of the Dead: Aguascalientes

More photos from the 2021 Festival de las Calaveras/Día de los Muertos in Aguascalientes, Mexico:

 

 

 

 

A vampire heads home:

Day of the Dead: Aguascalientes

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a tradition that grows stronger the further south you go in Mexico, strongest in the states of Michoacán and Oaxaca.

In Aguascalientes, located at the geographical center of Mexico, the tradition comes alive with the Festival de las Calaveras, which honors José Guadalupe Posada and his creation of the Calavera Catrina (see the post prior to this one).

While the cemeteries in town are busy with observance of Day of the Dead, the historic center of town is jammed with tens of thousands of people enjoying food, concerts, arts and crafts expositions, bullfights, parades, and dressing as skeletons.

Here are a few photos from the historic center and one of the nearby cemeteries.

Lizbeth Rubio, one of the princesses of the 2021 Feria de San Marcos, one of the largest annual fairs in Mexico:

A girl gets the finishing touches of her face painting, while another waits for her white base layer to dry:

"Can we hurry this up, please?"

A handsome couple:

 

Vanessa, who came from Colombia to enjoy Día de los Muertos in Aguascalientes:

Valentina:

More to come tomorrow!

Museo José Guadalupe Posada

Despite his name being nearly unknown today, José Guadalupe Posada (1852-1913) was one of the more influential Mexican artists of the last 150 years, whose influence continues to grow.

He was a graphic artist, political cartoonist, lithographer, engraver, and produced illustrations for countless publications and books in Aguascalientes (his birthplace), León, and Mexico City.

He is best known for his satirical cartoons and his depictions of skeletons, or calaveras. These calaveras poked fun at politicians, as well as at the vanities of the Mexican aristocracy, and indeed, of the vanities of the living!

The calaveras were featured in murals by Diego Rivera, who once stated that Posada's art was "so great that perhaps one day his name will be forgotten!"

His most famous skeleton was dubbed the Calavera Catrina, whose likeness inspired the whole culture of dressing as skeletons for Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

In 1972 a museum dedicated to Posada was opened in the historic Encino neighborhood of Aguascalientes. It is housed in the former cloisters of the church El Señor del Encino.

His legacy is not forgotten in Aguascalientes, for an entire festival, El Festival de las Calaveras, is dedicated to him and his calaveras. The festival began in 1994, and is attended by tens of thousands who descend upon the city each year during the week surrounding Day of the Dead. The historic town center comes alive with concerts, parades, bullfights, and carnivals.

The very modern facade of the José Guadalupe Posada Museum, with the adjoining Church of El Señor del Encino:

His Calavera Catrina adorns the front of the museum:

A portrait bust of the artist:

The courtyard:

The illustration that started the Calavera tradition, housed within the museum:

More calaveras:

“La muerte es democrática, ya que a fin de cuentas, güera, morena, rica o pobre, toda la gente acabaría siendo calavera”.

"Death is democratic. At the end, whether you are white, dark, rich or poor, everyone ends up a skeleton." Jose Guadalupe Posada

More Aguascalientes

Shoe Repair Shop:

Tuba and Shadow, Plaza de Toros San Marcos:

Motel at night:

 

More Colors of Aguascalientes

Merriam-Webster's second definition for palimpsest:

Something having usually diverse layers or aspects apparent beneath the surface.

Photographers like the word for it describes a wall like this:

Plaza de Toros San Marcos:

Plaza de Toros Monumental de Aguascalientes: