Photo ABCs

Colima Birding: La Campana Ecological Park

Though I have visited the city of Colima a number of times, I had never visited the La Campana Ecological Park prior to my visit in February of this year.

What an excellent birding spot!

The park has miles of trails which wind through thick forest, and is remarkable for being quite close to downtown Colima.

Leaving the parking lot I photographed this Least Flycatcher:

Walking the trails, I encountered a number of Northern Beardless-Tyrannulets (great name!):

Rounding out the afternoon of flycatchers was this Pacific-slope Flycatcher:

While at the park I got the barest glimpse (but no decent photo) of a male and female Painted Bunting.

I was happy to see a life-bird, this Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow, which is a Mexican endemic species, found only in western Mexico:

Colima Birding: Groove-billed Ani, Orange-breasted Bunting

More birds from La Cumbre, near Colima, Mexico.

Th Groove-billed Ani is a common in south Texas, most of Mexico and Central America, and northern South America.

There was a flock of them at La Cumbre the morning I was there, though they mostly stayed within in a tangle of weeds and tree branches:

The bird I most wanted to see at La Cumbre was the Orange-breasted Bunting.

They mostly remained reclusive while I was there. As I was about to leave this one popped into view for a moment.

I obtained much better photos on my previous two visits, but I was happy to see this one. This one is a female, so is not as flamboyant as the male.

Colima Birding: Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Ash-throated Flycatcher

More birds on La Cumbre, near Colima, Mexico:

The Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher is a common bird year-round in Mexico, and especially in winter, when most of the US population heads south as well.

Even though it's a common bird, I always enjoy seeing the perky bird.

 

The Ash-throated Flycatcher is common in the arid Southwest United States and Northwest Mexico, and many winter further south in southwest Mexico.

I have seen them each time I have birded at La Cumbre:

Colima Birding: Black-chested Sparrow

In February of this year I spent one week traveling through parts of Colima and Jalisco, Mexico, starting in the city of Colima and ending in Guadalajara.

One of the top birding spots near the city of Colima is La Cumbre. As its name suggests, La Cumbre is a hill southeast of town used as a site for radio transmitters, hang gliders, and a religious shrine.

The Black-chested Sparrow is found in only a small area of Mexico (and nowhere else). La Cumbre is an excellent place to see them:

 

Red-billed Tropicbird

While in Manzanillo in February, 2019, I hired a boat to take me on a short excursion to circle a nearby small island used by many nesting birds, as well as to circle the lagoon near my lodgings.

The island has countless birds, however they were difficult to photograph, as the island was hundred of feet tall, and most birds were circling high above.

This photo of a Red-billed Tropicbird (one of my favorite birds!) was about as close as I could get:

 

Laughing Gulls

One Laughing Gull appears to be telling a joke to another, who doesn't seem to be laughing!

Black-necked Stilts are in the background.

Photographed in Manzanillo, Mexico, in February, 2019.

Willet, Black-necked Stilt, Stilt Sandpiper

More birds photographed in Manzanillo during February, 2019:

Willet:

A Black-neck Stilt dwarfs the Stilt Sandpiper behind it:

Black Vulture, Gray Hawk

I recently reviewed photos that I took during February, 2019, during a short visit to Manzanillo, a coastal town in the state of Colima, Mexico.

I'll post a number of photos over the next few days.

The Gray Hawk can be found in portions of Arizona and Texas, but is more common in much of Mexico, Central and South America.

A Black Vulture circles overhead:

Day of the Dead, Mexico City Style V

On the last night of my stay in Mexico City, I ventured to the town center of Coyoacán, where there was an enormous Day of the Dead festival.

I was more than a bit fatigued from my week in Mexico City, especially my last two days of early morning birding and late nights photographing Day of the Dead!

Though I only managed a few decent photos, I was pleased with them.

A young girl enjoys a carnival ride:

A face in the crowd:

The most spectacular catrina I saw during the week:

I'm already planning next year's Day of the Dead trip. It won't be to Mexico City... Though I'm glad I went, I won't be enduring Mexico City crowds and traffic any time soon!

Stay tuned about this time next year for more photos!

Day of the Dead Mexico City Style IV

On November 1 I traveled to San Andrés Mixquic, a small town located about ten miles south of Mexico City.

San Andrés Mixquic is said to be one of the towns used to model the church and cemetery in the wonderful movie Coco, so it was the place I most wanted to visit during my week in Mexico City.

I did not find it as magical as the movie. The cemetery had no family members around the graves as one would find in Michoacán or Oaxaca. Basically, half of Mexico City was there shoulder to shoulder for a Day of the Dead experience. Of course, that was also why I was there!

Here are a few scenes from Mixquic:

Claudia models a phenomenal outfit, complete with lights, in front of the church.

Allison:

Eli:

The marigold, or cempasuchil, of course, is the traditional flower of Day of the Dead.

They were abundant in Mixquic's cemetery: