THE EL CARACOL CAMPGROUND.
I camped for the two nights at the El Caracol campground on the outskirts of
Alamos. There owner of the campground feeds the birds in a casual way, and the
feeders were attracting many Gila Woodpeckers, Violet-crowned Hummingbirds,
and a group of somewhat shier Black-throated Magpie Jays. The Magpie Jays are
truly magnificent birds with long, ribbon-like tails, and they are a true regional
specialty of the Northwestern Mexican thorn forest. Other common birds around
the campground at this season included Inca Doves, Nutting’s and Vermilion
Flycatchers, both Blue-grey and Black-capped Gnatcatchers (very difficult to
tell apart), one Sinaloa Wren, and several Curve-billed Thrashers. I found both
Red-billed Pigeon and Elegant Quail nearby. Several White-fronted Parrots frequented
the adjacent forest, and I was able to photograph one perched quietly in a tree
at the edge of the campground.
THE RIO CUCHUJAQUI
This is reputed to be the one of the best and most accessible sites in the area,
although it can be a little tricky to find. The river is several miles from
the far side of the town of Alamos, along a dusty unpaved road that passes through
some excellent habitat - thorn forest and pasture. Birds along the road in the
early morning included many Crested Caracaras, more Elegant Quail, Thick-billed
Kingbirds, a group of three Purplish-backed Jays (the only ones I found on this
visit), Lark Sparrows, and Streak-backed and Hooded Orioles. But two hours spent
down by the riverside was more interesting. Birds were everywhere! Both Varied
and Lazuli Buntings were numerous, flushing four and five at a time from the
bushes as I slowly walked along, like little living bursts of color. The Lazuli
Bunting, sporting a vivid blue and orange suit, is a very pretty bird. But the
Varied Bunting, with its rich, deep purple plumage offset by bright red goggles,
will always be one of my favorite colored birds. Plain-capped Starthroats and
Berylline Hummingbirds represented their clan, and hawked after small insects.
On the river itself a Green Kingfisher darted up and down, but always remained
in the general area. Three Bare-throated Tiger Herons were a very exciting find,
as this represents the extreme northern limit of their range! Other “good”
birds in the vicinity included a pair of Common Black Hawks, White-tipped Doves,
a single Happy Wren, a beautiful male Rose-throated Becard (stunning, up-close
looks), more Black-throated Magpie Jays, and various wintering flycatchers,
vireos, warblers, and sparrows.
THE EMPALME CAUSEWAY
On my return journey, I detoured away from the “cuota” road between
Navajoa and Ciudad Obregon, and explored the agricultural areas to the west
of RT. 15. This added Burrowing Owl, Loggerhead Shrike, Tree Swallow, Common
Yellowthroat, and Song Sparrow to the list. I also revisited the Empalme Causeway.
Stopping quickly in this area is worthwhile, despite the noisy and hair-raising
traffic. Both Heermaan’s and Yellow-footed Gulls were present in good
numbers, and the latter is, of course, a specialty of the Sea of Cortez. Caspian
Terns and Brown Pelicans were fishing on both sides of the causeway. Among the
numerous wading birds there were many Little Blue Herons and a Reddish Egret.
I was pleasantly surprised to find a flock of several dozen wintering Brant
(of the “black” Pacific race). Several ducks and shorebirds rounded
out the bird selection here.
SAN CARLOS
I made one final detour during my return journey, this time leaving the highway
north of Guaymas and driving the few miles to the touristy town of San Carlos.
From the shore here I was able to spot both Brown and Blue-footed Boobies during
an half hour exploration along the beach.
127 Species
Eared Grebe
Red-breasted Merganser
Bufflehead
Redhead (Duck)
Lesser Scaup
(Black) Brant*
Northern Pintail
American Wigeon
Ruddy Duck
Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Brown Booby
Blue-footed Booby
Brown Pelican
Magnificent Frigatebird
Neotropic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Snowy Egret
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Little Blue Heron
Reddish Egret
Cattle Egret
Bare-throated Tiger Heron*
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Osprey
Red-tailed Hawk
Short-tailed Hawk*
Common Black Hawk
Harris’ Hawk
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Crested Caracara
Elegant Quail*
Black-necked Stilt
American Oystercatcher
Wilson’s Plover
Killdeer
Willet
Marbled Godwit
Long-billed Curlew
Spotted Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Yellow-footed Gull*
Ring-billed Gull
Heermann’s Gull
Caspian Tern
Burrowing Owl*
Belted Kingfisher
Green Kingfisher*
White-winged Dove
Mourning Dove
Inca Dove
Common Ground Dove
White-tipped Dove*
Red-billed Pigeon*
Rock Dove (Feral Pigeon)
White-fronted Parrot*
Gila Woodpecker
Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Violet-crowned Hummingbird*
Plain-capped Starthroat*
Berylline Hummingbird*
Rose-throated Becard*
Cassin’s Kingbird
Thick-billed Kingbird*
Nutting’s Flycatcher*
Dusky-capped Flycatcher
Grey Flycatcher
Dusky Flycatcher
Cordilleran Flycatcher
Buff-breasted Flycatcher*
Northern-beardless Tyrannulet*
Black Phoebe
Vermilion Flycatcher
Tree Swallow
Blue-grey Gnatcatcher
Black-capped Gnatcatcher*
Phainopepla
Loggerhead Shrike
Eurasian Starling
Verdin
Chihuahuan Raven
Common Raven
Sinaloa Crow*
Black-throated Magpie Jay*
Purplish-backed Jay*
Northern Mockingbird
Curve-billed Thrasher
Crissal Thrasher
House Wren
Rock Wren
Happy Wren*
Sinaloa Wren*
Cactus Wren
Plumbeous Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Black-throated Grey Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Audubon’s (Yellow-rumped) Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Lazuli Bunting
Varied Bunting*
Pyrrhuloxia
Northern Cardinal
Lark Bunting
Green-tailed Towhee
Canyon Towhee
Lark Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Brewer’s Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Hooded Oriole
Streak-backed Oriole*
Red-winged Blackbird
Yellow-headed Blackbird
House Finch
Lesser Goldfinch
House Sparrow