Chapala Birders Newsletter

Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

Chapala Birders Newsletter - March 2026

eBird Community News & Sightings

Sightings Last Month by Duncan Poole

There were 222 species reported this month for the lake area. The complete list is shown at the end of this newsletter. Interesting species sighted:

Eared Quetzal - Kate and Carl Anderson and Gerry Bird
Gray-breasted Martin - Scott Marsh
Coppery-tailed Trogon - Kate and Carl Anderson

Correction for last month's Feature Birds: "Birds of Lago Chapala Shoreline".

Under Long-Billed Dowitchers it should have read: "The Long-billed Dowitchers [LBDO] forage in flocks in the shallow, flooded edges of the lake. They are primarily tactile foragers, probing the substrate and catching prey with the flexible tips of their long, highly enervated bills (See photograph.) Like the Least Sandpipers, they breed in the high Arctic and visit Chapala in the winter months."

Thank you for the Donations💸💰

As a volunteer organization that charges no membership fees and is open to everyone, we are extremely grateful for all donations to cover the costs of the Website hosting and the newsletter. Many thanks go to the following for their recent donations, and especially the very generous donation from Bill Horton! Thank you Kate & Carl Anderson, Gerry Bird, Vivian, Kitty, Bill Horton, Cheshta & Sudas, Gerd & June DeBeer, Barbara Hogan, Duncan Poole, Jules Evens, John Roynon, Bob & Mugs McConnell, Cheryl & Fred. If I missed anyone, or you wish to donate, please send an email to [email protected] We are very grateful and want to acknowledge you!

Birding Trip Leaders Wanted!🐦

We are a small group of volunteers who work together to share these outings with you. If you would like to help us lead some trips, we will help train you! We always have knowledgeable birders assisting on every trip. Please contact Cheshta at [email protected] if you are interested.

Birding Ethics

Are you familiar with the ethics of birding? If not, learn more here! Be sure to read our monthly Birding Ethics Tips in this newsletter.

Feature Article: Is Water Hyacinth Bird Habitat?

by Jules Evens

Sora foraging amidst Lirio aquatico Water Hyacinth), San Antonio malecón.

Working as a wetland ecologist, I have witnessed the destructive effects of invasive, non-native plants in various areas throughout the Americas. Lake Chapala is not immune from this threat.

Water hyacinth (Lirio aquatica) is a free-floating perennial plant, native to South America that thrives in fresh water where excessive nutrients pollute waterways. Its attractive purple flowers appeal to may people so it has been added as a decorative feature to many garden ponds. However, it has "escaped" and invaded many bodies of water such as Lake Chapala.

Although some species of birds forage amidst these Lirio infestations, overall it has a long-term negative ecological effect on wetland function and productivity. It colonizes shorelines aggressively, out-competes and excludes other native wetland plants. It grows in dense floating mats, blocks sunlight and reduces oxygen levels in the water, depriving invertebrates, fish and native plants

of sustenance. This causes a cascading effect over time, weakening or even destroying the natural food chains. This decrease in aquatic biodiversity, in turn, affects the livelihoods of fisher folks, limiting the reproductive success of fish and limiting the extent of open water where they can cast their nets. Lirio is also a breeding ground for mosquitoes, which are vectors of diseases (e.g. Dengue fever).

Lirio infestations also reduce water levels. Their rate of transpiration (water lost through the leaves) is up to three times greater than natural evaporation on an uncovered water surface.

Control of Lirio has been attempted at many bodies of water around Jalisco and central Mexico, but these efforts are very labor intensive, expensive, can cause extensive disturbance to the underlying soil, and the effects tend to be temporary.

I recorded the following species foraging in Lirio along the lakeshore while considering this article: Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Least Bittern, White-faced Ibis, Sora, Northern Jacana, Stripe-headed Sparrow, Greater Kiskadee, Common Gallinule, Great-tailed Grackle, Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater. But such diversity may be short-lived as the effects of the Lirio invasion evolve over time and the productivity of the shoreline is diminished. Also, as conversion of the wetland from a diverse native plant community to a Lirio monoculture progresses, the availability of the viable habitat on which some of the rarer birds that have inhabited these shores—Least Bittern, Aztec Rail, Marsh Wren, Chapala Yellowthroat—is lost and these species disappear.

All photos by Jules Evens.

Least Bittern actively foraging in Lirio, Riberas Marsh.

Green Heron (L) & White-faced Ibis (R) in Lirio, San Antonio Tlayacapan.

Tip #8 for Birding Ethics

If while birding you come across a species that is unusual for the area, it is wise to document the bird information as thoroughly as possible. This practice will help ensure the bird is identified correctly, and if not, the correct species can be identified. Include if possible:

digital images, including "digiscoped" images taken through binoculars or spotting scopes
audio recordings of songs, calls or flight calls
videos that help establish identification, especially to show behaviors
detailed field notes explaining what was observed, how many others saw it, where it was seen, what kind of habitat, etc.

Learn more here about Birding Ethics.

Upcoming Bird Trips

Our bird-walks are open to all those interested in birds; beginners & experienced birders. We always have knowledgeable birders on hand to identify the species. We have a limited number of extra binoculars available upon request in advance of trip.

————

During these outings social conversations are limited so we do not scare the birds we are observing. Birders can gather for coffee or a meal to socialize later.

————

We try to limit most car trips to 3-4 vehicles / 12-16 people. Larger convoys are hard to manage. If you are being given a ride, you are expected make a contribution to your driver for gas and tolls ($200 - $400 pesos based on length of trip).

1st SUNDAY OF THE MONTH: March 1st there will be a birding outing along the Allen Lloyd Trail. Meet up with team leader Duncan Poole at 8am at the trailhead. Expect to see Blue Mockingbird, Happy Wren, and maybe a Russet-crowned Motmot or Squirrel Cuckoo. Please confirm your attendance by sending an email to [email protected] or just show up.

How to get to the trail head: Drive up the Libramiento a half mile (1 km) from the traffic light at Walmart, then turn left (carefully) as you would for the hospital (Ribera Medical Center). Double back and drive up the left side of the hospital. Keep going uphill another half mile, and park on the only street to your left. Here is a pindrop.

On Monday, March 16th, meet team leader Jules Evens at 8.00 am at the San Antonio Malecón parking lot to walk the Malecón area. At about 9.30-10.00am we will do the list and then those who wish to can gather together at a restaurant for breakfast. Please confirm your attendance at least 2 days in advance with Jules at [email protected]. Here is a pindrop for the Malecón.

How to get to the parking lot: In San Antonio Tlayacapan along the Carretera, turn toward the lake on Colón and drive to the end of the street to the parking lot. (see pindrop).

On Tuesday March 24 meet up with team leader Robert McConnell at 8:00 am at the “Sculpture” (at the only traffic light in La Floresta, south-east corner near Restaurant Pranzo. See pindrop, departing immediately for Villa Corona on Lake Atotonilco (60 minutes drive). We expect to see various shore birds such as White-faced Ibis and Roseate Spoonbill. Bring your own mid-morning refreshments. There will be a break for snacking at about 11.00 am. We will be back in Ajijic by about 1.30 pm. Please confirm your attendance at least 5 days in advance. Email [email protected] and indicate if you wish to be a passenger or if you can bring a vehicle and take others. Trip will be limited to 3 cars, 12 participants. Each passenger is expected to donate to their driver $200 pesos to share the travel expenses.

Bird Trip Summaries: February by Trip Leaders

On Sunday, February 1st, Kate and Carl Anderson had a great group of 11 to begin our walk up the Allen Lloyd canyon in which many wonderful birds were seen. Tom got us all on the tiny hummingbird flitting around a flowering tree. Diego was able to ID it since he had seen one in the Tepalo waterfall trail recently outside of Ajijic - a Calliope Hummingbird female. So tiny! A special migrant in the area. Other sightings include a lot of Varied Bunting, Blue Mockingbird, Golden Vireo, Groove-billed Ani and 2 Mexican Squirrel Cuckoo. An American Kestrel caught and ate a huge green katydid on the top of a pole near us. Visitors Linda and Roger from Renton, Washington commented on how cool it is for us to have this Chapala Birders group. They had not seen anything like that in other places in Mexico. For a complete list and photos see https://ebird.org/checklist/S298490664

On Friday, February 6^th, 15 people joined Kate and Carl Anderson at Ciénaga Ribera del Pilar (the Riberas marsh) 52 species! We began with a Green heron flying right over us. A Sora wandered along feeding right in front of us for several minutes. This little star had lots of photos taken. A Least bittern was heard. A surprise Lincoln sparrow showed itself. A whole flock of Fulvous Whistling ducks flew over the Marsh. The elusive Marsh wren came out. The Pied bill Grebe pair made an appearance. A beautiful Mexican King snake swam in front of the group. There used to be lots of them but now it is a rarity. Some people got “lifers”! Wonderful morning with neat people.
After we went over the List we all went over to La Reservita where a Zone Tailed hawk flew right over us! Everyone was very excited to see a little bit of land preserved for our feathered friends. A couple of people walked from there down to The Point at the Parke Riberas del Pilar. That is a neat spot where one can see the entire Lake.

La Ciénaga /Riberas Marsh Checklist https://ebird.org/checklist/S301322839

La Reservita Checklist https://ebird.org/checklist/S301322700

On Wednesday, February 18^th 10 Lake Chapala birders led by Duncan Poole travelled to the Lake Cajititlán. We recorded 75 species including a pair of Mature Gray Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, Crested Caracara, Lark flock of feeding Northern Shovelers. A highlight was a herd of horses driven past us by Mexicans on motorcycles. See ebird for a complete list and images https://ebird.org/checklist/S302039695.

Monthly Sightings

by Duncan Poole

What is the “Lake Chapala Area” for bird sightings?

We define it as the whole area of the lake plus all land within 15 km (7 miles) from the edge of the lake. We combine sightings for the month from Chapala, Jocotopec, Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Poncitlán, Ocotlán, Jamay, & La Manzanilla de la Paz.

222 species were observed around Lake Chapala in February! (in Taxonomic order):

1 Fulvous Whistling-Duck

2 Blue-winged Teal

3 Cinnamon Teal

4 Northern Shoveler

5 Gadwall

6 American Widgeon

7 Mexican Duck

8 Northern Pintail

9 Green-winged Teal

10 Ruddy Duck

11 Northern Bobwhite

12 Rock Pigeon

13 Eurasian Collared-Dove

14 Inca Dove

15 Common Ground Dove

16 Ruddy Ground Dove

17 White-tipped Dove

18 White-winged Dove

19 Mourning Dove

20 Groove-billed Ani

21 Lesser Roadrunner

22 Greater Roadrunner

23 Mexican Squirrel-Cuckoo

24 Buff-collared Nightjar

25 Mexican Whip-poor-will

26 Mexican Violetear

27 Rivoli's Hummingbird

28 Plain-capped Starthroat

29 Blue-throated Mountain-gem

30 Ruby-throated Hummingbird

31 Black-chinned Hummingbird

32 Calliope Hummingbird

33 Rufous Hummingbird

34 Broad-tailed Hummingbird

35 Broad-billed Hummingbird

36 White-eared Hummingbird

37 Violet-crowned Hummingbird

38 Berylline Hummingbird

39 Sora

40 Common Gallinule

41 American Coot

42 Black-necked Stilt

43 American Avocet

44 Killdeer

45 Northern Jacana

46 Long-billed Dowitcher

47 Wilson's Snipe

48 Spotted Sandpiper

49 Solitary Sandpiper

50 Greater Yellowlegs

51 Least Sandpiper

52 Laughing Gull

53 Ring-billed Gull

54 Caspian Tern

55 Forster's Tern

56 Royal Tern

57 Least Grebe

58 Pied-billed Grebe

59 Western Grebe

60 Clark’s Grebe

61 Wood Stork

62 Neotropic Cormorant

63 White-faced Ibis

64 Least Bittern

65 Black-crowned Night Heron

66 Tricolored Heron

67 Snowy Egret

68 Green Heron

69 Western Cattle-Egret

70 Great Egret

71 Great Blue Heron

72 American White Pelican

73 Black Vulture

74 Turkey Vulture

75 Osprey

76 White-tailed Kite

77 Sharp-shinned Hawk

78 Cooper's Hawk

79 Northern Harrier

80 Gray Hawk

81 Zone-tailed Hawk

82 Short-tailed Hawk

83 Red-tailed Hawk

84 Western Screech-Owl

85 Great Horned Owl

86 Northern Pygmy-Owl

87 Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

88 Mottled Owl

89 Spotted Owl

90 Coppery-tailed Trogon

91 Eared Quetzal

92 Russet-crowned Motmot

93 Belted Kingfisher

94 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

95 Red-naped Sapsucker

96 Acorn Woodpecker

97 Gila Woodpecker

98 Golden-fronted Woodpecker

99 Ladder-backed Woodpecker

100 Hairy Woodpecker

101 Crested Caracara

102 American Kestrel

103 Merlin

104 Monk Parakeet

105 Military Macaw

106 White-striped Woodcreeper

107 Rose-throated Becard

108 Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet

109 Greenish Elaenia

110 Tufted Flycatcher

111 Greater Pewee

112 Least Flycatcher

113 Hammond's Flycatcher

114 Dusky Flycatcher

115 Western Flycatcher

116 Black Phoebe

117 Say’s Phoebe

118 Vermilion Flycatcher

119 Dusky-capped Flycatcher

120 Ash-throated Flycatcher

121 Nutting's Flycatcher

122 Brown-crested Flycatcher

123 Great Kiskadee

124 Social Flycatcher

125 Tropical Kingbird

126 Cassin's Kingbird

127 Thick-billed Kingbird

128 Western Kingbird

129 Golden Vireo

130 Black-capped Vireo

131 Bell’s Vireo

132 Hutton's Vireo

133 Cassin's Vireo

134 Plumbeous Vireo

135 Western Warbling Vireo

136 Loggerhead Shrike

137 Common Raven

138 Tree Swallow

139 Gray-breasted Martin

140 Northern Rough-winged Swallow

141 Barn Swallow

142 Bushtit

143 Ruby-crowned Kinglet

144 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

145 Canyon Wren

146 Northern House Wren

147 Marsh Wren

148 Bewick's Wren

149 Spotted Wren

150 Happy Wren

151 Sinaloa Wren

152 Blue Mockingbird

153 Curve-billed Thrasher

154 Northern Mockingbird

155 Brown-backed Solitaire

156 Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush

157 Hermit Thrush

158 American Robin

159 Rufous-backed Robin

160 Cedar Waxwing

161 Gray Silky-flycatcher

162 House Sparrow

163 American Pipit

164 Elegant Euphonia

165 House Finch

166 Lesser Goldfinch

167 Stripe-headed Sparrow

168 Chipping Sparrow

169 Clay-colored Sparrow

170 Brewer's Sparrow

171 Lark Sparrow

172 White-crowned Sparrow

173 Savannah Sparrow

174 Lincoln's Sparrow

175 Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow

176 Canyon Towhee

177 Rusty Sparrow

178 Rufous-crowned Sparrow

179 Green-tailed Towhee

180 Rufous-capped Brushfinch

181 Yellow-breasted Chat

182 Yellow-headed Blackbird

183 Black-vented Oriole

184 Orchard Oriole

185 Hooded Oriole

186 Streak-backed Oriole

187 Bullock's Oriole

188 Black-backed Oriole

189 Red-winged Blackbird

190 Bronzed Cowbird

191 Brown-headed Cowbird

192 Brewer's Blackbird

193 Great-tailed Grackle

194 Northern Waterthrush

195 Black-and-white Warbler

196 Orange-crowned Warbler

197 Lucy's Warbler

198 Nashville Warbler

199 Virginia's Warbler

200 MacGillivray's Warbler

201 Common Yellowthroat

202 American Redstart

203 Northern Yellow Warbler

204 Yellow-rumped Warbler

205 Black-throated Gray Warbler

206 Townsend’s Warbler

207 Hermit Warbler

208 Rufous-capped Warbler

209 Wilson's Warbler

210 Red-faced Warbler

211 Painted Redstart

212 Hepatic Tanager

213 Summer Tanager

214 Western Tanager

215 Flame-colored Tanager

216 Black-headed Grosbeak

217 Blue Grosbeak

218 Lazuli Bunting

219 Indigo Bunting

220 Varied Bunting

221 Painted Bunting

222 Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater

John and Rosemary Keeling

Lake Chapala Birders is an informal group of bird observers led by a team of Chapala Birders on behalf of John & Rosemary Keeling.

Overall Coordinator: Cheshta Buckley

Newsletter: Mugs McConnell

Website: Robert McConnell

Feature Bird: Jules Evens

Monthly Sightings List: Duncan Poole

Bird Trip Leaders & Reports: Cheshta Buckley, Thomas Bravo, Kate & Carl Anderson, Jules Evens, Duncan Poole, John Roynon, Robert Taylor, Robert McConnell.

Illustrated color folders showing our common birds are available for $200 pesos from your birding group leaders on bird walks. Also available at Diane Pearl’s Gallery, 11am to 4pm, Santa Margarita #23, Riberas del Pilar.

You can sign up for this newsletter or send us your exciting bird sightings to [email protected]

Check our website: ChapalaBirders.org There you will find our newsletters, illustrations of our birds and advice on buying binoculars, books & birding apps.

To sign up for this newsletter, email [email protected]

If you would like to unsubscribe, please click here.