MEXICO Oaxaca and Chiapas 28 March–14 April 2009 Leaders: Attila Steiner and Vaughan Ashby

Oaxaca and Chiapas sit on the western coast of Mexico and border Guatemala. This is the land of the ancient Zapotec culture and holds an excellent collections of endemic species including Bumblebee Hummingbird, Dwarf Jay, Ocellated Thrasher, Red Warbler and Rosita’s Bunting amongst many others. We will visit cloud and dry tropical forest, subtropical scrublands and pine woodlands, and search for Oaxaca Valley endemics amongst the ruins of the Zapotec stronghold of Yagul.

Day 1 Flight from London to Mexico City and transfer to our hotel for a two-night stay.

Day 2 We leave the busy metropolis of Mexico City in the early morning to visit the best accessible site of the rare endemic Sierra Madre Sparrow at nearby La Cima situated high in the hills. Striped Sparrow is another endemic that is easier to locate in the bunch grass along with Yellow-eyed Junco and Chipping Sparrow. We will also check nearby patches of pine-oak woods to look for other endemic birds including Strickland’s Woodpecker, Grey-barred Wren and Rufous-capped Brushfinch. We might well encounter other interesting species such as White-eared Hummingbird, Pine and Tufted Flycatchers, Steller’s Jay, Pygmy Nuthatch, Hutton’s Vireo, White-throated and Rufous-backed Thrushes, Olive Warbler, Blue-hooded Euphonia and Spotted Towhee. Further towards Cuernavaca lies the Coajomulco area with humid pine-oak forests. We spend some time here looking for endemic birds such as White-striped Woodcreeper, Russet Nightingale-thrush, Blue Mockingbird, Red Warbler and Green-striped Brushfinch. The forest is a good place to see regional endemic Mexican Jay, Grey Silky-flycatcher, Brown-backed Solitaire, Black Thrush, Chestnut-sided Shrike-vireo, Crescent-chested Warbler, Slate-throated Redstart, Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer, Black-backed Oriole, Black-headed Siskin and flycatchers, vireos and warblers. After lunch we drive to the Lerma Marshes. We search the reeds to find the rare endemic Black-polled Yellowthroat among the more conspicuous Common Yellowthroats. We may also find Sora, ibises, egrets, wintering ducks and waders, sparrows and the local, endemic subspecies of Red-winged Blackbird also called as Bicoloured Blackbird.

Day 3 After breakfast we visit Bosque de Tlalpan a huge city park in the outskirts of Mexico City. The forest and arid scrub still holds some good birds and we will look for three endemics: Rufous-backed Thrush, Ocellated Thrasher and Hooded Yellowthroat. We may also find Broad-billed and Magnificent Hummingbird, Bushtit, White-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick’s Wren and Scott’s Oriole. We then drive to Córdoba where we spend one night.

Day 4 In the morning we visit Amatlán where the forest holds the endemic Sumichrast’s Wren and other great birds including Singing Quail, White-fronted Parrot, Wedge-tailed Sabrewing, Stripe-throated Hermit, White-bellied Emerald, Blue-crowned Motmot, Keel-billed Toucan, Emerald Toucanet, Collared Aracari, Band-backed Wren, Fan-tailed Warbler, Rufous-capped Warbler, Yellow-winged Tanager, Chestnut-headed and Montezuma Oropendola. In the afternoon we drive further south to Tuxtepec where we spend one night. If time allows, we might explore birding sites around town in search of Laughing Falcon, Red-billed Pigeon, Green Kingfisher, Rufous-breasted Spinetail, Black Phoebe, Grey-crowned Yellowthroat, Crimson-collared and Scarlet-rumped Tanager, Variable Seedeater and Thick-billed Seedfinch.

Day 5 We drive from Tuxtepec to Oaxaca crossing the Sierra Juarez and birding during the whole day in the so-called Valle Nacional. After leaving the small town of Valle Nacional we enter remnant patches of Atlantic lowland rain forest where roadside stops might bring Violet and Wedge-tailed Sabrewing, Canivet’s and White-bellied Emeralds, Azure-crowned Hummingbird, Collared Aracari, Rufous-breasted Spinetail, White-collared Manakin, Tropical Parula, Louisiana Waterthrush, Crimson-collared and White-winged Tanagers, and Chestnut-headed and Montezuma Oropendolas. Further on we stop to look for birds of the Atlantic-slope cloud forest. Endemic species possible here include Bumblebee Hummingbird, Aztec Thrush and White-naped Brushfinch. A nice array of regional endemics occurs here with White-faced Quail-dove, Emerald-chinned, Amethyst-throated and Garnet-throated Hummingbirds, Mexican Ant-thrush, Slate-coloured Solitaire, Black Thrush and Blue-crowned Chlorophonia. Barred Parakeet, Azure-hooded Jay and Chestnut-capped Brushfinch are also possible. The last section of the road towards Oaxaca takes us to humid pine-oak forest, home of the endemic Long-tailed Wood-partridge and Collared Towhee. We arrive late afternoon to our hotel in Oaxaca where we spend three nights.

Day 6 We pay a visit to Cerro San Felipe that is situated in the Sierra de Aloapaneca north of Oaxaca City. The forest habitat is similar to the humid pine-oak forest we have visited the day before so we have another chance to look for the specialities. Cerro San Felipe is one of the best sites for the elusive Dwarf Jay and will give us further chances to see many of the endemic species mentioned earlier. The woods also hold a good number of regional endemics including Mountain Trogon, Crescent-chested and Rufous-capped Warblers and Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer. In the afternoon we visit the beautiful Mistec ruins of Monte Alban overlooking the Valley of Oaxaca. Inside the ruins we might encounter Rock and Canyon Wren, the endemic White-throated Towhee, and Rufous-crowned Sparrow. The scrub surrounding the ruins hosts many sought-after birds including endemic Dusky and Beautiful Hummingbirds, Grey-breasted Woodpecker, Pileated Flycatcher, Boucard’s Wren, Slaty and Dwarf Vireos, as well as regional endemic Berylline Hummingbird and Black-vented Oriole.

Day 7 After breakfast we visit Teotitlán del Valle close to Oaxaca. The dry scrub here is home to a nice array of endemics. West Mexican Chachalaca might be calling from the bush, Black-vented, Bullock’s and Dickey’s Orioles feed on flowering Inga trees while small flocks of Oaxaca and Bridled Sparrows move in the thickets and the handsome Dwarf Vireo hunts for insects. Grey-breasted Woodpecker, Boucard’s Wren and White-throated Towhee also occurs in the more open areas. Berylline and Green-fronted Hummingbirds are also on our menu together with Dusky Flycatcher, Say’s Phoebe, Western Scrub-jay, Bridled Titmouse, Bewick’s Wren and Hepatic Tanager. A small reservoir attracts waterbirds and we might see Least Grebe, Ruddy Duck, Least and Spotted Sandpiper. In the afternoon we visit the ruins of Yagul where the arid scrub holds most of the Oaxaca Valley endemics, so we will have another chance to look for them in a spectacular setting. Target endemic birds here include Pileated Flycatcher and Bridled Sparrow.

Day 8 We leave Oaxaca and drive the long way to Puerto Angel on the Pacific Coast. As the road climbs high into the Sierra de Miahuatlán we stop to search for a good range of endemic birds such as Golden-crowned Emerald, Blue-capped Hummingbird, Wagler’s Toucanet, Happy Wren, the very rare White-throated Jay, Golden Vireo and Red-headed Tanager. Regional endemics are also well represented here and we hope to see White-faced Quail-dove, Great Swallow-tailed Swift, Cinnamon-sided Hummingbird, Sparkling-tailed Woodstar and Golden-browed Warbler Late afternoon we arrive to Puerto Angel where we spend two nights.

Day 9 In the morning we continue our search for the specialities in the foothills of the Sierra de Miahuatlán. During the afternoon we take a boat trip on the Pacific Ocean to look for seabirds. Brown Pelican, Magnificent Frigatebird and Brown Booby are common along the coast, while Pink-footed Shearwater, Black Storm-petrel and Red-billed Tropicbird are found in smaller numbers. If we are lucky we might even see Townsend’s Shearwater, Least Storm-petrel and Masked Booby. Animals we might see include parties of Bottle-nosed Dolphins, Green Turtles and Mobula Rays jumping high out of the water.

Day 10 We explore the birding sites around Puerto Angel where the thorn forest is home to various endemic birds. Citreoline Trogon, the lovely Russet-crowned Motmot, Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Golden Vireo, the beautiful Orange-breasted Bunting and Yellow-winged Cacique are all fairly common and we will try to call in Colima Pygmy-owl. Other special birds of the area include White-fronted Parrot, Grey-breasted Martin, Rufous-naped Wren, White-lored Gnatcatcher, Blue Bunting, Olive Sparrow and Streak-backed Oriole. Later in the day we leave for Tehuantepec for a one-night stay, driving south along the Pacific Coast stopping en route for birding.

Day 11 The morning will find us birding in the thorn forest at Tehuantepec home of the localized endemic Sumichrast’s Sparrow. While we search for the skulking sparrow we may find other endemics such as Lilac-crowned Parrot, Doubleday’s Hummingbird and Orange-breasted Bunting. White-throated Magpie-jay and White-lored Gnatcatcher are fairly common and if we are lucky we might spot the elusive Lesser Ground-cuckoo inside the dense scrub. Then we drive to Arriaga where we spend the following two nights. On the way we explore the Tapanatepec Foothills, home of the extremely localized, beautiful endemic Rosita’s Bunting and many of the endemics we have already seen or still need.

Day 12 We spend the whole day birding around Puerto Arista and Boca del Cielo. The orchards of Puerto Arista host the enigmatic endemic Giant Wren, while nearby weedy pastures and thickets are home to a number of regional endemics. Flocks of Pacific, Orange-fronted and Orange-chinned Parakeets might fly above us while we drive to explore the lagoons and canals around Boca del Cielo where an amazing variety of waterbirds awaits us. Wood Stork, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Black-bellied Whistling-duck, American Avocet, Hudsonian Whimbrel, Short-billed Dowitcher and Black Skimmer are relatively easy to find, and we will search for the more elusive Boat-billed Heron, Bare-throated Tiger-heron, and the rare Marbled Godwit and Elegant Tern. Scissor-tailed Flycatchers are commonly encountered and we might be lucky to see flocks of Ruddy-breasted Seedeaters.

Day 13 After a morning birding around Puerto Arista we drive towards Tuxtla Gutierrez stopping en route at the Arriaga Foothills. Here we have another chance for Rosita’s and Orange-breasted Bunting, Canivet’s Emerald and Green-fronted Hummingbird. We arrive to Tuxtla in the early afternoon and if we have time we make a first exploratory visit to the Sumidero Canyon in search of Great Swallow-tailed Swift and Buff-collared Nightjar. Two nights Tuxtla Gutierrez.

Day 14 After breakfast we set out to explore the Sumidero Canyon. We will drive along the rim of the spectacular gorge of Río Grijalva and stop at vantage points and walk along the road in search of two rare endemic species: Flammulated Flycatcher and Red-breasted Chat. Later, we enter scrubby woodland and oak forest where more exciting species awaits us. Highland Guan is one of the highly prized regional endemics here, but we will need to be lucky to see it. We will also search for other regional endemics such as flocks of Green Parakeet, the funny Lesser Roadrunner, a nice array of hummingbirds including Canivet’s and White-bellied Emerald, Slender Sheartail, the localized Belted Flycatcher, the rare Grey-collared Becard, “Ridgeway’s” Rough-winged Swallow, Blue-and-white Mockingbird, Black-vented Oriole and the rare Bar-winged Oriole. Thicket Tinamou, Pheasant Cuckoo, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Collared Trogon, Blue-crowned Motmot, Emerald Toucanet, Canyon Wren, Orange-billed Nightingale-thrush, Yellow Grosbeak, Varied Bunting and Blue Seedeater are all possible and we will have a full day to search for most of them.

Day 15 After breakfast we visit a nearby site where the sough-after endemic Nava’s Wren occurs. It is a difficult bird to see but we will try to lure it out from the thickets. The limestone habitat harbours many other interesting birds including the localized, endemic Long-tailed Sabrewing. Later we drive to the lovely town of San Cristóbal de las Casas situated high up in the mountains to spend two nights. In the evening we walk through the narrow streets of San Cristóbal and check out hunting Lesser Nighthawks over the cathedral.

Day 16 We spend the whole day exploring birding sites in the vicinity of San Cristóbal. There are many great birds inhabiting the pine-oak forests. We will search for the inconspicuous but beautiful Blue-throated Motmot, the elusive Black-throated Jay and the skulking White-naped Brushfinch among the many regional endemic species. Mountain Trogon, Northern (Guatemalan) Flicker, Pine Flycatcher, Unicoloured Jay, Rufous-browed Wren, Rufous-collared Thrush and Golden-browed Warblers are all relatively common. The enigmatic Pink-headed and Red-faced Warblers requires a thorough search through the flocks of wintering warblers including Crescent-chested, Townsend’s, Hermit, Black-throated Green, Olive and the rare Golden-cheeked Warbler. We will look for the nicely-coloured Blue-and-white Mockingbird that is often revealed by it song. We keep an eye to the sky to discover flocks of the regional endemic Black-capped Swallow. Other regional endemics including Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer and Black-capped Siskin are also on our menu. During the evening we will search for owls including Bearded Screech-owl and the rarely seen Unspotted Saw-whet Owl.

Day 17 We drive back to Tuxtla Gutierrez to catch a flight back to Mexico City to connect with our overnight flight back to London.

Day 18 Arrival in London at the end of the tour.

General Information Coastal Mexico can be hot and humid at this time of year. Our pace is easy but the heat can be uncomfortable if you are not accustomed to it. There are a number of health requirements and you must consult your GP in this respect.

Group size Maximum group size: 9 with 1 leader, 14 with 2 leaders.

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