[mou] Mazatlan - Tufted Jay

[William Brennan]

I am posting this information because I understand a group of  
Minnesota birders are headed to Mazatlan soon and find it of interest.

  I just returned from a trip to Mazatlan, Mexico. While I was there I  
did some birding on my own. I had a real thrill while photographing a  
flock of flying Teal. I saw a Peregrine take a Greenwing Teal right  
out of the middle of the flock, drop to the ground and proceed to have  
lunch. In minutes the Peregrine had to defend against a group of  
Turkey Vultures trying to get to the Teal. At one point the Peregrine  
jumped on the back of one of the TVs to drive it away.


I also took a one day guided trip to Reserva Chara Pinta - Tufted Jay  
Preserve                (http://www.tufted-jay-preserve.org).  My  
primary goal on the day trip was to take pictures of the Tufted Jay.  
We left Mazatlan at 5:30 am and drove the 220 km to the preserve. Just  
short of the preserve the guide saw Steller’s Jays along the road and  
she pulled off to check them out because Tufted Jays are often in  
company. She was right and we found at least half dozen working back  
and forth across the road. I was able to get many excellent pictures  
of the Tufted Jay. We then drove the short distance to the pull off  
for the path up the mountain and elected to walk up the trail to the  
preserve rather than drive up to the cabins. We sighted many endemic  
birds on the way up. On the walk down we again sighted Tufted Jays.  
This time we encountered a group of Tufted Jays together and I was  
able to get pictures of three jays together apparently courting. Here  
is a list of the birds seen in the vicinity of Mazatlan and at the  
preserve (27 lifers).

  American White Pelican


Brown Pelican

Double Crested Cormorant

Magnificent Frigatebird

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Cattle Egret

Boat-billed Heron*

White Ibis

White-faced Ibis

Roseate Spoonbill

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Green-winged Teal

Northern Pintail

Blue-winged Teal

Cinnamon Teal

Northern Shoveler

Ruddy Duck

Black Vulture

Turkey Vulture

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Grey Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk

Crested Caracara

American Kestrel

Peregrine Falcon

Merlin

American Coot

Black-necked Stilt

American Avocet

Willet

Marbled Godwit

Short-billed Dowitcher*

Long-billed Dowitcher*

White-winged Dove

Mourning Dove

White-tipped Dove*

White-eared Hummingbird*

Blue-throated Hummingbird*

Mountain Trogon*

Arizona Woodpecker*

Strickland Woodpecker*

Tufted Flycatcher*

Greater Pewee*

Vermilion Flycatcher

Great Kiskadee

Tropical Kingbird*

Steller’s Jay*

Blue-throated Magpie Jay

Tufted Jay***

Northern Raven

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Blue-gray gnatcatcher

Hermit Thrush*

Rufus-backed Thrush*

Black-capped Verio*

Orange-crowned Warbler*

Crescent-chested Warbler*

Townsend’s Warbler*

Black-and-white Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Red-faced Warbler*

Slate-throated Warbler*

Olive Warbler*

Hepatic Tanager*

Yellow Grosbeak*

Varied Bunting*

Streaked-backed Oriole*

Bullock’s Oriole



My guide, Carolyn Felderhof, Sendero Mexico (http://www.senderomexico.com 
) was wonderful and I can’t praise her enough. Anyone wishing more  
info about Sendero Mexico and the guide, Carolyn Felderhof, please  
contact me offline.






  
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