Subject: Oaxaca CBC (fwd)
Date: Jan 12 16:34:04 2000
From: Dan Victor - dcv at scn.org


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Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 16:03:21 -0800 (PST)
From: Eugene Hunn <hunn at u.washington.edu>

Greetings from Oaxaca from Gene Hunn.

Fourth Annual Oaxaca Christmas Bird Count
2 January 2000

This year's Oaxaca CBC was run late in count period to accommodate
E. Hunn's schedule. As a result we were not able to take advantage of the
VENT and WINGS winter bird tours' expertise, but we hope they will agree
to help out again next year when the count returns to its more usual date
near Christmas. The weather was fine but rather cold, with a touch of
frost in the early morning in parts of the valley where cold air settles.
Quite unusual at 17 N latitude, but we are at just above 5000 feet here
(and up to 11,000 feet on the summit of Cerro San Felipe).

We were, as usual, seriously understaffed, as the large number of
count period birds attests. We were fortunate that Alice and Brad Boyle,
expert birders from British Columbia, happened to be in town. We were
assisted by six forestry students from various Oaxaca educational
institutions and we hope some of these may "get the bug" and take over
leadership of the count in the future. We enjoyed the official support of
SERBO, A.C. (Society for the Study of the Biotic Resources of Oaxaca) and
SEMARNAP (the Mexican Federal Secretariat for Management of Natural
Resources and Fisheries) and the Oaxaca State Institute of Ecology. The
Seattle Audubon's Society contributed $100 toward expenses.

For the first time we made a serious effort owling, with excellent
results. Both Whiskered-Screech and Flammulated Owls are new count birds,
the latter of particular interest as there are very few Oaxaca records. It
is apparently common in the high pine-oak forests here, perhaps resident
as birds were calling spontaneously at several locations.
Other new birds for the count (and/or count week) include Ruddy Duck,
Cinnamon Teal, Montezuma Quail, Green Kingfisher, Barn Swallow, Swainson's
Thrush, Gray Catbird, Barn Swallow, and Townsend's X Hermit Warbler hybrid
(likely from Washington State).

After four years of the count we have recorded in one or more years,
either on count day or during count week, a grand total of 235 species,
211 of those on count day; we have recorded 167 species in two or more
years; 132 species in three or more years; and 82 species every year. This
suggests the great variation in species from year to year, which is
perhaps more a function of the limited number of expert observers than
actual fluctuations in bird populations.
The 1999/2000 results are as follows.

OJ MX
Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca Mexico

1706'N 9641'W, center at 3.4 n.e. Oaxaca city center to include Cerro San
Felipe, Sta. Maria del Tule, airport, Monte Alban, & Sta. Cruz Etla. 20%
pine-oak forest, 15% oak chaparral, 15% deciduous thorn forest, 30% farm &
pasture land, 15% urban, 5% wetlands. Jan 2, 2000; 3 a.m. to 6 p.m. Temp
30 to 78. Wind calm. Water open. Clear. Observers: 12 in field in 2-3
parties, 2 parties owling. 4.5 hours and 35 miles owling. Total
party-hours 30; party-miles 59; 22 hours and 16 miles on foot; 3.5 hours
and 59 miles by car.

Least Grebe 2; Pied-billed Grebe 1; Ruddy Duck CW; Blue-winged
Teal 15; Cinnamon Teal 1; Little Blue Heron 2; Snowy Egret 2; Great Blue
Heron 3; Great Egret 6; Cattle Egret 172; Green Heron 3; Black Vulture 4;
Turkey Vulture 25; White-tailed Kite 1; N. Harrier 1; Sharp-shinned Hawk
CW; Cooper's Hawk CW; Zone-tailed Hawk CW; Red-tailed Hawk 5; Crested
Caracara 10; Am. Kestrel 3; Peregrine Falcon 3; Montezuma Quail 3; Am.
Coot 215; Spotted Sandpiper 2; Least Sandpiper 24; Killdeer CW; Rock Dove
12; Band-tailed Pigeon CW; Mourning Dove 7; White-winged Dove 36, Inca
Dove 37; Com. Ground-Dove 5; White-tipped Dove CW; Groove-billed Ani 6;
Barn Owl 1; Flammulated Owl 8; Whiskered Screech-Owl 6; Mountain Pygmy-Owl
2; Lesser Nighthawk CW.

White-throated Swift CW; Dusky Hummingbird 2; White-eared Hummingbird 25;
Berylline Hummingbird 37; Amethyst-throated Hummingbird CW; Magnificent
Hummingbird 2; Beautiful Hummingbird CW; Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1;
Broad-tailed Hummingbird CW; Rufous Hummingbird 1; Belted Kingfisher 1;
Green Kingfisher 1; Gray-breasted Woodpecker CW; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
CW; Ladder-backed Woodpecker CW; Hairy Woodpecker 2; Spot-crowned
Woodcreeper 1.

Buff-breasted Flycatcher CW; Cordilleran Flycatcher 1; Dusky Flycatcher 2;
Hammond's Flycatcher CW; Black Phoebe 1; Greater Pewee 5; Ash-throated
Flycatcher CW; Nutting's Flycatcher 3; Tufted Flycatcher 1; Vermilion
Flycatcher 55; Cassin's Kingbird 14, Thick-billed Kingbird 5; Tropical
Kingbird 4; W. Kingbird 1; Great Kiskadee 18; Rose-throated Becard 3;
Dwarf Jay 8; Scrub Jay 5; Steller's Jay 1; Com Raven 2.

Hutton's Vireo 3; Cassin's Vireo 1; Plumbeous Vireo 1; Warbling Vireo 2;
Loggerhead Shrike 1, Cedar Waxwing 1; Gray Silky-Flycatcher 41; Swainson's
Thrush CW; Brown-backed Solitaire 7; Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush CW;
Am. Robin 13, Aztec Thrush 1; Clay-colored Robin 3; Rufous-backed Robin
CW; Blue Mockingbird 1; Curve-billed Thrasher 4; Gray Catbird CW; N.
Mockingbird 1; Brown Creeper 2.
Bewick's Wren 1; Boucard's Wren 1; Canyon Wren 10; Gray-barred Wren 31;
Rock Wren 1; Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 23; Bushtit 38; Barn Swallow CW; N.
Rough-winged Swallow 23; Violet-green Swallow 347; Ruby-crowned Kinglet
21; Mexican Chickadee 4; Bridled Titmouse 1; House Sparrow 53; Am. Pipit
3; House Finch 64; Lesser Goldfinch 41.

Black-and-white Warbler 5; Black-throated Gray Warbler 1; Black-throated
Green Warbler 1; Crescent-chested Warbler 6; Golden-browed Warbler 8;
Hermit Warbler 14; MacGillivray's Warbler 1; Nashville Warbler 15; Olive
Warbler 2; Orange-crowned Warbler 5; Red Warbler 16; Red-faced Warbler 2;
Rufous-capped Warbler 12; Townsend's Warbler 6; Townsend's X Hermit
Warbler 1; Virginia's Warbler 1; Wilson's Warbler 14; Yellow-rumped
(Audubon's) Warbler 38; N. Waterthrush 3; Am. Redstart CW; Painted
Redstart 2; Slate-throated Redstart 1.

Bridled Sparrow CW; Chipping Sparrow 100; Clay-colored Sparrow 5;
Grasshopper Sparrow CW; Lark Sparrow 21; Lincoln's Sparrow 16;
Rufous-crowned Sparrow CW; Savannah Sparrow CW; Vesper Sparrow CW;
Yellow-eyed Junco 2; Cinnamon-bellied Flower-piercer 1; Summer Tanager 1;
W. Tanager 19.

Black-headed Grosbeak 2; Blue Grosbeak CW; Indigo Bunting CW;
Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch 3; Collared Towhee 10; Spotted Towhee 1;
White-throated Towhee 75; White-collared Seedeater 3; E. Meadowlark 5;
Great-tailed Grackle 27; Bronzed Cowbird 48; Brown-headed Cowbird 2;
Black-vented Oriole 6; Baltimore Oriole 1; Bullock's Oriole 2; Orchard
Oriole 1; Scott's Oriole 1.

Total: 132 species (plus 32 more count week for a total of 164,
plus one hybrid); 2074 individuals.

Participants: Compiler-Eugene Hunn, 1816 N. 57th St., Seattle, WA
98103 (206) 524-8112. Eloy Bautista Gualberto, Alice & Brad Boyle, Hugo
Escobar Lpez, Bob Forgie, Irene Garca Prez, Gloria Garca Rojas, Livia
Garca Zrate, Eugene Hunn, Valentina Mejio Garca, Moises Prez Lpez,
Elzabeth Torres Bahena.

Details:

Cinnamon Teal: E. Hunn observed a single eclipse or female individual with
18 similarly plumaged Blue-winged Teal on Presa Cruz Blanca, ca 8 km ssw
of Oaxaca on Dec. 29 and again on Jan 4. The bird was distinctly more
evenly brown on the face and its bill was noticeably broader and more
drooping at the tip.

Zone-tailed Hawk: Alice & Brad Boyle observed a single adult circling over
downtown Oaxaca with a Red-tailed Hawk on 3 January. Zone-tailed Hawks are
occasional transients in the Central Valleys and over the Sierras to the
north and south.

Montezuma Quail: On count day Hunn's party flushed three quail from nearly
underfoot on a grassy slope just below the ruins of Monte Alban at an
elevation of 1900 m. They flushed straight away and low and could not be
relocated. They were the size and shape of Montezuma Quail, which is the
only species of quail expected at this location.

Flammulated Owl: Both owling parties heard Flammulated Owls calling at
several locations at 2900-3000 m on Cerro San Felipe. Though rarely
reported, they are said to reach the southern limit of their breeding
range in this area (Howell & Webb 1995). Hunn called two individuals in to
within 50 feet but could not see them in the dense foliage of the oaks.

Buff-breasted Flycatcher: E. Hunn and the Boyle's identified a single
silent individual at the Parque Ecolgico Comunal de San Felipe del Agua
just north of the city at ca. 1800 m on December 31. The bird perched in
the open at eye level at a distance of 20-50 feet for several minutes
affording excellent views. The bird was bright buffy-orange below with
rich buffy eye-ring and wingbars. The bill was broad with a yellow lower
mandible. This species is rare but not unprecedented at this location.

Swainson's Thrush: The Boyle's and E. Hunn observed a spot-breasted
Catharus thrush in riparian forest in the Parque Ecolgico Comunal de San
Felipe del Agua just north of the city at ca. 1800 m on December 31. The
bird was seen briefly but clearly. It showed a prominent buffy eye-ring,
buffy flanks, and did not flick its tail or wings, ruling out the somewhat
more likely Hermit Thrush.

Gray Catbird: Hunn and Liz Torres observed a single Gray Catbird in the
company of a Curve-billed Thrasher Dec. 30 in a weedy patch at the Presa
El Estudiante, Huayapan, 10 km n.e. of Oaxaca. The black cap, slender dark
gray body, and long tail were clearly seen. This is apparently the first
(or second) record for the Valley of Oaxaca, though the species winters
commonly at lower elevations to the north.

Townsend's X Hermit Warbler: The Hunn party observed a single hybrid
Townsend's X Hermit at the Presa El Estudiante, Huayapan, 10 km n.e. of
Oaxaca on count day. The bird had a clear yellow face like a Hermit, but
with yellow extended down below the black chest mark; There was a narrow,
abbreviated black crown stripe and the back was green.

Gene Hunn
Oaxaca, MX
mailto:hunn at u.washington.edu