RE: [Tweeters] Baja BirdsIn the northern half of Mexico you will see lots of neotropical warblers, the same ones we see in the U.S. and Canada. But as you move south, the percentage of northern migrants drops. Once you get south of the high mountatin range stretching from Colima to Veracruz it's a different story. We loved the mountains above Colima because the small birds are not as wary. In poorer areas, almost anything that moves is hunted as food. Many plantation workers carry a slingshot, along with the usual machete. The color plates from the Web and Howell book are invaluable throughout Mexico, but you'll want to take a comprehensive U.S. field guide as well.
Gene Bullock
Poulsbo
bullockg at earthlink.net
----- Original Message -----
From: Guttman,Burton
To: Rob Conway ; diane_weinstein at msn.com ; tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2006 10:27 AM
Subject: RE: [Tweeters] Baja Birds


I think Rob is right about the Howell books being most useful--on an organized trip in N.E. Mexico in November, most of us had the "Guide" book, but many folks had stripped out the plates alone and had them bound separately, because the book is so huge. However, I found that my old copy of Peterson and Chalif's Field Guide to Mexican Birds even more useful, partly because it's normal field guide size. Trouble is, of course, that it doesn't show the birds that are already pictured in the Eastern and Western field guides, and we kept encountering birds in migration such as the northern warblers, from all over the U.S. That may not be a problem down in winter in Baja.
Burt Guttman
The Evergreen State College
Olympia, WA 98505 guttmanb at evergreen.edu
Home: 7334 Holmes Island Road S. E., Olympia, 98503


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu on behalf of Rob Conway
Sent: Sat 1/21/2006 10:16 PM
To: diane_weinstein at msn.com; tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: RE: [Tweeters] Baja Birds


Diane,

The Howell books - 'Bird Finding Guide to Mexico' and 'Guide to Birds of
Mexico Northern Central America' have served me well - Don't forget your
Sibley either!

Since most of us are also not just birders but "naturalists" in general I'd
recommend 'Roberts Baja California Plant Field Guide' (which I realize I can
no longer find my copy of) if you are interested in the really fascinating
plant life on the peninsula.

The whale watching is great - but there is a ton of other marine life out
there - make sure you get a good general marine life guidebook as well.


Rob Conway
Newcastle, WA

robin_birder at hotmail.com





>From: "Diane Weinstein" <diane_weinstein at msn.com>
>To: "Tweeters" <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
>Subject: [Tweeters] Baja Birds
>Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 14:45:56 -0800
>
>Dear Tweeters,
>
>Can anyone recommend a good bird field guide and checklist for Baja? I am
>going there on a whale watching trip in March.
>
>Diane Weinstein
>Issaquah


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