By Signe Hammer
Audubon de México now leads birdwalks on the third Saturday of each month—the day after tomorrow. With leaders Luke Rich, Bob Graham, and Signe Hammer, we’ll bird along the Rio Laja near Cieneguita and the bridge to Guanajuato. The rich habitat includes a wooded river trail, farmland with big trees, and open sky for raptors. We’ll also find the ruins of a colonial-era bridge, part of the Camino Real, the Royal Road, built to move silver from mines to ports.
To keep everyone safe and make social distancing possible, we’re limiting the number of participants, with pre-registration required: Please email audubondemexico@gmail.com. Carpooling is essential, so let us know if you are driving and can transport others. Masks are required in the cars, and we’re asking that everyone be vaccinated.
At this site, we recently found a wonderful variety of waterfowl, including American White Pelicans, the Teal Trifecta—Green-winged, Blue-winged, and Cinnamon—with Northern Shovelers, Northern Pintails, Ruddy Ducks, and Least Grebes, plus Mexican Ducks and a Common Gallinule.
Along the river, we spotted our native Green Kingfisher and a wintering Belted Kingfisher, as well as waders like Wood Storks, Egrets, a Great Blue Heron, Black-necked Stilts, Long-billed Dowitchers, and Lesser Yellowlegs. Shorebirds included Killdeer and Spotted Sandpiper.
Raptors included Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite, Northern Harrier, and American Kestrel, plus Common Ravens (carnivores but not raptors).
Add our beautiful local songbirds like Vermilion Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Say’s Phoebe, and Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater, plus lingering, wintering warblers and sparrows for a wonderful birdwalk!
Wear comfortable, sturdy walking shoes and bring water and a hat. We’ll have our Audubon de México bird guide, “Birds of San Miguel”—with 81 species commonly found in the San Miguel area—for sale. Our guides carry telescopes so that everyone can see distant birds clearly, and we’ll also have a few pairs of binoculars to lend. Plan to arrive at 7:45am, as we leave promptly at 8am. You’ll be back by noon, with new entries for your life list and new birding friends. For more information, visit our website at http://www.audubonmexico.org.
Audubon Birdwalk
Sat, Mar 19, 7:45am-Noon
Meets in front of Instituto Allende
Ancha de San Antonio 20
Pre-registration required: audubondemexico@gmail.com
Members free, non-members 200 pesos or US$10
Photo by Bob Graham
