Xochimilco, Mexico City, November 2012

A taxi from the tren ligero station at Xochimilco disqualifies this trip from the 10,000 Birds Year List, but I am feeling confident that the race is all sewn up, barring a late rush from Duncan. My colleague, JP had joined me again in a more demure outfit and was astonished to see our first Vermillion Flycatcher of the day. But then, Vermillion Flycatchers are astonishing birds especially when you see them for the first time. Maybe they should be written in red for every sighting.

 

There was cause for the red pen today as JP pointed out a brown bird disappearing into the reeds. He found it again and we were able to identify it as a King Rail. 

We started by the Visitor Centre and racked up a good number of birds before popping in to pay our entrance fee. (25 Pesos @20 Pesos = £1). I obtained a free permit which must be displayed at all times when carrying an obtrusive camera. Wilson’s Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and Common Yellow-throat were seen by the water’s edge of the big lake on the right. House Finch and Canyon Towhee fed from the ground in the rose garden between the entrance gate and the Visitor Centre.

 

Behind the Visitors’ Centre, a path leads onto a wooden walkway that heads out across the reed-lined lake. Most of the day’s herons, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret and Green Heron, were found along the edge of the reeds in small numbers. On the second walkway, we had to wait for a Snowy Egret to move along before going across and enjoying a close look at a Pied-billed Grebe.

 

The Blue-faced Darner Aeshna multicolor were flying in lower numbers today than I had seen previously, but they hovered conveniently, just long enough to allow me to get focus.

 

Vermillion Flycatchers were obvious and common as were the Cassin’s Kingbirds that hawked from perches overlooking newly cut meadows.

 

We encountered an opossum as we came back round to the road, but only now I find that there are many forms in South and Central America, so I will have to come back to you when I have reduced it to species level. I tried to circle round and get a photograph that avoided tarmac as a backdrop at which point the animal keeled over and died.

 

We were exploring the grass and looking at hoppers and spiders when JP pointed out a brown bird which had flushed from nearby and was disappearing into the reeds by a small bridge. It looked exciting and we left the insects to have a look. JP found it again, creeping slowly through the tangle of reeds and we were able to discount Virginia Rail and identify it as a King Rail.

We didn’t quite close the circle back at the Visitor’s Centre, but turned up towards the barge quay. Gaily painted barges take trippers out onto the main lake and we were ruing the clock today as our time was limited. The lake was very active with a large flock of waders, plenty of ducks and herons in greater numbers than the rest of the reserve.

The waders were Long-billed Dowitchers (but I reserve the right to change my mind at any time without prejudice) with a couple of Black-necked Stilt and Killdeer thrown in. Ducks included American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler and Cinnamon Teal. A Vermillion Flycatcher continually dropped onto the water hyacinth in front of us to pick insects from the floating weed.

An Osprey flew over in a clumsy attempt to catch fish. Its approach was text-book with talons extended, but the plunge appeared to be inexperienced as the bird ended up deep in the water each time and had to fight its way back into the air. Perhaps its intended prey was deep beneath the surface.

 

A Peregrine added to the excitement across the lake. Clouds of American Avocet and Black-winged Stilts rose from the shallows as the falcon made passes across the lake. It spotted a bird with a weakness and returned time after time, skimming across the surface trying to catch it, but all the action was very distant and we could not see whether it was successful. In the confusion, some peeps were flushed, but they were too distant for me to identify. I suspect that they were Least Sandpipers.

 

A trip out on the barges would have brought us much closer to where the birds were resting, but I could not say whether our approach would scare them off (there is a tourist area of Xochimilco Town where barges carry trippers around the canals accompanied by mariachi bands. I assume that these barges, despite their bright colours are more discreet). Given more time, it would have been possible to have circled around the barge lagoon and found a better vantage further up the lake, but the clock was running down and we had to start making tracks towards home. A Buff-bellied Flycatcher sat well in a bank-side willow.

We followed the edge of the lake for a while before cutting back to the path with the arches that leads back to the main gate.

Some taxi drivers seem unsure of exactly where the Parque Ecologico de Xochimilco is. The odd tower near the gate can be used to confirm that you have arrived at the right place.

We took the Metro train to Tasquena (3 Pesos each) at the end of the Blue Line. From there we caught the Tren Ligero to its last stop at Xochimilco (also 3 Pesos one way).

 

On our return, we crossed the road using the footbridge (here we found another odd tower very similar to the one at the entrance to the parque, but it is unlikely to be confused) and caught a taxi that took us to Tren Ligero station, Periferico. It is closer to the park, but a taxi rank was not obvious at Periferico station. Taxis cost between 40 and 60 Pesos.

Birds seen; 44

American Wigeon 40, Cinnamon Teal 10, Northern Shoveler 15, Green-winged Teal 20, Ring-necked Duck 1, Pied-billed Grebe 8, American White Pelican 5, Great Blue Heron 8, Great Egret 10, Snowy Egret 4, Green Heron 2, Black-crowned Night Heron 2, White-faced Ibis 3, Turkey Vulture 4, Osprey 1, Red-tailed Hawk 1, American Kestrel 1, King Rail 1, Common Gallinule 15, American Coot 100, Killdeer 6, Black-necked Stilt 120, American Avocet 40, Long-billed Dowitcher 150, Mourning Dove 4, Inca Dove 4, Buff-breasted Flycatcher 2, Black Phoebe 1, Vermillion Flycatcher 15, Tropical Kingbird 1, Cassin’s Kingbird 15, Marsh Wren 3, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher 1, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1, Curve-billed Thrasher 2, Common Yellow-throat 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler 12, Wilson’s Warbler 3, Canyon Towhee 4, Song Sparrow 4, Red-winged Blackbird 2, Great-tailed Grackle 6, House Finch 25.

 

Other posts from Xochimilco can be seen at the links below;

http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2010/09/parque-ecologico-de-xochimilco-mexico_2239.html

http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/parque-ecologico-de-xochimilco-pex.html

http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/if-anyone-has-time-and-inclination-i.html

Visit the dedicated Central and South American Page for more posts from Mexico including UNAM Botanical Gardens and Bosque de Tlalpan

Parque Ecologico de Xochimilco, Mexico City, Mexico, MEX

The Parque Ecologico de Xochimilco (shoh-chee-mil-ko) sometimes abbreviated to PEX, is a reserve created from a swampy area in 1989.

I was not able to give it a fair go today as I arrived late after making a pilgrimage on behalf of my wife and then had to leave early to avoid a thunder storm.
It is made up of lakes and meadows which have been landscaped and manicured close to the visitor centre to appeal to leisure visitors, but it has been left to grow wild further out, much to the delight of the wildlife.

I rode the Metro to Tasquena and thence, caught the Tren Ligero (Light Train) to La Noria. This was to visit the world’s largest collection of artworks by Diego Rivera and Frieda Kahlo (which are currently out on tour. Check before you arrive) at Museo Dolores Olmedo Patina. Ostensibly, this was a fact finding mission for my wife, but I mention it here because the gardens held Berylline Hummingbird, Broad-billed Hummingbird, Inca Dove, Great-tailed Grackle and House Finch as well as peacocks on the lawn. From here it is but a few moments taxi ride to PEX which is located on the south of Anillo Periferico (Google Earth 19* 17’ 48”N, 99* 05’ 40” W).

At the gate I was told that the site opens at 07.00, but other web sites say 09.00 or even 10.00. There is an entrance charge of $P 20 (£1.00 / US$1.50).

The information Centre is straight ahead across a flower garden and the large Lago Huetzalin is to the right. The lake is choked with water hyacinth at the moment and workers were in the water up to their chests, hauling out the weed.

Boat rides on the gaily painted trajinera (punt-barges) would ply the lake given a navigable course, but it looks as though business is bad at the moment. In the distance at the far (south) end of the lake, I could see plenty of Great Egrets and Black-crowned Night Herons which would enhance a boat trip and a rail got the better of me as it ducked into the dense covering of hyacinth.

A Spotted Sandpiper rode the prow of a moored rowing boat and I was just able to get in a shot before the security guard approached and invited me to join him at the photography permit application suite (see Mexican Gripes above). The permit was required to be displayed at all times.
I followed the path adorned with arches towards the embarcadero (boat dock). In the trees along the way there were Bewick’s Wren calling and Vermillion Flycatchers which were looking stunning as usual.

In the shorter path-side vegetation, House Finches and Lesser Goldfinches were feeding on flower and grass seed heads. Canyon Towhee were very common, and was the most likely brown bird on the paths.

They would fly up into a tree until I passed, then drop back down onto the path. Occasionally, a Curve-billed Thrasher made me look more closely.

The insect life was prolific and as you can imagine, the odonata kept me busy for a while. I hadn’t arrived until late and by the time the camera permit was issued, it was almost midday. So, I felt that my time would be put to best use looking at dragonflies rather than birds.
This Blue-faced Darner Aeshna multicolor was especially abundant and could be seen flying in great numbers at any chosen body of water on the reserve. It seldom settled except when it was mating. The male in the middle in this picture is in a pinwheel with a female.The lowest male was either trying to break the coupling pair apart or perhaps trying to eat the female's head.

In the bank-side vegetation, the damselflies were very common too, but I need to do more work before I can identify them properly.

 Steve Covey of  http://northantsdragonflies.blogspot.com/  advises me that the damselfly above and below is a Black-fronted Forktail Ischnura denticollis

The one below is easily recogniseable as a Mexican Amberwing Perithemis intensa. I don't know if the Eastern Amberwing reaches this far south, but it would sport small yellow blotches on its thorax to differentiate it if it did.

I cut across the meadows which were slowly reclaiming the swings and slides which, hopefully, see more action at weekends and holidays. Today, a Tuesday in the second half of September, I had the place to myself. The finches were gorging themselves on seed heads and a Cassin’s Kingbird watched from his vantage point on the top of a climbing frame.

Back near the visitor centre, the lake had a much cleaner look and the wildlife was scant. Just one Great Egret stalked the edges and a Green Heron flushed into a tree.

On the water, a Pied-billed Grebe was fishing with a youngster close in tow.
Realising that omissions from their field guide might cause comment (see Mexican Gripes above), Steve NG Howell and Sophie Webb had redeemed themselves by including the full set of potential yellowthroats. I needed help here as there are six candidates in Mexico and confusion could easily reign without comparative illustrations. My bird looked particularly shabby, which didn’t help matters. Geographical distribution and habitat preferences helped to eliminate most of them, leaving just two likely suspects; the Common Yellowthroat and the Hooded Yellowthroat.

The Hooded Yellowthroat would have been a lifer, but I had to concede that the supercillium was whitish rather than greyish which left me with our old friend the Common Yellowthroat. Bolts of lightning were ripping the sky apart now and being out in the open with a metal tripod slung over my shoulder was making me feel very insecure.

I feel that the reserve would have had much more to offer if I had given it a chance to shine early in the morning. I hear tell that a lot of migrants from the north pass through and over-winter here.

Just outside the gate to the reserve is a large bus stop and plenty of taxis pass this way. The general wisdom in using taxis in Mexico City is to ensure that their permit and picture are prominently displayed, but nothing can beat common sense. Most hotels will provide a car which can wait or pick you up again at an agreed time. Radio taxis can record the name of drivers on a call out and as such provide a modicum of reassurance.

Bird species; 22

Pied-billed Grebe 3, Great Egret25, Green Heron 3, Black-crowned Night Heron 6, Common Moorhen 3, American Coot 5, Spotted Sandpiper 2, Mourning Dove 8, Inca Dove 6, Vermillion Flycatcher 5, Cassin’s Kingbird 1, Cliff Swallow 10, Bewick’s Wren 2, Curve-billed Thrasher 3, Bushtit 6, Loggerhead Shrike 1, House Finch 60, Lesser Goldfinch 50, Common Yellowthroat 1, Wilson’s Warbler 2, Canyon Towhee 30, Great-tailed Grackle 15.

Odonata species;

Blue-faced Darner Aeshna multicolour c1000, Roseate Skimmer Orthemis ferruginea 2, Mexican Amberwing Perithemis intensa 4, Black-fronted Forktail Ischnura denticollis 6

Other visits to Parque Ecologico de Xochimilco can be seen at the links below;
http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/parque-ecologico-de-xochimilco-pex.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/if-anyone-has-time-and-inclination-i.html
http://redgannet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/xochimilco-mexico-city-november-2012.html

Visit the dedicated Central and South America Page for more from Mexico, including Desierto de los Leones, Bosque de Tlalpan and UNAM Botanical Gardens.


Parque Ecologico de Xochimilco, Mexico City, Mexico, MEX