Birding In Mexico - a photo essay

Last Fall I went on a trip to Mexico. In fact, it's the 6th consecutive Fall that I found myself in Mexico.

This time I thought I'd make some photographs of birds that I don't usually see around my home territory, the Pacific Northwest.

 I went out to Las Gatas beach one morning and spotted a couple of birds I'd never seen before.

First, I spotted a Black-throated Magpie Jay. 

Then I spotted a pair of Ferruginous Pygmy Owls. 

The next day I wandered around Zihuatanejo. I went to the canal that runs along Calle La Boquita, A great place to spot birds. 

First I saw a Greater Yellowlegs and a Snowy Egret.

Then I saw an Ibis (bottom left), a Black-necked Stilt (top left), and a Tri-colored Egret (top right).

On the waterline that crosses the canal a Neotropic Cormorant was laughing at me.

Down near the end of the canal I saw this majestic Snowy Egret.

When I  got to where the canal empties into the bay I walked along Playa Principal and out on the pier.

I first saw a Brown Pelican, some Neotropic Comorants, a gull of some sort and the bird at the bottom that I can't identify. Any suggestions?

Then I saw this Laughing Gull. Hmmm... Doesn't look like he's laughing to me. 

 In the town of Tzintzuntzan I saw this Flame-colored Tanager at the Tarascan Ruins that sit up on the hillside above Lake Patzcuaro. 

Near Presa Infiernillo (Little Hell Reservoir) I found a Groove-billed Ani. 

This is a White-collared Seedeater.

I spotted this Turkey Vulture soaring above Lake Patzcuaro from the Ihuatzio Ruins. 

My last trip was out to La Barra de Potosi, just South of Zihuatanejo. 

I saw this Tropical Kingbird on the powerline along the way.

Later I found this White-faced Ibis walking on the plants growing in a pond along the road.

At the other end of the same pond I found a couple of Cattle Egrets.

And not far from the Cattle Egrets this Great Egret was looking for something to eat.

That's about all for this trip.  I'm planning my next trip and will be going for 45 days this next Fall. I plan to spend a month in the village of La Barra de Potosi, located where a freshwater lagoon empties into the Pacific Ocean. There should be lots of birds to photograph there!

If you liked this trip you might also enjoy my other Mexico photo essays: 

A Quick Trip Through Michoacan, Mexico 

Capacuaro - A Mile and a Half Up!