South Mexico – December 2005

Petri Hottola
petri.hottola@joensuu.fi

Bird-tourism in 'Post-Wilma' South Mexico: Cozumel Island, Yacatan, Chiapas, Oaxaca and Veracruz in December 2005.

In December 2005, I had a three week birdwatching vacation in Southern Mexico. Starting from Merida, about 5000 km was driven in the search for birds and animals. A total of 454 bird species were recorded on the way, the main dip outs being White-bellied Chachalaca, White-faced Quail-Dove, Pacific Screech-Owl, Unspotted Saw-Whet Owl, Longtailed Sabrewing, Cozumel Emerald, Ocellated Trasher, Lovely Cotinga, Blue-Crowned Chlorophonia, Rose-throated Tanager, Stripe-headed Tanager and Plain-breasted Brushfinch, as explained in the text. My trip was a serious birding challenge with little else included, and some nocturnal driving to see or hear the owls and nightjars. One night (Calakmul) was spent in the rental car, the excellent Nissan Tsuru. I made my personal year record in 2005, 1713 species, and also reached the 5000 marker (life list) on this journey, in Puerto Arista.

A full species list could not be produced due to time restrictions, but most key species are included in the following comments. The idea is to provide some up-to-date information on the sites visited, regarding species, access, accommodation and other practical matters, especially in reference to Steve Howells A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico (1999). Many of the comments in the text can only be understood in relation to this guidebook, which still today is the main reference to birdwatching in Mexico. Most of the information in Howell was discovered to be accurate, six years after the publication. Hurricane Wilma did, however, change the situation in Cozumel and some other coastal locations in the NE Yucatan, especially regarding endemic bird species. Unfortunately, some of these negative changes may be of permanent nature.

P indicates Mexican pesos (P40 is forty pesos) in the text and km (e.g. km5) to kilometers. All the room rates refer to single occupancy without breakfast, unless stated otherwise. There was little difficulty in finding the rooms, even during Christmas in Catemaco (Los Tuxtlas; cf. Lonely Planet). Only the first night in Merida (Hacienda Inn; next to the airport and along main access to highways) was reserved beforehand. Euro was accepted (and sometimes preferred) in all currency exchange points encountered. I had three weeks of mostly sunshine, and temperatures between +2°..+32°C, depending on altitude. The hottest place was NE Yucatan, and the coldest La Cumbre (north of Oaxaca City) and the ridges above Valle Nacional. On the whole, the conditions were mostly quite agreeable, or even pleasant. Driving was mostly pleasant, but there were certain problems, as well. The most stressful part was, once again, navigating the cities, with their one-way system. Potholes and topés were a good second, and finding parking places the third.

Few words regarding car rental: I had a very satisfactory deal with a local, trustworthy company (several other travelers can confirm this); Mexico-Rent-A-Car in Merida. I can only recommend this local company, with its hard to beat rates (about 50% of Avis, Hertz, Budget etc.) and well-maintained & insured cars. I had a Nissan Tsuru (P7600 in cash for 21 days and full insurance, P6000 (500) deductible (only in the case of total loss of the vehicle; minor damage was 100% covered), a perfect choice to mingle in the local traffic unnoticed, and a car with high clearance to deal with all the topés on the way. There were no problems at all with the vehicle. Roads and highways were in good or perfect condition in Yucatan, Chiapas and most of Oaxaca, but often potholed or otherwise damaged in Veracruz (and Tabasco), excluding the as a rule dependable cuotas. The cross-Yucatan cuota may yet not be on par with other Mexican tollways but it is being improved at the moment. Buy the latest Guia Roji (Road Atlas) on arrival, or order it from the Internet dealers (e.g. Amazon.com).

Please notice that everything in this report refers to the situation in December 2005. I have recorded how things appeared to me during fleeting single (in some cases two to four) visits in the following locations. Things do change and even when they do not, individual perceptions may be quite variable. There is no guarantee on the birds species seen in these sites. The English language bird names in this report refer both to full species and subspecies, and also to some taxonomic borderline cases. It is up to you to decide which taxonomy to follow.

YUCATAN

Merida airport

The capital of Yucatan is a good choice to enter the region if you are planning to visit Chiapas, as well. I had four flights from Savonlinna to Helsinki (Golden Air), Helsinki to Paris (Air France), Paris to Mexico City (AF) and Mexico City to Merida (Aeromexico). In Merida, there is a small and efficient international airport with easy to follow access (wide boulevard with at least two different names on road maps) to the main highway and Uxmal, Celestun, Progreso, among others. The domestic airline Aeromexico had good service, far better than Air France in my case. For example, AF lost my luggage both ways, with 12 hour delay in Mexico and 5 day delay in Finland. Do not go via Paris if you desire to arrive with your luggage! There is an ATM, prepaid taxi counter and many other services. A practical choice for accommodation is Hacienda Inn (P550 for a double, Internet reservation possible, I did not pay beforehand, plenty of space available), 3 minutes from the airport by a prepaid taxi (P70), along the same boulevard. Met my car rental representative at the hotel and thereby did not have to waste time going downtown. Downtown Merida is said to be complicated with its narrow streets and one way system. Returning the car, we also met at Hacienda Inn, and I got a ride to the close-by airport.

Rio Lagartos

The village is a nice, laid back place where I would have loved to spend more time. There is water, mudflats and birds everywhere, and a nice breeze from the sea. The waterfront had a large variety of herons, waders, gulls and terns, and the odd American Flamingo (1 flashy adult in deep red plumage). Hotel Vila dos Pescadores was a good choice, with its price (P350), ok rooms, location at the waterfront, secure parking (gate open at 6 am) and nice owners. Just continue through the village to the waterfront and youll find the place. Alternatively, ask the prospective bird/boat trip guides, who will soon approach you as you enter the village, in a friendly and polite manner. There are some expert bird guides around. Ask for Ismael, for example, if you desire to be guided.

There is a nice marsh along the access road to Rio Lagartos, on both sides of the road after Tizimin, with Clapper Rail, Sora, ducks, grebes, Northern Jacanas and swallows. Rancho San Salvador junction (cf. Howell) and forward was productive especially early in the morning and late afternoon, with interesting species such as Yucatan Bobwhite, Zenaida Dove, Yucatan Woodpecker, Ruddy Crake, Mexican Sheartail and Yucatan Wren, the last three being rather difficult to find. The Wrens are apparently not regular at the junction anymore, but need more exploration (and luck) along the main road, and on the nature trail to the right. The guides also know other relatively reliable sites for this rarity. Orange Orioles were common here. There were also few Golden Warblers around, presumably blown to the coast from Cozumel or other islands (Isla Mujeres?) during the hurricane (??). A White-tailed Deer (Yucatan subspecies) was seen by the Merida-Cancun cuota.

Felipe Carillo Puerto

Stayed three nights here, with one longer night trip. Hotel El Faisan y El Venado (Pheasant and Deer) is an ok place to stay – very convenient because its close proximity to Vigia Chico road (to Sian Kaan reserve), attached restaurant and reasonable rates (P230; some rooms are better than others). The main problem is finding a place for car, with very limited space in the hotels secure parking. I parked on the narrow and busy street/highway in front of the building, without problems. The local police frequently dines at the restaurant, and guides the traffic close by, providing additional security (Yes, the police in Mexico can be trusted in most cases!). Bird tour groups also often stay in El Faisan y El Venado when visiting the Vigia Chico road.

Several interesting species such as Yucatan Parrot, Wedgetailed Hummingbird, Yucatan Flycatcher, Caribbean Elaenia, Northern Bentbill, White-browed and Whitebellied Wren, Orange Oriole and Yucatan Jay were more of less readily seen on the Vigia Chico road. I was also lucky to see a Mexican Ant-thrush, a rather difficult skulker, and a Cape May Warbler there. Magnolia and Hooded Warblers, and four species of Vireos were quite common. Black Catbirds were clearly outnumbered by Grey ones, the latter species also often appearing quite dark in the shadows of the forest. For nightjars, the most productive part of the road was between km15 (the large, open meadow) and km17. Pauraque was common here and both Yucatan Poorwill and Yucatan Nightjar were present, the former (2) on the road and the latter calling shortly around dusk. After km17 the road was too flooded for a sedan. My last morning also produced a Green-backed Sparrow, a common but not always easy species to see, at km3. A splendid Speckled Racer, the only snake of the trip, was also seen on the Vigia Chico road.

More than 10 different hunters/gunmen were encountered at Vigia Chico during my visits, some of them with a pack of hunting dogs. There is considerable hunting pressure but also plenty of wildlife, as my daytime records of Grey Fox and Jaguarundi witnessed. There were also plenty of Deppes Squirrels. All of the hunters were friendly, or at least polite. The presence of so many guns on the lonely road does, however, create a feeling of insecurity. Some of these guys are but young boys toting around with shotguns, and they might get other ideas after failing with dove-shooting.

Playa del Carmen

Fine basic accommodation is available at Hotel Mar Caribe (P250), Calle 1, with street parking and relatively close proximity to the ferry wharf. Had to wait few hours to get a proper parking place. There was plenty of post-hurricane construction work going on close to the shore, and practically all parking places were occupied during the day. Most of the damage had, however, already been repaired in December and the parking situation should therefore soon improve.

Cozumel

In autumn 2005, the most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Atlantic basin, hurricane Wilma, stayed over Cozumel for 60 hours, having a devastating effect on the island. In comparison, the autumn 1988 hurricane, which made the Cozumel Trasher almost extinct, lasted only 6 hours. Consequently, I did not have high expectations regarding bird numbers. Nevertheless, it was a blow to hear a local bird-guide to tell me that he and others had not been able to locate the Cozumel Emerald, a previously common species, on their recent visits to Cozumel. Not surprisingly, I also failed (two days). There were no Rose-throated or Stripe-headed Tanagers, either. One local woman did, however, claim to have seen a hummingbird by the San Miguel beachfront on the first week of December. Lets hope there are some lucky individuals left. Judging by duration of the disaster, the number of large trees and even iron fenceposts cut but the gale, not to mention the almost complete lack of flowers after the hurricane, the chances of survival appear to be slim.

Also many other birds were distinctively uncommon on Cozumel, even though it is difficult to make judgements based on just one visit. Nevertheless, I saw no Cozumel Roadside Hawks and just two Cozumel Bananaquits. Cozumel Vireos, Golden Warblers and Cozumel Wrens were, however, readily seen in small numbers. Black Catbirds were common and easy to see. Bello Caribe (cf. Howell) was often quite birdy (4 visits) and it was easy to follow the gravel road down to the beach, past the sewage plant. The ponds at the end of the Cross-Island Highway were flooded and empty at the time of my visit. The Southern Grid (km6,3) had some new houses built, and guard dogs roamed around. The grid was also more difficult to reach (fallen trees) and there were clearly less birds to see (did both late afternoon and early morning visits). In the sign there was Palmitos Ranch, Horseback Riding, not Palmar Ranch, Horseback Riding as Howell (p.311) says. Perhaps they have changed the name?

A gated plot just before the Cozumel Country Club entrance, on the opposite (beach) side of the road, proved to be a good migrant trap on the way to Bello Caribe (e.g. Palm Warbler). Local species included the odd White-crowned Pigeon. The best surviving bush/forest was discovered along the San Gervasio archaeological site access road, where a total of four hours was spent on two occasions (not much traffic in the morning). Swainsons Warblers were surprisingly bold here, singing out in the open in the morning. My only Caribbean Dove and Yucatan Vireo + a Yucatan Woodpecker were seen here. The star species was, however, a Cozumel Island Coati, a rare survivor of the hurricane. The species is on the IUCN Red List, with an estimated 100-150 individuals pre-hurricane population. I offered to pay the entrance fee (P55) to the ruins, having enjoyed the relative peace of the gated access road, but they declined: Birdwatching is free here!

Regarding car rental, a smart idea may be to contact Smart Rent-a-Car, as I did. It is possible to reserve the car in the Internet, for a competitive rate and adequate quality. The rental agency is about 200 m from the ferry landing, behind the pedestrian mall (or a less strenuous 2-3 minute shared taxi ride, 0,5km for P25, if you have large suitcases). Most importantly, they have an office at Playa del Carmen (ask for Gilberto (G='H') or his colleagues) and can arrange a free, secure parking for their Cozumel customers, if you have another car on the mainland. There is no sense using the car-ferry; too expensive and above all, time-consuming. Parking in Playa del Carmen is also expensive, hundreds of pesos per day in the guarded parking lots. The SRC Cozumel office is close to the ferry harbor, which can not be reached by car (pedestrian area), and their secure parking is on the other side of the highway. You therefore need to be at the office at least about 1 hour before the scheduled ferry departure (schedules are available in the Internet, current fee is P110 one way). There is a currency exchange service right next to the SRC Playa del Carmen office.

Hotel Flamingo (around P480) is well situated in the NW-corner of San Miguel and has a bar/restaurant and very helpful, nice staff. The rooms are very nice (contrary to Lonely Planet information) and well worth the money. Reservations can also be made in the Internet. There is a petrol station along Avenida Benito Juarez (cf. Howell), and a major supermarket right across the street (large, whitish building, without signs after the hurricane). Another, more easy to access Pemex is located in the beginning of the cross-island road, little bit further along the ABJ.

Jardin Botanico Dr. Alfredo Barrera Marín

It is not a good idea to arrive at the entrance earlier than the opening time (officially, at 9am), as the place is right next to the freeway and there is little good habitat around. I tried the road on the opposite side of the cuota and found little else but a stinking landfill, rather barren bush and few Melodious Blackbirds and Altamira Orioles. Consequently, I waited in my car at the departure gate (100m north from the entrance), until the guy with tickets arrived at 8 am, and surprisingly invited me in. They seem to appreciate visiting birders here.

There was little hurricane damage and the trails (2,5km) provided a pleasant walk (no biting insects), with most of birds seen in a large mixed flock around or between the environmental education building and the ruins. The observation tower (cf. Howell) does not exist anymore. There were several Yucatan Vireos (low in the bushes, unlike most vireos) and Whitebellied Wrens, which both provided excellent views, and Yucatan Woodpeckers, but neither Rosethroated Tanagers (according to Howell, common here) nor Greenbacked Sparrows. There was little to eat for tanagers, the hurricane having stripped all the fruiting trees. Central American Agoutis were easy to observe here, but I didnt see any other mammals.

The road from JBDAB to Felipe Carillo Puerto is fast and in great condition. From FCP to south it is narrow and slow in the beginning (with topés) but soon improves towards Chetumal. Saw a Grey Fox on the road, and a Black Hawk-Eagle close to Tulum.

Cobá

A pretty disappointing place. The lake had apparently been flooded some time, as they had build a temporary road across the southern part. All the sites suggested by Howell were under water and there wasnt much to see. The road to Cobá was slow, due to roadworks, but the repairs are probably finished within a year, allowing easy access to this site in future.

Calakmul

Calakmul is a large, tranquil archaeological site in the middle of a vast biosphere reserve close to the Guatemalan border, in S Yucatan. The gate at the Calakmul junction was closed on my arrival and there was nobody to collect the nominal entry fee (he collected it when I left the next day), but gate could be opened (or passed) and I entered the excellent tarmac road without hesitation. The accommodation by the junction was ridiculously priced: P900 for a rather rustic cabana. No wonder the place was empty! I drove to the guard post at km20, and continued for another 30+ km almost to the end of the road, returning to the post after nightfall. As suggested by Lonely Planet, I asked for a permission to camp there, and the permit was readily given. In fact, the men were very helpful and welcoming. I gave them two packets of biscuits the next day, after having slept the night well in my car, windows open (few mosquitoes, but I did not care). Woke up to the calls of a nearby Black-and-White Owl.

This is the place for an impressive and sought-after bird species with orange peppers growing on its bluish head, Ocellated Turkeys are both approachable and plentiful in Calakmul, together with Plain Chachalacas, and there is a good chance to see a Great Curassow on the road. In December 2005, there was a photogenic party of 15 rather tame turkeys by the guard post, and dozens of other birds by the road, starting from km4 and including an aggressive male which attacked my car twice! I apparently came too close to its harem of three females! What an experience to leave the spot, being followed by a flying Ocellated Turkey which kept on hitting my car with its beak! Some target species come after you, rather than the opposite! As an icing on the cake, a splendid male Great Curassow crossed the road 2km before the end! Mammals observed included a White-nosed Coati, a White-tailed Deer and a Yucatan Squirrel at dusk. The squirrel is not as easy to observe as most of its cousins, being (according to books) mostly nocturnal.

The road between Chetumal and (almost) Calakmul is in great condition, but there are not many Pemex stations (at least 2 in the beginning, and 1 about half way). Only one of them had 98 octane gasoline (Premium). The last stretch of the road was narrow and potholed. Just before and after Escárcega I got stuck in slow traffic (roadworks).

Uxmal

I drove here from Palenque. In Champoton, there was a very nice seafood restaurant (light green building, if I remember correctly) between the highway and sea, with great food, scenery and low prices; a nice place for a short lunch break. In Escárcega, the choices are much more limited, unless you prefer soggy hamburgers and the kind of Burger King/McDonalds trash food. Leaving Champoton towards Uxmal, the Edzna - Cayal - Ich-Ek - Hopelchen - Uxmal route proved to be in good condition, with nice sceneries, very little traffic and plenty of birds along the road. As an example, I saw 8 parties of Yucatan Jays (at least 35 individuals) crossing the road, just driving through the area.

The track in the bend (cf. Howell) in front of Hacienda Uxmal was fenced. Due to road construction, this stretch of the road is not quite like it was when Howell wrote his book. Nevertheless, there is another track into the forest about 200 m before the bend, towards Merida. It is less than 500 m long, goes into slightly lower forest and had a kind of a unoccupied hut in the end. I saw about 90% of the species mentioned by Howell, and few others, and can only conclude that it must be a reasonable substitute for the fenced one. The better species included Collared Forest-Falcon, White-browed and White-bellied Wren, Blue Bunting (also seen in several other locations), Grey-throated Chat and Yucatan Jays. Didn't see much at the ruins itself, even though there were only few tourists around in the morning. The hundreds of Cave Swallows over the handsome Mayan temple were a sight to be remembered. Only heard Turquoise-browed Motmots here! (Cf. Howell, p.307: common here and acclimated to being approached closely.)

Right next to the ruins, the most economical choice was the ClubMed Villas Arquelogicas Uxmal (P765). Do not expect television for that rate. On the other hand, this was a pleasant place to stay. A traveling birder may, however, feel a bit out of place among the high maintenance conventional tourists. I wish I had understood all the comments waiters made when I walked through the hotel restaurant patio in my field gear, a telescope on shoulder and a knife hanging from my belt. As already mentioned, they are building a new, wide highway from Merida to Uxmal. The work was not quite yet completed, but it took only 45 minutes from the ruins to the Merida airport, and probably 5-10 minutes less in the near future. The roads of Yucatan are improving day by day.

CHIAPAS

Usumacinta marshes

Did this place only once, early morning on my return drive to Yucatan (Uxmal). The Playa Larga road (cf. Howell) was in a very bad shape (potholes, road construction cut the road after 2 km), but nevertheless good for passerines and swallows, including Thick-billed Seed-Finch and Botteris Sparrow. Two Yellow-headed Parrots were seen together with hundreds of more common ones in the beginning of the road. The Balancan Road (beware of surprising potholes on an otherwise excellent tarmac) had the largest concentrations of ducks and waders, with for example thousands of Bluewinged Teals (one albinistic individual, almost completely white), hundreds of Long-billed Dowitchers and an immature Jabiru (also saw a flock of 5 from the toll bridge on my way to Chiapas). The Palizada road was best for ibises, herons and Limpkins, but for some reason I failed to see any Pinnated Bitterns in this area known as the site for the species!

Palenque

In the light of recent birding restrictions around the ruins, and the security issues involved, I decided to skip Palenque, even though I spent two nights there, the town being a convenient stopover between Yucatan and other regions. Those nights were spent in the slightly overpriced (P500) hotel Canáda Internacional, next to the Maya head (Cabeza Maya) entrance to the town. Right by to the hotel entrance, there is a restaurant with nice interior and good food for a reasonable price (beer was exceptionally cheap, P15 for a cold Sol). 200m back towards Yucatan, there is a friendly car wash (P25) in case your vehicle has become too dirty to tolerate anymore, as mine was in the end of the journey. About 100m in to the town there is a deli on the left, with a nice variety of products.

San Manuel lookout

Somewhat uncomfortable site with the heavy morning traffic (4 cars per minute) passing by. Spent more than one hour here, failing to see any Lovely Cotingas. I failed in Valle Nacional and Los Tuxtlas, as well. The cotingas were probably somewhere else, being somewhat nomadic and irregular. Otherwise, the variety of birds present included mostly the common, widespread species. On the other hand, I saw my only (for this trip) Green Honeycreepers and Scarlet-rumped Tanagers here.

Ocosingo highway (including km2 & km3)

At the moment, this road is much faster than Howell estimated. There were only two military checkpoints; one in the beginning (Palenque) and one half way. The soldiers were in full combat gear and ready for action, but otherwise the situation appeared to be relatively relaxed. Ocosingo was not a New Palestine either, despite some signs claiming this. I have spent half a year in the old one, and there are a number of differences between these places... It takes less than 4 hours to drive from Palenque to San Cristobal. There are practically no potholes and a tolerable number of topés.

A few productive stops were made along the road, after hearing bird calls or, once, seeing a lone swallow, which proved to be a Blackcapped Swallow. The best birds of mixed roadside flocks included Yellow-winged Tanagers, a Black-throated Shrike-Tanager and a Bar-winged Tanager. The last two species and the swallow were only seen here. My advice: Do not just drive through, there are birds around which you may miss later on.

Chanal road

Made two visits here, up to km27, one in the morning and another in the late afternoon. The road is tarmac and in great condition. On the whole, the region appears to be doing well for such a rural area. The Mexican government has spent plenty of pesos to build new services and infrastructure after the Zapatista rebellion. In the beginning (village), just follow the new road forward and uphill, disregarding the other (signed) tarmac road to the left, down into the valley. There is not much traffic and I usually just stopped on the lane, or parked my car on the shoulder, if there were interesting birds around. In one of the villages on the way, there were always 5 to 9 drunken youth on the road, one or two of them pretty stoned and ready to fight anybody in sight, but they let me pass without any incidents. Better be polite here, people are often afraid of unknown visitors.

There were hundreds of Audubons Warblers along the road, mixed with a few Goldmans. The variety of birdlife also included many parties of Stellers Jays, but not a single Black-throated, Rufous-backed Solitaires, Greater Pewees, Eastern Bluebirds, Cedar Waxwings and many others.

San Cristobal de las Casas

The km2 site in the beginning of the Ocosingo Highway has been accurately described by Howell. I made three visits here: two in the afternoon and one early in the morning, driving my car up on the hill (the track is covered by conifer needles, and the junction is indicated by a pile of garbage; cf. Howell), parking the Tsuru between pines. The morning visit produced my only Pink-headed Warbler and a Blue-throated Motmot. A total of three different Golden-cheeked Warblers were seen, including a striking adult male. Other birds here included, among others, the pretty Rufous-browed Wrens, Crescent-chested Warblers and Chiapas Juncos. Another, more obvious track goes to the right at km3, and is signed to some lakes (lagos). It had many Stellers Jays (the interesting southern subspecies), a Garnet-throated Hummingbird, Guatemalan Flickers (also at km2) and many Rufous-collared Thrushes (also very common at km2 & Chanal road). A late evening visit to the site (returning from Chanal) produced two Bearded Screech Owls and one Vermiculated, but they were only calling for ten minutes just before darkness. No Unspotted Saw-Whet Owls here.

In the historical center, Hotel La Noria (P300) proved to be an excellent place to stay. There is a simple restaurant next door (can recommend chicken and steaks). Across the street there is a P5/hour public parking, open during the day except on Sundays, which helps in getting your luggage in and out of the hotel. Finding a parking place on the narrow and crowded one-way street is a slim chance (never succeeded myself). The hotel does, however, have a secure parking on the other side of the center. Just ask the guy at the reception for it. We drove there together, locked the car in, and returned together by taxi (P18) in the evenings. In the mornings, he was ready to go the parking place by 7 am, by taxi to save time, and I then returned him to the hotel, as a courtesy, before continuing to the birding sites. As the mornings can be pretty cold, there is really not much sense to go birding before seven in winter.

No Blackcapped Swallows or any other swallows over the town this time. Leaving the town towards Tuxtla Gutierrez, there were flowerbeds teeming with hummingbirds, but traffic and lack of parking space prevented my attempts to stop. The road is slow and narrow, with many potential dangers. Make sure you have enough time to drive safely.

Cerro Huitepec

The site did not disappoint me, because I did not expect much. People do not usually see many birds here, because the trail opens late, the habitats along the uncomfortably steep trail are not very productive, and there is too much disturbance. Dogs are barking and people are living their everyday lives in the close-by valleys, the haunts of target species if they still were in their natural state. Entry fee varies, I paid P40 because I had a car and was a foreigner (parking fee included). I did not even try the southern side because I suspect it to be already fully developed. No signs of Black-throated Jays, an apparently difficult species to find at Howells locations.


El Sumidero

Birdwise, one of the best locations on my route with endless mixed flocks and interesting skulkers in the morning; simply too much to see at one serving. It was a misty morning and bird activity remained high till 10:30am, when I reluctantly left. The day started with a handsome Belted Flycatcher which provided excellent close views. It was seen in a mixed flock of Olive Sparrows, Warbling Vireo and Blue-and-White Mockingbirds, among others, about half way between La Coyota lookout and the end of the road, low down and mostly under the roadside bushes. The Mockingbirds were easier to observe at the end of the road (last 200 meters), where the forest floor is more open, probably too open for the Flycatcher. Slender Sheartails (once learned, its distinctive call is easy to spot) were also seen along the last kilometer, normally on a low perch in small openings along the road, together with one Azure-crowned and several Berylline, Buff-bellied and other hummingbirds.

In Tuxtla Gutierrez, I got a room at Hotel Balun Canan (P400), with secure off street parking and tolerable restaurant. There is 24 h service, as usual, and the gate opens on request early in the morning. The traffic culture in TG was the most annoying one in the whole trip, with too many colectivo taxis and others with no manners whatsoever. At red lights, one lady opened her window and lectured me on the daytime use of headlights! I never found out if she wanted me to turn them on or off, the locals follow both practices. Also the street system is somewhat confusing. I made a late afternoon recoinnaissance to the Sumidero access and got lost, ending up deep in to the slums (new suburbs) from where robbers are said to occasionally visit the lower miradors in the reserve, and arrived at the gate one hour before the closing time, being able to drive up for a short look-around (entry fee was P20). The view to the canyon was impressive.

The best thing probably is to drive to the northern periferico, follow it towards Mexico (City) and turn right at the signed Sumidero junction. It is, however, not allowed to turn right there! One has to turn to the service road one or two crossings before. Alternatively, one can go straight at the Sumidero junction, make an u-turn at the next one, and turn left to Sumidero (which is allowed). Leaving the city was much less complicated, with the easy periferico (Norte) going through mostly unpopulated areas, and the highway to Mexico (City) well signposted. Continuing to towards Tehuantepec or Arriga, follow signs to Ocozocoautla. I got lost (once again) in this small town but eventually discovered the highway again. Alternatively, you can take the new cuota to the other side of the isthmus, the short cut to Villahermosa, Mexico City and Los Tuxtlas (Catemaco). Crossing from the Caribbean to the Pacific is a piece of cake on the new freeway and takes only 3 to 4 hours.

Arriaga foothills

The area indicated by Howell has become a part of the new Sepultura biosphere reserve. Birding by the road proved to be much more complicated than one would expect after reading Howell. It is a steep and meandering downhill section of a very busy road to the coast. In fact, far too busy for comfortable birdwatching with 3 cars per minute passing by at the time of my first visit. Furthermore, its shoulders were oftentimes too steep for a regular sedan.

A single male Rositas Bunting was seen flying by the road but that was it, despite 5 hours of hard effort in three occasions. Otherwise, there were flocks of (apparently) Pacific Parakeets allowing close observation. My advice: If you need to see the bunting, prepare to spend plenty of time/early mornings here and expect difficulties, unless you get lucky. Late morning or afternoon visits are not necessarily productive at all, at least in winter. To conclude this: We need to find a better site for Rositas Bunting, preferably a local road with space to pull over.

Puerto Arista

I had mixed feelings regarding this place. Finding the Giant Wren (my species number 5000!) was pretty difficult, the only bird seen about 200 m from the crossing (cf. Howell, p.248), towards Puerto Arista. There is a construction work going on at the bridge just before the GW junction. The Cabeza del Toro to Boca del Cielo road was mostly built up, with plenty of disturbance and too many topés. The track to big lagoons (cf. Howell) was also completely surrounded by houses, even though there still was space to check out the many wintering waders. The road between the GW junction and Puerto Arista had, however, plenty to see for the first few hours after sunshine. I simply parked my car on the road, using it as a hide, and nobody seemed to mind. Among the best birds were two stunning Ochre Orioles in a mixed party, with Orchard Orioles for comparison. There were many Pacific and Orange-fronted Parakeets, as well. No sign of White-bellied Chachalacas despite being in the right area are at sunrise. Also failed to hear the Pacific Screech-Owl.

Joses Camping Cabanas was the lone star of excellence in the category of high quality for a reasonable price during my journey in Mexico. A perfectly clean double cabana with private shower and toilet, and a floor fan, was P150, and I had the soundest sleep in this peaceful location. Also had my best meal (P80, the main course being freshly caught fish) in Mexico there, the cook being the Canadian owner of the place, who prepared the dinner for all of us there, including himself. Arriving Puerto Arista (light-tower crossing), turn left at the T-crossing and follow the street till Hotel Lucerito (or was it Lucero?) – according to Lonely Planet the best hotel in town – turn left and then again to right to the cabanas, by far the best deal in Puerto Arista.

OAXACA

Tapanatepec foothills

Much nicer than Arriaga foothills, with plenty of space to park and more promising habitat but almost zero results in the middle of the day (in two hours, a single Orange-breasted Bunting was seen to fly across the road). December may not be the best time to visit these sites.

Tehuantepec

Hotel Oasis was a good deal with P150 single room, basic but adequate for a birder who just needs a place to wash and sleep. Their restaurant was a nice surprise; very tasty meals for a good price and fast service! They also had secure parking and the guy doing the night shift opened the gate for me at 6 am. There is a minimercado across the street for drinks and snacks.

The Sumichrasts Sparrow site between km7-9 (cf. Howell) was visited both in the afternoon and early morning, for an excessive total of seven hours. Skeletal remains of 100+ of cattle and plenty of rubbish (a major problem in many places in Mexico) littered the place, making this one of the least appealing and most unsanitary sites on my journey. The traffic was heavy and often compromised any attempts to see the sparrow from the road. Stripe-headed Sparrows and Orange-breasted Buntings proved to be very common in the roadside vegetation, but there was absolutely no trace of the Sumichrasts. In fact, I have it difficult to believe they are still common here, having spent so much time in the right habitat. Fortunately, I got lucky later on (cf. the next site), and did not dip out with this species.

Nevertheless, there were some other good birds around. In the late afternoon, I got excellent views of a Lesser Ground-Cuckoo away from the road, as Howell promises. In the morning the only good spot with flowers produced three species of hummingbirds: few Rubythroated, one Doubledays and a real goodie, a beautiful Cinnamon-sided Hummingbird. Altamira Orioles, White-throated Magpie-Jays and others were easy to observe at this site.

Highway 190: Tehuantepec to Oaxaca

A great scenic road in excellent condition and with little traffic; the best scenery on the journey. Most of the region along the road is still in its clean, natural state, with no rubbish. Made stops in the beginning of the journey, after noticing a Sumichrasts Sparrow right next to the road (finally!), and in Las Animas, by the cacti just after the village, which had Grey-breasted Woodpecker, Yellow-winged Cacique and others.

Microondas Nueve Puntas

Easy enough to spot, even though the junction was not signposted. The cobbled road is in fine condition all the way to the microwave towers. Saw most of my birds at low altitude, close to highway, including my first Boucards Wren. Grey Silkies were common here, as well as in several other Chiapas and Oaxaca locations. No sign of Ocellated Trasher. Be careful here, as Howell says, it is a pretty dangerous intersection, with little visibility to the left.

Yagul

A very scenic, peaceful place for birdwatching only a short way from the highway. I birded the cactus end of the access road and discovered a nice viewpoint by the parking place, behind the gate. Just drive in, park your car, and walk to the right. Behind the row of low trees, there is a grassy ridge with nice views to the birdy slope, especially if you have a telescope with you. Stayed here on two occasions, with no need to visit the ruins on the other side of the parking lot. Grey-breasted Woodpeckers, White-throated Towhees and Dusky & Beautiful Hummingbirds were all common, the latter especially around the flowering cacti by the access road.

There is a great restaurant (Patio) along the highway between Teotitlan and Yagul, with excellent meals and low prices, tables surrounding a shady but sunny patio with many interesting objects. A variety of bottled mezcal is also available, the valley being a major mezcal production site. The bartender persuaded me to taste some of their brands, thereby decreasing (or was it the opposite?) my bird-spotting abilities for an hour or two.


Teotitlán del Valle

An excellent place for birdwatching. I arrived at the first right hand bend (cf. Howell) well before sunrise, and had great 1,5 hours there before the arrival of two minibuses of regrettably noisy U.S. bird-tourists (they unintentionally scared away a number of good birds and animals, including two West Mexican Chachalas and a lone Coyote). Oaxaca Sparrows, White-throated Towhees and Dwarf Vireos were tame and easy to watch. Blue Mockingbirds showed well at dawn. There were dozens of hummingbirds (e.g. Green-fronted, Dusky) and hundreds of migrant passerines around. There was a Curve-billed Trasher, Black-vented Orioles and a party of Boucards Wrens on the ridge but no Ocellated (my nemesis species). Continued till noon at the next two bends, the third being clearly more productive than the second one (f.ex. Bridled Sparrow, Colima Warbler – not a juvenile Virginias!), always staying two or three steps ahead of the guided group.

Unexpectedly, I also spotted two Pileated Flycatchers along the road, behaving much the same way the Belted did in Sumidero: hiding down in the dense scrub, restlessly flicking their tails and wings, and showing off their shaggy crests. The winter movements of this species are poorly known and one does not really know where to expect them. The reservoir was a nice bonus with several additions to my year list (ducks, waders, swallows). Be careful when leaving the town. One of the last topés before the dam, in a street junction, is an exceptionally high one. I had problems crossing it on my way out of the town, despite the relative high clearance of the Tsuru.

Cerro San Felipe (La Cumbre)

The road to La Cumbre itself is in excellent condition and distance relatively short, but there are slow trucks on the way. It took more than an hour to drive up to the gate, where an entrance fee of P50 was collected (3:30 pm). The gate was left open at the time of my departure (5:30 pm) and was still open when I passed the place before 6 am the next morning. Did not expect much as this was late afternoon, but managed to see a pair of Dwarf Jays at km2, on my way back (drove to km6 before return with no problems, the road was in good condition), having already almost given up. The birds were completely silent, and in an equally silent mixed party of 2 Stellers Jays, 6 Grey-barred Wrens and a female Rose-throated Becard. Otherwise, the most interesting discovery along the forest road was the silvery grey-cheeked subspecies of Red Warbler.

Highway 170: Oaxaca to Valle Nacional

Motel Columbia (referring to the shuttle!), perhaps the best of the love motels in the beginning of highway 170 was an excellent deal. It took some time to count the correct rate for two nights (17:30-5:00), as the place usually charges on an hour basis, but in the end it was P360 per night in a peaceful, spotless room with private parking and an enormous bed. I can only recommend the motel as a practical solution if you do not mind the wall-size mirrors and limited television channels, including a porn one. The ladies running the place were very helpful and welcoming, and probably used to birders staying there.

Some of the extras in the room, such as free mints, may be useful for any customer. Others, such as the free condom and the paper tissue machine on the wall, are probably less useful for visiting birders. Nevertheless, I saved a lot of time staying here, and did not have to drive into the city with its complicated street system and parking problems. Dinners were available in a family-oriented restaurant about 3km away, by the road to Yagul and Teotitlan. There are also minisupers around, a good one about 1 km towards Teotitlan on the highway 190, on the ride side of the road.

The highway 170 was in perfect condition to La Cumbre, ok till Galetao, but badly potholed with landslides afterwards, until it once again improved on the slopes above Valle Nacional (cf. Howell). Starting at 5 am, with a head start from Motel Columbia, I managed to reach the Valle Nacional sites already at 8:30 am (doing the 180km in 3,5 hours), despite few short stops along the road, mainly for good species noticed along the road, such as a Black Thrush after Galetao. Not too bad, actually. Bird activity on the high slopes of Valle Nacional was relatively high all the day, especially after the freezing cold morning. The last strip to Tuxtepec was flat and straight, but with too numerous topés to count and one accident on the way; a SUV on its roof, the miraculously uninjured passengers around it. Once again in the hot, humid climate of the Caribbean lowlands... I missed the cool, clean air of the coniferous mountains.

Unicolored Jays are common above Valle Nacional; there were dozens between km80 and km115. Saw a Garnet-throated Hummingbird at once after stopping at km98, Emerald-chinned Hummingbirds around km76-78 and a lone male Black-crested Coquette at km52. Slate-throated Solitaires were noticed already from km96 downhill, well before Howells suggestion. A Whitenaped Bruch Finch was a nice find by the road. My main dip out was Bluecrowned Chlorophonia, despite much effort to see the species. To see a White-faced Quail-Dove you have to be really lucky. I wasn't. There were many other birds from Crested Guan to Emerald Toucanets and Crimson-collared Tangers, as well, but the by far most common species was Common Bush-Tanager, with around 200 seen by the road. There are several interesting paths going down from the road which provide better access to forest interior, with species such as Chesnut-capped Brush-Finches, but I did not follow them too far (steep slippery slopes ~ broken legs).

Tuxtepec

The unsigned dirt road to the right from Camelia Roja, between limestone hills, proved to be an interesting place in the morning. There was much to see (with a telescope). Mostly orioles, oropendolas, caciques, tanagers, seed-finches and wrens, but also nice views of Rufous-breasted Spinetails and a party of Black-faced Grosbeaks. A lone Aubudons Oriole was an interesting discovery. I did not even consider trying the enigmatic Sumichrasts Wren after seeing the thick bush of the limestone slopes. The access to the forest is indeed not easy, to say the least (cf. Howell, p.231). Otherwise I did not bird the area, having my next target species at Los Tuxtlas.

Hotel Hacienda (P355) was not a great place to stay, but agreeable enough with its spacious rooms and secure parking. I would not recommend their slow restaurant, either, even though the food was ok. The roads around Tuxtepec were also by far worst on my journey. In places there were more potholes than even surface (parts of Camelia Roja road) and the access road to Loma Bonita turned out to be such a state, that I repeatedly asked the locals if I am really on the right road (on the map a highway). There must be another more convenient route to the highway, probably via the Tuxtepec center...

The libre highway 145 from Tuxtepec to Isla had some interesting marshes along it, and was in a varying condition. Stretches of excellent new tarmac were followed by equally short stretches of badly degraded road, and vice versa. At the Isla junction there was a hole almost wide and deep enough to swallow my car. On the short connecting road (nice wetlands!) between the Isla junction and the new cuota a gang of young boys had two ropes with red flags across the road. Having been warned about this by Erkki Virolainen, I knew what to expect. The boys demanded money, Moneda, jefe!, and just managed to save their ropes as I speeded forward. I wonder if they will start shooting and robbing drivers at some later point of their careers as toll collectors. Continuing across the cuota, the road to Santiago Tuxtla (and Catemaco) had several interesting marshes along it, with plenty of ducks, stilts, avocets and the lot. This part of the road was again in great condition (excluding a few potholes and topés), being an important tourist route.

VERACRUZ

Sierra de los Tuxtlas

Against my expectations and Lonely Planet information, there was plenty of accommodation available in Catemaco on the Christmas day. I stayed in the slightly degraded Playa Azul complex out of the town, by the lake on the Sontecomapan road. Their regular rate was P750 for a single person in a double, but after hearing that I could not have the breakfast included, the receptionist cut the rate down to P600. Or perhaps she noticed my at that point not so clean outfit, and gave a special rate? (P150 sounds awful lot for a breakfast). Their restaurant turned out be fine, with good food, fast service and very reasonable prices. In the morning, there was a Spectacled Owl calling close to Playa Azul.

The much easier to reach forest track (cf. Howell, page 205) to the right on the Sontecomapan road was easy to spot but unfortunately turned out to be impassable by a 2WD. There were deep mud and water on the track about 250m from the road. Not ready to risk my belongings just before the end of an already successful visit, I decided to skip this site and focus on the biological station instead. I didnt even try the Bastonal track, having limited time for Los Tuxtlas. Fortunately, the road to the UNAM station was now paved almost all the way up and down, except for the last two kilometers, with an occasional pothole deep enough to break your tire. With their special skills, the Veracruz road constructors are somehow able to create deep potholes in fresh asphalt, a speciality not noticed in other states except the neighboring Tabasco. Therefore, be alert!

Managed to hear a Tuxtla Quail-Dove and Slatybreasted Tinamou (at dusk) from the slopes above the UNAM station, but failed to see any Longtailed Sabrewings or Plainbreasted Brushfinches. In general, there were hardly any hummingbirds around and a shortage of flowers, as well. The high ridge just before the biological station and forest around the buildings provided many nice views, including Stub-tailed Spadebill, Yellow-winged Tanagers, Wood Thrushes, Greyheaded Dove, Lousiana Waterthrush etc. but neither Lovely Cotingas nor Bluecrowned Chlorophonias. When leaving Catemaco to Acayuan, or arriving from that direction, be sure to notice the large wintering flock of Lesser Scaups and other ducks on the southeastern corner of the town, right by the main road. One needs more time here than I had in my hands, at least three to four days to reach all the main sites and to sort out the goodies among the plentiful common species. Los Tuxtlas is definitely on the list of my next Mexico trip.