Birding North of Las Varas

We went birding down a nice little dirt and cobblestone road a few minutes north of Las Varas today.

Very peaceful, pastoral

I got some new life list birds - Warbling Vireo, Golden Vireo, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Scrub Euphonia, and Northern Beardless Tyrannulet.  We saw a lot of other birds as well.

A few trucks went by us.

I wish I had a mule to ride.

We parked near a ranch that had a lot of nice looking Mexican cattle and horses.  

The pond had a Least Grebe in it.

The rancher came to feed the cows with a bucket of chopped feed.

After several hours we decided to drive further up into the hills toward Tepic and found an interesting little restaurant along the road.  It was a steep, short drive down the edge of a ravine right along the road.  Then a steep, short walk down the edge of the ravine to the restaurant.

Walkway into the restaurant.

Looks like a perfect birding spot!

A very unique menu - rabbit, quail, ostrich, wild pig, buffalo, venison, snail tostada and lamb chop.

Also a variety of Tilapia dishes.

While we were having a coke each and birding off the deck,  the owner came over and invited us to walk along a path he has along the ravine to see the view and birds.   Turns out the restaurant had numerous makeshift tilapia ponds, chicken pens, ducks, a goose, quail pens, and some ostriches along the path.  The source of the menu items.

Little bridge

Tilapia vats

All on the edge of the ravine, maybe snails in these as well.

One of my fellow birders said "I wonder how this guy came to be here, did he just say this is a precarious steep ravine let's build a restaurant here?"  I thought perhaps there is a really good water source or maybe even an artesian aquifer or well since there was water flowing through the ponds and down the hill.

Tilapia

Lovely view

Weird bird or bee nest??? Note the hole on the top.

The path

Oh look turistas!

Chickens

Muscovy duck

We returned to the park then went to Mateja's for lunch and over to a friends suite at Casa Blanca.

Lovely view from the suite.

Chacala Beach

I started off the morning taking our neighbour's daughter and grandkids fishing on the breakwater.  We  didn't catch any fish but we saw dozens chasing the hook up to the rocks after our lure.  There were long brilliant silver and green needlefish in schools of 10 or more, puffer fish, dozens of small silver fish, some larger brown fish and a ray went by us.  After two and a half hours we had to leave because Cam and I were going to Chacala beach for lunch with friends.

Chacala was beautiful with a calm ocean and warm breezes.  We had lunch under palapas with Piña coladas, cervezas and Sangria.  However, we all forgot our cameras and phones so...... here are a few photos from the past.

Birding near Chula Vista

Our birding group went to an area near the town of Chula Vista south of La Peñita about a 20 minute drive.  It was a great spot with a pond, small stream running down the road, pastures, crops and fruiting trees.

Collared Forest Falcon

Citreoline Trogon

We saw Yellow Breasted Chat, Northern Waterthrush, Common Egret, Solitary Sandpiper, Gray Hawk, Rufus Backed Thrush, Nashville Warbler, Golden Cheeked Woodpecker, Wood Stork, Blue Gray Gnat Catcher, Ani, Anhinga, Tropical Kingbird, Lark Sparrow, White Winged Dove, Eurasian Collared Dove, Ground Dove, Inca Dove, Mexican Parrotlet, Vermillion Flycatcher, Blue Grosbeak, Yellow Winged Cacique, Orchard Oriole, and perhaps a Scrub Euphonia but I didn't get a long enough look at it.  Unfortunately, I am not fast enough to photograph them nor is my camera good enough.

Birders

 Ani

Lots of Trogons

New Year's Eve

We spent New Year's eve with friends  few doors up from us and ordered in ribs and coconut shrimp from Mario's.  Pineapple margaritas were amongst the beverages and a nearly full moon lighting the beach and ocean made it a lovely night.

A party was planned at the big palapa and the pool

We didn't attend the midnight parties and went to bed to the sound of firecrackers and loud bangers.

New Year's Day was spent talking to friends and family on the phone, entertaining a few visitors on the patio and generally taking it easy.  I did most of a jigsaw puzzle.  The whales were in the bay.

Feliz Navidad y prospero año nuevo!