BAJA BIRD TRIP REPORT PAGE |
| This story starts on Sunday, November the 6th, 2005, with a verbal report from my long-term bird watching friends, Ron and Sarojam Mankau.
Ron, Saroj and I have birded together for several years near our mutual homes area in southern Baja, Mexico. I trust them completely. Well, their news was that they believe that they had a positive sighting of a bird that was listed as long extinct. The story that they told me was: While at Mirador Hotel in Posada Barrancas on the rim of the Copper Canyon they had a sighting of the female Imperial Woodpecker. The bird was very unique because of the reverse crest (see Peterson Mexican Birds Plate 23 or Howell Mexican Guide Fig 44, page 776) and the large size (20-22"). I made plans and left on the ferry from La Paz to Topolabompo on the mainland on the tenth of Nov. I spent three days in the town of El Furete, camping and birding (3 morning birding walks, 35 different species, probably 20 good photos). I left El Furete on the morning of the 15th. The train is a slow ride, boarded at El Furete at 11AM arrived at Barrancas at 4:30 PM. Climbed from sea level to 7,250 ft. Fantastic scenery. On the night of the 15th, the full moon was raising over the canyon at sunset, a wonderful sight. Instead of staying at the Mirador ($230 US/night!) I had booked in a small Mexican Motel at $20 US/night, meals with the family for an extra six bucks per day! Day 1 at Posada Barrancas: Arose at 0600. Very cold with frost on the ground. Hiked up to the rim overlooking the canyon. No birds heard or seen. The sun popped up suddenly, there is little twilight in the tropics. The only birds that I saw or heard were American Robins (many loose flocks of twenty or thirty birds), several Steller's Jays and Acorn Woodpeckers. It's as if I were in any of the western states during summer. Rather than waste time, I returned to the motel for eight o'clock coffee, toast and a warm kitchen. Roy suggested that I return to the rim after the sun had a chance to warm things up. He was right there were more birds now and in the next four hours, until about one, I logged fifteen different species. The high-lights of the morning were Painted Redstart (a first for me) and these three endemics (Rufus-backed Thrust, Crescent-chested Wabler and Red-headed Tanager). The birding stopped early afternoon with little movement. I searched diligently for the Imperial but didn't sight it in the reported area. Late afternoon birding was not productive. Day 2 sill at Posada Barrancas: I decided to take a tour of the area with "Roy" the owner of the motel. We traveled and hiked many miles visiting the local points of interest. We visited an alpine lake (could have been in the Serria Nevada of California) where I saw both Belted and Green Kingfishers. At the Casada (waterfall) Cusarare I sighted Stellar's Jays, Ravens, and Curve-billed Thrashers. A lot of interesting sights, but little chance to bird. I saw much better habitat for the Imperial but other than locating good areas had little time to bird. Day 3 at Posada Barrancas: Decided to cover the area where Ron and Saroj saw the bird. Up before the sun and drove to Divisadero about three miles away. Both Posada and Divisdero are right on the cliff, in second cut pine forests. The prime Imperial habitat is old mature pine forests, but this area was were the bird was sighted. Between seven and near noon, I slowly walked, watched and listened for any sight or sounds of the bird. The only birds that I saw were several acorn woodpeckers storing winter food. It had been a very dissapointing walk, and I was ready for a cup of coffee. My walk ended at the Miramar Hotel where I had asked "Roy" to pick me up for a return to his motel. He was waiting and engaged in conversation with a "gringo". It turns out that the gringo had a pair of binoculars and Roy was telling him about me as I walked up. The man is Greg R. Homel. Greg is an ornithologist, he leads birdwatching tours and has birded Mexico for many years. His twenty year goal was to find the Imperial. He had read my account, emailed me, phoned Sarojam Mankau in Baja. After talking to her he felt that there just may be a chance. Greg and I spent a few hours together talking about the areas that I had covered and what I had seen. We both felt that I had not covered the best habitat, but he knows the area well, has birded the canyon many times, and can devote more time and certainly has far more skill. So I told him that the 'baton was in his hands and that I'd bow out of the race'. Finally there's a professional on the 'job', so I'm out of here. My plan is to bird again tomorrow morning (one last chance!) and catch the afternoon train back to my van in the RV park in El Furete. The RV park has wi-fi and I hope to post this and the El Furete story. My plans are to stay a day (or two) at El Furete (and get warm!) then drive to Topolabampo. Here I'll camp on the beach and use my canoe to cruise and bird the mangrove lagoons and beaches. I'll catch the ferry back to La Paz and drive home in time for Thanksgiving Dinner So ends my quest...disappointing but fun anyhow!. |