MEXICO 
SOUTHERN MEXICO 
Many observers noted very little bird activity 
in Oaxaca and Chiapas during the last week 
of March and very low numbers of Neotropi- 
cal migrants throughout the season. 
WATERFOWL THROUGH JAEGERS 
Two Muscovy Ducks flew over Rte. 2010 bet- 
ween Zihuatanejo and Atoyac, Gro. 16 Apr 
(CPD, ALD). Two Ring-necked Ducks were 
still at Piedra Azul dam, Oax. 31 Mar QMF et 
al.). Two West Mexican Chachalacas were at 
Arroyo Estudiante, Oax. 9 May OMF), where 
regular. Four Great Curassows were heard 
between Limonar and Paval, Chis. 3 Apr 
(HGdS, MPV). A Townsend’s Shearwater was 
around 15 km off Acapulco, Gro. 22 Apr 
(MC). A locally very rare Neotropic Cormo- 
rant was at Piedra Azul dam 15 Mar QMF et 
al.). A Brown Pelican flew over El Triunfo 
camp, Chis. 9 Mar (AM, JM, WC). Nesting at 
Laguna de Manialtepec, Oax. 18 Mar were 
multiple Anhingas, Great and Snowy Egrets, 
White Ibis, and Wood Storks QMF et al.). 
A Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture was at Ca- 
rrizal, just n. of Coyuca, Gro. 27 Apr (MC). 
An ad. White-tailed Kite and a juv. were at a 
nest near El Tule, Oax. 13-21 Apr QMF et al.). 
A White Hawk was noted flying just below 
the first mirador s. from El Triunfo camp 10 
Mar (AM, JM, WC). A Common Black-Hawk 
was on its nest at Manialtepec Lagoon 18 Mar 
QMF et al). A Zone-tailed Hawk was at Mon- 
te Alban, Oax. 14 Mar (|MF et al). A Barred 
Forest-Falcon was heard near La Cumbre, 
Oax. 18 Apr (HGdS, MPV, JdH); there are very 
few previous records from this site. A Peregri- 
ne Falcon was seen flying over agricultural 
areas near Teotitlan del Valle, Oax. 15 Mar 
QMF et al). Two Soras were found in a small 
water course near Teotitlan del Valle 15 Mar, 
and more were heard at the Tlacolula, Oax., 
sewage discharge area 31 Mar (JMF et al). A 
pair of Gray-necked Wood-Rails was at Carri- 
zal 27 Apr (EC, MC). 
An American Golden-Plover was at the 
Tlacolula sewage discharge area 5 May QMF 
ph.). A Sanderling was at Barra de Cahoacan, 
Chis. 9 May (HGdS). Several Wilson’s Phala- 
ropes were seen at Piedra Azul dam and near 
Tlacolula from 28 Mar-7 Apr QMF et al). An 
imm. Laughing Gull was inland near Ocozo- 
cuautla, Chis. 6 Apr, fighting the strong winds 
that blew all morning and no doubt took it in- 
land (HGdS, MPV, JdH). Around 100 Sand- 
wich Terns were seen at Barra de Navidad, w. 
of Puerto Escondido, Oax. 17 Mar QM? et 
al). Twenty Elegant Terns were at Los Colo- 
rados, Oax. 12 May, and 10 were off Puerto 
Angel, Oax. 14 May (ph. AM, JM). An ad. 
Long-tailed Jaeger was around 15 km off Aca- 
pulco 22 Apr (MC). 
DOVES THROUGH WAXWING 
A female Ruddy Ground-Dove was at El 
Triunfo camp at 1950 m elevation 9 Mar (ph. 
AM, JM) and was still there 30-31 Mar (ph. 
HGdS, MPV, JdH). A Monk Parakeet at San 
Martin de los Cansecos, Oax. 16 Apr (HGdS, 
vt. MPV, vt. JdH) was probably a wanderer 
from the very recently established population 
in Oaxaca City. Two Mealy Parrots were well 
seen at a coffee finca above Paval 3 Apr 
(HGdS, vt. MPV vt. JdH). A Stygian Owl was 
well seen above Filo de Caballo, Gro. 28-29 
Apr (MC). A Greater Swallow-tailed Swift was 
seen flying over the San Felipe park 19 Apr 
(JMF et al). A male Violet Sabrewing was at 
Paval 4 Apr (HGdS). Five Emerald-chinned 
Hummingbirds were seen between El Triun- 
fo’s Limonar and Paval camps 13 Mar, below 
950 m elevation (AM, JM). 
A male Resplendent Quetzal was seen and 
2 more heard at Lagunas de Montebello, Chis. 
14 Mar (MR, SW). An Elegant Trogon was he- 
ard along Arroyo Estudiante 5 & 9 May OMF)- 
An American Pygmy-Kingfisher was seen near 
La Ventosa, Oax. 1 May QM). A group of 15 
Acorn Woodpeckers was at the San Felipe park 
16 Mar QMF et al). A Northern Barred-Wo- 
odcreeper was above Paval 3 Apr (HGdS). 
Three Strong-billed Woodcreepers, a high 
count locally, were heard at La Cumbre (w. 
side) 17 Apr (HGdS, MPV, JdH). A Common 
Tody-Flycatcher was discovered near La Ven- 
tosa 19 Apr (ph. AM,JM, KS). Three Greater 
Pewees were near and at Finca Prusia 29 Mar 
(HGdS, MPV, JdH). A bird that looked and 
sounded most like a Yucatan Flycatcher was in 
second-growth forest 6 km sw. of Frontera Co- 
rozal, Chis. 11 Apr (HGdS, MPV). Two Scissor- 
tailed Flycatchers and a Tropical Kingbird were 
at the El Triunfo clearing 1 Apr (HGdS, MPV, 
JdH). Sulphur-bellied Elycatchers were present 
at Einca El Pacifico, Pochutla District, Oax. 20 
Mar (JMF et al). Two Eastern Kingbirds were 
feeding at fruiting trees at San Felipe park 30 
Apr QMF)- Warbling Vireos were common and 
singing in alder trees along Arroyo Estudiante 
10 Apr-16 May, suggesting they are local bree- 
ding birds OMF). 
Multiple Cave Swallows were found near 
Union Hidalgo, Oax.: one on 1 Apr, 6 on 9 
Apr, and 6 on 11 Apr (ph. AM, JM, KS). A 
Swainson’s Thrush was at San Felipe park 10 
Apr QMF et al). An Aztec Thrush was near 
La Cumbre 17-18 Apr (MPV, JdH, HGdS). A 
Gray Catbird was at San Felipe park 16 Mar 
QMF et al). Two singing Happy Wrens were 
seen about 300 m apart along Arroyo Estu- 
diante 3-9 May, strongly suggesting nesting 
(EdV, JMF); previous records from the cen. 
valleys of Oax. are from winter. Two pairs of 
Rufous-naped Wrens were building nests at 
Playa Bacocho, Puerto Escondido 18 Mar 
(JMF et al). Twenty Cedar Waxwings were 
seen Sierra de Atoyac 2 km n. of Paraiso, Gro. 
16 Apr (CPD, ALD), and a group of around 
50 were near Chinkultic, Chis. 9 Apr (HGdS, 
MPV, JdH). The only Cedar Waxwings recor- 
ded this season in the cen. valleys of Oax. 
were 2 at San Felipe park 10 Apr QMF). 
WARBLERS THROUGH ORIOLES 
A Northern Parula hit a window in the Santo 
Domingo botanical garden in downtown Oaxa- 
Northern Parula is a rare vagrant in the northern part of 
the Mexican Plateau. This singing male photographed 16 
April 2009 is only the second record, and the first one pho- 
tographically documented, from the migrant trap of 
Bosque Venustiano Carranza, an urban park in Torredn, 
Coahuila. Photograph by Francisco Valdes Perezgasga. 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 3 
511 
