MEXICO 
This immature male Violet Sabrewing mist-nened near Ixtepec, Oaxaca in tropical de- 
ciduous forest was in an unusual location and habitat for a species not expected away 
from humid evergreen forests. Photograph by Rafael Rueda Hernandez. 
Red-throated Pipit is very rare in Mexico away from the Baja California Peninsula, where 
it is a rare autumn visitor. This photogenic individual near La Venta, Oaxaca 2 and (here) 
4 November 2008 furnished the first state record and the southernmost record for the 
species in this hemisphere. Photograph by Jorge Montejo. 
pipers were with other migrant shorebirds in 
the coastal lagoon behind Progreso 3 Aug 
(RM, AM). A White-rumped Sandpiper was 
seen at the salt flats n. of Celestim 23 Oct 
(MC, DS), and another (or same) was found 
at the water’s edge near the garbage dump at 
Celestiin 15 Nov, a very late date for this tran- 
sient (HD). A well-described Baird’s Sand- 
piper was reported in a salt lagoon in Ce- 
lestiin 15 Nov (SM). This is only the 3rd re- 
port of the species for the peninsula and the 
2nd for Celestiin. A Dunlin was seen in an in- 
terior lagoon in Celestiin 15 Nov (HD, SM), 
an uncommon but annual species here. 
Among the shorebirds seen in the coastal la- 
goon behind Progreso 3 Aug were 120 Short- 
billed Dowitchers (RM, AM). 
The Gray Gull that was hrst reported in Ce- 
lestiin in Feb 2008 has remained and been ob- 
served by numerous birders, including 22 Oct 
when it was photographed and videotaped on 
the beach in front of Hotel Los Manglares. It 
was reported to be in advanced second cycle, 
in non-breeding plumage (MC, DS, SW). It 
was reported again in the 
area of the harbor at Ce- 
lestun 15 Nov (AD, HD, 
SM). A Kelp Gull was re- 
ported at the Sisal Harbor 
e. of Celestiin 15 Nov, a 
new location for this 
species (MT). Gull-billed 
Tern is still very uncom- 
mon in the subregion, but 
a few are seen each fall or 
winter on the n. coast of 
Yuc., where one was ob- 
served at the beach at Pro- 
greso 29 Oct (LK, BM, BS) 
and 2 others were near 
Telchac Puerto 9 Nov 
(BM, RM, AM, BS). Ap- 
proximately 12 Forster’s 
Terns were on a sandbar at 
Chabihau e. of Progeso 29 
Oct (LK, BM, BS) and 15 
Nov (LK, BM, BS, AM). 
DOVES THROUGH 
HUMMINGBIRDS 
Reports of Caribbean 
Dove are new to the inte- 
rior of the state of Yu- 
catan, where it has yet to 
be documented. Two ex- 
cellent bird guides report- 
ed one near the village of 
Kankabchen on road to 
Chichen Itza 15 Oct (DB, 
GT), and there was anoth- 
er report for 15 Nov 
somewhere between Celestun and Uxmal 
(RL). Reports of Eurasian or African Collared- 
Dove are becoming more and more frequent. 
Records, though not clearly identified to 
species, include: one at Playa del Carmen, Q. 
Roo 17 Oct (MC, DS); 5 at Celestiin 24 Oct 
(MC, DS); 2 at Jose Maria Morelos 25 Oct 
(MC, DS); and 2 at Tulum 25 Oct (MC, DS). In 
addition, the species is increasing at Progreso, 
where 3 were seen within two blocks of each 
other 29 Oct (LK, BM, BS), and there are re- 
ports from local birders that they are prevalent 
throughout the town. A Ruddy Quail-Dove 
was seen near Uxmal 16 Nov, slightly n. of typ- 
ical range (GH, MT), while a Mangrove Cuck- 
oo was located between Muna and Ticul, Yuc. 
15 Nov (GH, MT). A flock of 300 Common 
Nighthawks was seen in passage over Tulum 
village, Q. Roo 17 Sep on their way southward 
(WS). A Cinnamon Hummingbird was ob- 
served 6 km nw. of Santa Elena 1 Nov (RM, 
AM), where not mapped by Howell & Webb. 
Single Olive-sided Flycatchers, a species re- 
ported from the Puerto Morelos, Q. Roo area 
annually in recent years, were at Coba 17 & 
19 Oct (MC, DS). A thousand Eastern King- 
birds were reported 23 Sep flying over the n. 
coast of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, Q. 
Roo at Pez Maya, and another 200 were not- 
ed 23 Sep at same location (WS). An annual 
but uncommon migrant, a Scissor-tailed Fly- 
catcher was seen in grasses in coastal dune 
habitat at Celestun 23 Oct (HD, SM), and a 
Fork-tailed Flycatcher was seen in s. Yucatan 
between Sudzal Chico and Valle de Sur 15 
Nov (GH, MT). An uncommon Black- 
crowned Tityra was seen eating fruits of the 
laurel tree 15 Oct in the park at Tunkas, e. of 
Izamal (DB, GT), 
A total of 4 Yellow-throated Vireos were on 
a short stretch of forest in Chumbec near Iza- 
mal 9 Nov (BM, RM, AM, BS); these may have 
well have been late transients rather than 
winter residents. A Yellow-green Vireo was 
still at Coba 18 Oct (MC, DS), while another 
was seen as late as 15 Nov on the 
Chunchucmil road s. of Celestun (AD, SM). 
High numbers of migrating Purple Martins 
were reported from the Sian Ka’an coast: 200- 
300 flying southward over Punta Allen 8 & 9 
Sep (WS); 1500 passed over San Juan, 13 km 
s. of Punta Allen, 15 Sep (WS); 300 were seen 
12 km s. of Progreso, with 30 Cliff Swallows, 
21 Sep (BM, AS); and one over Progreso 15 
Nov, a month later than its usual passage 
through the subregion (GH, MT). 
A Long-billed Gnatwren was seen by two 
experienced bird guides far from its known 
The first record for Nuevo Leon of Prairie Warbler, which is 
very rare in Mexico away from the Yucatan Peninsula, came 
from Parque Ecoiogico Chipinque, Monterrey on 27 Septem- 
ber 2008. Photograph by Diana Zorrilla. 
distributional range in the subregion, about 4 
km s. of San Antonio Chuc on a road leading 
to Rancho San Ramon Xcalakchen e. of Iza- 
mal 15 Oct (DB, GT). A Gray-cheeked 
Thrush was reported 20 Oct at Coba, slightly 
inland from its usual coastal migration route 
166 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
