So right here is the place we have been every week in the past in central Mexico: A number of the nation’s most necessary and largest lakes, akin to Lake Cuitzeo and Lake Yuriria, have been utterly dry. The island of Jantizio in the course of Lake Pátzcuaro, well-known for its Day of the Useless celebrations, was nearly accessible by foot. I’m unsure if dredging the principally dry lake nonetheless permits entry by flat-bottom boats, which is the standard approach to attain the island. Mexico’s largest lake, Lake Chapala, had dropped beneath 40% of its capability. Information tales about these lakes inevitably included pictures of dessicated fish, water snakes, and crabs, which I personally have witnessed, in astonishing numbers. (I ought to make clear that every one these endangered lakes are pure, fairly than reservoirs.)
I can solely vouch for the realm round Morelia, however right here, any nation drive reveals the scars of numerous brush and forest fires. So when our summer season rains lastly do arrive, floor that has been stripped of its degree of leaf mildew and baked by fireplace can be much less in a position to soak up them. Even the pines that escaped fires are rapidly succumbing to a plague of pine borers, additionally provoked by our more and more scorching and dry local weather.
However a lot can change in every week. On Thursday of final week, Tropical Storm Alberto roared ashore in northeastern Mexico, and introduced with it the beginning of our regular summer season sample of each day rains. We’ve got not had a single dry day since. Abruptly, my gardening chores on our church lot shifted from watering, to planting and trimming. Higher but, stories began flooding in (pun supposed?) of the above-mentioned lakes really trying like rains once more, instantly after the primary rains. Apparently the lakebed soils have been saturated sufficient that no matter rainwater fell on them remained on the floor. In distinction, on the hills all of the rainwater soaked into the bottom, leading to streambeds remaining utterly dry to this point.
We birders will be cussed folks. So though Monday morning was significantly moist, with rain falling a lot of the early morning, my pal Jonathan Vargas and I took off for the realm across the city of La Escalera, with its close by villages of El Palmar and Arúmbaro. Maybe the rain would cease by the point we reached our vacation spot?
No such luck.
On the twisty 27 km (17 mile) drive there, it was principally wet, with occasional patches of dense fog and rain. As soon as we arrived, we found our vacation spot to have regular rain, with occasional patches of dense fog. Due to all that water, our cameras stayed within the automotive. Binoculars are simpler to maintain protected, beneath one’s waterproof jacket. And in instances of utmost necessity, they will also be juggled beneath an umbrella. I do know this, as a result of I that’s simply what I did.
And so our morning went. Drizzle, rain, drizzle with fog, and rain with fog. However we didn’t complain, for because of this any unburnt and dwell timber are ,most definitely to stay so for another 12 months. Additionally, it may be good for one to go old-fashioned (binoculars solely) from time to time. Being compelled to chicken by ear is sweet for the soul, as nicely.
Then, lastly, we skilled a quick spell with no rain, and solely the lightest of mists. The birds appeared enthusiastic about this break within the rain, as nicely. This temporary window of alternative led to a small variety of very grey pictures of some very moist birds. Paradoxically, most of them have been species that look grey even in dry climate:
Northern Beardless Tyrannulet: grey, very small, with an orange invoice
Western Wooden Pewee: grey, a bit larger, with a principally grey invoice.
Higher Pewee: grey, bigger, with a a lot bigger orange invoice
Plumbeous Vireo: Grey (“plumbeous”) with white wing bands and “glasses” that you possibly can not see within the rain.
Grey Silky-Flycatcher: Sure, they’re principally grey. And so they have been very, very moist.
Brown-backed Solitaire: grey with, you guessed it, a brown again.
Oddly sufficient, this immature Brown-backed Solitaire confirmed extra colour and sample than the grownup above.
So there you’ve got it. It seems that the return of our rains make for few, and fairly uninteresting, pictures. It additionally makes for 2 very joyful birders. Proper now, I’ll take rain any, and each, day of the week.