Manner again in 2014, once I noticed my first Chestnut-sided Shrike-Vireo close to the little city of Pino Actual, and shared the sighting on a birders’ chat group, it took simply over a month for the primary biologist/ornithologist to go to me. It appears he had seemed lengthy and broad for this species. Fortunately, I used to be in a position to present him three people that day.
And in spite of everything, who wouldn’t wish to see this magnificence?
Since then, I’ve had the privilege of internet hosting, to the perfect of my recollection, 9 completely different biologists. They’ve come over time in search of particular species. For essentially the most half, I’ve been in a position to present them the species they sought. And, in return, they share their experience with me — positively a win-win scenario. The friendships I’ve shaped with them is an added bonus.
And 2022 was an amazing yr for this birder/biologist symbiosis. I’ll begin with the briefest encounters. In February, I used to be invited to take part in a Geese Limitless-sponsored survey of the waterfowl (and, collaterally, shorebirds and terrestrial birds) of Lake Cuitzeo. Some thirty biologists and biology college students participated, plus a single layman: yours really. (Right here is my report of that outing.) This journey did show to me {that a} devoted birder might have some benefits over scientists who spend most of their time in a classroom or lab. This might not be a difficulty, nevertheless, with the remaining biologists on this report — they’re all certifiably bird-crazy, and dwell for his or her time within the subject.
In June, my good friend Alberto “Chivizcoyo” got here to Michoacán particularly to see the ever-so-rare and little-known Sinaloa Martin. Whereas I’ve a website at which I’ve seen this species for years, Alberto occurred to identify a a lot bigger quantity than I had ever seen, a number of kilometers wanting my conventional spot. It additionally appears to host a inhabitants of Purple-breasted Chats proper subsequent to the freeway; I had beforehand struggled to search out this species reliably, and at all times in a extra distant website. Thanks, Alberto! (When you converse Spanish, you may wish to take a look at Alberto’s YouTube channel, “Crónicas del Chivizcoyo“. It’s wonderful.) You could find a extra full report of that go to right here.
One among that day’s male Sinaloa Martins
And the Purple-breasted Chat
One week later, I first met a new-to-me biologist, René Vargas. Like Alberto, he made the journey to Michoacán simply to see the Sinaloa Martin and, within the completely different spot Alberto had additionally visited, the even-rarer White-fronted Swift. The Sinaloa Martins had been much more quite a few this present day in Alberto’s new spot. However, not like Alberto, René by no means made it to the place he had deliberate to search for the White-fronted Swift… as a result of the 2 of us noticed one on the Martin website! (René had deliberate to journey 3 hours in the other way to search out the Swift, as had Alberto, so this was nice information.) And, by serving to him with the Martin, I ended up with the Swift as a lifer as effectively. Right here is a full report of that go to.
Happily, René took higher pictures than this one in every of mine, permitting a optimistic ID.
I’ve the nice fortune to see my fourth biologist/ornithologist, Jonathan Vargas, a number of instances annually. Jonathan is initially from San Blas, on Mexico’s tropical west coast, and now works within the northwestern metropolis of Ensenada. However he often visits household in Morelia. This yr, we had been in a position to go birding collectively in as soon as in Might, and twice in November. The Might website is one Jonathan had noticed on Google Maps two years earlier. He steered it to me, and it has since grow to be one in every of my favourite websites. (I’m eternally grateful.) Nevertheless it was solely in Might that I might reciprocate by taking him there. I additionally reported on that go to right here.
In November, issues obtained a bit extra biologist-complicated. Jonathan needed to see his first Grass Wren, a species I had solely seen on the property of yet one more biologist, Ignacio Torres-García. “Nacho” couldn’t spend the morning with us, however he was sort sufficient to offer us entry to his property, and level us in the correct course. A number of Wrens helpfully confirmed up, together with 50 different species in lower than three hours. It’s an amazing property.
Right here’s a type of Grass Wrens. Look intently. I swear it’s in there.
And here’s a significantly showy Summer time Tanager that turned up. (Summer time Tanagers don’t typically present their full breeding plumage down right here.) A lifer, no; a looker, sure.
However our greatest outing, for me a minimum of, was our third one. Jonathan needed to go to Paso Ancho, so we headed downhill one week after our wren encounter. Any day in Paso Ancho is a good birding day. However this time, I obtained some added worth from birding with a biologist who is aware of his tropical species. A small hawk circling overhead amongst some Turkey Vultures wouldn’t, in my uninformed opinion, have deserved a lot consideration; it was clearly a standard Cooper’s Hawk. However no, mentioned Jonathan, this one was a Grey Hawk. That one over there was a Cooper’s. I had seen a few Grey Hawks earlier than, however at all times removed from “my” residence territory.
The Grey Hawk
The quite-similar immature Cooper’s Hawk
I would effectively have found out the distinction once I noticed my pictures at residence. However would I’ve identified to take these pictures on the sphere, with out skilled assist?
After which, a bunting caught Jonathan’s eye. It was a typical brown feminine bunting, and I’d have assumed it was a standard Assorted Bunting. However he obtained a ok look to guarantee me that it was in reality a feminine Blue Bunting, a species normally solely seen nearer the Mexican coast. Neither of us managed pictures, because the chicken stayed in deep brush. However, hey, when an ornithologist from San Blas swears you’re seeing a Blue Bunting, you may wager the farm on it. And so, Jonathan gave me my ultimate lifer for this yr.
Since I wouldn’t have a single picture of that Blue Bunting, I’ll share one in every of this uncommon semi-desert orchid we noticed close by.
The subsequent biologist in my checklist is my good friend Ignacio (“Nacho”) Torres-García, who lives on that property with the Grass Wrens. Nacho is the one non-ornithologist on this checklist; he’s a professor of botany at an area college. I like to chicken with him as a result of he tells me all in regards to the vegetation I discover whereas birding. Final week, he lastly had some free time, and needed to satisfy the high-altitude species from Cerro de Garnica. There have been no lifers for me this journey, however Nacho obtained six. December is sort of chilly at 3,000 m (10,000 toes), even at this latitude. Nevertheless it was effectively value it. (I must also point out that Nacho went to Paso Ancho with Alberto and I again in June. There’s a whole lot of cross-pollination on this explicit put up.)
And at last, a biologist story I’ve been itching to inform for months… Again in August, I acquired an e-mail out of the blue. A Cuban biologist and his biologist spouse had been granted scholarships to check for masters’ levels on the identical college the place Nacho teaches. Since he’s an ornithologist (she has a distinct specialty), one of many first issues he did was to examine the eBird “High 100” checklist to see if he might discover a good information for the native birds. He found that the present #1 birder within the state can also be an evangelical pastor — along with his church positioned solely a mile from mentioned college. (That may be me.) Speak about a collateral advantages — we now each have new birding buddies, they’ve a church (which made positive they’d every little thing they might want upon arrival), and our church has a brand new household! And I may even say to our church that my birding, which confuses and bemuses them, has now straight benefited the congregation.
I’ll simply name my good friend JL, as Cubans are typically nervous about having a lot of an internet footprint. However I can say that it has been a blast exhibiting him round. Our first outing, again in August, we noticed 54 species — a quantity that JL mentioned can be impossibly excessive in Cuba. And 50 had been lifers for him! Numbers like that make guiding particularly satisfying; and each time we’ve managed to chicken collectively, this case repeats itself. Ultimately, I’ll have proven him the all of our native habitats; however for now, a really massive variety of species nonetheless await him.
JL was very enthusiastic about this Blue Grosbeak. It’s good for me to be reminded that one ought to at all times get enthusiastic about Blue Grosbeaks, regardless of how typically I see them.
Whereas I’m the person with the cool native websites, every of my biologist associates provides one thing particular as effectively. Alberto and René are two of the perfect birders in Mexico, with an encyclopedic data of the nation’s birds. Jonathan is a really scientific birder, which has each confirmed and challenged a few of my very own practices, and has a deep data of tropical species. Nacho can determine any plant about which I ask, which is an enormous plus for me — I ask so much. He’s additionally at the moment the perfect candidate for passing me up on Michoacán’s High 100 checklist, sometime. Let the video games start! And JL has a implausible ear — he advised me this week that he spents numerous time listening to recorded chicken songs, so he’ll know them within the subject. In my e-book, that’s actual dedication.
So, in the event you ever get an opportunity to chicken with a biologist, it’s best to positively take it. You’ll be a greater birder for it.