Birdingveracruz's Weblog

David McCauley — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:04:41 +0000

The View
I have been observing the raptor migrations in Veracruz Mexico for 10 years now.
This year I am dedicating four tour dates exclusively to the bird of prey migrations in Veracruz. In past years I have led tours where the time was divided between general birding and observation of raptor migration. This year I am going to show you the magnificent raptor migration in a way that few birders have ever witnessed.

Here are the dates and prices:
Pre-register for the tours prior to June 1, 2009 and save 2o%

Tour # 1 – “The early migrants”…Extreme Hawk Watch August 27 – Sept. 9
**Number of raptors counted last year during these dates; 1919,529
Most abundant species Mississippi Kite, Swallow-tailed Kite, Osprey (12 raptor species observed)

This is the tour for the adventurous. 14 days, maximum of 6 persons.
Cost: $2,100
Pre-register and save $420…. $1,680 reduced cost

Tour # 2 – “Capturing the View” (Photographers Tour) Extreme Hawk Watch Sept. 16-25
**Number of raptors counted during thes dates last year; 432,612
Most abundant species:Broad-winged Hawk, Mississippi Kite, Turkey vulture, Osprey.(19 raptor species observed)
Special tour designed for photographers and videographers to catch the best views and angles of the Veracruz raptor migrations. 10 day tour. maximum of 6 photographers.
Cost: $2,500
Pre-register and save $500….$2,000 reduced cost

Tour # 3 – “The Spectacle of the Flow of Raptors” Extreme Hawk Watch Sept. 26 – Oct. 5
**Number of raptors counted during these dates last year 834,191
Most abundant species: Broad-winged hawk, Swainson’s Hawk, Turkey Vulture (19 raptor species observed)
This is the tour for birders, educators and hawk watch enthusiasts. These dates provide the best “mix” of raptor species as well as spectacular views of Broad-winged Hawks in “kettles”. 10 day tour. maximum 8 persons
Cost: $2,200
Pre-register and save $440….$1,760 reduced cost

Tour # 4 – “The late migrants, Swainson’s Hawks and Turkey Vultures”
Extreme Hawk Watch October 16-25
**Number of raptors counted during these dates last year 678,309
Most abundant species Turkey Vultures, Swainson’s Hawk (17 raptor species observed)
This tour I am calling the celebration tour… this is the final “push” of the Veracruz fall migration. The sky fills with lines and columns with hundreds of thousands of Swainson’s Hawks and Turkey Vultures. 10 day tour maximum 12 persons.

Cost:$2,200
Pre-register and save $440…$1,760 reduced cost.

For more information:
David McCauley
hawkwatch@gmail.com

Veracruz Hawkwatch

David McCauley — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:32:00 +0000

Hawks from every angle….. Jerry Liguori an excellent reference for birders and hawk watchers.

David McCauley — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:55:06 +0000

HAWKS FROM EVERY ANGLE

how to identify raptors in flight….

by… with foreward by David Sibley

Princeton University Press 2005

Birds of prey (raptors) are a constant source of fascination for me.

In the field the identification of hawks in flight can be a real challenge.

This book is the best that I have read on the subject of identifying birds of prey in flight.

With over 300 photos for comparison Jerry Liguori discusses 19 species of migratory birds of prey that can be found at migration sites all over North America ….(this includes Mexico)

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE 2008VERACRUZ HAWKWATCH AND BIRDING TOURS (click Here)

Here is a list of species covered in the book.

Turkey Vulture,Cathartes aura
Osprey,Pandion haliaeetus
Mississippi Kite,Ictinia mississippiensis
Northern Harrier,Circus cyaneus
Sharp-shinned Hawk,Accipiter striatus
Cooper’s Hawk,Accipiter cooperi
Harris’s Hawk, Parabuteo unicinctus
Red-shouldered Hawk, Buteo lineatus
Broad-winged Hawk,Buteo platypterus
Swainson’s Hawk, Buteo swainsoni
Zone-tailed Hawk,Buteo albonotus
Red-tailed Hawk,Buteo jamaicensis
American Kestrel, Falco sparverius
Merlin, Falco columbarius
Peregrine Falcon,Falco peregrinus
Ferruginous Hawk, Buteo regalis
Rough-legged Hawk,Buteo lagopus
Northern Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis
Golden Eagle, Aquila chrysaetos
Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus

The Peterson field guide to Hawks of North America by William S. Clark and Brian K. Wheeler is a “must have for every serious birder.

A Photographic Guide to North American Raptors
Hawks in Flight: The Flight Identification of North
American Migrant Raptors

Other note worthy books related to birds of prey:

Hawks in Flight: The Flight Identification of North American Migrant Raptors

Clay Sutton, Peter Dunne and David Allen Sibley

A Photographic Guide to North American Raptors

Brian K. Wheeler and William S. Clark

Aplomado Falcon Falco femoralis

David McCauley — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:12:30 +0000

Some of my most memorable moments as a birder and nature photographer have occurred while observing Aplomado falcons. The Aplomado falcon is a medium sized falcon and its range is from the south/west US to Argentina. The population of the species was in serious decline in the US (due to habitat destruction and pesticide use) The PEREGRINE FUND has been involved with a number of projects to breed and reintroduce the species in the US.

I have been privileged to assist as a volunteer for Peregrine Fund doing nesting surveys in Veracruz Mexico. Friends, donate to Peregrine Fund…they really are doing a fantastic job!

Peregrine Fund link to Aplomado Falcon

Wikipedia link – Aplomado Falcon

I want to share some images that I have taken of the the magnificent Aplomado Falcon.

The image below is used with the permission of the Peregrine fund.

here are two video clips that “videoscoped” in Tlacotalpan Veracruz Mexico of Aplomado falcons:

Want to see some Aplomado falcons in their natural habitats?

Here are the dates for my fall 2008 birding/ hawkwatch/ VERACRUZ birding tours:

September 17-26 **total raptor count for these day in 2007………………… 737,726 top three species Broad-winged H. Miss. Kites & Turkey vultures

September 27 – October 6 **total raptor count for these day in 2007.. 844,186 top three speciesBroad-winged H., Swainson’s H. & Turkey vultures

October 7 – 16 **total raptor count for these day in 2007…….. 1,503,108 top three species Swainson’s hawk, Broad-winged hawk & Turkey vulture

I would recommend the dates of Sept. 27-October 6… these dates are generally considered to be the “peak” of the fall raptor migration. The tour itinerary is as follows;

Day 1- meet arriving birders at the veracruz airport and travel to Paso de Ovejas where you will check into your hotel. Paso de Ovejas is right in the middle of the flow of migrating raptors… I have scouted out great observation locations. There is also a great shaded observation deck at the hotel…complete with a pool!

Each day in Paso de Ovejas will begin with early morning birding and after lunch we will focus on the wonders of the hawkwatch. We will spend the first three nights in Paso de Ovejas. Days 1, 2 and 3 will be spent in the area where optimum view of migrating raptors will be possible.

On day 4 we will travel south to Tlacotalpan Veracruz. Tlacotalpan is a change of habitat…savanna, tropical wetlands… species of interest include barethroated tigerhon, rufous breasted spinetail, aplomado falcon, laughing falcon, great black hawk, black collared hawk, in addition the wetlands give us a nice opportunity for aquatics. We will spend two nights in Tlacotalpan. Day 5 will also be spent in Tlacotalpan

On day 6 we will travel south to the Tuxtlas Mtns and we will stay in San Andres Tuxtla.

Near San Andres we will be able experience rainforest birding with toucans, aracari, parrots,…. if we get lucky we may see the Ornate hawk eagle. We will spend days 6 and 7 in the rainforest.

we will head back to Paso de Ovejas for two final days of hawkwatch Day 8 and day 9.

On day 10 the tour will end and I will accompany all to the airport.
During the tour it will be possible to see 180+ species in addition to the most awesome raptor migrations to be seen anywhere in the world.

tour size is limited to 8 persons. Cost $1,800 per person

price includes meeting and leaving guests at the airport, all meals, purified water, beer, soda or wine, tea, coffee. Lodging.(single or double occupancy) Ground Transportation. a combination of taxis, bus or rural taxi.

***Each tour participants should have their own emergency medical travel insurance as well as coverage for lost luggage’.

For more info: birdingveracruz@gmail.com

Get off your tush/s…. and see a migration spectacle!… birding in Veracruz

David McCauley — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 22:57:51 +0000

This post goes to all my birder and bird watching friends all over the world….. its about migrating hawks, falcons and kites. This isn’t just any old hawkwatch…its the BIG grandaddy of all hawkwatches. How big you ask? …….. try FIVE MILLION plus birds of prey counted in the migratory season!

….. how about (nearly) 1.5 MILLION raptors COUNTED in ONE buteoswainsonifabulous / cathartes auralicious day! (on October 17 2003 the Veracruz “River of Raptors” hawkwatch counted

782,653 Swainson’s hawks -Buteo swainsoni and

707,798 Turkey vultures – Cathartes Aura)

Folks… how about couple more “peak hawkwatch moments”…..

**September 1, 2002 …….95,989 Mississippi Kites – Ictinia mississippiensis were counted at the Veracruz Cardel/Chichicaxtle River of raptors site in Veracruz.

Broad-winged hawks – buteo platypterus On September 28, 2001 they counted 775,760…sweet!

The numbers of migrating raptors that may be observed in a single day or season in Veracruz are the stuff of legends.

HAWKWATCH is a “learned” experience like opera or a “pure” Janis Joplin set. For birders worldwide the fall hawkwatch in Veracruz is truly a “bucket list” experience (one of the things you want to do before you kick the bucket) \

So Veracruz hawkwatch…… is this the year for you to experience the marvel?

-”You can destroy your now by worrying about tomorrow.”

Janis Joplin

If interested, my name is David McCauley

my residence: Veracruz Mexico

my e-mail: birdingveracruz@gmail.com

my passion: hawkwatch…the raptor migration.

I do hawkwatch/birding tours in Veracruz, three of them for the fall 2008 hawkwatch season.

September 17-26 **total raptor count for these day in 2007………………… 737,726 top three species: Broad-winged H. Miss. Kites & Turkey vultures

September 27 – October 6 **total raptor count for these day in 2007.. 844,186 top three species: Broad-winged H., Swainson’s H. & Turkey vultures

October 7 – 16 **total raptor count for these day in 2007…….. 1,503,108 top three species: Swainson’s hawk, Broad-winged hawk & Turkey vulture

I do the hawk watch tours because I love it! during the ten day tours we move about and are able to see alot of other bird species 150-200+ on a 10 day tour. for more information check out this previous post on my blog: http://birdingveracruz.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/raptor-bird-of-prey-migrations-in-veracruz-mexico-2008/

Black-collared Hawk – Busarellus nigricollis Veracruz Mexico

David McCauley — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:40:54 +0000

Black-collared Hawk (Busarellus nigricollis) is a “fish hawk” that can be found in
Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela. This is a cool bird to see.

here is a link:

Black-collared Hawk

below is a short video clip which I shot of the Black_collared Hawk its call is rather scratchy.

Here are two photos that I digiscoped of the Black-collared hawk in Tlacotalpan Veracruz Mexico. This hawk frequents mangroves and marshy areas.

I still have openings for my fall birding – hawkwatch tours in Veracruz. The Black-collared hawk is a species that we generally are able to see on the tour.

You may contact me at birdingveracruz@gmail.com here is a LINK with information.

Here is another short video clip which I shot of the Black-collared hawk (no vocalization)

Good birding all!

David McCauley

Raptor (Bird of Prey) migrations in Veracruz Mexico 2008

David McCauley — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:40:03 +0000

There are few things that I have observed in nature that compare with the late summer migrations of birds of prey (raptors) in Veracruz Mexico. Year after year the ritual of the “hawkwatch” in Veracruz is without parallel. Imagine seeing thousands upon thousands of Broad winged or Swainson’s hawks in a single afternoon. All of this is possible in Veracruz Mexico.

In 2008 I have chosen three dates for birding / hawkwatch tours which allow for the most spectacular views of the fall migration. The dates are as follows:

September 17-26 **737,726 raptors were counted during these dates last year (2007)

These dates provide views of the best variety of migratory raptors, the following species may be seen during these dates:

TV Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
OS Osprey (Pandion haliaeetus)
SK Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus)
MK Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis)
HK Hook-billed Kite (Chondrohierax uncinatus)
NH Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
SS Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
CH Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperi)
GH Gray Hawk (Buteo nitidus)
BW Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)
SW Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)
ZT Zone-tailed Hawk (Buteo albonotus)
RT Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
RH Roadside Hawk (Buteo magnirostris)
AK American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
ML Merlin (Falco columbarius)
PG Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

September 27 – October 6 **844,186 raptors were counted during these dates last year (2007)

These are the dates where traditionally the greatest numbers of Broad-winged hawks may be seen. the following species may also be seen during these dates.

October 7 – 16 **1,503,108 raptors were counted during these dates last year (2007)

These are the dates where the Swainson’s hawks and Turkey vultures may be seen in the greatest numbers. The following species may also be seen during these dates.