My corporate has an place of job in Monterrey so my go back and forth wasn’t the primary time to this commercial town, nor will or not it’s the remaining. My earlier submit on birding right here has gained some grievance – it seems that I used to be too harsh at the position. Now, in early March, the town confirmed itself from its easiest facet with transparent skies and air air pollution ranges so low that handiest young children needed to keep indoors. Butt-ugly not more?
Whilst taking part in my farewell Portuguese espresso and pastel de nata on the Lisbon airport and learning up on id I regarded as the making plans of my two-week go back and forth to the Americas. True to my very own recipe I might arrive an afternoon or two early to head birding. I’d cross with Mexican birding friend Mau, guided through Kingfisher Birding who additionally equipped the chicken photos. Our vacation spot: 4 inland reservoirs and the encircling scrubland.
First forestall: the Presa El Águila. The reservoir has been furnished with picnic spaces and facilities. The primary leisure task is angling. Fishing with explosives has been explicitly forbidden as a useful signal knowledgeable. It’s commonplace wisdom such indicators are ancient signs: some fool attempted this once or more! We left from Monterrey at 5:00 hrs and arrived at the lakeshore with the solar peeking over the horizon. With the Sierra Los Picachos within the distance as a substitute of the extra acquainted Sierra Madre Oriental, the tranquillity and blank air help you know you might be a long way clear of the town.
The wind was once robust and chilly however had concentrated the birds within the downwind a part of the lake. Drowned timber supply perching alternatives and there are shallow and uncovered spaces and underwater plants on this a part of the lake. It’ll simply be the feeding alternatives that had drawn within the birds, no longer the wind. Or possibly we have been simply projecting our distress at the birds. With the solar gaining in power and out of the wind we have been quickly rather relaxed. The birds warmed us too. There was once a big raft of masses of American Coot, an American White Pelican and loads of duck species.
I will be able to no longer title all geese, however Bufflehead and Canvasback have been lifers so that they deserve a call-out.
A gaggle of about 15 Least Sandpipers was once feeding within the shallows. They have been transferring in our path and appeared to be oblivious of our presence. Quietly we waited for them to get nearer and nearer and nearer nonetheless, after which, bang! Sandpipers up within the air and a basic panic a number of the coots and geese. A Merlin had simply tried to snatch breakfast ahead of our very eyes… She neglected and whilst we have been glad for the sandpipers – they’re very lovely – the joy we felt was once for the falcon. What a spectacle. Hearts racing and tears of emotion welling up in our eyes!
The joy was once a long way from over. Subsequent we witnessed an Osprey via those self same watery eyes. The chicken hovered, plunged and stuck a big fish. The wind made it laborious for it to settle so we have been handled to a few fly-bys. Every now and then actual existence is healthier than any Sir David Attenborough documentary. Just a cynic would characteristic our tears to the chilly wind.
We looked at the shrubs for songbirds whilst returning to the auto and have been rewarded with a showing Pink-winged Blackbird. A Loggerhead Shrike bade us farewell and we headed out to the following vacation spot. Using slowly out, via shrubland and acacia wooded area, we scanned for birds. We noticed a Black-throated Sparrow …
… after which our guides heard Cassin’s Sparrow calling. We stopped. I were given out, stretched and appeared an Japanese Screech-Owl directly into its stunning eyes. Was once it the small measurement, the very huge eyes, or the lovable ear tufts? I don’t know however I stood mesmerised, drowning in the ones eyes and feeling remarkably “zen”. I believe I’m in love with an owl.
Subsequent forestall: Presa Agualeguas. The emotional top of the owl was once by no means going to present this lake a good likelihood besides I might say this spot was once the least horny of the day. A ways fewer birds and an boring panorama. A Nice White Egret plunge diving for a fish nonetheless made the forestall profitable however we didn’t keep lengthy.
We then checked the Presa El Nogalito for one chicken species particularly. The reservoir is surrounded through top cliffs with just a unmarried shallow phase with plants and the chance for birds to forage. And foraging they did, about 200 specimens of the species we have been after: Sandhill Cranes.
There are some picnic spots and facilities at this web site, nevertheless it’s all in determined want of restore. The bathroom bowls have been smashed up and damaged, however had nonetheless attracted clientele… We discovered this in any respect websites we visited: there are amenities however all dilapidated and dirty. No want to linger then, adelante!
It was once now well beyond lunch time and at round 14:00 hrs we pulled into the parking space of Presa Sombreretillo within the Sierra Los Picachos. We unpacked the sandwiches and the telescopes – an crucial piece of apparatus for all websites we visited – and munched our Mexican cheese sarnies whilst gazing Mexican Duck. Each the style and the view have been mouthwatering.
The leisure consisted of a gaggle of 8 Grasshopper Sparrows and Livestock Egret getting to a small herd of – stay up for it – farm animals. Sorry for that susceptible comic story, however every time an English title is appropriately describing the chicken I believe I want to name it out. If I have been in rate, I’d trade the point of interest of the naming debate to beef up each unmarried title. Now not simply the racists however the misnomers too. I do know the names are a remnant of the good Anglo-Saxon custom in herbal historical past with its chicken skins and laboratory paintings, however the easy and simple naming of e.g. Afrikaans or German chicken names is refreshing. A chicken that calls out its personal title, glorious. Take your pick out: Eurasian Eagle Owl or simply Uhu? Even the medical title makes extra sense (Bubo bubo). Apologies, I’ve digressed… Again to the lakeside. We noticed all of the duck species we had observed within the different reservoirs plus some Wooden Duck, the already discussed Mexican Duck, Eurasian/Inexperienced-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck (any other peculiar title – the hoop is infrequently visual and under no circumstances a defining function of this duck – oh, will you simply forestall it!), and Black-necked Grebe (no longer pronouncing anything else). We additional noticed a unmarried Noticed Sandpiper at the spillway and a trio of aptly-named Rock Wren.
Even supposing we didn’t discover the encircling spaces there’s numerous appropriate habitat across the reservoir. Presa Sombreretillo is probably the most scenic of the 4 reservoirs we visited. There have been numerous wildflowers, dragonflies, butterflies, and succulents, so for non-birding nature fans there’s masses to peer. It’s about 90 mins clear of the town so when you’ve got restricted time that is the only to head for.
Each and every time I go back to the town I’m liking it extra – there’s such a lot nature to experience within the rapid atmosphere. Monterrey could also be probably the most not likely vacationer vacation spot in Mexico, however it’s value a discuss with. As a Cyberdyne Programs T-800 Fashion 101 as soon as stated: I’ll be again.