Azure Afternoon

 March, 16, 2022 Afternoon

                  Azure-rumped Tanager -Dubi Shapio

After leaving the Slender Sheartail location we drove into the town of San Lucas Tolimán and had lunch at a restaurant that overlooked Lago Atitlan. It was a beautiful setting as we were sitting in an open area that was surrounded by a beautiful tropical garden with Black-vented Orioles and Azure-crowned Hummingbirds flying all around. As we sat sipping our tropical juice we noticed a group of Wood Storks flying out over the lake. Josué was super excited about seeing these birds as it was the first time that he had seen them in this department (state).  

Azure-crowned Hummingbird - FT

After lunch we drove up a steep mountain road and parked the car. We hiked down a narrow path through the forest passing small groves of coffee plants and fruit trees. We hiked down to the bottom of this side canyon and a little ways up the other side and we stopped at a place where you could see the top of this enormous fruiting tree. Sitting out in the open was a beautiful Azure-rumped Tanager (lifer). It was busy feeding on the fruit and although it was a very good scope look, the light and distance made it difficult to get a good photo. I took a screenshot of a nice photo taken by Dubi Shapiro just so you could get a look at this bird. It has a very limited range, only found in Northwestern Guatemala and Southern Chiapas Mexico. 

 Black-eared Bushtit - TGT

        

Josue lives on the way to the next location and he stopped by his house to pick up a few things. We met his children who were really excited to see him. He had just come off of a 10 day tour the night before. I felt kind of bad taking their daddy away again for another week but he said they’d have plenty of time next week. Afterwards we made a stop not more than 300 yards from his house. I looked around and saw pretty much destruction all around. There was a quarry behind us and in front was a clear-cut where either the land was barren or there were scattered trees (avocado I think). All all around this clear cut were houses and terraced gardens.

Nashville Warbler - TGT

I looked at Josue and he read my mind. He said “no te preocupes mi amigo vamos a tratar de encontrar Ocellated Quail”. Translated it is “don’t you worry my friend we are going to try for Ocellated Quail”. I must admit that I was feeling a bit let down as in my mind I had imagined seeing this bird on a nice outcropping in a beautiful canyon. But this bird too has a small range and is very hard to see so I wasn’t about to tell Josue that we had to find it in a more pristine location. This bird is a “threatened species” due to habitat destruction and degradation. Uncontrolled grazing and the burning of forests to make way for "improved" grazing lands for livestock and agriculture are chief among the threats facing this species. Currently, according to BirdLIfe, there are no significant portions of its range under official protection. 

He played a tape of its rather sweet descending whistle and sure enough one called back from very far away. I thought to myself “no way are we going to see that bird, it’s just too far away”. But Josue was persistent and while he played the tape and watched for the bird, Torrey and I enjoyed a passing group of Black-eared Bushtits, a beautiful Spotted Towhee (nice to see a yard bird), a troupe of Acorn Woodpeckers, a Nashville Warbler and a great lifer look at Rusty Sparrow. When we turned our attention back to the quail much to my surprise the distance had been cut in half. I began to brighten up a bit. 

This is one time I must say that I am glad Miriam was not there. She would have been unhappy to say the least. Even for me this was a hard wait. It was right beside a road, albeit not a busy one, but there were trucks that came by and bathed us in diesel fumes and deafening noise. Also my ankle bothers me more when I’m just standing and not walking. But the quail was definitely making its way in our direction and the chances of ever seeing this bird at some other place some other time was not good so I decided to get a hold of myself and make the best of it.

And closer and closer it came but it sure was taking its good sweet time in doing so. Finally Torrey saw it fly across this open area and disappear into one of the nearby trees. The tree was not more than fifteen feet high, but the foliage was dense. We searched for this beautiful quail with its Harlequin face but we couldn’t find it. Or so I thought. Josue said “I got it in the scope” and after what I had seen his brother do with the scope I didn’t doubt it for a second. I looked through his scope and all you could see was the eye and the area around it. It was a really cool look but not quite satisfying. So we continued to wait for the bird to show and show he did, although it was a very brief but a very good look as he took off on foot across the orchard. Nice lifer! 

                         Ocellated Quail - Estaban Mathais

 Next we took off and had a refreshing cold Fresca, anyone remember Fresca? Afterwards we headed to Hotel Atitlan (very nice and fancy) and I thought oh man we are getting put up in style. More on that later.