I have now seen these in Colombia and Mexico. Here is a pic from one sitting on a branch at the Parque Isla de Salamanca in Colombia where we stopped for the Sapphire-bellied Hummingbird. No confusion on this one as the Commons were up on breeding grounds up North.
My last bird on our trip to the Yucatan in 2019 were Lesser Nighthawks flying over the hotel grounds near the airport in Cancun. It was migration time and Common Nighthawks were flying around too but the calls are totally different.
These vultures are all over the Yucatan but blend in pretty well with Turkey Vultures. On our last day in the Yucatan, we stayed in a hotel near the airport and the vultures made some close passes allowing some decent pics in the waning afternoon light.
I was lucky to see this hummer as it looks like Chichen Itza is close to the edge of its range. It was hanging around a "magic tree" in back the resort we stayed in which was hosting 5-6 species of hummers. If it wasn't for the reddish bill, I might have overlooked it in the throngs of Ruby-throats.
This sharp-looking pair of Tityras were lurking around the Mayaland Resort next to Chichen Itza in the Mexican Yucatan. The male had a black cap and the female brown.
This apparently widespread species was also found on our last full day in the Yucatan at the Mayaland Resort next to Chichen Itza. Although it is common in its range, I only saw them here as the trees were mature. Most of the other areas we traveled to in the Yucatan had smaller growth due to overdevelopment and logging. I plan on going back to some of the more dense jungles so we can visit some of the less traveled ruins.
This awesome and very vocal bird was my 1000th bird species seen although it has since shifted due to splits, so it was a special one indeed. I chased it for a while in the forrest behind the Mayaland Hotel next to Chichen Itza in the Yucatan.
Black is beautiful and these birds take it to the next level with black skin, feathers, beaks and eyes. Plus they sing beautifully too. This one was photographed at Mayaland Resort in the Yucatan, next door to Chichen Itza.
For some reason I was not expecting this bird when I found it on the hotel grounds of Mayaland next to Chichen Itza in the Yucatan. It was part of a large flock which was agitated by a tree snake and it was hard to concentrate in all the activity so that may have contributed to the brain fog.
Although I got some looks at these in Arizona, I don't have any decent pics. So here is one that was soaring over the downtown area of Valladolid, MX in the Yucatan. It looks like a much more slender and elegant version of the Common Black Hawk.
The day after our night-time boat trip at Rio Lagartos in the Yucatan, we went back out this time as a family. The purpose of the trip was to find some Flamingos but the boat operator was more than willing to stop a few times for some good local birds that I needed for my life list. This Mangrove Vireo was actually quite cooperative but photographing small birds from a boat that is moving in the current and waves was not easy so I only came away with these sub-standard shots. I should be able to pick these up again in Costa Rica so expect better pics as soon as this damn pandemic ends.
I was lucky enough to score a night-time boat trip into the estuaries of Rio Lagartos on my first night despite not lining it up prior to the trip. Although my wish list bird of Yucatan Nightjar was heard and we saw the eye-shine, I was not able to get a pic. However, the ride through on the river in the dark was pretty cool and this Boat-billed Heron was more cooperative and sat still for a picture.
This big wren was a north coast Yucatan specialty endemic and I almost didn't get it. I was with the family taking a walk on a desert road that a local in Rio Lagartos told me about. It was hot and we were about to leave after an hour or so as the family was getting restless. Thats when I heard the strange call and followed the sound to this beauty! It couldn't have been more cooperative. Probably it was just taking a siesta and woke up as we were leaving.
When it rains it pours! Up until this trip to the Yucatan, I had not seen Mangrove Swallows but once I got to Rio Lagartos on the north coast, they were everywhere. Note the white rump on the last pic.
These big rambunctious hummers were competing with the local Mexican Sheartails in downtown Rio Lagartos. They are mostly a coastal species but can also be seen inland in Central America. The feeders the locals put up here were super dirty but the hummers didn't seem to mind.
The north coast of the Yucatan is kind of remote and there are only a couple Mexican endemics so it was a bit of a last minute decision for us to go. We actually were planning on making a long drive to the interior to see Calakmul which is one of the most remote and least visited of the Mayan ruins. However, the wife was not keen on the 5 hours plus one way drive so instead we switched to the north coast and stayed in Rio Lagartos. We ended up having a great time and best of all was this little gem seen right in the center of town at the feeders the locals had up. The Mexican Sheartail looks kind of like a hummingbird version of Gonzo the muppet in my opinion.
Late Sept and early Oct seem to be the months with the most rarities and quality birds in general. This year also seems to be producing larger numbers of migrants so maybe there were a good year for budworm in Canada. Lets start with some tame stuff and then build to a crescendo with the bird of the year (although technically something really crazy could still show up before EOY).
A very good bird for Wilmington although quite a few people have seen them this year.
