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| From our condo on Playa Miramar |
Several months back, we had planned our yearly trip back to Rocky Point, Mexico. It required me to renew my passport and do some research around the area. Plus my purpose for this trip was to find the Yellow-footed Gull and study up on my gulls.
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| Common Loon |
But during Easter week, it's never quite that easy with thousands of people walking along the shoreline. Luckily, we stayed in an area known as Caborca....away from the city. However, we had to go to the city for supplies. And I had to find another bird known as a "Surfbird". The port is full of rocks and the Surfbird prefers this habitat.
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| The fishing port of Rocky Point |
I don't know why, but I've always found Mexican chaos beautiful. It's full of traffic, annoying trash, people and wildlife. The city itself was a gem when it came to finding birds. Where there are people; there are opportunistic sea birds.
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| Snowy Plovers |
As I walked along the beaches, I discovered so many plovers darting around the seashells.
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| The Salt Marshes of Morúa |
After our return from the city, I began to truly set out and discover a new section of Rocky Point. It is known as the estuary of Morúa.
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| Morúa Estuary |
I had seen this massive blue expanse while walking the salt marshes. I knew there was something special in that area, but I didn't know how to get to it.
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| Gulls attack! |
So we drove the dusty roads along the golf course near the Mayan Resort and found the place.
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| Surfbird |
This area is a bit strange. A wealthy hotel known as the Mayan Resort "owns" the entire area. How does one own nature? Anyhow, they have a golf course along one side of the road and on the other is the magical and large expanse known as the Morúa estuary. The area is monitored and protected by the Intercultural Center of Desert and Ocean studies or CEDO.
While this estuary is located in the area "owned" by the Mayan Resort, it is protected by CEDO and that means it's open to the general public. All I will say is "Wow!" This area is a true gem for birders and a MUST see! The desert is an amazing place and the desert habitat along the Sea of Cortez is no exception.
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| Yellow-footed Gull |
A familiar "Weeeeep!" pulled me out of my reverie as a Wilson's Plover flew directly in front of me. I believe he was warning me to stay away from something.....perhaps a nest?
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| Wilson's Plover |
Along the way, I found Dunlins and Red Knots in their breeding plumage. The hotel itself was a rich sanctuary full of different birds and landscape. There were many migrating warblers, flycatchers and orioles!
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| A place for the rich to mingle and be isolated from the "others" |
In fact, a Scott's Oriole captured my attention as we neared the entrance. Only then did I see an incredible flock of warblers(Wilson's, Yellow, Yellow-rumped and Nashville!) in the South American mesquite trees! Once inside the resort, I saw something very interesting.....
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| A magnificent Sora is ignored by so many people at the hotel. Just another brown bird. |
A Sora spun around in circles while people casually passed this bird by on the bridge. Several locals spoke Spanish around me and assumed I didn't understand a word. They mumbled to each other, "What is the gringo looking at?" A young lady replied, "Some stupid bird." I let it roll off my shoulders, but what they did next really irked me. They wanted to take a picture of their family right where I was standing. Really people? How often does one get to see a Sora swirling around out in the open??!!! So I didn't budge.
Anyhow, they had to wait until I was done with my observation. Hey, I was a paying customer and had several drinks at their bar:) The hotel had little pools of water with all kinds of sandpipers hanging around at the edges.
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| A Dunlin |
I still have several more areas of study that need to take place in Rocky Point which will include Cholla Bay and another estuary to the south, but those will wait until next year. I was a bit angry on our way back to the US as I was pulled over for "speeding". Which I wasn't. The local police just wanted money. Thankfully I speak Spanish and we were able to pay the criminals their fee without much hassle. Mexico is beautiful but the local law enforcement is at times quite crooked. These police are underpaid in their own country so they have to make it up elsewhere. One word for that incident. Annoying.
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| "Roberta"-the Heermann's Gull at Viña Del Mar restaurant |
The above shot is of "Roberta". She is a Heermann's Gull who lives at a local restaurant downtown. Perhaps part owner? This gull was born with a gimp leg and loves to visit the local clientele during breakfast, lunch or dinner:) Just to chat:) Needless to say, the owner of the restaurant loves her very much. I'm not sure if she is really a "she", but I enjoyed listening to the owner's story about Roberta.
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| Forster's Tern |
If you are interested in visiting Rocky Point, check out Jan and Andy's place on Playa Miramar. We've been down at their rental home many times and have had a safe and wonderful stay. Andy and Jan, both Phoenix residents, are wonderful hosts who live in Rocky Point most of the year. Their home is right next door to the rental. For birders, this is a great place to explore at low and high tide. There aren't many people along the beach in this area which is a good thing for birders. The Morúa estuary is very close(about 15 minutes by car) from their place. The habitat is varied on their road and is home to the Large-billed Savannah Sparrows, Burrowing Owls and so many other birds. I spent my days walking up and down the beach and dirt roads counting birds. As a side note, because I've been out studying birds, I haven't been able to catch up with everyone as I'd like. But I promise I'll be stopping by soon.
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| A juvenile Pacific Loon |
Until next time......
Northern Shoveler 8
Red-breasted Merganser 14
Gambel's Quail 2
Pacific Loon 6
Common Loon 3
Eared Grebe 6
Black Storm-Petrel 1
Magnificent Frigatebird 3
Blue-footed Booby 6
Brown Booby 25
Brandt's Cormorant 12
Neotropic Cormorant 80
Double-crested Cormorant 40
cormorant sp. 40
Brown Pelican 110
Great Blue Heron 3
Great Egret 4
Snowy Egret 3
Reddish Egret 1
White-faced Ibis 4
Black Vulture 5
Turkey Vulture 6
Osprey 5
Bald Eagle 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Western) 1
Sora 1
American Avocet 26
American Oystercatcher 8
Black-bellied Plover 14
Snowy Plover 2
Wilson's Plover 4
Semipalmated Plover 2
Killdeer 6
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Willet (Western) 6
Lesser Yellowlegs 2
Whimbrel 11
Long-billed Curlew 9
Marbled Godwit 8
Red Knot 1
Surfbird 33
Sanderling 40
Dunlin 16
Baird's Sandpiper 3
Least Sandpiper 4
Western Sandpiper 25
Short-billed Dowitcher 2
Franklin's Gull 2
Heermann's Gull 178
Ring-billed Gull 151
Western Gull 2
Yellow-footed Gull 23
California Gull 17
Herring Gull 10
gull sp. 200
Least Tern 2
Caspian Tern 17
Common Tern 8
Forster's Tern 10
Sterna sp. 50
Royal Tern 10
Sandwich Tern 2
Elegant Tern 32
large tern sp. 100
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 22
Eurasian Collared-Dove 22
White-winged Dove 4
Mourning Dove 5
Burrowing Owl 2
Anna's Hummingbird 1
hummingbird sp. 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Western Wood-Pewee 1
Empidonax sp. 1
Say's Phoebe 8
Ash-throated Flycatcher 1
Loggerhead Shrike 2
Chihuahuan Raven 2
Common Raven 7
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 12
Barn Swallow 5
Cliff Swallow 10
Verdin 2
Curve-billed Thrasher 2
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 5
Orange-crowned Warbler 3
Nashville Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 3
Wilson's Warbler 3
warbler sp. 1
Spizella sp. 5
Black-throated Sparrow 4
Savannah Sparrow (Large-billed) 5
Song Sparrow 4
sparrow sp. 2
Western Meadowlark 2
Great-tailed Grackle 27
Scott's Oriole 1
House Finch 15
Lesser Goldfinch 4
House Sparrow 32
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