More Than You Know

Perhaps a little too close to the arches in Cabo San Lucas

Fall break each year is a spiritual commitment to myself as I exit from this routine life to reflect.....on life.  

Last year, I took you to Monterey, CA with Debi Love Shearwater.  This year, we are heading to sunny San Jose del Cabo in Baja California, Mexico. 

This whole trip was based on a crazy happy hour we had a couple months back. So I blame it all on the tequila:)  I was with friends Lori and Tami talking about taking a trek to the baja Mexican pennisula. And so it happened.  

Ruddy Ground-Doves are the common doves in San José next to the White-winged Doves

So we began to plan.  We got a beautiful Airbnb in the sleepy town of San José del Cabo. 

As a birder, it's important to get a place close to where you are intensively birding.  Our place was located along the Riparian area making it SUPER easy to wake up and bird.  

To make things sweeter, this historic building was situated along the beautiful riparian area known as Estero San José, a birder's paradise. From the blue dot down to the beach, it's excellent habitat for many birds which include a few endemics. 

a nice example of a Ruddy Ground-Dove

I had been studying this area for three particular birds, the endangered Belding's Yellowthroat, a subspecies of Northern Cardinal(Santa María) and the Gray Thrasher.  We kept our eyes out for a random Xantus's Hummingbird but as I pieced my research together, I figured this hummer would be hard to spot in this location right now.  Knowing the habits of our hummingbirds here, I suspected the Xantus to be in the foothills of the mountains or along farm/ranch areas.  We did check out golf resorts and hotels with flower gardens but we didn't spot a SINGLE hummingbird species while there.  I suspect the behavior is a cross between a Costa's and a Broad-billed Hummingbird. 

a cooperative Sora

In the picture below, you'll see a mountain range behind the town.  This is where the recently split Baird's Junco, a relative of the Yellow-eyed Junco, and the Xantus's Hummingbird hang out. Other specialties include several subspecies that will most likely be split down the road like the American Robin and the Northern Pygmy-Owl. While doing the research, I found that all the Baja endemics can be done easily by birders in one full week but I didn't have that much time. Plus we were there to have fun.  And we did:)

a small kettle of Turkey Vultures hang out in a section of the Estero of San José del Cabo

So my only focus for this trip was the riparian area in San José del Cabo. Our first bird was the Gray Thrasher.  It looks like a cross between the Curve-billed and Sage Thrashers.   

the endemic Gray Thrasher

To find this bird is to understand the word "thrasher".  Thrashers are active in the early morning and right before sunset. The weather in Baja California is so hot and muggy right now.  So at sunset, before our beer fest, we walked along the cooler mesquite lined path of the estero and found these birds in great numbers feeding along the path with Cactus Wrens. They prefer desert scrub and sure enough, that's where we found them.  For my birder friends, this thrasher isn't as skittish as a Crissal or LeConte's. BUT having birded the estero throughout the weekend in both the AM and PM hours, I found that they were most visible during the evening hours (at least for this time of year). And I can understand why!  It was HOT and disgustingly muggy!

One of many Orange-crowned Warblers seen in the estero

That was a fun lifebird and even though my friends are not birders, they had fun playing detective:)  Last month, San José del Cabo was hit with a hurricane and the riparian area was torn up pretty well.  In fact, a chunk of the bridge and main highway were destroyed. So we carefully birded around the exposed metal joints and dangerous steep cliffs.  We discovered a warbler sanctuary!  It was SO birdy! The warbler show was incredible.  I also believe the whole world's population of the Scott's and Hooded Orioles winter in Baja.  They were EVERYWHERE.  Instead of flocks of robins, there were flocks of Orioles.  Impressive! They are permanent residents of Baja and summer residents of AZ. 

As we got closer to where the ocean meets the mouth of the river, I noticed more birds.  The trails were in better shape and we were able to navigate into really nice birdy areas. 

Common Gallinule

Common Gallinules were present and far outnumbered the American Coots. Rails were everywhere and getting photos of them were near impossible. 

The hurricane cut away a huge swath of land.  Clumps of dead vegetation which included concrete chunks and fallen trees littered the riparian area. 

I forgot that the Ridgway's Rail and Least Bitterns can be found down there. I really tried for photos of a Least Bittern but it snaked its way into the reeds quickly before my camera could focus.  The Ridgway's Rail could only be seen with binoculars at the far edge of the river.  We couldn't get closer because of the hurricane damage on the path.  In fact, we had to be careful with the loose ground near the edges of the river.  If the ground had given out, I probably wouldn't be drinking my coffee and writing to you all now because my arm or leg would be in a cast:) 

a Turkey Vulture perches on some fallen trees from last month's hurricane in San José

Between the beers and laughs, we walked and did quite a bit of exercise. There was ONE bird that I wanted more than anything else on this trip. I studied the endangered Belding's Yellowthroat a lot.  It looks similar to the Common Yellowthroat that is found throughout much of North America. I searched inside of reeds and lumps of wet vegetation for these birds.  Having memorized their calls, I located two pairs. And then we went to work.....

female Belding's Yellowthroat

And I shouldn't just say "I".  I went over the calls with my friends and we spread out creating a network for this tricky to photograph bird.  The Belding's Yellowthroat is endangered because it is a true endemic of the Baja pennisula(this area is mostly desert and the bird requires wetland/riparian habitat).  Why is it endangered?  Housing development. Similar to Florida and the Florida Scrub-Jay, this bird faces an uphill battle as the real estate market booms in the Baja.  As humans manipulate the limited water resources for their own needs, this bird's habitat is disappearing.  Thankfully, the Estero San José is a protected sanctuary for this bird and many others. 

So to understand the word "Yellowthroat", birders KNOW that any warbler that carries the name, Common or Belding's Yellowthroat, will be difficult to photograph. I thought I'd have difficulty with the ID on these similar looking birds but here's what I learned. 1. We had both Yellowthroats at this location.  However, there were more Belding's present. 2. These warblers are very vocal and it helped us zone into the area where they were feeding. Their call is different and sorta reminded me of a wrenish rattle. I was able to successfully record the male calling. We were able to watch these secretive warblers with our binoculars.  3. They are overall very YELLOW.  The male has a black mask similar to its relative the Common Yellowthroat.  But it was their call and deep yellow coloring that caught our attention.  We observed one pair in a nesting territory for about a half hour.  After that, we went to an all you can drink event on the beach to celebrate our success and um....enjoy our vacation. 

Don't do it guy!  The current is TOO STRONG!

Our next day was a mini pelagic on the ocean. I overdressed once again because I needed pockets for my equipment.  At one point, I nearly passed out. It was 95 degrees with a high humidity rate. 

Some fun cliff diving in Cabo San Lucas at Pelican Rock

While my friends enjoyed the pelagic, I counted birds along the fascinating rock formations.  My particular study was focused on Blue-footed Boobies and Magnificent Frigatebirds.  BUT it turned out that my observations would mostly be on the Frigatebirds and Ospreys.  We found the Boobies but only for a second. 

This Osprey watches over all of us during our pelagic

Then something very "spring breaky" happened to me.  I don't know how to explain it because it was a moment.  One of those PURE moments.  The kind that makes a person feel complete joy and sadness all at once. Otherwise known as bittersweet:)

A Wandering Tattler flies into view for a few seconds

As we were coming back into port, I heard one of my favorite club tunes from this year, More Than You Know, carried across the waves.  I searched for the source of the music and discovered two young men overlooking the ocean as if they were kings of the world. And for a brief moment, I felt like I was in my 20's again with that same bliss/naiveté.  Twenty years later, I was saying hello to my old self.  And then our boat docked and it was over. 

Striped Shore Crab

For the rest of our trip, the song played over and over in my head.  I tried to process why this moment had affected me so much.  Thanks to my friends, we were able to talk it out.  Life experiences shape us and make us who we are.  But there is something very beautiful about innocence. So thank you Tami and Lori for helping me connect the dots. 

This sea lion attempts to sleep but the crabs taunt him

So yeah it was a weird experience.  How the hell does one go from dance party aficionado to birder?!!!  I like me now but sometimes I wish I could be footloose and fancy free for just a moment. But that would require late night parties and staying awake:) That's too much work!

an ancient looking Brown Pelican 

Anyhow, I love Anthony Burdain from the various food networks and his constant search for secret local culinary delights. One night on our way back from Cabo San Lucas, I smelled something really good. I saw many locals all gathered at this hole-in-the-wall restaurant in a random neighborhood outside of the historic San José del Cabo district. The kitchen was run by a smiling Celia Cruz type and I had a feeling that this place was something special. The next night, we went back to investigate and I asked our waiter what was it that everyone came to their restaurant craving.  He laughed at first and then realized I was serious.  The next thing I knew, he brought me the most delicious PAPA RELLENA.....a stuffed potato.  And. It. Was. Good!

My heart lit up again.  I felt the fire rekindle inside of me.  I missed my Mexico.  I've missed it so much.  I missed being around fun and wonderfully polite people who just chat! Where it's okay to say "hi" to a complete stranger and not have the other person think you're insane.  I had forgotten how incredibly rude some Americans can be.......no.  That's wrong.  I haven't forgotten how rude Americans are.  I had become immune to it!  I hate where this country is right now. It's embarrassing. I hate the hatred and division this so called clown has created between Republicans and Democrats. And here's a little personal observation.  While on my flights, everyone I sat next to began talking about this idiot.  I swear to the gods that I never brought up the topic.  I didn't want to...but I've got this strange presence that allows people to open up to me.  They needed someone to listen.  And I listened.  The US is not in a good space right now. 

And in Mexico? Well, they would start talking about this cheeto puff as well!  As an unofficial ambassador, I reminded them that he doesn't speak for most of the country.  Then I switched the conversation to birds:)  

Magnificent Frigatebird

We watched the pirates of the air, the Magnificent Frigatebirds, glide and dive trying to steal food from each other.  One day, I will see one of these birds in Tucson.  And when I do, I will be ready with my camera. 

Spotted Boxfish

Normally I'm not into fish but the fish around the waters of the Baja Pennisula are stunning!!!!  While I was sitting on our boat, I looked down and observed several colorful species coming up to the surface of the water. 

Color is everything. Mexico IS color.  There is color in the food.  With her people. With her culture.  In the language.  In her wildlife.  It inspires me and many many others.  Mexico recharges my battery and reminds me why our neighbor to the south is pretty awesome. 

We had a blast.  This crew in the pic above is awesome.  They are genuine, down-to-earth, and know how to vacation properly.  Work out/bird in the morning.  And then, explore! And have a good time.  I needed this trip more than I knew. 

Here are my checklists in case you are interested in exploring the San José del Cabo area which includes the birder's paradise Estero San José. From the airport, San José is about 20 minutes away.  Don't pay the 50 bucks they quote you inside the airport! It's cheaper taking the busses or a taxi outside the terminal! Have courage and you will have saved yourself money! People will pester you.  Just get out alive with your luggage! As for Cabo San Lucas. It's about 45 minutes away by bus or taxi. For 2 bucks, catch the Ruta del Desierto bus from San José.  But bring plenty of water to stay hydrated. Alcohol doesn't count:) Cabo San Lucas isn't for everyone.  If you want quiet, stay in San José or at the resorts that lead up to Cabo San Lucas.  In a year or so, I'll plan my next trip back to the town of Todos Santos and schedule a visit to the Sierra de la Laguna area of the mountains for the rest of the endemics. 

For the reports on California/Pacific Coast birds, Baja Endemics, and waterbirds for the month of October from Estero San José, click here(Day 1) and here(Day 2).
For the pelagic birds from Cabo San Lucas, click here.  Life doesn't wait.  In the next couple weeks, we're going to get our cold on.  Stay tuned for more......

Back to Avalon

This guy was little like the "Lady in the Fountain" from the movie, "Under the Tuscan Sun".  He was a bit "off"

We left LA in the darkness and quickly headed towards the cute beach town of Dana Point. There we would take a ship across the Pacific and look for the last reliable colony of Spotted Doves in the US. 

The islands off of the Southern California coast are some of the best places to visit. Surprisingly they, unlike their neighbors on the nearby coast, are not overcrowded with people. Once we arrived, I knew we were going to have fun birding this island. 

Again, the people fascinated me.  They were a different group.  The lady below was busy chatting with a friend from her porch.  That's not something you see much of these days anymore!

We wandered some along the rocky coastline and found our very own Wandering Tattler!  

Wandering Tattler

We watched this shorebird hunt for crabs.  I think I like the shorebird diet a lot. 

We had some cloudy weather the first day, but it cleared up on the second.  In the pic below, you see the old casino.  It's an entertainment building for movies and weddings, etc. It actually doesn't have any gambling at all. 

It was easy to get distracted here, but our mission was to find the last stable colony of Spotted Doves.  In 1917, these birds were introduced and had established themselves over the years in the LA area.  But as time has gone on, these birds have almost completely vanished from the urban sprawl of Southern California. They are rare now in much of LA County with only a few left at the Colonel Leon H. Washington Park and several other nearby locations. And of course there are random sightings "here and there". We were on vacation and I didn't want to be spending it in LA. Several California birders came to Arizona in January and tipped me off that there was still a reliable place to find these birds.  Catalina Island. 

Spotted Dove

It didn't take long to put a plan together.  A pelagic opportunity, an island trip searching for endemic subspecies and oh....the lifer Spotted Dove!  It was a win win scenario.  And sure enough.  We found our doves!  Lots of them!  Everywhere!

Once we found our doves, it was time to relax and enjoy the rest of our vacation. 

We hiked along the shores. And eventually we went into the rugged interior of the island. 

Striped Shore Crab

People watching was the best. Sipping on my Bloody Mary, we watched people live their lives.  

Crack kills

The road sharply curved around several areas, but we kept our eyes out for the bison known to live on this island.  With all the rain California has received, the island was rather green. 

Eventually we found a small group of bison.  Keeping our distance, we snapped pics. 

With our mission accomplished, it was time to return back to the mainland.  On our way back on the Catalina Express, I found a super rare Red-billed Tropicbird!  I struggled with my gear, but I was able to snap off some ID'able shots of the bird before it disappeared.  It was a rare bird alert for the U.S.!  Getting a pic for these situations is important.  For one, it lets people know that you aren't making it up.  And second, it erases any doubt that the bird may have been ID'd incorrectly. 

Red-billed Tropicbird

All of it can be exhausting.  My eyes had bags under them because it was all new birding territory.  It's hard not to look around you.  After all, it's not every day I get a chance to visit new places.  I love exploring!

The express took us home and it was back to Arizona again.  For the Catalina Island report click here. What an amazing adventure!  Until next time.......

And never let this happen to you:)  Thanks Magill for the laugh!