I spent last week in Acapulco, Mexico. I wasn’t there for birding. I was there with a small group of people that were working in an orphanage. I barely went anywhere outside the orphanage, but I did walk the streets nearby in the mornings, and once in the afternoon, just to see what I might find. Overall, I spent about 30 minutes a day looking around the orphanage.
I was not disappointed, and I came home with several life birds, and I also found a few birds that I wouldn’t normally find in Florida. By far, the bird I most enjoyed finding was a Russet-crowned Motmot, which was sitting on some wires and posed nicely for photos.
I was also excited to see three species of flycatchers: Tropical Kingbirds were very common, Great Kiskadees were nesting on the orphanage property, and I also found a couple Social Flycatchers in the street just outside the orphanage property. These flycatchers could be heard all day long.
This individual has a pretty large bill; I thought at first it might have been a Boat-billed Flycatcher
Every morning about the time I woke up, a group of about 10 Orange-fronted Parakeets would fly noisily from near my room to another tree on the orphanage property.
White-collared Seedeaters are little birds, but the males make their presence known throughout the day with their beautiful songs. I found at least one every day I was there, though I was never able to get very close.
I saw Golden-cheeked Woodpeckers frequently there as well. This is one cool-looking woodpecker.
I also frequently saw Rufous-backed Robins. There was a nest just outside the orphanage property, and at least one adult was actively feeding young in the nest.
Another cool bird was a Ruddy Ground-Dove. There were Common Ground-Doves here too, but Ruddy Ground-Doves don’t have the scaly pattern on their heads and chest. The differences between the two species were even more noticeable in flight.
There was also at least one species of hummingbird that visited a feeder across the street. It was impossible for me to get close to the feeder, but I did photograph one that I believe is a Cinnamon Hummingbird. It was kind enough to perch in a tree to give me a little more natural setting.
Scott Simmons
Scott Simmons, based in Florida, is a lover of nature, landscape, and wildlife photography. Scott became interested in photography in 2001 when he was given his first SLR camera. When he acquired a telephoto lens, he became progressively more interested in birds and other wildlife. Scott enjoys learning about bird habitats and behavior, striving always to take images that are both beautiful and interpretive. Scott believes photography is a great vehicle to help others to appreciate the wonder for the stuff of earth.
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