We had beautiful weather for the entire trip, which made the drive from Puerto Vallarta to San Blas, Mexico, along the Pacific coast in the state of Nayarit, that much better. It’s a long drive, and we made several stops along the way to look for birds. Some were familiar, like Yellow Warbler, Nashville Warbler, and Summer Tanager which visit my habitat during spring and summer.
Yellow Warbler
Streak-backed Oriole 
We had San Blas Jays and Golden-Fronted Woodpeckers in abundance. The Golden-Fronted are common in Texas, but the San Blas Jays are endemic to Mexico.
We encountered some doves and Painted Buntings foraging along a dirt road…
Painted Bunting 
I don’t know where I saw this heron, but the camera doesn’t lie, so we must have encountered it on that day. I don’t see Yellow-Crowned Night-Herons very often, especially juveniles.
At some point it was temporarily cloudy along the way. So you may wonder why I am including these very dark pictures. The Cinnamon-Rumped Seedeater is of some significance in that it has been split from the White-Collared Seedeater, which makes it an endemic species. And such a close encounter with some Black Vultures seemed friendly enough.
Cinnamon-rumped Seedeater 
Black Vulture
One of many Grayish Saltators on the trip.
We would see Sinaloa Wrens again. Which didn’t stop us from searching for a species called “Happy Wren” which we heard quite often, but hardly saw it once.
Sinaloa Wren 
This could have been our only Gila Woodpecker. I had thought it was already on my life list but it turns out I haven’t seen it before, except in a field guide, so I am glad I have proof.
We would see Rufous-bellied Chachalacas again, but for a large bird they are amazing difficult to capture.
Rufous-bellied Chachalaca
Our first Citreoline Trogon. I was surprised to find I actually got a fairly decent picture.
Later in the day, we were on the beach, and this lone Willet gave us good, if distant, views as it expertly navigated the shore.
An assortment of beach bums were gathered – Brown Pelicans, Black Vultures, Magnificent Frigatebirds, various Herons – I think a man had left them some food.
Black Vultures
We were assured all cormorants would be Neo-tropical…and most of the terns were Royal.
Royal Tern 
Neo-tropical Cormorant
Before we checked into our hotel, we stopped at a historical site, El fuerte de la Contaduria, when we arrived in San Blas. It’s situated on a cliff overlooking the ocean. I wish I had paid more attention to the historic significance which our guide, Steve, was trying to impart to us, but I was pretty tired from traveling by then. I believe the statue is of Don Jose Maria Mercado.
One thing I do remember is Steve reading the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem, The Bells of San Blas.
A version of what happened at the fort is nicely summarized here.
I hope to make some progress over the weekend. I am fading into the sunset to process more pictures.
Now that I have run out of pictures I feel like I should go back to Nicaragua the next chance I get and take more.
Below, fruiting cashews, the sign at the entrance to Ometepe, and a fascinating petroglyph left by indigenous peoples.
and a Great-Tailed Grackle.
But perhaps no bird left a bigger impression on me than these White-Throated Magpie-Jays.
We finally have spring weather and I have already begun to see migrants, so stay tuned.
