WingsBirds Updates

From Alcatraz to Galapagos… in Mexico!

Wings Staff — 2024-04-25 14:01:34

Steve Howell & Luke Seitz report from a brief research trip to Mexico’s Islas Marias, until 2019 a legendary, high-security prison but now a newly minted tourist destination! In the company of biologists Jonathan Vargas and Sinead Gomez Rosas, and with the gracious support of Biosphere Director Pablo Zamorano de Haro, of Mexico’s Commission of Protected Areas, Steve and Luke spent an intensive two days and managed to find all 24 (!) of the island’s currently recognized endemic bird taxa, some treated as full species (with several more that seem good species candidates), and some never encountered previously by birders! Almost all of the endemics vary from tame to absurdly tame, recalling the avifauna of the Galapagos Islands—Steve really should have had a zoom lens!

From left to right the team: Sinead, Jonathan, Luke, and Steve under a mural in the reception area attesting to the island’s dramatic change in status.

Probably the biggest ‘danger’ on the island is having your food eaten by the big and bright endemic Streak-backed Orioles, one potential split (a pity the name ‘Golden Oriole’ is already taken).

Very local and mostly extirpated on the mainland, Yellow-headed Amazons are conspicuous right in town (and treated as a full species by some authorities)

Mexican Parrotlets look and sound different from mainland birds, another reasonable split.

Often challenging to see on the mainland, Blue Mockingbird (Long-billed Mockingbird?) is quite common and decidedly confiding.

The same applies to Happy Wrens—and yes, they also look different and behave differently. Leaf-litter Wren might be a better name!

Ironically perhaps, although now universally split as a species, Lawrence’s (or Tres Marias) Hummingbird is one of the least different-looking endemics, plus not the only hummingbird endemic to the islands such that some Mexican biologists favor using the original English name, Lawrence’s.

Another striking-looking endemic (yes, this is an adult male!) is the francescae race of Red-breasted Chat (Francesca’s Chat, anyone?), also quite common and easily seen.

Once considered an island subspecies but no longer, Elegant Trogons are nonetheless stunning, plus absurdly tame!

Another non-endemic, but a nice bird to have around town is Elf Owl, this one spotted from our kitchen window!

It says Welcome (Bienvenidos) but sadly this was our last view of Isla Maria Madre as we left the dock.

Luke Seitz and Steve Howell report from Mexico: Oaxaca and Western Chiapas

Wings Staff — 2024-04-22 16:16:07

Our Mexico: Oaxaca and Western Chiapas tour started in fine fashion near the bustling city of Tuxtla Gutierrez, where birding within an hour’s drive of the city produced many stunning Russet-crowned Motmots...

...and an incredible Bearded Screech-Owl, roosting in the highland pine-oak forests near San Cristobal! How lucky could we get?!

We spend two mornings at the gorgeous Sumidero Canyon, where a clear highlight this year was...

...this supremely cooperative Flammulated Flycatcher.

Picnics feature strongly on this tour, often surrounded by great birds such as...

...the range-restricted Giant Wren!

After several days in Chiapas, we drove across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and ended up in Oaxaca, where we birded cool montane forests...

...where specialties like Dwarf Jay performed better than ever!

The sought-after Oaxaca Sparrow was also abnormally cooperative this year.

It's difficult to choose a favorite bird in this fascinating part of the word, but surely the eye-melting Rosita’s Bunting must feature high on the list. We’re already looking forward to next time!

Paul Holt reports from Bhutan

Wings Staff — 2024-04-18 09:41:19

A fantastic encounter with four Blood Pheasants early in to the second half of our Bhutan tour stole the Bird of the Trip award although Satyr Tragopan (we saw three separate birds superbly well), a pair of Beautiful Nuthatches, a couple of gaudy Himalayan Monals, a solitary White-bellied Heron, four Ibisbills, umpteen Rufous-necked Hornbills and a flock of 20 Fire-tailed Myzornis all pushed it hard…But Bhutan’s far more than just impressive birds – there’s the spectacular mountain and forest scenery, the country’s unique culture and fascinating Buddhist heritage and of course our fabulous ground agents. Bhutan has so much to offer...

Blood Pheasant romped away with the 'Bird of the Tour' award...

but Black-tailed Crake pushed it hard...

Capped, one of three species of langur we saw.

Punakha dzong – one of the country's more spectacular fortress-monasteries

Steve Howell and Luke Seitz report from the conclusion of their trans-equatorial odyssey on the Chile to California cruise.

Wings Staff — 2024-04-08 12:16:06

This trip transits over 5000 miles through the waters of 12 countries (this year, with documented first country records for four of them!). Some 33 species of tubenoses, ranging from five albatrosses to a remarkable 12 storm-petrels, topped the pelagic bill, here the handsome Hornby’s (or Ringed) Storm-Petrel.

Although up-close Blue Whales several times...

And fancy Striped Dolphins weren’t too shabby either!

Point-blank Nazca Boobies joined us on several days...

Intent on hunting flyingfish (like this Pied-tailed Necromancer) that the ship flushed

From Humboldt Penguins...

And Olive Ridley Sea Turtles

To Guadalupe Furseals the trip was an eponymic delight!

Birds at our varied landings ranged from this curious White-throated Tapaculo

And cryptic Peruvian Thick-knees...

To the ultra-fancy Inca Tern

And the eye-burningly bright Orange-breasted Bunting.

Memories of this remarkable trip will last a lifetime—happy oceanic birding!

Trinidad and Tobago

Will Russell — 2023-11-15 11:39:28

Lying just off the coast of Venezuela, the island of Trinidad shares much of its birdlife with the nearby continent. A large percentage of South America’s avian families are represented but without the confounding variety of species encountered on the mainland. For this reason, combined with its pleasant island atmosphere, its logistical accessibility (English is the official language), and world-renowned accommodations, Trinidad has long been considered the destination for fostering an understanding of Neotropical birds.

Mongolia: The Eastern Steppes

Will Russell — 2023-09-27 16:47:52

We offer a unique itinerary to the far east of Mongolia, a land of the endless sea of grass, of golden steppes as far as you can see, where the only signs of humans are the tracks we drive on and the occasional nomad’s ger. Out here, there are ornithological discoveries still to be made. The avian influence is Manchurian in origin, and our main targets will be Jankowski’s Bunting, Baer’s Pochard, Siberian Crane, Mongolian Short-toed Lark, Ochre-rumped Bunting, polivanovi Reed Parrotbill and Marsh Grassbird. It’s also just possible that Swinhoe’s Rail can be found here… We’ll be travelling light and camping – there’s no other option – and covering huge distances by in 4x4s, the majority of it on dirt tracks. However, the vehicles we use are comfortable (in 2023 and, hopefully in 2024 as well Toyota Land Cruisers), our drivers are marvelously proficient, and the tracks are usually smooth going.

Alaska: The Pribilofs and Utqiagvik (Barrow) in Fall

Will Russell — 2023-09-21 09:30:41

Alaska’s Pribilof Islands lie in the Bering Sea some 300 miles southwest of the nearest bit of Alaska’s mainland. We’ve scheduled an extended stay on the rocky island of St. Paul at a good time for Asian and other vagrants. Even though the breeding season is over, the sea cliffs and surrounding waters will still have hundreds alcids and good numbers of the near-endemic Red-legged Kittiwake, and the Northern Fur Seal colony will be overflowing with young seal pups.

Colombia: Central

Will Russell — 2023-09-18 16:17:02

Hummingbirds galore plus sparkling tanagers, elusive antpittas and even Mountain-Toucan, all while enjoying a cup of Colombian coffee!

Poland in Spring

Will Russell — 2023-08-01 11:34:14

Birding in Eastern Poland in late May is magical. Every mile of road has at least one pair of White Storks nesting on top of a roadside telegraph pole, the incessant crex crex call of Corncrakes can, as dusk sets in, be almost deafening, and Common Cuckoos seem to be in every patch of woodland or reed. The general area hosts a range of habitats, from the extensive Biebrza Marshes – home to a significant proportion of the world’s breeding Aquatic Warblers – to the primeval Bialowieza Forest. Accordingly, a wide variety of species can be encountered, many in numbers seldom found elsewhere in Europe.

Remembering David Fisher

Matt Brooks — 2023-05-18 12:43:48

It’s been almost two years since we lost David Fisher, world birder, co-owner of Sunbird, and tour leader known to many WINGS participants. David was also the Chairman of the Neotropical Bird Club, working tirelessly in that role for years. Such was his contribution to the NBC that the club has created a Memorial Lecture in David’s name. The very first David Fisher Memorial Lecture has just taken place and has been recorded for posterity on YouTube. The lecture is given by Dr. Alex Lees on the subject of bird migration through the Neotropical region and you can view it via this link - it’s a fascinating talk and well worth watching.

David left his estate to be divided between Birdlife International, WWF, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), to whom he also donated his extensive collection of books on ornithology. The RSPB holds one of the largest libraries of bird books in the UK and had reached a point where the collection needed to rehoused in a more modern and accessible facility. Part of David’s legacy to the Society has been used in the building of the new library, which opened last year in the new Avocet building at the Society’s headquarters in Bedfordshire, England, where a plaque has been placed by the entrance acknowledging David’s contribution. Both the plaque and the biannual lecture will be a lasting reminder of someone who was so well-liked and who is so greatly missed. -- Steve Rooke