Every September we look forward to the many species of migratory birds as they begin to arrive in San Vito. Their arrival helps us mark the passage of time. (In years past, the Sports Illustrated Swim Suit edition was another such marker of time’s passage.)

Now, it is April and so we must say ‘adios’, ‘goodbye’, ‘adieu’, ‘arrivederci’, ‘sayonara’, and ‘aloha’ to our avian chums as they head north (and some of them south) to raise their families; a long and perilous journey.

Be assured, we will keep the metaphorical ‘Welcome’ sign in the metaphorical window as we look forward to their return next September.

Tempus fugit (time flies).

Cedar Waxwings, northern migrant birds. Photo courtesy of Helen LeVasseur.

(from SVBC members David and Audrey Fielding)

Five of us were birding together along the dirt roads of a tiny Mexican village near
the town of San Blas—three to four blocks of makeshift houses, dusty yards,
scruffy trees, blossoming grasses and bushes with the promise of maybe a painted
bunting. Suddenly, one of the group let out a cry, “HUMMER!” We all converged
to peek around a bush in the backyard of one of the houses in search of the flutter
of a close-by hummer. Jane was the one who called it out. And for the rest of her
life, Jane has never lived down the ignominy and spirited laughter of the rest of us
when we rounded the bush and there found a contented pig, nuzzling a pile of
garbage while gently snorting, sounding not unlike the familiar wingbeat of a
hummingbird.

Photo courtesy of David and Audrey Fielding.

(from SVBC Member Judy Richardson)

Relaxing on the sofa one afternoon, I spied a Golden hooded Tanager peeking in a hole below a Bromeliad, about 20 feet up. Then I realized that it was inspecting it for a nest. The mate sat on a branch above, awaiting the decision. Seems that she liked it , I was secretly crossing fingers, as today they were back but with bits of plant material in their beaks! Aren’t I lucky to have a front row seat to watch the action!

But wait, today I was at the pool and couldn’t miss a tiny Common Today Flycatcher weaving a hangy down nest from a branch only 5 feet above the ground! Only half done, it’s nearly in the same spot as last year’s. A lot of plant fibers and spider webs are holding it together. I’d like to be a baby rocking in that nest when he’s done.

It seems everywhere I look, new families have moved in, all furiously working on the new generation.

(from SVBC members and supporters, David and Audrey Fielding)

So, we were birding in the town of San Sebastian in the mountains just east of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, hoping to see Green Jays. It was morning and the birds were using the tree foliage off our porch as a highway to local fruit trees. Suddenly, we heard a cacophony of birdcall headed our way. The calls varied: harsh, tuneful, peeping, squeaky, mockingbird-like. And then, there they were! Green Jays, deep green, blue, yellow and black, hopping here and there. The same thing happened two or three more times, mainly in the mornings—first, the peeps and squeaks, melodic and just a bit mournful. And then the gang of Green Jays! We learned to listen for the morning concert, then run out to the porch to catch the Green Jay parade. We felt pretty smug about our ability to ID the Green Jay by its song.

. . . One morning, however, a brown bird we didn’t know perched directly in front of us on a branch and began singing the exact same song! Merlin helped us identify it—a Brown-backed Solitaire, famous for its song. So THAT was what we had been hearing—not the Green Jays after all, but the contrapuntal symphony of tinkling glass falling in minor chords of the Brown-backed Solitaire!. Who knew!!!

Green Jay and Brown-backed Solitaire photos, courtesy of David and Audrey Fielding)

From Randall Jimenez.

This hybrid has been visiting us since 2018 at Zoncho Lagoon in Finca Cántaros, it is evident how year after year it chooses our lagoon, this is beautiful because the conservation efforts we make help to conserve its migration site. I like to think that after flying thousands of kilometers our cute duck says “hogar dulce hogar”

Blue/Green Wing Teal hybrid: Photo courtesy of Randall Jimenez.

Wednesday, Feb. 22nd, 7:00 pm at the Reception Classroom at Las Cruces Biological Station, 7:00 pm

The Glory of Biodiversity in the Tropics

Speaker:  Gail Hewson Hull 

Ms. Hull will show photos of birds and other creatures on 17 acres of land she owned between 1994 and 2019 in Linda Vista de San Vito, Coto Brus County. The presentation will focus on how quickly complex life can return to land degraded by cattle and coffee farming using reforestation and understory restoration with native species.

The San Vito Playhouse (not affiliated with the San Vito Bird Club) cordially invites you to attend our very first performance.

We hope you can join us!

San Vito Playhouse