From the kettle to the kettles.. my first (of the season) Broad-winged hawk sighting in Veracruz

The date: September 20th
Location: Tamalinillo, Veracruz Mexico
Hurricane Karl left us with a lot of moisture here in Veracruz.



The rains ceased on the 20th, the heat and humidity was crazy. The small rural community of Tamalinillo Veracruz was preparing for the festival of Saint Matthew. Early in the morning on the 20th a hog was butchered, by the time I got up the fire was going strong with a big kettle of boiling lard.
 The pork fat and rinds were cooked up first and later, meat was added until all was cooked.

You take this fried pork (while its still hot) and chop it up a bit with a knife put a couple of chunks on a fresh corn tortilla add some home made salsa,  and you have some fine dining. Wash down five or six of these tacos with some cold Tecates and life is indeed good!
I had just finished eating, it was about 2pm and I spot some movement in the sky to the other side of the valley....a "kettle" of Broad-winged hawks - Buteo platypterus. These are my first BW's of this season here in Veracruz. I feel the rush of adrenaline as a race to get the camera. Below is a view of the hawks in a thermal or "kettle". A "kettle" is a column of rising warm air, when the raptors enter the column of rising warm air they soar in spirals to gain altitude to continue their migration. This soaring spiral of hawks, in great numbers, gives the effect of water boiling in a kettle. 

Here is another view as the Broad-winged hawks as they leave the "kettle". The wing shape changes to glide and the appearance is one of uniformity, another name for this gliding flight pattern is called a "stream" or a "line".

I counted approximately 1,800 Broad-winged hawks in about an hour.

Their coming.... & and you know you are a hawkwatcher when....

I love to open my e-mail and see all the reports from the hawkwatch sites from around the country [BIRDHAWK]

 The hawks are on their way! I can feel the excitement building as the hundreds of hawk-watch sites throughout the country post their numbers and observations.


With all of the recent rains here in Veracruz things have slowed down a bit. In the next few days we will begin to see more activity.
As a side note I have been working hard on practical ecology/conservation based project to thwart the continued de-forestation here in Mexico. I has to do with an improved strain of pasture grass that is 3 to 4 times as effective as normal pasture growth... I will be making posts here in the very near future with more details.
It's still no to late to sign up for the three dates for the hawk watch/birding tours. I would love to have more people here to experience the worlds most concentrated raptor migrations.

34,000 + Mississippi Kites - MK counted Sept.8th in Veracruz Mexico

The migration continues. Yesterday over 34,000 Mississippi Kites MK were counted in Veracruz. With a total of 236,000 MK counted thus far in 2010 (source Hawkcount.Org)  Mississippi kites are graceful in flight and can often be seen grabbing a dragonfly for a  in flight snack. Once again I am extending an invitation to all to "come on down" and experience the Veracruz bird of prey migrations first hand.
Eyes to the sky,
David

When I grow up I wanna be a Peregrine Falcon....ohhh yeaah!

When you're standing on a ridge and a migrating Peregrine falcon -Falco peregrinus comes by in full "glide" and you can manage to get a pic, thats good...real good. Join the party...there's a HAWK WATCH goin on!       http://veracruzhawkwatch.blogspot.com

Posted via email from veracruzhawkwatch

Raptor migrations off to a good start........

Greetings from Cerro Azul, Veracruz. This is shaping up to be one of the best hawk watch seasons ever! Sept. 3.... and as far as observations of migrating raptors I am not in the optimum location at the moment. (38 kilometers inland from the gulf of Mexico in Northern Veracruz) Thus far nothing great in the raptor migration sitings ( 1 HK -Hooked-billed Kite and about 70 MK - Mississippi Kites, mostly juvies.) The movements are passing closer to the gulf and out of my range of view. Thanks to HAWKCOUNT.ORG I am able to get my daily  raptor "fix" with  the help of the Corpus Christi Gang (Libby, Dane, Kevin,Patti, Bill.....and all the rest) 
 to the North.
To the South,"River of Raptors Veracruz"  aka Hawk-watch Mecca (mecca n. A place that is regarded as the center of an activity or interest.)

I send "saludos y tequilazos" to the hardworking  River of Raptors team in Cardel y Chichicaxtle
Habacuc, Rigo, Citlali, Irving,James, Oscar, Rene, Roberto y Otros PRONATURA 
Here is a data summary as of Sept.2:Corpus Christi 
Data summary for Veracruz ROR Sept2: River of Raptors

Torrential rains to the south in Veracruz with many flooded communities including "my beloved" Tlacotalpan. FLOOD 2010  
My best wishes for ALL
All for the moment....be well and remember "eyes to the sky" and "solo Vera Cruz es bello"
David McCauley




,

Somebody's watching me......visit from a praying mantis and a hook-billed kite.

 Yesterday, I climbed a ridge in Piedra Labrada, Veracruz, with a panoramic view northward to see if I could spot some of the first migrating raptors. After scanning the sky for several hours I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye. I had a praying mantis perched on my spotting telescope and it was watching me looking for hawks! (or so it seemed :-) ) It reminded me of a blast from the past, a Rockwell song "Somebody's Watching Me. Below is a youtube video thats spoofs the song and I couldn't help bus chuckle when I saw it.








 

 I got these pics of the praying mantis with my Canon EOS 40D and 60mm ESF 2.8 (macro)
So back to my raptor observations, after scanning for about 5 hours I had seen roaming resident BV's black vultures as well as a handful of resident TV's turkey vultures. In addition to this I could observe that there was a significant dragonfly and butterfly migration underway, with thousands skimming by each hour.
Around 4pm, I got that glimpse that every hawk-watcher and birder wants..... headed my way I could see a distinct raptor profile with some ragged plumage. I had a Hook-billed Kite Chonroheirax unicinatus!! I scrambled for the camera, Canon Rebel T1i with Canon 400mm 5.6 lens and was able to get off about 22 shots as it passed by.

This shot in flight is a male hook-billed kite (gray and white barring on the belly) Hook-billed kites lack a surpra-orbital ridge which gives the head the look of a "monster pigeon on steroids" while in flight.
What a thrill to observe and photograph this bird! I will be continuing to post my raptor migration observations from Veracruz Mexico.
Good birding All and Eyes to the Sky.
David



David McCauley
hawkwatch@gmail.com
twitter:     @ mexicohawk

Starting August 15 2010 - I will be observing migration here in Veracruz

Birders and Hawkwatchers everywhere, welcome to my blog Veracruz Hawk Watch.
Tomorrow I will begin to search the skies for early signs of migration of raptor, birds, butterfly and dragonflies. This is indeed one of the most exciting times of the year for me. There is something magical about the visuals of the migration. Imagine swirling clouds and V-shaped lines of  thousands American White pelicans, Anhinga or Wood storks.   CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO MAKE IT LARGER

In addition  to these migrants it is possible to observe significant  numbers of scissor-tailed flycatchers and white-winged doves as they migrate south.

The migrations of millions of butterflies and dragonflies is also quite awesome!

My favorite migration visual are the birds of prey. The raptor migrations are the show stoppers of the Veracruz migrations.  Swirling "kettles" (thermals) and "lines" of Turkey Vultures, Swainson's Hawks, Broad-winged Hawks, Mississippi kites.  Millions of these species are counted each fall as the migrate south to Central and South America.

Also it is possible to see Swallow-tailed kites, Hooked-billed Kites, Peregrine falcons, Merlins, Sharp-shinned hawks, Coopers hawks, Osprey, Red-tailed hawks, Red-shouldered hawks, Aplomado Falcons, Great Black Hawk, American Kestrels, Crested Caracara, Bat falcon, Short-tailed hawks...... the list goes on.
We still have space for the tours to witness these migrations, the information is posted below:
Good birding all! See you in Veracruz. CLICK ON THE GIF BELOW

David McCauley


For the fall 2010 Veracruz  Hawkwatch Tours I will once again be teaming up with Simon Thompson of Ventures Birding Tours- "Putting the fun back into birding!" We have a fine team of guides this year, Simon Thompson, Frank Gallo, Bill Thompson (Birdwatchers Digest) and David McCauley.
We have selected 4 dates for the Veracruz hawkwatch tours:
Tour #1.   September 25th -October 2nd
Tour #2    October 2nd-9th
Tour #3.   October 9th-16th
Tour #4.   October16th-23rd
**each tour is 7 days and begins and ends on a Saturday.
For the tour specifics please visit The Ventures Birding Tours website
or you can contact me David McCauley       veracruz.hawkwatch@gmail.com

Old bird book (pdf) (public domain)

I found this cool public domain book A bird guide from 1913. below is the link if you are interesed in downloading a copy.
http://www.archive.org/details/birdbookillustra00reedrich

Posted via email from veracruzhawkwatch

The magnificent Great Black Hawk - Buteo urubitinga ridgwayi

Here are some pics that I shot of the Great Black Hawk, a resident raptor that is found in Veracruz Mexico.

I love all things raptor! The great black hawk is a marvelous raptor that can be found foraging for food, on the ground in wet marshy areas.
Visit us this late summer and early fall to witness the worlds most concentrated bird of prey migration.
 Veracruz raptor migrations are with out parallel. For more information please contact me David McCauley veracruz.hawkwatch@gmail.com.
 Good birding All!

August 15th in Veracruz the worlds largest bird of prey migration begins. During last week in September and first three weeks of October it is possible to see tens of thousands of migrating birds of prey each day. Each year between 4.5 to 6 million raptors are counted, representing 15 different species. Species include, Broad-winged hawks, Swainson's hawks, Mississippi kites, Turkey Vultures, Peregrine Falcons, Red-tailed hawks, Coopers hawks, Sharp-shinned hawks, Osprey, Swallow-tailed hawks, Merlins.......
I am hooked on the migration and would love to share the experience with you. We have four tour dates this year to share the raptor migrations with you.
Good birding,
birdingbuzz@gmail.com
David McCauley
hawkwatch@gmail.com

Migrating raptor mix from Veracruz Mx Simple ID quiz

Posted via email from veracruzhawkwatch

Putting fun back in the Hawkwatch!

Here's a special invitation to birders and hawk watchers to witness the bird of prey migrations in Veracruz Mexico, fall 2010. Veracruz is one of the best seats on  the planet to observe migrating birds of prey and resident raptors.
Veracruz hawk watch is raptor observation on a grand scale.
Come on down this fall and sit back with a cold drink and see hawk watch like you have never seen it before! We have scouted out the best views, great food and birding sites. Join us.



For the fall 2010 Veracruz  Hawkwatch Tours I will once again be teaming up with Simon Thompson of Verntures Birding Tours- "Putting the fun back into birding!" We have a fine team of guides this year, Simon Thompson, Frank Gallo, Bill Thompson and David McCauley.
We have selected 4 dates for the Veracruz hawkwatch tours:
Tour #1.   September 25th -October 2nd
Tour #2    October 2nd-9th
Tour #3.   October 9th-16th
Tour #4.   October16th-23rd
**each tour is 7 days and begins and ends on a Saturday.
For the tour specifics please visit The Ventures Birding Tours website

What is HAWKWATCH?

Yesterday afternoon I took some time out here in NYC to visit MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) I had a great time viewing many of the great masterpieces of  of contemporary art. As a photographer and lover of art, the visit to the museum brought me special pleasure as I visually soaked in my favorite artists, Francis Bacon, Matisse, Picasso, Modigliani, Giacometti, Dubuffet......   I came across a painting by the artist John Baldessari entitled "What is Painting"

As I pondered the words of the painting I thought how fitting they were to describe not just painting but what is the essence of the hawkwatch.
Here goes my version:
WHAT IS HAWKWATCH?
DO YOU SENSE HOW ALL THE VISUAL ELEMENTS OF HAWKWATCH ARE CONNECTED? HAWKWATCH IS A CREATION FOR THE EYE AND CAN ONLY BE HINTED AT WITH WORDS.
As a nature photographer and birding guide I have struggled to capture visually and describe in words the hawkwatch, its not an easy thing to do. The "hawkwatch" is GRAND in its scale, a panorama of migration.
In Veracruz where I live the migration of raptors(15 species) is coupled with migrations of butterflies, dragonflies, Anhinga, American white pelicans, Woodstorks, scissor-tailed flycatchers.....(the list goes on)

Here is a photo that I took that expresses one dimension of the hawkwatch. (...... a mix of Turkey vultures, Swainson's hawks and a Broad-winged hawk, all in migration.

Looking to the fall hawkwatch 2010 in Veracruz

A mixture of migrating raptors,Swainson's Hawks, Broad-winged hawks and Turkey Vultures.  Spring 2010           Veracruz Mexico ©2010 David McCauley

Greetings to All! At the moment I am in NYC. I arrived a week ago after spending several months in Veracruz. I still have the thrill "buzz" after witnessing this years spring raptor migrations in Veracruz. This is my tenth year of observing the birds of prey migrations in Veracruz. I am still in the process of editing thousands of images that I took of this years spring migration. Over the next few months I will be sharing some of these photos here on the Veracruz hawkwatch blog.
For the fall 2010 Veracruz  Hawkwatch Tours I will once again be teaming up with Simon Thompson of Verntures Birding Tours- "Putting the fun back into birding!" We have a fine team of guides this year, Simon Thompson, Frank Gallo, Bill Thompson and David McCauley.
We have selected 4 dates for the Veracruz hawkwatch tours:
Tour #1.   September 25th -October 2nd
Tour #2    October 2nd-9thTour #3.   October 9th-16th
Tour #4.   October16th-23rd
**each tour is 7 days and begins and ends on a Saturday.
For the tour specifics please visit The Ventures Birding Tours website

Population of Aplomado Falcon threatened in the Chihuahuan Desert

Please take a moment to read the following. I consider Angel Montoya to be a friend and a hard-working scientist for the Peregrine Fund. The following deserves our attention.
-David McCauley
Tlacotalpan, Veracruz


Friends and colleagues,*
**
*Over the years you have all either been directly involved with
or interested in the Aplomado Falcons of Chihuahua, Mexico. I am now writing
because although you may not know it there is currently a clear and imminent
threat to the grasslands, grassland birds, pronghorn, and Aplomado Falcon in
Chihuahua as we know them today. Unfortunately, the aforementioned threat is
happening at an alarming rate and there does not seem to be an end to it.*
**
*Please read the attached article by Duarte, Rodriguez, Montoya, Cade, and
Hunt on the destruction of Chihuahuan Desert grasslands and its consequences
to the survival of the last known Aplomado Falcon population in the
Chihuahuan Desert. As you all know this not only affects Aplomado Falcons
but other species ( pronghorn, grassland birds, etc..) as well. Please feel
free to forward this information to others. For more information or
suggestions you may either contact Grainger Hunt at
grainger@peregrinefund.org, Alberto Macias at maciasduarte@yahoo.com.mx, Tom
Cade at tcade@peregrinefund.org, Roberto Rodriguez at
beto2rodr1@gmail.com or myself Angle Montoya at
abmontoya@zianet.com . For additional articles on the Aplomado Falcons in
Chihuahua please visit the website:
http://www.peregrinefund.org/aplomado_articles.asp . You may also post this
on any list servers you see as appropriate. *
**
*If you respond please do so individually. Thanks and I apologize if you
have received this in duplicate.*
**
*Angel Montoya*
*The Peregrine Fund*
*100 East Hadley Ave.*
*Las Cruces, NM 88001

Here is the text of the pdf. file
*

FARMING ON GRASSLANDS POSES EXTIRPATION RISK TO APLOMADO
FALCONS IN CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO
Alberto Macías-Duarte, Roberto Rodríguez-Salazar, Angel Montoya, Tom Cade,
and Grainger
Hunt
The last known desert-dwelling Aplomado Falcon population (Falco femoralis
septentrionalis) in North America may be extirpated within the near future.
We have studied and worked to
conserve this relict population in Chihuahua for the last fifteen years, and
we feel a responsibility
to inform the international community of the recent and ongoing destruction
of the falcon's
breeding habitat through the plowing of native grasslands.

The Aplomado Falcon is a strikingly beautiful, endangered species that once
occurred throughout
the grasslands of the Chihuahuan Desert. In the 1800s, the population
extended northward into
the southwestern United States, but it disappeared there entirely by the
1950s and has since been
reintroduced in Texas. This is one of only two areas in Mexico where this
endangered species is
known to breed, one along the eastern coastal savannas from southern
Tamaulipas southward and
the other in the desert grasslands of Chihuahua. The distance between those
populations is about
one thousand kilometers.

When we began studying the Chihuahua population in 1992, there were
thirty-five known pairs, but the long drought of the 1990s and early 2000s
reduced the population to about twenty-five
pairs. At that time, we identified grassland desertification as the major
threat to the long-term
survival of the species (Macias-Duarte et al. 2004. The Auk 121:1081-1093).
We could not
foresee, however, that in the next few years, the species would face the
destruction of its breeding
habitat by the sudden conversion of desert grassland into croplands.

Native grasslands in Tarabillas valley

Just as the remnant falcon population in Chihuahua began to respond to the
recent increase in
rainfall, Mennonite farmers began buying the grassland portions of the
ranches inhabited by
falcons within Tarabillas valley, north and east of Sierra El Gallego, in
the municipality of
Ahumada. At a recent meeting with government authorities, we discussed the
loss of seven
Aplomado Falcon breeding territories to plowing. Officials informed us that
farmers are buying
"…every available hectare of native grassland in the area," including
additional known
Aplomado Falcon territories. The farmers continue negotiations with
landowners to buy all the
grasslands within that valley including communal lands (ejidos), and if left
unchecked they will
eventually own and farm the entire Tarabillas valley. These purchases are
facilitated by the fact
that most grasslands are in poor condition following the drought and its
consequences on
livestock production, tempting many landowners to sell their land to
farmers.

The Mexican Institute of Water Technology measured aquifer recharge rates at
37 million
m3/year from which CONAGUA (the agency responsible for
monitoring/controlling water
utilization) determined that ground water pumping could support 5,300
hectares of crop
production in the Tarabillas Valley on a sustainable basis. About 10,200 ha
are already under
ground-water irrigated crop production, and 20,400 hectares have been
ploughed in preparation
for crop production. In all, 59,900 hectares of grassland have been sold for
conversion to crop
production in just the last four years. Ground water pumping at current and
projected rates is
clearly not sustainable. Meanwhile, a substantial portion of the last
remnants of desert grasslands
known to support Aplomado Falcons in Chihuahua are being destroyed for
short-term profit from
unsustainable agriculture.

Today we know of only 18 Aplomado Falcon pairs remaining in Chihuahua, a
trend that suggests
the possibility of extirpation within a few years unless immediate action is
taken to stop the rapid
conversion of native grassland to cropland. In the last year alone, the
breeding territories of seven
pairs have been lost to the plow. We have found no evidence of Aplomado
Falcons in other
regions of Chihuahua, and surveys in Durango and Coahuilla have also been
unsuccessful.

The Aplomado Falcon is not the only species risking extirpation from this
portion of Mexico. The
endangered Mexican pronghorn (Antilocapra americana mexicana) lives only in
native
Chihuahuan grasslands and will share the same fate as the Aplomado Falcon if
farmland
conversion continues in Tarabillas valley during the coming months. Both
Aplomado Falcons
and Mexican pronghorns are closely associated with open grassland.
Pronghorns move along
grassland corridors, and the farming of these grasslands will further
fragment their already
diminished populations. Tarabillas valley is an internationally important
wintering ground for
migratory grassland birds from the northern United States and Canada; the
density of grassland
birds during the winter far exceeds that observed in other grasslands in
Chihuahua (Mendez-
Gonzalez 2000, Master's Thesis, Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua).

Farms in the northern half of Tarabillas Valley have thus far destroyed
seven Aplomado Falcon
breeding territories.

Pronghorn antelope in native Chihuahua grassland

For further information, contact Alberto Macias-Duarte
(maciasdua...@yahoo.com.mx );
see
www.peregrinefund.org/aplomado_articles.asp for details about the Aplomado
Falcon population
in Chihuahua. Directors of the Mexican federal agencies involved in
environmental protection
include Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada, Secretary of Environment and Natural
Resources
(c.secretario@semarnat.gob.mx ) and Ignacio Loyola Vera, Federal Attorney
for Environmental
Protection (iloyola@profepa.gob.mx).

--

Video of Great Black hawk and Aplomado falcon

On April 10, I went out digiscoping in the morning and was able to capture some photos and a couple of short video clips. The first raptor is the Great Black Hawk - Buteo urubitinga ridgwayi. The photos and short video clip were taken with my Nikon Coolpix P1 handheld to my Nikon Fieldscope II 82mm with 30X wide angle eyepiece and Slik tripod. (Digiscoping)




The second raptor that I was able to photograph was the Aplomado falcon - Falco femoralis
I love Aplomado falcons! This is like the coolest raptor that I have ever observed! I came upon this female Aplomado falcon that had just caught a field mouse.
(the photo is a bit blurry but you can make out the the furry shape of the mouse in the Aplomados´s talons.) The video shows the Aplomado cleaning its bill.

A story of an Aplomado falcon family in Veracruz.
Here goes.....I finally have some information and photos to share with you.
I live in Tlacotalpan Veracruz (the tropical lownds/wetlands of central Veracruz)
Here is a timeline to the Aplomado nesting activities.
First spotted
I spotted/digiscoped the female Aplomado falcon on April 3, 2006

Eggs laid
As close as I can tell the eggs were laid on or around April 6, 2006

First Aplomado "chick" hatched
On May 8, 2006 the first Aplomado falcon chick hatched

Nest discovered
the nest was discovered by Angel Montoya field biologist with the Aplomado Project -The Peregrine Fund and myself on April 24, 2006

Second Aplomado chick hatches
The second "chick" hatches May 11, 2006
in addition eggshell samples were taken from the nest and the nest was photographed by field biologists from The Peregrine Fund.

Observations begin
Since May 13, 2006 (time allowing) I try to get out to the site and observe the nest and Aplomado falcon behaviours twice a day, 1.5 hours in the morning and 1.5 hours in the afternoon.


Now for the photos. (just click on the highlighted links below to see photos) Note with regard to photos:
Unless otherwise noted ( see the Peregrine Fund photos),
these are my photos and may be copied for personal/educational use. Commercial use of my photos requires my permission.
David McCauley
hawkwatch@gmail.com

The power of "digiscoping". This PHOTO shows the magnification possibilities of "digiscoping" (a digital camera coupled with a spotting scope)
Without the "digiscoping" setup I would never attempt to photograph the nest.
Here are some images of the "lay of the land" and where I am in relation to the nest and observation perches of the Aplomados.
VIEW1
VIEW2

Some ID observations on the Aplomado falcons
Here are some photo charts that help show some of the field marks and differences between the male and female Aplomado falcons.
FEMALE APLOMADO
MALE APLOMADO
M/F Size Comparison

Meeting the Aplomados
Since I am in Mexico I have named the pair of Aplomados after the Maya dieties "Itzamna" and "Ixchel" SEE PHOTO

The NEST is either that of a Brown Jay, Roadside Hawk or possibly a Northern caracara, Aplomado falcons do not build nests but instead depend upon the nest building skills of others.

The nest photographed.
Here are photos of the nest with one "chick" hatched (approximately 3 days old) and the second "chick" is just breaking its way out of the egg. The reason for climbing up to the nest,(hence the photo) is a joint project of The Pergrine Fund and USGS with the end of collecting eggshell fragments and infertile eggs for testing of pesticide/herbicide levels. This is a good thing, field biology at work, a proactive approach to study unregulated pesticide use in Latin America. (DDT is still sold here in Mexico and is in no way regulated.) Hmm.
These photos were taken by a field biologist of The Peregrine Fund and have been used here with their permission. (These images are property of The Peregrine Fund and may NOT be copied or reproduced without their permission.) I am most grateful to The Peregrine Fund for the use of the photo on my weblog. Plese keep in mind that the photos taken is a result of a field study. Please, it should go without saying but- DO NOT CLIMB TREES OR USE MIRRORS ON POLES in order to photograph nesting chicks or egg clutches.
PHOTO 1
PHOTO2
PHOTO3

Ixchel and Itzamna on the nest.
IXCHEL (female)
ITZAMNA (male)

The feeding of the Aplomado Chicks.
PHOTO1
PHOTO2
PHOTO3
PHOTO4
PHOTO5
PHOTO6

So there you have the basics of the family of Aplomado falcons in Tlacotalpan Veracruz Mexico. I will as time allow continue to post photos of the progress of the young and share with you some of my field notes/observations.
The Aplomado falcon population was nearly eliminated in the US due to loss of habitat and pesticide contamination.
Thanks to the ongoing efforts of The Peregrine Fund with their Aplomado Falcon Project, the species in now being successfully re-introduced into its former breeding habitats.
I would encourage all who can, to actively support this ongoing project.

David McCauley
hawkwatch@gmail.com

The Aplomado falcon nest is discovered!
On April 23, 2006 I am sitting out on the porch conducting the spring hawkwatch here in Tlacotalpan and I am approached by a group of people that look like birders... My guests are Angel Montoya, his wife Jennifer and son Woodrow together with Angel's sister and brother in law. Angel tells me that he and his family are here on vaction and that he works for the Peregrine Fund and his wife Jennifer works for the World Wildlife Federation.
Instant camaradeire.
Anyone who gives a damn about nature is a friend of mine.
As I talk more with Angel he tells me that he is a field biologist with Peregrine Fund working on the Aplomado falcon restoration project in the US. How cool is that?
I am the captive audience with a thousand questions!
That afternoon Angel and myself sat on the porch, drank a couple cold beers and counted migrating raptors 5,248.....among them 5,010 Mississippi kites, 16 Peregrine falcons, 13 Turkey vultures, 4 Ospreys, 1 late Swallow/tailed kite, 196 Broad/winged hawks, 6 Swainsons hawks, 1 American kestrel and a Partridge in a pear tree!
In the course of the conversation I mentioned that I had been "digiscoping" Aplomados nearby and asked him if he wanted to go birding the next morning. Angel agreed and early the next morning we headed out to my local patch to bird.
Note. I live in central Veracruz in the tropical lowlands.
The next morning Angel showed up on time, and we headed out to bird. When we got to the area where I had been photographing Aplomado falcons, I scanned the fence line and we found the Aplomado nest!














I was really excited, this is the first time in my life that I had ever seen a nesting Aplomado falcon!

The Aplomado falcon family and sharing them with the world.
It is after careful consideration that I start this series on the Aplomado falcon on my weblog.
It was two years ago here in Veracruz, that I had a memorable encounter with a pair of Aplomado falcons. I was out birding/digiscoping and I heard a commotion, it was two Aplomado falcons giving a good "get the hell out of my territory" message to a Roadside hawk. Unforgettable. The Roadside hawk retreated to more hospitable terrain. I observed the pair of Aplomado's in my binocular and was able to "digiscope" with my rather rustic setup of a basic Nikon spotting scope and my 2 megapixel Sony Mavica 250CD.(after vingetting I was lucky to get a good 4X6!)
Suddenly one of the Aplomado falcons shot off of the branch where it had been perched, almost immediately the second Aplomado falcon followed. I saw it all in my binocular.
The first Aplomado was in rapid pursuit of prey, the prey headed for the nearest leafy tree.
As the prey entered the safety of the tree the first Aplomado shot up into the air and hovered/"kited" above the tree.
The second Aplomado, (which was not far behind) went directly into the tree pursuing prey.
An Aplomado falcon is an undisputed master of airspace for its aerial acrobatics, but put them into a tangle of branches and they do not do well! So I observe this Aplomado foundering in a tangle of branches....the prey (a juvenile Eastern Meadowlark) seeing its attacker clumsily flapping in the branches sensed the opportunity to escape and flies from the refuge of the tree. BIG MISTAKE.
The first Aplomado falcon which had been hovering above the tree, saw the escaping flight of the juvenile Eastern Meadowlark and deeply swooped to make a definitve "kill".
I had just witnessed what must surely be one of nature´s greatest "dramas"....the cooperative hunt of the Aplomado falcon!
This colorful, long-tailed falcon had made unforgettable impresion on me. I was hooked!
I began to study all the material that I could find on this amazing bird of prey.
I recently crossed paths with a family of Aplomado falcons here in Tlacotalpan Veracruz, Mexico where I live. What I hope to do over the next several weeks is share with you images as well as information regarding Falco femoralis - The Aplomado Falcon.
















Here is the image a provoked a renewed interest in the Aplomado falcon. While conducting my annual spring hawkwatch here in Tlacotalpan, I had Dane Ferell (of the Corpus Christi Texas Hawkwatch) here with me helping me with my spring raptor migration count. One morning (April 3, 2006) we were out birding before the hawkwatch and we came across this female Aplomado. I digiscoped a few pictures. (For those who may not know "digiscoping" is a is a photography technique that couples a digital camera with a spotting telescope. In the birding world the late Laurence Poh is considered to be the "father of digiscoping". Laurence eagerly shared with many his techniques, which have revolutionized nature/bird photography. Thanks to this recent technology, it is now possible to photograph most birds from a considerable distance and still capture their behavior and visual characteristics without "stressing" the bird.
Unless otherwise noted my photographs of the Aplomado falcon have been "digiscoped" using a Nikon Coolpix P1 (8megapixels) camera handheld to a Nikon Fieldscope 82mmED with a 30XWide Angle eyepiece, with either a Slik or Gitzo tripod.
So the journey begins of the Aplomado falcon family in the spring of 2006 in Tlacotalpan, Veracruz Mexico.
David McCauley
hawkwatch@gmail.com