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S P O N S O R

B I R D I N G • A U G U S T 2 0 0 3368

World-class birding and surfingmay not seem to go together,

but they coexist peacefully in theeasygoing, coastal town of San Blas,Mexico. While beach tourists funnelinto the high-rise resorts ofMazatlán and Puerto Vallarta to thenorth and south, adventurous bird-ers and surfers stay in those citiesonly long enough to get off a planeand into a bus (or car) for thegreater attractions of tiny San Blas.For birders, this friendly, affordableseaport hosts an amazing feast ofavian life in its lush and accessiblemangrove swamps, estuaries, la-goons, beaches, plantations—andsewage ponds.

The best time to visit San Blas isbetween October and April, whenthe local bird species are joined bymany of “our” neotropical migrantsspending the winter. The San BlasChristmas Bird Count draws birdersfrom around the world and regularlylists up to 300 species. Some of thearea’s “specialty” birds include Ele-gant Quail, Mexican Parrotlet, Col-ima Pygmy-Owl, Citreoline Trogon,Russet-crowned Motmot, Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, San Blas Jay,and Sinaloa Wren.

From the 1500s until the 1800s,San Blas operated as a thriving sea-port and major stopping-off pointfor oceangoing Spanish galleons.Historically, San Blas may be bestknown as the starting point for the

ships that explored Alaska and evan-gelized California. The city’s ship-building days are now over. Today,its 10,000 inhabitants spend theirtime farming, fishing, and providingservices to tourists along about 20miles of sandy beaches.

San Blas sits on the Pacific Coastbetween Mazatlán (four hours tothe north) and Puerto Vallarta (twohours to the south). Inland are thesinuous, mangrove-fringed chan-nels of the San Cristóbal and ElPozo estuaries, home to a wide va-riety of herons, egrets, ibises, par-rots, and warblers. Smaller villagesand plantations of coffee, banana,papaya, mango, tobacco, and sugarspread out over the countryside.Overall, greens and browns meldwith the blue sky and warm sun(most of the time) to make a natu-ral haven for birds and birdersalike. The climate is also appealing,with temperatures ranging from 70ºto 86º F year-round.

◆ ◆ ◆

San Blas itself is easily walkable endto end in about a half hour. In theevening, the central zócalo comesalive with music, people, lights, andfood—and thousands of Great-tailedGrackles roosting for the night. Ona hill overlooking San Blas sits acrumbling mission church and theFort of San Basilio, with its cannons

F I N D I N G B I R D S I N M E X I C O

San Blas:San Blas:

by Noah K. Strycker

35995 East Wills Road

Creswell OR 97426

birdboy@bkpix.com

Seventeen-year-old NKS lives in Creswell, Oregon,

where he is a part-time U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

field employee. He enjoys watching birds, drawing

birds, photographing birds, and writing about birds.

His freelance work has appeared in a number of

regional and national magazines, ornithological

publications, and government documents.

Peso Island, Nayarit, Mexico; March 2002. © Bob Keefer.

San Blas:Big-Time Birding in a Small Tropical Town

The Laughing Falcon is afavorite with visitors toSan Blas. The species isconspicuous, it is easyto identify, and it isexceptionally vocal fora raptor. Its diet consistsmainly of snakes. San Blas,Nayarit, Mexico; January 2002.© Christopher L. Wood.

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leveled at the horizon and flocks ofwintering warblers. Just offshore liesPeso Island, reachable by ferry (aguy and a boat), so named becausetraditionally the fare was a peso. Theprice has gone up a bit—it’s nowmore like a couple of dollars (U.S.).Just offshore from Peso Islandstands Virgin Rock, topped with astatue of the Virgin and swarmingwith Blue-footed Boobies.

Less traditional, but equally birdy,stops include the delectable sewageponds (a must for Northern Jacanas)and a jungly maze of streets on theedge of town, which is loaded withtropical birds, such as Streak-backedOrioles and Mexican Parrotlets.

Whether expert or beginner, intown for a day or a week, most bird-ers in San Blas make sure to get on ariver boat trip. The few hours spentgliding along the mangrove-edgedwaterways, in the morning mists orthe cool of the evening, are simply

unforgettable (and worth everypeso). From a dock by the bridge onthe northeast side of town, trips de-part whenever customers show up.Tell the guides what you want (ges-tures will work), negotiate the price(about $60 U.S. for up to four peo-ple), and then get on the smalllaunch and sit back for a grand ad-venture. Even if you’re an expertbirder, the guides will probably seeand hear many birds before you do.The boats go as far as La Tovara, apopular resort by a spring wherecrocodiles and people can swim to-gether—on opposite sides of a net.

From the boat, birding is spectac-ular. Several of the guides know thebirds well; Chencho is the recom-mended guide for serious birders,but he’s not always available. Heknows the bird names in English:

Boat-billed Heron, Bare-throatedTiger-Heron, Muscovy Duck, GreatBlack-Hawk, Rufous-bellied Chacha-laca, Rufous-necked Wood-Rail,Mangrove Cuckoo, Green King-fisher, Tropical Kingbird, MangroveVireo, Mangrove Warbler, TropicalParula, and Streak-backed Oriole.The birds are used to boats and canbe remarkably tame, allowing closeapproach and good chances for ob-servation and photography.

A special night trip for birders tar-gets a variety of difficult-to-findspecies. Chencho leads this one. Asthe boat winds upriver in the fadinglight, he can call out and spotlightYellow-crowned Night-Herons,Northern Potoos, Lesser Nighthawks,Pauraques, and other night birds.When I made the trip, he called in aMottled Owl and got it in the flash-light—a truly awesome sight.

Other than the guided boat trips,birders are pretty much on theirown. All you need is a pair of

Anhingas are readily observed alongthe rivers near San Blas. This one wasphotographed in an early morningmist on a river boat trip. San Blas,Nayarit, Mexico; March 2002.© Noah K. Strycker.

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binoculars and a couple of fieldguides. I like Howell and Webb’sexcellent Guide to the Birds of Mex-ico and Northern Central America,which must be used in tandem witha guide for North American birds,as Howell and Webb concentrate onMexican species. Howell’s Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico also is in-dispensable. For on-the-spot ad-vice, the English-speaking propri-etor of the Hotel Garza Canela (acomfortable accommodation thatcaters to birders) knows the areaand is familiar with competent localbird guides for hire.

Although you can see birds almostanywhere, I recommend the follow-ing areas because they are safe, ac-cessible, and birdy.

Peso IslandPeso Island is easy to reach, scenic,and loaded with birds. Find a guywith a boat along the beach of SanBlas, and he’ll take you over for nomore than a couple of dollars (U.S.).Once you’re on the island, an obvi-ous trail leads across its widththrough scrubby trees and bushes.This is a good place to find Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Stripe-headedSparrow, and many wintering mi-grants, such as Black-and-whiteWarbler, American Redstart, andYellow-breasted Chat. After about ahalf mile, the trail emerges on abeach on the opposite shore. VirginRock is visible out to sea and, if youscope it, might reward you withglimpses of Blue-footed Boobies.American Oystercatcher, Willet, andWilson’s, Snowy, Semipalmated, andCollared Plovers could be nearbyon the beach. A beach walk canturn up more shorebirds, or youcan explore the trees and bushes forBlue-gray Gnatcatcher, Lincoln’sSparrow, and the occasionalGrasshopper Sparrow. The island is

small enough to explore in a rela-tively short time. When you wantto return to the mainland, juststand on the shore in view of townand wave. The guy with the boatwill come to pick you up.

The FortThe Fort of San Basilio, located on ahill at the northeast side of the city,is a good walk from the center oftown (about a mile one way). A cob-bled road winds uphill, through abanana plantation and past a ceme-tery and aging mission church, ter-minating at the fort, which com-mands a panoramic view of San Blasand the bay. Massive black cannonsand crumbling stone walls, a monu-ment to the colonial days, provide ahistoric backdrop for birding. Nu-merous trees and tangles along theroad are worth checking for speciessuch as Orange-fronted Parakeet,Great Kiskadee, Rufous-backedRobin, and wintering warblers.

Black and Turkey Vultures and Com-mon Black-Hawks circle overhead.

The Sewage PondsNo true birder can visit San Blaswithout experiencing the sewageponds located on the southeast sideof town. You’ll know when you’reclose by the smell. But the birdsmake the prospect worthwhile, asLeast Grebe, Black-necked Stilt,Northern Jacana, and many duckscan be observed there. Along theroad to the ponds, look for CraneHawk, White-tipped Dove, SquirrelCuckoo, Groove-billed Ani, Vermil-ion Flycatcher, Masked Tityra, Gray-ish Saltator, and White-collaredSeedeater. Between the sewageponds and the town is an old over-grown grid of streets in all stages ofdecay, zigzagging through trees andbushes. Birds abound here, but stayaway from the darkest corners forsafety reasons. White-winged Dove,Orange-fronted Parakeet, Mexican

A visit to Peso Island, where this Fan-tailed Warbler was photographed, is highly recommended. Peso Island isjust offshore from San Blas, and it is easily reached by boat. Peso Island, Nayarit, Mexico; February 2003. © James Zipp.

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Parrotlet, Gila Woodpecker, Lin-eated Woodpecker, Purplish-backedJay, and Orchard Oriole can befound here, as well as a variety ofbiting insects (bring repellent).

Lower SingaytaThe village of Singayta, located in-land about five miles from San Blas,is considered by many to be one ofthe best birding spots in the area. Itis not within normal walking dis-tance of town, so a taxi or rented caris recommended. Go through thevillage, park along the road on thefar side, and walk the dirt road intothe forest. Many birds may be foundalong this route, including Rufous-bellied Chachalaca, Lesser Ground-Cuckoo, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl,Cinnamon Hummingbird, Russet-crowned Motmot, Pale-billed Wood-pecker, Ivory-billed Woodcreeper,Black-throated Magpie-Jay, San BlasJay, Happy Wren, Orange-billedNightingale-Thrush, Scrub Eupho-nia, and wintering migrants. Va-grants also are regularly sightedhere. I was once surprised by a maleHooded Warbler, which isn’t nor-mally seen in western Mexico. Theinsects can be annoying, but ordi-nary repellent will generally keepthem off.

The Shrimp PondsA short drive from the edge of townwill take you to the shrimp ponds,another good spot with views of avariety of waterbirds. I recommenddriving along the road and stoppingfrequently. The shrimp ponds maycontain Roseate Spoonbill, CollaredPlover, Whimbrel, Marbled Godwit,and a variety of herons and egrets.After a few miles, a dirt road to theright leads to the delightful villageof Chacalilla. Walking this road on asultry afternoon, I watched a lot ofbirds (Green Kingfisher, Loggerhead

The road to Chacalilla can be quitebirdy. It wends past shrimp ponds,banana plantations, and openfields. San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico;March 2002. © Noah K. Strycker.

W W W . A M E R I C A N B I R D I N G . O R G 373

Shrike, Ruddy-breasted Seedeater,Lark Sparrow, Eastern Mead-owlark)—and was watched in turnby the local farmers, who were obvi-ously amused by my pishing tacticsand dangling camera gear.

Farther AfieldA person could easily spend a weekbirding just the sites close to SanBlas. Plenty of other good spots forbirding lie within driving range,though. La Bajada, a village about 40minutes away, provides some goodbirding in and among coffee planta-tions. The El Mirador del Aguilaoverlook, a 45-minute drive, is themost reliable place to see highlysought-after Military Macaws. Cerrode San Juan is another good spotabout an hour’s drive away, wherebirders may see a variety of speciesnot found in the lowlands.

San Blas not only holds birds, butit also holds people. On the whole,the Mexicans that I’ve encounteredhave gone out of their way to befriendly and accommodating. On abirding trip to Puerto Vallarta, Imade friends with the first taxidriver I flagged down (José) and wasdelighted when he agreed to take mebirding around the area for a fullday for about 600 pesos ($70 U.S.).Although not an experienced birdguide, José knew the area well and

often saw the birds before I did (andenthusiastically shouted their namesin Spanish). A perfect day of birdingended at José’s house, where we hada delicious meal of beans, rice, andradishes.

If you’re looking for life birds, orjust a Mexican experience punctu-ated by birds, San Blas offers plentyof both. This unspoiled Mexicanpueblo has a charm that goes be-yond its history and inhabitants. Iknow people who have returnedmany times, captivated by the bluesky, yellow sand, lush jungle,friendly people, and amazing birds.

General InformationSan Blas, Nayarit, can be reachedfrom North America by land, sea, orair. Although it is possible to driveyour own car, it can be expensivebecause of the toll roads and chal-lenging if you don’t speak Spanish.I recommend flying to Mexico City,

Puerto Vallarta, or Mazatlán, andtaking a bus or taxi from there toSan Blas. You could also rent a car.I prefer the Puerto Vallarta route be-cause the airport is small and con-venient, the nearby bus terminal isalso efficient, and buses run regu-larly and reliably (twice-daily di-

rectly to San Blas and more oftenthrough Tepic). Also, the areaaround Puerto Vallarta offers somegood birding spots, with a fewspecies, such as Red-breasted Chatand Nutting’s Flycatcher, that arehard to find in San Blas.

In addition to your passport, packplenty of long-sleeved shirts andpants—even though the weather islikely to be warm—to protect

San Blas: Information For Travelers

The historic fort provides good views of the city and good birding. San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico; March 2002. © Noah K. Strycker.

Several species of small Charadrius plovers, including the CollaredPlover (shown here), are possible along the shore at San Blas.San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico; January 2002. © Christopher L. Wood.

F I N D I N G B I R D S I N S A N B L A S

against thorns, stinging in-sects, and the sun. It’s also agood idea to bring bug re-pellent, sunscreen, and awide-brimmed hat.

Although the language ofMexico is Spanish, you canget around with English,polite gestures, and afriendly attitude. It helps tospeak a little Spanish, at thevery least gracias (thankyou), por favor (please),and pájaros (birds).

Food and LodgingJust a few blocks from thecenter of San Blas, the HotelGarza Canela is a comfort-able lodging that caters to birders.The proprietor, Josefina Vazquez,speaks English, knows the areawell, and can help visitors with justabout anything. The hotel’s restau-rant is also excellent. You can learnmore at the hotel website <www.garzacanela.com>. The San Blasarea

boasts many delightful restaurants,including small palapas on the beachwhere regional food is prepared byhand with fresh ingredients.

Climate and HealthSan Blas enjoys a tropical climatethat draws birds year-round, but thebest time for humans to visit is Oc-tober to April. The rainy season,July and August, is especially chal-lenging because of the swarms of

stinging insects. If you have asensitive stomach, you may wantto take extra precautions withthe food, drinking only bottledwater, eating only cooked foods,and avoiding unpeeled fruits andvegetables. Take along someantacid just in case.

GuidesSeveral guides can help ensurean organized and productive trip.At a minimum, take two fieldguides: Howell and Webb’s excel-lent Guide to the Birds of Mexicoand Northern Central America,plus a reliable guide to NorthAmerican birds (such as The Sib-ley Guide to Birds or the National

Geographic Society Birds of NorthAmerica). I also find Howell’s Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico to be indis-pensable. The 19-page section onSan Blas is finely detailed withmaps, bird lists, and directions tothe best sites.

Professional bird guides are few(Chencho is the best), but the localstend to know the land and the birdsquite well, and are good-naturedabout being asked.

S BN ,M

AN LAS,AYARITEXICO

Juárez

Sinaloa

Victoria

Battalón San Blas

Paredes CuauhtémocSalas

Gómez Farias

Echeverria

Armado Nervo

Mercado

Michoacán

Guerrero

El Pozo Estuary

San Cristóbal Estuaryto The Shrimp Ponds,Lower Singayta, Tepicto Guadalupe

Victoria

Fort ofSan Basilio

dock for boatto Peso Island

zócalo

PACIFICOCEAN

Peso Island

hospital

North

Miles0

0 4

2

Kilometers

DRAFT05/14/03

15

Map by Virginia Maynard

Birds of many species may be seen on the boattrips along the San Cristóbal River. San Blas,Nayarit, Mexico; March 2002. © Noah K. Strycker.