Birding In Cerro de San Juan Ecological Reserve

the main entrance to Hotel Garza Canela in San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico

When staying at   Hotel Garza Canela,   a great birding base in San Blas, Mexico, we found the hotel staff and other birders quite willing to give helpful tips on where to go looking for birds.  One recommended area was Cerro de San Juan Ecological Reserve near Tepic.  A trip to this area required a 1 1/2 hour drive to get there. Read more

Blue-footed Booby Colony on Mexico’s Isla Isabel

An image of blue-footed booby birds on Isla Isabel off San Blas, Mexico. Photography by Frame To Frame - Bob and Jean

What a thrill to have our exclusive up-close-and-personal encounters in a Blue-footed Booby colony on Isla Isabel off the west coast of Mexico.  After spending a couple of days in San Blas, and with the assistance of Josefina Vazquez at   Hotel Garza Canela,   we lined up a full-day excursion to the small volcanic island that is located some 43 miles northwest of the tiny fishing village. Read more

Tri-colored Heron in the mangrove swamp at San Blas

tri-colored heron, mangrove swamp, san blas, mexico, pic 7

It is safe to say that Bob and I probably failed to get an exact count of all the different birds that we managed to see in San Blas, Mexico, but at least we were able to make positive identification of those species that crossed our paths, birds such as this Tri-coloured Heron. Read more

Yellow-crowned Night Heron Deep In The San Blas Swamp

Yellow-crowned Night Heron, mangrove swamp, san blas, nayarit, mexico, pic 19

When Bob and I visited San Blas on the Pacific coast of Mexico, our objective was to see some of the endemic bird species as well as others that winter in that southern locale.  We had seen a juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron in our hometown of Toronto a couple of years earlier.  As we cruised through the mangrove jungle on our guided tour, closeup views of these rather elegant birds were fairly frequent. Read more

Green Kingfisher In The Mangrove Swamp At San Blas

Green Kingfisher male, mangrove swamp, san blas, nayarit, mexico, pic 2

Bob and I were so excited as we set off from the pier on our mangrove swamp tour.  With Chencho at the helm of our substantial launch, we were confident that many tropical birds would not allude detection.  One species that caught our eye on several occasions was a Green Kingfisher, seen here perching at the edge of the San Cristobal mangrove estuary. Read more

Our Birding Trip In the Mangrove Swamp near San Blas

In the depths of the mangrove swamp near San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico

In our quest to see and photograph as many different species of tropical birds as possible while visiting San Blas, one of the best locations in all of Mexico for birding, a boat tour into the mangrove swamps was a must-do activity for Bob and me.  And what could be more perfect than a languid birding boat trip through La Tovara National Park, a federally protected ecological preserve? Read more

White Ibis At The Shrimp Ponds In San Blas

white ibis at shrimp ponds, san blas, mexico, pic 2

What great fun to set off exploring the vicinity around San Blas, Mexico, in search of wildlife.  The morning that Bob and I scoped out the shrimp ponds on the outskirts of this small fishing community, quite a variety of birds met our searching eyes, most of which we had never seen before.  Among those plying the water for something to eat was this impressive White Ibis. Read more

Northern Potoo In The Mangrove Swamp At San Blas

Northern Potoo in the mangrove swamp at san blas, mexico, pic 5

On our boat tour through the mangrove swamp near San Blas, in Mexico, we saw no less than three Northern Potoos, one of the most highly-sought-after species for birdwatchers.  Bob and I had booked a week’s stay in the tiny fishing village on the Pacific Coast and planned to use our time wisely.  Known as a birding hotspot, the town attracts scores of avian enthusiasts, so we had to secure our guides and tours promptly upon arrival to ensure availability. Read more

Black-necked Stilts In San Blas, Mexico

An image of a Black-necked stilt in flight at San Blas, Nayarit, Mexico.

When Bob and I made the decision to spend a week in San Blas, in Mexico, it was not done lightly.  Reports that listed the area as not the safest to travel to gave us pause for consideration, but the promise of seeing endless numbers of tropical birds had us braving the cross-country trip from Zitacuaro.  We are forever grateful for having gone ahead with our plan.  We saw loads of interesting birds not the least of which were numerous Black-necked Stilts. Read more

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