A San Blas Birding Trip

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A San Blas Birding Trip

Date of Visit: December 4, 2006

One of the highlights of a visit to San Blas is the opportunity to take a panga ride through the mangroves and swamps to Tolvara Spring. If you plan to spend any time in San Blas before heading south to the campgrounds near Puerto Vallarta or on the Costa Alegre this should be on your list.

It's a particularly rewarding trip for birders, and very easy to arrange. As we arrived in the San Blas area in the late afternoon we made a stop at the visitor center and boat docks. When we asked for a guide who would be knowledgable about birds we were introduced to a young man who specializes in birding trips, Jose Ortiz. A 7 a.m. departure was quickly arranged. The price - 360 pesos, about $35 US for four of us.

With such an early morning departure we were the first boat away from the docks - by quite a margin. This was important since normal trips to the springs are pretty much full-throttle affairs. Chances to see birds later in the morning when there are more boats on the river are very limited.

Here's a listing of the birds we spotted. In addition to the birding we also visited the springs and had a cerveza at the restaurant there before the return trip.

Magnificent Frigatebird

Neotropic Cormorant

Anhinga

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret

Cattle Egret

Green Heron

Boat-billed Heron

Tiger Heron

Yellow-crowned Night-heron

Louisiana Heron

White Ibis

White-faced Ibis

Roseate Spoonbill

Wood Stork

Turkey Vulture

Gray Hawk

American Coot

Limpkin

Black-necked Stilt

White-winged Dove

Rock Dove

Squirrel Cuckoo

Rufous Hummingbird

Belted Kingisher

Green Kingfisher

Gila Woodpecker

Tropical Kingbird

Yellow-winged Cacique

Great Kiskadee

Purple-backed Jay

Yellow Warbler

American Redstart

Great-tailed Grackel

See below for pictures of the trip. For more information about RV destinations, things to do, and campgrounds throughout Mexico see our book Traveler's Guide to Mexican Camping.

The Docks An early morning departure is essential.
	Jose Ortiz Jose speaks excellent English, and also knows his birds. He's one of he few guides who specializes in birders.
Anhinga Really .... It just looks like a Cormorant!
	Roseate Spoonbills
Tiger Heron
	Yellow-crowned Night-heron
Wood Stork
	Iguana
A Little Research Was that really a Squirrel Cuckoo?