Puerto Vallarta: Isla Cuale and The Boardwalk

 

My summer trek this year was a complicated one.  I needed to add a few important lifers, but I also didn't have the drive to chase birds all day.  The Puerto Vallartan weather was challenging at times with the humidity spiking in the afternoon before that huge rain storm cleared the muggy air.  With house projects and also a very personal journey, I had to plan accordingly with this year's budget. 

Laughing and Heerman's Gulls with Brown Pelicans check out these fisher people

Sometimes it's hard to decide.  Puerto Rico?  Western Mexico?  Southeastern Mexico? Upper eastern section of Mexico?  These are larger areas that have birds I need.  So I generated a list of new birds in Mexico and created a chart using a system.  Y=Yucatan endemics vs WM=Western Mexico endemics.  I quickly discovered Western Mexico was where I needed to go. I didn't realize how many endemics were there!

                                                      

                             the forested urban  Isla Cuale off the Puerto Vallarta boardwalk

For about 2 months I researched and studied the birds of Western Mexico.  There were so many birds I had wanted to see there like Sinaloa Crow, Yellow Grosbeak, San Blas Jay and Black-throated Magpie-Jay.  But I discovered that there were tight endemics that could only be found in that area like Mexican Woodnymph and Mexican Hermit with the Mexican Woodnymph being the primary key species to find.  

                                                             Golden-cheeked Woodpecker

So on my first day in Puerto Vallarta near the beach, I did a gentle stroll feeling out the area and researching their common birds.  None were lifers, except the common Golden-cheeked Woodpecker above!  That was a thrill. On my first day I added that lifer, but I was excited to find so many other birds I don't usually get to see. Most of my birds that I needed were in the mountains. I figured out the weather patterns and got an idea about how much water I'd need to bring with me on my outings. Then I efficiently planned out my treks to discover new birds. Everything was made easier with Uber and Airbnb.  My place was near a grocery store where I was able to do grocery shopping and cook at my place. 

                                                                       White Ibis

Along the boardwalk, I saw the tourists and touristy things.  Normally I'm not into that stuff but I liked the convenience of everything.  And surprisingly the boardwalk art.  Absolutely beautiful and fun! There are a series of mostly bronze sculptures that grace your walk along the Malecon Puerto Vallarta.  

El Sutil Comepiedras(The Subtle Rock Eater), by Jonás Gutiérrez.  This piece symbolizes the immaturity of the modern economic system.  This man focuses on accomplishing things which add no enduring value to himself or to those he loves. He is eating rocks to get "ahead" in life when he could focus and improve the lives of everyone around him. 

The first statue I always encountered from my airbnb as I began my walk was this statue offering me many live Magnificent Frigatebirds to take back to Arizona😂 I still need that bird for my state list!  That statue always captured my attention because it had these frigatebirds perched on them.  I could almost touch them.  I think that's the closest I've ever been to this species!  They are massive!

As you travel south along the boardwalk, there is an ebird hotspot known as Isla Cuale.  Enjoy the touristy sand carvings, the endless Gray-breasted Martins, and avoid the timeshare people.  Normally I am untouchable but this guy found a hook and I cursed myself for being stupid.  However, I gleaned information from him and that lead to 2 new lifers for what he DIDN'T tell me:) So who's to say that I wasn't supposed to meet this slippery salesman with the nice tattoos on the beach? Timeshares?  Who does those anymore?  Apparently rich retired people.  Sounds god awful. 

Anyhow, back to the Isla Cuale hotspot.  On the boardwalk, you'll notice a big bridge over a river.  You'll also see lush vegetation in this stretch on the left side.  Cross the bridge and you'll see vendors under this very green canopy. Go down the stairs after the bridge.  It's full of birds!  The vendors will try to get you to buy things and maybe you're one who likes to shop and bird. It's a safe zone with security around this little urban island.  It's an island because the river splits around this land area.  There are also parks and cultural buildings that you can visit.  

                                                                    Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

The birds were phenomenal here.  If you follow where the river comes from on a map, you'll see that it flows off a very foresty mountain.  The green "finger" ends at the boardwalk and it brings in some of those forest creatures like West Mexican Chachalacas.  I spoke with one of the vendors for awhile about his family history at Isla Cuale.  His grandfather had owned the stand where he now works.  And above him in the tree, he has owls sometimes roost. He says that the owls sometimes forget they come into the city and when they hear the car horns, they take off back up the mountain.  During winter, he told me there were ducks everywhere in that river.  I thanked him for the info and was excited to explore. 

Warning!  Be careful because there are 4 large crocodiles that visit!

                                                                       Yellow-green Vireo

What a great spot to do some fun birding!  Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, Yellow-green Vireos, parakeets, and so much more hung around the shoreline of the branched river. It began to sprinkle. And I headed back to scout one more area, the park next door. 

I saw a bird fly into a tree.  The dark gray skies almost made the color obsolete.  But I got a flash of something yellow-orange.  A Streak-backed Oriole!!! Apparently these birds were a different subspecies because one had an orange tinge on it. This was the West Mexican subspecies. Not a lifer(yet, always good to take note on subspecies in case they are split) but what a fun bird to see foraging around the bushes in a park!  By this time, I was covered in sweat as the humidity increased, but I allowed myself this one moment to enjoy the pair of orioles zipping around the plants at the park. 

Heading back, I enjoyed a pair of Great Kiskadees searching for bugs along the beach.  

So what is my strategy here?  If I've seen these birds, why would I study them more?  First of all, I absolutely love birds.  Studying them makes me stronger.  Some of these birds, if not all(excluding the Golden-cheeked Woodpecker),  have made it into Southeastern Arizona.  If I'm a stronger birder, I will be able to pick them out much easier if they are in my state. Second, I love scouting areas around the places I stay.  It gives me a sampling of what is common and what is not. Third, you gotta check out the cool ebird hotspots in the area and add your knowledge to the data base! Birds are amazing. 

Hotel vs Airbnb.  I chose airbnb because I wanted a kitchen and to be centrally located in Puerto Vallarta to all the places I had studied for birding. I found a wonderful person by the name of Mery.  Her studio was wonderful.  For 30 bucks a night, I had a/c, a kitchen to cook, a comfy bed to sleep and great internet.  All of it 2 blocks away from the beach and boardwalk. 

Puerto Vallarta is a VERY birdy place and full of Western Mexican endemics.  Travel has become a pain these days. This was the perfect trip full of new birds and experiences and closer to home.  Most of the trek I did on my own, but I treated myself to a guide for the day.  We'll meet the talented  bird guide Antonio Robles in another blog.  But for now, it was on me to do my work.  It was a very satisfying trip and I'm glad I did it. The birds in the Puerto Vallarta area are outstanding.  We'll be visiting the Vallarta Botanical Gardens in our next post.  Here are the checklists from my day out along the boardwalk and Isla Cuale. 

This year, I'm focusing on Mexican birds.  Don't be afraid to travel.  Life is good and the birds are waiting for you to see them.  See you next time!