Mexico--arena, agua, cielo (sand, water, sky) (#198-201)

OMG...it published by mistake again. I give up. I'll leave it up this time!

I'm going to try to bunch the birds in the next few posts thematically, so my Mexican birds are not going to be exactly chronological. In this post I'm focusing on the beach and sea birds...Can't you just feel the salty air? Sigh...I miss it so.

Saw this fellow along the shoreline of our resort.
#198: Royal Tern (Spanish: Golondrin-marina/Pagaza Real); February 15, 2012; Mayan Riviera (Barcelo Maya Resort)

There was a pier at our resort where there was pretty decent snorkelling and where the scuba boats left from. If there were people around, there was almost certainly a flock of gulls hanging out too. Then I figured out why--people would bring stuff to feed to the fish, and the gulls saw opportunity in this too! As we stood there watching, a man gave me some bread and I just stick my hand up and one hovers right in front of me until swooping in for the goods. Pretty cool!

Feeding bread to the birds...bad, I know, shame shame

#199: Laughing Gull (Spanish: Gaviota Reidora); February 15, 2012; Mayan Riviera (Barcelo Maya Resort)

I can't say there was much overlap in terms of birds I saw there with birds we have here. I can only think of a handful, but when a large BOP cruised overhead on the beach, I certainly was not expecting an osprey! (Spanish: Gavilán/Aguila Pescador, literally, fishing eagle). Not long after while walking down the beach we saw a huge mob of birds chasing it away out to sea.

One of the best experiences during this trip was lying in the beach and the birds flying overhead--i.e. magnificent frigatebirds and, my favourite, huge flocks of pelicans cruising on by, nice and low in V-formation. So stunning to experience and it took my breath away every time!


My first frigatebird sighting was so exciting. I hadn't realized going down there that they would be so common, and I remember seeing one and saying, "is that...a frigatebird?!" It took silly me a little while to realize that there weren't two kinds--just male and females lol. The males have the small red patch, and females have the white!

Alright, time to point out, while not strictly chronologically, this is my 200th blog bird!! And what a beauty it is!

#200; Magnificent Frigatebird (Spanish: Fragata magnífica/Rabihorcado Magno); February 18, 2012; Mayan Riviera (Tulum)

male

female

And finally....the pelicans...sigh. I love them so. Not the first time I've seen them but the first time I'm counting them :)

#201: Brown Pelican (Spanish: Pelícano café/pardo); February 18, 2012; Mayan Riviera (Tulum)

They were so wonderful...beautiful...stunning...majestic. I never did get a shot of them flying over en masse, but it was absolutely amazing--something you have to experience to appreciate!