In Mexico City

Friday evening I flew from San Salvador to Mexico City, where I joined field assistant Hector. We spent the weekend in the city, and will be flying out to Chiapas on Monday, to start the Chiapas part of the Golden-cheeked Warbler field season 2008-2009.

I’d seen Mexico City from the air and from a bus window a few times before, but this was the first time for me to spend some time in the city itself. Its broad, monumental avenues are not unlike those of Paris or London, while its main park, the Bosque de Chapultepec, is very much like Central Park in New York City. Especially on a mild, sunny Sunday.

Probably not the number one birding destination in and around Mexico City, but among the crowds of people we still got to see 20 different bird species, including six warbler species, a Say’s Phoebe, a flock of Bushtits, and a Curve-billed Thrasher. Of the warblers, only Wilson’s and Audubon’s were abundant in the park, with MacGillivray’s, Hermit, Tennessee and Nashville around in lower numbers.

We encountered Ruby-crowned Kinglets throughout the park, apparently a common winter visitor here.