DAY 4 TUESDAY
We again ate a breakfast buffet at the hotel at our normal time, but also had to bring down our packed gear for the drive to Colima. After eating and loading, we drove to the marshes and mangroves that line the road leading into the Manzanillo airport.
Shortly after parking and beginning to bird, we saw and heard a Ringed Kingfisher sitting on a power line down the road a bit. I was only able to view the bird from the back and side, but was able to see its oversized bill.
After trying to turn a White-collared Seedeater into a Ruddy-breasted (some male White-collareds have cinnamon undersides) in the past, it was very helpful to have Chris point out how to distinguish actual Ruddy-breasteds. Chris noted that when he had found Ruddy-breasted Seedeaters in the past that they were usually immature and that he found them at this location. We saw several with their flesh-colored bills and contrasting wing edgings.
After
seeing several similar Willow Flycatchers, Chris was able to call out one of
our target birds, the White-Throated Flycatcher. Back in February, on a separate
After
birding up and down the road for a good bit of the morning, we headed south
toward Manzanillo. We made a detour on a
side road toward Punta Santiago to try and bird a tidal flat area on 
hotel and restaurant had
sprung up. Even so, we birded for a
short time along the road, finding Orange-breasted Buntings for Sandy who had
not been with us when we saw them on Sunday.
I took some photos, but was unable to capture any good ones due to
traffic, etc., on the road. Of all the
birds we saw on this trip, I would love to go back for a better photo of this
one.
We soon headed back to the highway and continued on to Manzanillo and lunch. As we entered the north end of Manzanillo, we stopped to check the birds on the beach. While there, Terry looked behind us and found a West Mexican Chachalaca perched and feeding in a flowering tree at the top of the slope. It stayed long enough for us to view it well with our scopes.
We
continued on a little father, and stopped for lunch at the Club de Playa. This outdoor restaurant has excellent food,
and sits in the middle of a glorious stretch of long sandy beach on
It got better as we worked on the terns flying by. We were able to view and compare Elegant and Royal terns, both in flight and perched on the beach.
After
lunch, we drove back north a short distance and caught the toll road heading to
Colima. On the drive, we left the coast
and drove inland, getting our first good 
views of the volcanoes
towering in the distance above Colima.
Arriving in Colima mid-afternoon, we checked into the Los Candiles Hotel and had a little free time before heading out again. It was a warm day, and Brad and I went for a swim in the hotel pool to cool off.
We left the hotel late in the afternoon and drove to La Cumbre. La Cumbre is a hilltop with a massive female statue (La Virgin de Guadalupe?) and numerous antennas overlooking Colima with a dominating, near 360 degree view of the lowlands below. A cobblestone road leads from the road below, and both times we visited locals were climbing the hill (a good workout!). With the volcanoes in the distance, the scenery was quite spectacular, despite the haze (from fields being burned?).
We birded as the guides laid out a baked chicken supper. While wandering, I noticed Bill viewing some birds near the microwave towers. They were large wrens, and in the failing light I only got partial views. Bill had better views, and when we returned to the vans and looked at Howell’s guide and spoke with Chris we were able to determine they had been Rufous-naped Wrens. While chasing these birds, Bill and I attracted three hungry dogs that followed us back to the vans (where Bill and I each claimed “I have no idea where they came from.”)
We ate with a stunning view of the setting sun. After eating, we packed up and then tried for
our main target of the evening, the Balsas Screech-Owl. The microwave was causing a lot of
interference with our minidisk players, but John’s tape deck seemed to work
fine. We had great success, calling in
and view an owl that I believe everyone got to see.
After seeing the Screech-Owl, we headed back off the hill. We tried unsuccessfully to spot Buff-collared Nightjars along the way, the drove on to Los Candiles and bed.