This morning, while on my morning walk out in the desert in the Los Cabos area, I saw for the first time a brilliant all red bird. He was about 20
yards away flitting through the mesquite and creosote bush. He was about 8 inches long from beak to tail and was bright red with no other markings.
Although he was a little far away, he appeared to have a topknot on his head. Are there cardinals in the Baja?
Also can someone tell me what the bright yellow bird with black head and black wings is? I see than quite often. They are beautiful!
There are LOTS of Cardinals in Baja
vgabndo - 5-15-2007 at 02:54 PM
It sounds like you may have seen a male. The females are not so bright red as their hubbies.
birds
tehag - 5-15-2007 at 03:03 PM
Sounds like the second bird is a hooded oriole, also quite common here in BCS.
There is a growing base of photos and info on Baja flora and fauna here:
I agree with tehag.. about the bird and about the links.
This photo shows a bit more orange than yellow, but is this your birdie?
Hooded Oriole:
oxxo - 5-15-2007 at 03:19 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by tehag
Sounds like the second bird is a hooded oriole, also quite common here in BCS.
Yep, checked the photos, and that is the guy!
Thanks vagabundo and tehag! The more time I spend in the Baja, the more entralled I am with the beauty. What a magnificent place! The US should
have annexed the Baja and forget about Texas. Just joking, my Tejano friends! I'm rooting for the Spurs.Mexitron - 5-15-2007 at 03:25 PM
Nah...if the US had annexed Baja(actually it did in the war, then gave it back) it would be much more developed by now...
The Cardinals in Texas seem smaller and more orange than the ones I've seen in Baja(mid-peninsula in the mountains east of G. Negro). Anyone know if
its the more northerly US Cardinals that overwinter in Baja?
cardinals
tehag - 5-15-2007 at 04:00 PM
Cardinals nest here in BCS, and I see them pretty much year around.windgrrl - 5-15-2007 at 04:09 PM
Cardinals sing their little hearts in Los Barilles, too.
bajajudy - 5-15-2007 at 04:12 PM
Around sunset, they make the most wonderful sound. I listen for it every night. They sure are pretty...the males that is. The females are not so
beautiful. Does any one know if they both have the same song?
cardinals
tehag - 5-15-2007 at 04:23 PM
Reference book says both sexes sing almost year round.
NGS Field Guide to the Birds of North Americawoody with a view - 5-15-2007 at 06:55 PM
Quote:
The US should have annexed the Baja
SACRILEGE!!!!!!! BajaGeoff - 5-15-2007 at 08:35 PM
They are the state bird of Virginia.......sure are a long way from home!
Come to think of it....I used to live in Virginia as well and I would rather be in Baja too....smart birds!Bob H - 5-15-2007 at 08:56 PM
Cardinals.... my Grandmother (my Father's mother), may she rest in peace, used to tell us Grandkids that when you see a RED Cardinal on the front
porch, then you were going to have visitors within 48 hours. Anyone ever hear of that old tale? She swore by it.
Bob HSkeet/Loreto - 5-16-2007 at 06:35 AM
A very Special Cardinal resides near Loreto!!
If you are in the Rancho Notri area South of Loreto and can get over to the Area where the Rocks set aganis the Hills, you will be able to see "Black
Cardinals!! Yes Black, with the Top Notch. Many years ago while gathering Rocks for Rancho Sonrisa in Loreto, at that Location I observed many of
these Birds. I had always thought Cardinals were Red.
This Morning in the Great State of Texas, the Bob-Whites are calling, the Wild Turkeys are roaming, The Eagle is on top of the Transmission Lines, The
Swallows have a nest on the Back Patio, The Hawks are Hunting, The Dove are Mating, The Quail are Nesting, The Robins are Chirping, and it is great to
be Alive as I approach my 76th Birthday!!
Let me tell you Youngins, It is Great to be Alive!!, It is Great to have had the Experience of Baja for 40 years, to Know the Mexican People, to Ply
the Waters of the Sea of Cortez!!, to Walk the Sierras, to Fish the Streams of Montana, To have Worked in the Beautifull Yosemite Nat. Park, to have
Cowboyed in West Texas,
I am looking forward to another 20 years!!
May you all be Blessed as I have.
Skeet/LoretoOsprey - 5-16-2007 at 06:45 AM
I'm not a birder but that "Black Cardinal" is not a cardinal but a phainapepla (sp). We have some dedicated birders here and they report not one of
these birds has been seen since hurricane John. Phainapepla may well be an Indian name meaning DON'T LIKE THE WIND or FEATHERWEIGHT BLACK BIRD LIKE A
CARDINAL.comitan - 5-16-2007 at 07:01 AM
Pompano and all
In Comitan we also have black Cardinals, and Cardinal Red To Hot Pink. The Orioles are mostly very yellow not the orange.Skeet/Loreto - 5-16-2007 at 08:42 AM
Thanks for the information on the "Black Cardinals" they seem to be more Skittish than the "Reds". At Rancho Sonrisa the Reds would set in the Window
Sills during Mating Season, that is when the RoadRunner was not on the Counter eating Breakfast Scraps!!
SkeetDon Alley - 5-16-2007 at 04:08 PM
I rarely see cardinals inside the city in Loreto, except for in cages. Some of the locals keep them as pets.
I had one in the house, though. I took this picture of it after I got it out on the porch: comitan - 5-16-2007 at 04:16 PM
Pompano,
What we see here and call Black Cardinals are really Black including Top Notch.
birds
tehag - 5-16-2007 at 04:27 PM
Phainopepla is a silky flycatcher. Looks like a small black cardinal. Super abundant here in Loreto. Pyrrhuloxia is closely related to the cardinal
(same genus) and is fairly common here.
There is a growing base of photos and info on Baja flora and fauna here:
The pyrr.. is pronounced with a slight inhalation while the phan...is pronounced with a heavy exhalation. Sort of a cross between hallaluha and a awe well.
birds
tehag - 5-16-2007 at 06:03 PM
fay no PEP la
And
peer uh LOX ia
And
Lin oh lee nee um i num igringorio - 5-19-2007 at 06:38 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by tehag
Phainopepla is a silky flycatcher. Looks like a small black cardinal. Super abundant here in Loreto. Pyrrhuloxia is closely related to the cardinal
(same genus) and is fairly common here.
Great topic! Here's a shot of a phainopepla (I took it in Tucson)...
oxxo - 5-19-2007 at 08:32 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Pompano
Manana at feeding time I will post a photo for you other bird lovers.
Waiting for that photo. Please keep up the dialog, I am learning mucho.
I'm sitting on my terrace as I post this watching a Mourning Dove preen itself in the adjacent coconut palm. I'm sure that's not the right name, but
that's what we call them in California.
And I think it is the Wrens that are so friendly. They come and land on the railing only three feet from me. I guess they're looking for a handout.
Yesterday morning on our walk in the desert we crossed paths with a California Quail family. There were about 10 chicks that I guess were only 2 or 3
days out of the nest. One of the chicks was a straggler, way back from the pack. He was about the size of a ping pong ball. We were concerned about
his well being. We were trying to figure out how to assist him without interrupting the balance of nature. As we approached the little guy, Mama
Quail came out of nowhere and became extremely aggitated. We figured out that she had everything under control and so we backed off. And everything
was right with the world.
[Edited on 5-19-2007 by oxxo]Cypress - 5-19-2007 at 02:24 PM
Black Cardinals!oxxo - 5-20-2007 at 04:10 PM
Pompano, can't see the bird, but looking at your backyard, if this is what you call roughing it in Baja, you've been sandbagging us. When is happy
hour? Congratulations on a beautiful home. Iflyfish - 5-20-2007 at 04:42 PM
Black Cardinal?? Silky Flycatcher maybe?
IflyfishIflyfish - 5-20-2007 at 04:48 PM
Pyrrhuloxia, real cool cardinal type bird with lots of colors. Can't post pics yet but saw them in Cabo.
Sort of a cross between hallaluha and a awe well.
