El Naranjo, San Luis Potosí
El Naranjo, about a 7-8 hour drive from Brownsville, is south of Gomez Farias, and somewhat lower in altitude. It is said to be a good site for Tamaulipas Pygmy-Owl, and a place where birds like Singing Quail and Thicket Tinamou can sometimes be seen as well as heard. The birding sites in the El Naranjo valley area are located near a number of small villages that lie off route #80. The bird list, over 250 species, is generally similar to that at Gómez Farías. .
For clear and detailed directions, as well as site descriptions and bird lists see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico/I>
Gómez Farías – Tamaulipas
This site is best known as the northernmost place where a substantial number of neo-tropical species can be readily found. Its habitats range from tropical lowland vegetation to the oak and evergreen forest of the Sierra Madre Oriental to the west. Some birds can be seen in the town, or along the road that drops from the town into a slight valley before rising on the far side. You can drive to this latter place, and bird the subtropical forest by walking the trail straight ahead or the one that heads off to the right. You will probably hear (but not see) Thicket Tinamou in the wooded area on the valley floor. Keeping an eye on the sky will probably result in sightings of parrots, White-crowned, Red-lored, or, hopefully, Red-crowned. A few years ago, one of the most entertaining points on the trail that leads along the side of the mountain was an active lec of Wedge-tailed Sabrewings.
For detailed directions, as well as bird lists see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico,
Monterrey area – Cola de Caballo and the Highrise – Nueva León
Birders visiting Monterrey, at the appropriate time of year, may be interested in making the short trip south, in search of the famous Maroon-fronted Parrots. These birds can be heard and probably seen during the period March/April – October/November. To reach the site involved, drive south from Monterey on route 85 to El Cercado and turn right (west) to Cola de Caballo (about half an hour from Monterrey). Cola de Caballo is a popular local tourist spot and the turn-off should be well marked. Beyond Cola de Caballo the road passes through the village of La Cienega followed by a gorge, and then reaches an area where immense cliffs near the road rise on your left, the Highrise. Maroon-fronted Parrots nest on these cliffs. There are of course other good birds to be seen on this route. For detailed directions, as well as bird lists, and descriptions of locations, see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico
Monterrey area – Cola de Caballo and the Highrise – Nueva León
Birders visiting Monterrey, at the appropriate time of year, may be interested in making the short trip south, in search of the famous Maroon-fronted Parrots. These birds can be heard and probably seen during the period March/April – October/November. To reach the site involved, drive south from Monterey on route 85 to El Cercado and turn right (west) to Cola de Caballo (about half an hour from Monterrey). Cola de Caballo is a popular local tourist spot and the turn-off should be well marked. Beyond Cola de Caballo the road passes through the village of La Cienega followed by a gorge, and then reaches an area where immense cliffs near the road rise on your left, the Highrise. Maroon-fronted Parrots nest on these cliffs. There are of course other good birds to be seen on this route. For detailed directions, as well as bird lists, and descriptions of locations, see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico
Tanque de Emergencia/Hedionda Grande – Coahuila
This area is famous as the best location to see the rare and localized Worthen’s Sparrow. Supposedly, in the winter, substantial flocks of the sparrows have been found at Tanque de Emergencia, just off route 54 (from Saltillo to Zacatecas). The turnoff is 43 km south of Saltillo. The standard approach is to bird from Tanque east as far as a village called El Cercado. In El Cercado a road bends north, dead ending into another dirt road in 7 kilometers. At this point, turn right (east) heading in the direction of Route 57. In the summer the sparrows are said to nest near Hedionda Grande, along this stretch of road. This seasonal pattern however does not always hold. In February 2004 no sparrows were found on the stretch from Tanque to El Cercado, but some were found on the road between Hedionda Grande and Las Esperanzas. Although the denuded grassland on the south side of the road was blocked from view by a fence covered with vegetation, the sparrows obligingly popped up on the fence line. The common element between the habitats at Hedionda/Las Esperanzas and the area hear Tanque is the denuded state of the grass. In some sections there are large prairie dog colonies and Burrowing Owls, and the grass has been cropped to the ground. For detailed directions, as well as a useful map of the area, see Howell, A Bird-Finding Guide to Mexico