Day 1 - Arrival to Oaxaca city international airport (IATA code OAX), meeting dinner in hotel. Overnight in Oaxaca city.
Day 2 - Early in the morning we will enjoy a nice breakfast and then head east in the valley of Oaxaca, we will be birding in thorn scrub, some of the species of interest include Boucard’s Wren, Dusky hummingbird, Gray-breasted Woodpecker, Bridled Sparrow, Black-vented Oriole, Berylline Hummingbird. As the day warms up we will move to other areas and enjoy a nice lunch, afterwards during the heat of the day we will check out a demonstration of the rug weaving in my home village: Teotitlan del Valle. Before heading to the hotel, we will do some more afternoon birding and then head back to Oaxaca city. Overnight in Oaxaca City.
Day 3 -After our usual breakfast we will drive up the Sierra Norte and reach an elevation of 9000 ft, where we will be birding in temperate habitat amongst pine and oaks, the temperatures here in the morning can be in the mid 40’s so a warm jacket might be wise to have, the species of interest here include the gorgeous looking Red Warbler, Dwarf Jays, Gray-barred Wrens, Collared Towhee, and chances for Cinnamon-bellied Flowerpiercer and Chestnut-sided Shrike Vireo, in the quiet hours of the day we will check out a nice restaurant and continue with some evening birding before heading to the Hotel in Oaxaca city. Overnight in Oaxaca city.
Day 4 - After a revitalizing breakfast and coffee we will head north into the oak scrub where our main targets will be some of the most elusive species of the area, we will be looking for the striking Ocellated Thrasher, the well named Oaxaca sparrow, Slaty Vireo, Blue Mockingbird, and chances for other great birds, then we will check out other areas and enjoy a nice lunch, devoting time to some evening birding before heading back to Oaxaca for a nice supper in downtown Oaxaca, overnight in Oaxaca city.
Day 5 -Today will be a day where we will combine some archaeology, birding and traveling, after our usual breakfast we will head near the archaeological site of Montel alban for some casual birding, once the site is open we will go in and admire the most important pre Columbian site in the state, this is a good area for some interesting birds such as Rock and Canyon wrens, as well as orioles and hummingbirds, after this we will drive to a restaurant where we will also have the opportunity to see few more birds to then do a 5 hour drive to the city of Tehuantepec. Overnight in Tehuantepec.
Day 6 - After breakfast we will head into thorn scrub where we will be looking for some of the most extraordinary birds of Mexico, some of the species possible include the restricted Cinnamon-tailed Sparrow, the striking Rose-bellied Bunting, Orange Breasted Bunting, Stripe-headed Sparrow, and chances for Lesser-ground cuckoo and if we get lucky we may run into Lesser Roadrunner, then we will have a nice lunch and enjoy a bit of seaside driving to our next destination, the city of Huatulco. Overnight in Huatulco city.
Day 7 - Located along the pacific coast, the area of Huatulco hosts some extraordinary species of flora and fauna. After our very early breakfast we will explore the low deciduous forest where some species possible include Red-breasted Chat, Citreoline Trogon, Russet-crowned Motmot, Golden-cheeked Woodpecker, Happy Wren, Turquoise-crowned Hummingbird. The temperatures at sea level in this habitat can reach up to mid 90’s thus at mid-day when the heat is strong and bird activity is slow we will take a break and resume birding in the evening before dinner, overnight in Huatulco.
Day 8 -Today will be a sea day. After our breakfast we will get into a boat and go offshore. The continental shelf in Coastal Oaxaca is about 5-6 miles from the shore so its rather easy to get some extraordinary pelagic birding. Some species of interest include Black and Least storm petrels, Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Galapagos Shearwater, Pink-footed Shearwater and chances for boobies, jaegers and many other cool birds. Later on, we will enjoy lunch at a nearby beach and take a break. In the evening we will have an early dinner and go out for some nocturnal species, such as Mottled Owl, Pacific Screech-Owl, and a chance for Buff-collared Nightjar and Pauraque. Overnight in Huatulco.
Day 9 - After our early breakfast we will drive into the mountains north of Huatulco where we will explore an area of coffee plantations and tropical semi-deciduous forest that hosts some extraordinary endemics. A sample of the birds of interest include the very restricted Blue-capped Hummingbird, Red-headed Tanager, Wagler’s (Emerald) Toucanet, Gray-crowned Woodpecker, Golden-crowned Emerald, and chances for Mexican Hermit. Next we will enjoy a nice meal at a coffee finca and continue our drive to the mountain town of San Jose del Pacifico where we spend the night.
Day 10 - Birding in pine / oak forest near the town of San Jose. This montane area of pine forest hosts some interesting species of birds such as Brown-backed Solitaire, Bumblebee hummingbird, Hooded Yellowthroat, and if we get lucky, we may find the very elusive White-throated Jay. After lunch we will start our drive back to Oaxaca city and prepare for next day departure. Overnight in Oaxaca city.
Day 11 - Departure from Oaxaca city international airport.