Russet-crowned Motmot

.

Since Guadalajara is in a temperate mountainous zone, I wasn't expecting my visit there to produce as many exotic and spectacularly colored birds as I have seen on trips to the Yucatan. However, I was hoping to see one remarkable bird: the Russet-crowned Motmot. In the past, the only Motmot I had ever seen was a single Turquoise-browed Motmot that I got a short look at in the jungle around the ruins at Coba.

Unfortunately, on Saturday four hours of intensive birding in Parque Los Colomos didn't turn up a Motmot. I did see some good birds, though, including several that I rarely get a chance to watch.

I spent a long time watching a Great Kiskadee fussing around and flycatching only 7-8 feet away from where I was crouching amid thick foliage.

 

A pair of Vermilion Flycatchers brightened up my afternoon.

I had great looks at some Lark Sparrows, one of my favorite sparrows.

 

A Bronzed Cowbird and a Dusky Flycatcher, while not colorful, were good sightings, too.

 

The Rufous-backed Robin is a bird that is hardly ever seen in the USA.

I normally have to travel to Arizona to see a Gila Woodpecker.

By 5:30 I was hot, tired, thirsty and hungry. So I decided to head back to the hotel. Perhaps I would have more luck with finding a Motmot the next day, when I planned to visit two different sites.

As I started walking towards the park entrance, a fairly large bird flew into the trees a few yards ahead of me. A Russet-crowned Motmot! I rushed to take a photo before it disappeared. In fact, I needn't have hurried, because the bird wasn't going anywhere and it hopped around in front of me for a couple of minutes. 

What a magnificent bird! 
.