The Adventure of Finding America!

 The adventure of finding America, the Broad-winged Hawk who rested for a few weeks in the El Ocote Biosphere Reserve

                                           By Alberto Martínez-­‐Fernández
 

The adventure begins when for a few days I followed the last signals that America sent to the web page, where for several days I had been following her journey south.

Since October 23, I had been in contact with Laurie, and we  both thought it would be interesting to know the habitat where America had spent a few days and where we had received the last signal.

As I know various regions of Chiapas, I decided that I could go in search. So I contacted people in the area, in particular, the people in the El Ocote Biosphere Reserve where the last signals came from. They said they could help but not for a couple of days, and I didn’t have time. Meanwhile, I had reached out to friends you had worked with local communities in the area, and this was successful. It is important to keep in contact with local people because they know how to move on the mountain, they know the paths and if you show them a map and say, “I want to go here,” it is almost 100% certain that they will get you there.

So I contacted Señor Maximiiano in the town of Francisco I. Madero, the most remote community in the region. Sr. Max knows the area like the back of his hand. Considering there were only two days, I left very early in the morning, arrived at his house, and told him and his family what I was looking for, showing him the maps, photos and information, in the hope that I could gain his help.

First day, road survey, looking for last signal and BW

I talked about the Broad­‐winged Hawks that had been banded, and about four Broadwings that were carrying   transmitters   from   Pennsylvania.  We   talked   about   bird   migration,  and   especially   about raptors. He found this information new and interesting, although he and his neighbors knew about the birds that sail across the sky year after year. They watch them with astonishment, and call these birds Azajuanes: the birds that bring the rainy season (presumably because they coincide with the rainy season in the region). With help from the maps and the last signals that America sent to the satellite, I explained the reason I wanted to tour the region—to take photos, learn   about   the  vegetation and, deep in my heart, to be able to see America alive with the radio on her back. When I explained this part about the little radio on America’s back, they laughed incredulously. However, seeing the maps, the birds and the photos they could see that the technology was very advanced.

Once we had talked about the adventure I wanted to undertake, Sr. Maximiliano said he was recovering from an illness and that his son would accompany me, even though he was very interested in coming along. But in the end, Sr. Maximiliano, with help from one of his adopted children, agreed to lead the journey.

That first day, I decided that doing a road survey would allow me to cover part of the region and give me sufficient area to search the skies and the vegetation. Luckily, the climate was in our favor 100% whereas the previous days and weeks had been rainy, and when there wasn’t rain, cloudy.

 
Sr. Max, his son and I, drove along the dirt road, making various stops in strategic locations to watch for raptors. By looking for fragments of good vegetation, and also with the help of the GPS, I found the point closest to where America had arrived.

While  I  was  driving,  on  one  side  of  a fenced    rangeland    we    saw    a    Broad‐ winged  Hawk  which  cruised  in  front  of the    car    and    landed    in    the    dense vegetation  of  a  canyon.  The  bird  had prey  in  its  talons.  We  quickly  got  out and  began  to  search  for  it,  and  I  hoped to be able to see America with the radio on  her  back.  I  saw  the  bird  well,  and  it appeared to be an adult. We were close for  about  20  minutes,  but  lost  it  in  the canyon’s wild vegetation. 

N 16.83978 W 093.74771 942 MSNM

After   seeing   the   Broad‐winged   Hawk, we continued to drive in search of other sites and more raptors. At another vista we  saw  seven  raptors  (one  American  Kestrel,  two  Red‐tailed  Hawks,  one  Broad‐winged  Hawk  and three Turkey Vultures). The men who accompanied me were amazed to see the differences among the various  species.  We  continued  along  the  whole  dirt  road,  making  stops  and  searching  more  sites, encountering  a  Grey  Hawk,  as  well  as  more  Broad‐winged  Hawks,  Red‐tails,  Turkey  Vultures  and American Kestrels. 

The road brought us back to Francisco I. Madero. We looked for a place to sleep and plan the next day. Don Maximiliano was key to the logistics. Using   maps, GPS images and local reference points, as well as what we had seen the first day, we came up with a plan: Our objective was to arrive at one of the two points which America had marked on the map. 

N 16.84430 W 093.75798 1041 MSNM

The first day concluded when closed the circuit in Francisco I. Madero. We went through different types of fragmentation, pastures, areas with large ferns, crops, secondary vegetation, vegetation fragments preserved even with a very dense vegetation, sweetgum forest fragments. Throughout the course several migratory raptors were observed. Mr. Max commented that many birds cross this region in October. 

Second Day

 From: Sr. Maximilano House  

N 16.89182 W 093.72742 722 MSNM 

To: BW last signal N 16.89931W 093.79683 1036 MSNM

The plan for the second  day was a real adventure for me as I was unfamiliar with this part of the El Ocote Biosphere Reserve, and moreover, because it wasn’t to be in the car. We were going to travel by mule. Accompanied by two teenagers, we would travel three  hours to a small ranch halfway up the mountain, and go from there on foot to the point on the map.


At 5:30 am, Sr. Max  and his son prepared the mules, his wife made the food we would take along, and I gathered my camera equipment, binoculars, GPS and batteries for the trip. We had a breakfast of eggs, beans and delicious coffee before we left, as it was to be a long trip.

That morning was a little cold, with dense fog that would not allow us to see more than 500 meters. I didn’t think it was a good day to go out.

During the trip, we passed through various types of vegetation, and I could see that the people from the community had fragmented the forest for farming and grazing. People had plantations of coffee and citrus. In the fragments of wild vegetation you could see the vegetation zones well defined, with a understory in some very dense parts, with trees more than 30 meters high. In fragments of secondary vegetation, the trees were 20 meters high. The fragments were not large, but created a corridor from one to the other.

  

In this second day was observed that the vegetation is in better condition. There is less fragmentation than the region of the first day. Here the fragments are more conserved, but also areas with coffee and citrus cultivation was observed. As you can see in the picture below, the conserved areas have large ferns, very dense undergrowth. With this type of vegetation and weather conditions from last week was very difficult for the battery could be charged. 

The trip was long, but finally we arrived at a cabin where people were tending cattle and working the land to grow corn and a little coffee. As there were three families living here, I needed to explain  who I was, what I did, and the reason for my journey. I asked for permission to enter their land and I explained everything about the project, as I had to Maximiliano, in order to gain their confidence, tie up our mules, and continue on foot.

Start walking! Walking two kilometers through an open area, then entered a forest fragment where I could see very tall trees 30 to 40 meters (with secondary vegetation mixed with original forest), with plants in stratum under which you can only see in this type of forest.

This fragment is part of a corridor along a ridge. The walk through the fragment was a mile and then went out to a pasture where people have cows. This area is part of the end of the road, this mountain there where it ends and begins depression to the Pacific coast.

Ranch People were afraid for my visit, apparently this area is in conflict over land rights. However They are happy to know that the mountains are used by migratory birds. Within the personal interest is to start a training birding for the people of this community. They are very interested, we must remember that they are living day to day in the field and are close to the birds. 
                                                                  

On this last point, we were watching several migratory  raptors (RT, BW, PG, TV,) bat falcons, Grey Hawk.

    

 The distance between the last point where we reach the point of the last signal America was just under 600 meters. Try to keep to the exact point but the vegetation was too dense. Using GPS could locate the latest signs that gave America, and most came from the mountain range.

BW last signal:N 16.88964

W 093.78779 1014 MSNM

 In the photo to the left, you can see right a river (this river is called the river or sale is also known as barrel sale) of this point came the first signs of America. On this side America arriving (west side).

  

In  the  picture  below  the  type  of  vegetation  along  the  ridge,  we  can  see  that  this is conserved.

The next image´s shows the vegetation that can be seen from the last point. It is part of the lower area.

 The photo on the left was taken on another expedition in the Biosphere Reserve Ocote. Just to give an idea of the type of vegetation that dominates along the canyon.

The photo below is of the view from the ridge where America last signals were recorded. Photo taken from the main road (Cintalapa, Chiapas).

Acknowledgements:

Thanks to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary for sharing the information and be part of this adventure. Thanks to the local people of Francisco I Madero by support at all times.

Thanks Laurie G.