Our last full day in Puerto Vallarta and we went to the Jardin Botanica. We caught a taxi to the gardens in time for the opening at 9 am. It's a lovely drive south of PV on a winding highway along the ocean past fancy hotels and homes clinging to the cliffs. We didn't really come for the gardens (though they are very nice). It is listed as the top location for birding in the area. And it didn't disappoint.
We headed for the trails that go from the garden up into the hills and down to the Rio Horcones.
Happy Hiker
Bird of the Day was a squirrel cuckoo, a lifer for both of us, an impressive large bird with an impressive large and showy tail. Unfortunately, no pictures of any of today's birds as Leo cannot recharge his camera batteries.
The squirrel cuckoo was in this tree but we're not sure who the nest box is for. Not the cuckoo, they make a nest in tree branches.
We also saw a golden-cheeked woodpecker, a white-throated thrush, masked tityra and some familiar Canadian birds: Wilson's and yellow warblers and a warbling video.
It's always fun to see plants you know as horticultural varieties growing in their native habitat. Below is a wild begonia that I could not for the life of me get a focus on the flowers growing on the side slope as we hiked down to the river.
Begonia nelumbiifolia, I believe
There were just a few other people down by the river when we got there. We sat in the shade and I waded in the stream.
No fun allowed - Puerto Vallarta style
We didn't break any rules!
Down by the river we spotted a citreoline trogon in a tree across the river - lifer! What a beauty.
Standing in front of the
And then we heard another trogon calling, though we never spotted it. Identified by Merlin as an elegant trogon. This is the the trogon we've seen in Southern Arizona, a big deal in the US, ho-hum, not so much in Mexico, where they literally grow in trees.
So nice to hang out in the shade by this lovely stream.
Other birds: the flashy San Blas jay ( possibly a lifer) and we (Merlin) heard a green jay ( which we've seen on previous trips to Mexico and Texas.
We walked back to the Jardin and went for lunch at their lovely restaurant.
The food was the best we ate during the trip. I had enchiladas with 3 delicious salsas and stewed black beans. Yum. And we got a complimentary glass of Jamaica (hibiscus drink).
After lunch we checked out the garden, including the orchard house
And the cactus house.
Monkeytail Cactus
They had tortoises!
Very well camouflaged tortoises
Eventually we had to give up; it was getting very hot.
We caught the bus back to Puerto Vallarta. By the time it arrived I was suffering from heat exhaustion. Luckily I got a seat on the bus.
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