El Camino Real is an ancient stone road that is still used by local people. At La Bajada, the road climbs from the town of Las Palmas through the forest to a pass in the Sierra Madre. The road itself is about six feet across and is made of smooth rounded rocks that are about 2-3 inches round. The local people who were working in the shade grown coffee plantation passed by us quietly, either climbing higher or walking down to the village below. Old men led gray-white burros on frayed ropes, laden with water and supplies. Men and women picked the ripe coffee berries, placing them in baskets as children played among the trees.
Birding a portion of the forest that pushes in on either side of the road was very productive. Birds are abundant in the canopy around and above the coffee trees in the shade plantation. The coffee trees thrive under the canopy and the birds thrive in the trees. It all works, as you know if you've tasted excellent Mexican shade grown coffee. We located red-billed pigeon; two very territorial Colima pygmy-owls, another Mexican endemic; more good looks at the Berylline hummingbird; elegant trogons, ivory-billed woodcreeper (not woodpecker sadly), San Blas jay; blue mockingbird; hooded oriole and many, many more.
As we drove the rutted village road out to the main road, we passed huge open warehouses where the harvested bananas were brought, waiting for pickup. The roadside stands run by local women selling 'pan de platano', banana bread, were open and the aroma of the baking bread was quite wonderful.
On our last full day of birding we learned that it's not necessary to leave the city limits of San Blas to find excellent birds. A densely wooded section of road running through the suburbs to the beach yielded a ferruginous pygmy-owl; merlin; gila and lineated woodpeckers; plumbeous vireo and most surprising of all, an orange-billed nightingale-thrush, head back and singing lustily. This was a first sighting for this location.
The days passed quickly in San Blas, each filled with unforgettable beauty: the birds, the dense forest, the river and its tributaries, the friendly people. I'll return to San Blas to savor its richness again and again.
