Mexico – Whales Ahoy!

We continue our Naturetrek holiday. After the cool mountain air where we saw the monarch butterflies overwintering, we flew west to Puerto Vallarta, a complete contrast, to enjoy a couple of days marine wildlife watching around the shallow bay. Join us as we head out into the blue waters under cloudless skies to see dolphins, turtles and mating humpback whales: Mexico – Whales Ahoy!

As I write, I’m sitting on the veranda of our hotel room a stones throw from the marina of Puerto Vallarta here on the west coast of Mexico. It is a playground for North Americans, the flags fluttering in the gentle breeze encapsulate the trilogy comprising that continent: Canada, USA and Mexico. The same breeze causes the fingered fronds of palm trees to gently sway, while updrafts allow Brown Pelicans, Magnificent Frigatebirds and Black Vultures to cruise around the marina in the expectation of some carrion or discarded offal to seize upon.

Our mornings have been spent hunting for hump back whales in the shallows of the bay, the Bahia de Bandaras. We ventured onto the calm sheltered waters with a marine biologist from Ecotours Vallarta who was able to tell us all about the ecology of the whales in this breeding zone. Here in the south they do not feed but gather instead in nuptial expectation. Females give birth to their calves that they have been carrying for the 12 months since their last visit. They nurture their prized offspring throughout the winter before making the migration north along the western coastline of  the USA, (this, in complete opposition to our previous whale watching trip in California a few years ago when the animals were gorging on the bounty of Monterey Bay). As soon as they birth they come into season triggering the males to fight for the right to mate. Several males will gather around a receptive female jostling for prime position to father the next generation. Generally the females ensure the calves are keep well out of the fray, but sometimes they get caught up in the frenetic activity that resembles a marine wresting match. This is not particularly desirable for the youngsters, although on the upside they do learn about life as an adult whale in close up.

Using the plume of water ejected from an animals blow hole as a guide, we were able to watch a wide range of behaviour at close quarters. Mothers with inquisitive youngsters, mating scrums and even full breaches when one of the massive mammals would emerge from the depths, twist onto its side and smash back onto the surface sending plumes of water spraying in all directions drawing gasps of delight from all.

We were also able to enjoy very close encounters with pods of bottle nosed and spotted dolphins cruising through the warm waters in search of prey. Some approached the boat to surf the bow wave – quite thrilling. We also found a pair of Olive Ridley turtles mating and all around could marvel at the aviation skills of Brown and Blue-footed Boobies, gulls and marauding, piratical frigatebirds.

All of which brings us to our sojourn outside our hotel room, in truth brought about by a spell of unfortunate sea sickness by my much better half and her consequent reluctance to move very far very fast. However, a couple of hours sitting still and watching for movement revealed quite an interesting cast. First up those loud, brash Great Kiskadees singing their name with gusto from exposed perches. White-winged Doves cooed and cruised between prospective mates, showing at close range how handsome they are. An Osprey decided to chance its luck around the harbour, circling low above us in the process. I reflected how these birds must be among the most widespread of raptors, spanning just about every continent around the globe. Great to see them anywhere of course. To complete the list, a Golden-cheeked Woodpecker – a Mexican endemic – tapped away at the top of a palm buzzed by a small unidentified hummingbird. I was happy.

Whilst my spouse slept off the nausea, I went for a lone stroll around the marina of this most pleasant of locations which turned up immature Green Herons hunched on the shoreline. These pint sized stabbers sat patiently awaiting close approach of the plentiful fish swimming in the shallows. I fancied one had a piece of bread stuck to its beak and wondered whether these opportunists had learned to bait the fish with these small pieces of dough. I didn’t witness that behaviour, so can’t confirm one way or the other, but wouldn’t be surprised if it were so. Overhead the aforementioned frigatebirds glided on the updrafts looking for discarded fish, while vultures cruised effortlessly around the upper stories of high rise hotels. I was particularly taken with the presence of impressively sized and brightly coloured iguanas – Isla Iguanas I think – that stood rather aloof amongst the stones of the harbour wall. Here the males displayed to the females by lifting and pumping  their head to show off their bright orange throat pouch, snorting vapour in the process. These reptiles could also be found sunning themselves on roofs or amongst the foliage of shrubs. Back at the hotel we watched one scale the truck of a palm tree with ease before draping itself across the broad fronds.

We sat in the pleasant warmth until the sun sank into the sea leaving behind a sky of velvet blue merging by degrees into a vivid orange horizon against which the silhouettes of the palms and the masts of sailing craft were sketched as charcoal against pastel hues. Wonderful.