Mike in the Wild

Mazatlán is known for its near perfect winter weather and its wide, golden-sand beaches, making it a popular destination for Americans during the cold months.  Within sight of its tourist zones, its large commercial port reminds you Mazatlán is also a center of fishing and agriculture for the Mexican state of Sinaloa.  In addition, a large brewery and two power plants signal that industry of all varieties fuel the local economy.  However I disembarked my cruise ship with a much less lucrative activity in mind: birding. The ports on Mexico's tropical west coast attract many species of seabirds.  Magnificent frigatebirds, brown pelicans, cormorants, brown boobies, and sea gulls are just some of the birds that greet arriving ships in these harbors.  From Mazatlán's own port, I boarded a small boat with twenty-five of my Majestic Princess passengers shortly after the cruise ship's arrival.  We were setting off to explore the bird life that inhabit the estuary t...