We left the boat early this morning and the Marines graciously offered to give us a ride in trucks part way up the mountain. When the trucks could go no further than the two miles the road allowed, at an elevation of 1675 feet, we hoofed it for the rest of the way.
The wooded slopes that line the mountain are called a cloud forest. Islands create their own weather, and any puff of cloud that drifts across the ocean and encounters an obstacle, is trapped by the elevated land mass, wringing out rain or dew, capturing moisture from the vapors and providing conditions for large trees to thrive. I’ve read that early Polynesian sailors of the southern Pacific would follow clouds above the horizon, knowing there was an island under them.
The mountain had much to offer all the biologists. After many years of habitat decimation due to sheep grazing on the lower slopes, the island has recovered remarkably. Many acres that lay barren for decades now had a rich carpet of grasses, ferns and shrubs. Amy and Jorge had visited this island 10 years ago when sheep still grazed freely over the island. A mere seven years ago all the sheep were removed, and the recovery began. Sheep graze by pulling plants out by the roots, and so the destruction is more severe than with other herbivores. Amy shared photos from her and Jorge’s visit a decade earlier. It was very dramatic and encouraging to see the recovery in progress.
While most members of this hike had their sights set on the highest elevations (3770 feet), my targets on this day were Socorro’s endemic mockingbirds and parakeets. After hiking past several locations where these birds were heard, I found a shady spot at 2230 feet, and under the canopy I waited quietly. Eventually the mockingbirds revealed themselves, as did the towhees and wrens. These mockingbirds were ‘skulkers’, preferring the dense undergrowth to the upper canopy that Northern Mockingbirds prefer. The Socorro Mockingbirds would even sing from the low thickets. Wrens seemed to be everywhere on the island. Their behaviour seemed typical of most small wrens; forward, inquisitive and engaging. The towhees here behaved much like the Spotted Towhees where I live; foraging on the ground and seldom venturing higher than the mid-canopy.
The parakeets were easily located by their boisterous vocalizing. I knew they were near to my location, but they seemed to be moving downslope. I elected to do the same. Drifting as slowly and quietly as I could, I eventually located a small group. These birds frustrated me by staying behind thick canopy. After collecting a few very bad, back-lit images, I left this group fearing I’d missed my opportunity. My luck was good though, and I encountered two more flocks down-slope, who offered me much better looks.
The largest of the trees I encountered on the mountain appeared to be some variety of strangler fig. Their gnarly, twisted trunks seemed medieval or mystical, right out of a Tolkien novel. They so captured my imagination, I expected trolls or gnomes to emerge. I was compelled to stop and take their portraits.
Carrying my heavy equipment took its toll on my old bones, but the experience was unforgettable. If I captured good images, all the better. One member of this hike was Chris, part of the Shogun crew, who was along to see we didn’t get into trouble. He caught up with me on my descent and offered to carry my camera and tripod out for me. I gladly accepted. Our party was too large for a single Navy (or more correctly: Marine) vehicle to carry, and Chris wanted to be sure there were enough passengers waiting for our ride out when the first truck arrived. Without the burden of the camera gear, I was able to navigate the trail more rapidly and arrive at our extraction point in time (thank you Chris).
The day’s images are below:

Socorro Towhee(Pipilo socorroensis) |
Description: A very close relative of the Spotted Towhee, this bird is smaller. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 7:39 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 330 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: Socorro-SpottedTowhee_D5X8069 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Wren(Troglodytes sissonii) |
Description: This bird is rather like a House Wren. We met it on our first afternoon on Isla Socorro. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 10:16 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: SocorroWren_D5X8261 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Wren(Troglodytes sissonii) |
Description: This bird is rather like a House Wren. We met it on our first afternoon on Isla Socorro. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 9:53 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: SocorroWren_D5X8223 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Wren(Troglodytes sissonii) |
Description: This bird is rather like a House Wren. We met it on our first afternoon on Isla Socorro. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 9:25 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: SocorroWren_D5X8195 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Wren(Troglodytes sissonii) |
Description: This bird is rather like a House Wren. We met it on our first afternoon on Isla Socorro. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 7:31 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 310 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: SocorroWren_D5X8015 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Views From The Slopes(Isla Socorro) |
Description: Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 15:25 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 12 mm, f/9.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: Socorro-Vistas_D728762 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Views From The Slopes(Isla Socorro) |
Description: Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 15:22 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 12 mm, f/9.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: Socorro-Vistas_D728761 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Views From The Slopes(Isla Socorro) |
Description: Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 7:59 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: XT1575, 4.67 mm, f/2.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: SocorroView-JcD-_2017-02-16_075919_Phone |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Parula(Parula pitiayumi graysoni) |
Description: We found the parula everywhere we visited on the island. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. This is the largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 8:23 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: Socorro-TropicalParula_D5X8171 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Parula(Parula pitiayumi graysoni) |
Description: We found the parula everywhere we visited on the island. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. This is the largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 7:45 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: Socorro-TropicalParula_D5X8102 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Parula(Parula pitiayumi graysoni) |
Description: We found the parula everywhere we visited on the island. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. This is the largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 7:44 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 450 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: Socorro-TropicalParula_D5X8081 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Parula(Parula pitiayumi graysoni) |
Description: We found the parula everywhere we visited on the island. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. This is the largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 7:36 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: Socorro-TropicalParula_D5X8028 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Towhee(Pipilo socorroensis) |
Description: A very close relative of the Spotted Towhee, this bird is smaller. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 10:08 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: Socorro-SpottedTowhee_D5X8250 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Towhee(Pipilo socorroensis) |
Description: A very close relative of the Spotted Towhee, this bird is smaller. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 8:23 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: Socorro-SpottedTowhee_D5X8162 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Spotted Towhee(Pipilo maculatus) |
Description: A very close relative of the Spotted Towhee, this bird is smaller. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 8:22 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: Socorro-SpottedTowhee_D5X8146 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Trees Of The Cloud Forest(Isla Socorro) |
Description: Many of these trees seem to be "strangler figs", and have very gnarly shapes. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 11:24 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 12 mm, f/9.0, 1/125 |
File Name: Socorro-CloudForest_D728647 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Spotted Towhee(Pipilo maculatus) |
Description: A very close relative of the Spotted Towhee, this bird is smaller. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 7:38 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 490 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: Socorro-SpottedTowhee_D5X8059 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Red-Tailed Hawk(Buteo jamaicensis socorroensis) |
Description: The Socorro Red-Tailed Hawk is a dark form of the hawk most of us know in the USA. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 14:00 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: Socorro-RedTailedHawk_D5X8729 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Parakeet(Psittacara brevipes) |
Description: These loud and boistrous birds were not difficult to detect on the mountain. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 13:30 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 280 mm, f/8.0, 1/320 |
File Name: SocorroParakeet_D5X8714 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Parakeet(Psittacara brevipes) |
Description: These loud and boistrous birds were not difficult to detect on the mountain. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 13:30 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: SocorroParakeet_D5X8702 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Parakeet(Psittacara brevipes) |
Description: These loud and boistrous birds were not difficult to detect on the mountain. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 13:19 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: SocorroParakeet_D5X8554 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Mockingbird(Mimus graysoni) |
Description: These birds sound and appear more like a Bahama Mockingbird than our more familiar Northern Mockingbird. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 11:26 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 280 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: SocorroMockingbird_D5X8457 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Mockingbird(Mimus graysoni) |
Description: These birds sound and appear more like a Bahama Mockingbird than our more familiar Northern Mockingbird. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 11:26 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 300 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: SocorroMockingbird_D5X8447 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Mockingbird(Mimus graysoni) |
Description: These birds sound and appear more like a Bahama Mockingbird than our more familiar Northern Mockingbird. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 10:41 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: SocorroMockingbird_D5X8396 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Mockingbird(Mimus graysoni) |
Description: These birds sound and appear more like a Bahama Mockingbird than our more familiar Northern Mockingbird. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 10:32 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: SocorroMockingbird_D5X8318 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Mockingbird(Mimus graysoni) |
Description: These birds sound and appear more like a Bahama Mockingbird than our more familiar Northern Mockingbird. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 10:30 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: SocorroMockingbird_D5X8306 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Socorro Blue Lizard(Urosaurus auriculatus) |
Description: Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 9:04 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: SocorroLizard_D5X8188 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Trees Of The Cloud Forest(Isla Socorro) |
Description: Many of these trees seem to be "strangler figs", and have very gnarly shapes. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 15:02 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 12 mm, f/9.0, 1/320 |
File Name: Socorro-CloudForest_D728751 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Trees Of The Cloud Forest(Isla Socorro) |
Description: Many of these trees seem to be "strangler figs", and have very gnarly shapes. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 13:57 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 14 mm, f/9.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: Socorro-CloudForest_D728709 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Trees Of The Cloud Forest(Isla Socorro) |
Description: Many of these trees seem to be "strangler figs", and have very gnarly shapes. Our second day on Isla Socorro was on the southern slopes of the volcano that built the island. The largest of the islands in the Archipielago de Revillagigedo, and part of the state of Colima, Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2017:02:16 13:02 |
Location:
Mount (Cerro) Evermann |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 12 mm, f/9.0, 1/320 |
File Name: Socorro-CloudForest_D728668 |
© 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

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