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| From Belize 3.09 |
Belize Trip Notes 3/21/09 thru 3/29/09
Day 1 Sat. 3/21/09
Off to a bright and early start – left home 3:00 a.m. to Mary Eileen’s to pick-up Yvonne and on to our 6:00 a.m. American flight to Miami and then off to Belize at 1:10 p.m. for the two hour flight. Everything smooth and on time. Our guide Israel with Birding In Belize was there to meet us and off we went, as they say, “birding along the way.” And birding along the way we did – hardly out of the airport parking and the highlights were WHITE COLLARED SEEDEATER, HOODED ORIOLE, ANHINGA, SNAIL KITE (perched and close by) beautiful with a big hooked bill. LESSER YELLOW HEADED VULTURE, GROOVE BILLED ANI, and LITTLE BLUE HERON. Continuing on to the main Belize highway – which is a two lane road. Stopping at what is called a restaurant –little shack type buildings. Which did however, make good fresh cooked food. A trash dump right there a few feet yielded a treasure trove: BLACK HEADED TROGAN, HOODED WARBLER, AMERICAN RED START, COMMON YELLOW THROAT, COMMON TODY FLYCATCHER, WHITE EYED VIREO, LESSER YELLOW HEADED VULTURE, and an interesting dragonfly. On down the highway to a turn-off on a gravel road for a BIG surprise – JABIRIU STORK with three chicks in a nest. Of course a huge nest for a bird with a seven foot wing-span that stands five feet tall! Other interesting birds in a lovely, big Orchid tree. ROUFUS TAILED HUMMINGBIRD, WHITE BELLIED EMERALD HUMMINGBIRD, ORCHARD ORIOLE, HOODED ORIOLE, AND BALTIMORE ORIOLE. Then as we approached Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary a beautiful sight was lots
We were now in a Pine Savanna this is where we saw the YUCATAN JAY, BROWN JAY, and a beauty – the endemic YELLOW HEADED PARROT. Along with the VERMILLION FLYCATCHER and ACORN WOODPECKER.
We reached the homey, and comfortable Birds Eye View Lodge in Crooked Creek Sanctuary and straight to dinner. Excellent dinner served family style – complete with samples of the local Cashew Wine. Bread Pudding for dessert, main entry, fish, chicken parmesan, vegetables, salad. And then off to relax and get ready for tomorrow. Wearing down, as we were on the go since early morning. The weather was perfect – warm with a nice breeze. We really enjoyed Bird's Eye View Lodge - friendly staff, large, comfortable newly updated room, and home cooked food.
Day 2 - 3/22/09 – Sunday
Today turned out to be another special day of birds and the Mayas.
Up at 5:00 a.m. and off for a walk around the hotel – we were greeted by an AMERICAN REDSTART, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, GREAT TAILED GRACKLE, MANGROVE SWALLOWS, BLUE WINGED TEAL, LIMPKINGS, NEOTROPICAL CORMORANT, AND KILLDEER.
Joined by our guide Israel Canto we continued down the road spotting GREY NECKED WOODRAIL, BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER, COMMON GROUND DOVE, ROSEATE SPOONBILL, BLACK VULTURE, WHITE FRONTED PARROT, OLIVE THROATED PARROT, and YELLOW-HEADED PARROT.
Returning for 7:30 a.m. breakfast we were greeted on the deck area next to our room by a YELLOW THROATED WARBLER and a BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER just a few feet away and on the steps in the evening a WHITE COLLARED SEEDEATER. We were both surprised at how tiny he was..
Enjoyed a big hearty breakfast – scrambled eggs, bacon, fried spinach , Cashew and Mango jam –homemade Creole bread.
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| From Belize 3.09 |
On our way for a special boating outing to the Mayan ruins of Lamani.
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| From Belize 3.09 |
Lamanai means Submerged Crocodile. It is located in the Orange Walk district on the New River Lagoon. Lamanai, being one of Belize's largest ceremonial centers, displays the more exotic features of ancient Maya art and architecture. Lamanai had one of the longest occupation spans, dating from 1500B.C to the 19th century A.D.
We passed by the country’s only sugar mill where we could smell and see the molasses as it was dumped out of the mill onto a barge. Later when we made the return trip the we passed the barge going down stream.
A beautiful peaceful river with no development to be seen – passed by a few fishermen as we meandered up the river.
Arriving at Lamani we had lunch provided by the boat tour. Chicken, plantain, rice, potato salad, and slaw all kept warm in a “cooler.” Starting off on our tour of Lamani it started to rain – but fortunately it kept to little more than drizzle and ended in a few minutes.
The Howler Monkeys were “howling” to say the least. A roaring noise that echoed throughout the area we were walking through. As we walked through the ruins, which were spectacular, Israel kept looking for the birds.
Birds we saw: SLATY-TAILED TROGAN, KENTUCKY WARBLER, BROWN JAY, BLACK-HEADED TOGAN, LESSER GREENLET, GREEN-BACKED SPARROW, AND HOODED WARBLER.
Exhausted I was in bed by 8:15.
Day 3 - 3/23/09 - MONDAY
First thoughts at 5:00 a.m. – no boat trip today, it was pouring down rain when we got up. By departure time at 6:30 thankfully the rain stopped and the sun started to come out. We met our very nice and knowledgeable guide Leonard and began a slow paced two hour tour. We really had such a good time, seeing so many birds and so close up – with good looks at most things.
Highlights were many including first time species: AGAMI HERON, BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON, YELLOW CROWNED NIGHT HERON, BAT FALCON, BLACK NECK STILT, LAUGHING GULL, GULL BILLED TERN, PALE VENTED PIGEON, PYGAMY KINGFISHER, YELLOW TAILED ORIOLE, PROTHONOTARY WARBLER, GREAT CATBIRD, NORTHERN CARDINALS, and MANGROVE VIERO. Other terrific species that I would never tire of seeing would be ROSEATE SPOONBILL, BOAT-BILLED HERON, THE VRY SHY GREEN HERON, GREY NECKED WOODRAIL, NORTHERN JACANA, BLACK COLARED HAWK, BLACK NECK STILT, AMERICAN REDSTART, AND SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER.
After another great breakfast when we returned to Bird’s Eye View we made our way to Crystal Paradise Lodge over a period of several hours. On the Northern Highway we stopped to a good look at a LAUGHING FALCON, BAT FALCON and a COMMON MOORHEN.
At Hatyeville we turned onto the Western Highway. Then a birding stop at the Sibun River road. This turned out to be very productive. RUFOUS-BREASTED SPINETAIL, RUDDY CRAKE, PASSERINI TANAGER, GOLDEN-HOODED TANAGER, YELLOW BILLED CACIQUE, WHITE COLLARED SEEDEATER, PLUMBEOUS KITE, MASKED TITYRA, and RED-LEGGED HONEYCREEPER for Yvonne.
Day 4 – 3/24/09 – TUESDAY
It was another beautiful day – the cold front that we encountered the first couple days seems to have passed thru bringing us more typical Belizian weather. Pleasantly warm, but when active and moving about it was hot.
Before we left we saw CLAY COLORED ROBIN, WOOD THRUSH, BLUE CROWNED MOTMOT, PLAIN CHACALACA, GREY CAT BIRD, AND OVERBIRD at the feeders.
Our outing took us to the Mountain Pine Ridge area – a fairly long bumpy ride to get there, but certainly worth the effort.
The Mountain Pine Ridge is a protected area of 300 square miles. Beautiful pine forest, which unfortunately ten years ago was struck by the Bark Beatle fungus – which destroyed large amounts of the forest. The forest is now has sustainable logging.
The 1000 ft. Falls – was beautiful – the highlight being as soon as we arrived what the guide said was a close look at the endangered ORANGE BREASTED FALCON. There are only about 500 of them left.
On the way to the area and at the Falls area our sightings included: White Fronted Parrot, Black Headed Saltator, Red Legged Honey Creeper, Hooded Warbler, Plumbeous Kite, Black Vulture, Blue Bunting (pair), Tropical Pee Wee, Rosebreasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Grace’s Warbler, Azure Crowned Hummingbird, Hepatic Tanager, Black Headed Sisken, Dusky Capped Flycatcher, Acorn Woodpecker, Rufous Capped Warbler, (Yellow Faced Grassquit), (Grey Hawk), Thick Billled Seed Finch.
Next stop for lunch was an overlook of the Rio On Pools – these pools were massive granite rocks where the falls meandered down from one level to another.
Then we headed back towards Crystal Paradise – arrived hot and tired.
Nice dinner – salad, nachos, chicken with rice, and a lemon bar for dessert.
Day 5 – 3/25/09 – Wednesday
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| From Belize 3.09 |
The day started with once again a nice breakfast – put together burritos with cooked tomatoes, refried beans, scrambled eggs on a warm tortilla. Fresh orange juice, coffee got us ready for the day.
The activity today was the Mayan ruins of El Pilar we once again birded along the way – several stops along the road gave us a variety of species, some first time seen and others before – highlights: Streaked Flycatcher, White Fronted Parrots, Green Jay, and Blue Black Grassquit. As we got closer to El Pilar the habitat seemed to change to a more dense forest. Not far from the El Pilar entrance we saw a beautiful Tody Motmot. Arriving at El Pilar in the parking area a little grove area we saw: Red Legged-Honey Creeper, Olive backed Euphonia, Lesser Greenlet, Wood Thursh, Hooded Warbler, Ivory Billed Woodcreeper, and a Wood Thursh.
Starting down the first trail there was the noisy Brown Jay. Stopping to see Social Flycatcher, Dot-Winged Antwren, Plain Xenops, Violaceous Trogan, White-Collared Manakin,
Day 6 – 3/26/09 - THURSDAY
We could feel the weather getting hotter then the previous days – the humidity was rising. Today’s outing was to Laguna Aguacate. As we drove along we saw White Fronted Parrot, Tree Swallows, Hooded Warbler, Blue Black Grasscatcher, Vermillion Flycatcher, and an American Kestral. Seeing several close up Forktail Flycatcher next to the road a real highlight for me. A 50 minutes drive through rolling hills passing through the Mennonite settlement of Spanish Lookout. It looked like a different culture – the Mennonite’s chief industry is dairy farming. The reserve was a forested area with big sink holes, and Mayan ruins that are unexcavated. Birding through the forest highlights included: excellent long look at a Violaceous Trogan. The guide heard about six pairs of Black- Headed Trogans, Scrub Euphonia, Yellow Faced Grassquit, Streaked Flycatcher, Pale-Billed Woodpecker, Lineated Woodpecker, Black-Headed Saltator, Blue Ground Dove, Ivory Billed Woodpecker, and Golden Fronted Woodpecker.
After birding in the forest we were three hot and tired adventurers. Lunch was in order and the only restaurant at Spanish Lookout did a good job – sweet and sour chicken strips with rice and beans. Then a quick stop at the dairy for a milkshake. Arriving at Crystal Paradise at 3:30 p.m.
TIKAL
Findings of pottery dating from a few hundred years before Christ give evidence that is the case with all Mayan sites, the origins of Tikal are barely discernible. Findings of pottery dating from a few hundred years before Christ give evidence that Tikal was inhabited at that time.
Bits and pieces of information are gathered from drawings on pottery and bone. But there is no coherent history of Tikal and there may never be one. Tikal is a place for wondering -- not only at the engineering accomplishments of the Maya, but also at the jungle splendors of the Peten
The site of Tikal is a national park, where the native flora and fauna now flourish relatively undisturbed.
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