Maroon Jay
Airborne
My birding report from Guatemala. I started with a boat trip down the Usumacinta River. Here I saw some common birds such as vultures and herons. On the bus trip from Bethel to Flores I saw many species of herons and egrets.
The great birding started when I got to Tikal National Park. On my first walk I found my first new bird in Guatemala, the Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher. They had just arrived in Guatemala from wintering in South America. Saw several other common birds for a total of 20 on my first day. It was not really a birding day as I had to take the bus to Flores and get settled into my hotel.
The next day was spent touring the magnificent Mayan ruins.
The following day was devoted to birding. I hoped to see lots of birds but the main two that I really wanted to see was the Emerald Toucanet and the American Pygmy Flycatcher. Started off at 6.30 a.m Tikal National Park opens at 6 a.m. which is really great for birders. The ruins are some of the best places to search for birds. Unfortunately, the archaeological sites in Mexico do not open until 8 a.m.
Started the day by seeing a Roadside Hawk on the lawn of the hotel. It was very tame and was there every morning. Oscillated Turkeys were very tame and plentiful. Saw lots of common birds such as Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Brown Jay, Great-tailed Grackle, White-collared Seedeater and others.
Found my first new bird in the parking lot. It was a very pretty Yellow-throated Vireo.
Found a few other nice birds that I had seen before such as the Squirrel Cuckoo and the Black-headed Saltator. I had seen the Keel-billed Toucan before but today I got a great close look at one. It was very tame in a tree near the parking lot. I got a glimpse of a Chestnut-coloured Woodpecker. I had seen this bird once before in Belize but only briefly on a dark, rainy day. Have yet to get a good, close look at it.
After about an hour I struck gold, or I should say emerald. I found a lovely Emerald Toucanet. Like most birds in Tikal it was fairly tame and did not fly away. Had a nice, long look at it. To top this off it was my 500th bird for my life list. I was thrilled.
I was thrilled but not finished. Next I found a Crested Guan and both Collared and Slaty-tailed Trogon. Also saw a couple species of parrots but all ones I had seen before. Still searching for the White-crowned , Yellow-headed, Brown-hooded and Mealy Parrots.
I was finding one nice bird after another. Next I saw a Blue-crowned Motmot and a Stripe-throated Hermit. This was followed by a Masked Tityra and a Short-billed Pigeon.
After a couple of hours I hit pay dirt again with the discovery of two fairly rare birds. These were the Strong-billed Woodcreeper and the Blue-throated Goldentail.
Next I found the Royal Flycatcher but with its crest down. This is the normal position and I guess it is very rare to see it with the crest up.
On the way back to the hotel I saw a Giant Cowbird. This very large blackbird walks hunched over. It reminded me of Dracula. To add a final touch it has red eyes.
Saw several species of flycathers including Eye-ring Flatbill, Royal Flycatcher mentioned above, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher, Sulpher-bellied flycatcher mentioned above, and the Piratic Flycatcher
I found a total of 42 species of which nine were new lifers for me. I wonderful day. The only disappointment was that I failed to find the American Pygmy Flycatcher. I have been looking for this bird since November. I spent some time at two different lagoons but no luck.
My last day in Tikal and still no Pygmy Kingfisher. I had to be out of my hotel room by 11 a.m. so I had time for one last search, I tried a new lagoon that I had not visited before. No luck. I went back to the lagoon near the entrance gate. No luck. Time was running out and I had just about given up on finding it. With less than one hour to go, I saw it. What a wonderful little bird. I had been searching for it in three countries since November 2011. Like most birds in Tikal it was quite tame so I was able to study it for a while and get some photos. Headed back to Flores with a big smile.
Tikal was definitely the best birding site of any place I have been in Yucatan, Chiapas or Belize. Crooked Tree and San Ignacio area in Belize come second. Have not found anything near as productive in Mexico. I would suggest that if you are on a trip to Yucatan or Belize that you include Tikal in your itinerary and make it as least an overnight or two-night trip. Many people (not birders) take trips to Tikal from Belizse. They drive three hours from San Ignacio or fly from the Cayes and spend only about four hours at Tikal. Driving sounds like a horrible trip to me. Six hours on the road for a four-hour rushed visit. Flying there and back in one day would be nicer but expensive and still short of time. Even if you are not a birder. Four hours is really rushing things to see the temples and other structures in Tikal.
Back in Flores I found many other birds not seen in Tikal of the type that live in the lake such as cormorants and grebes. I found one new bird here, the Grey-breasted Martin. I had a lot of trouble to ID it as it was brown and white instead of the blue and grey as shown in my books. Found out what it was with help from the good folks at bird forum.
I saw a total of 72 species while there of which 14 were new lifers bringing my total life list up to 510.
I am now back in San Ignacio Belize searching for hummingbirds as there are many in the area. I highly recommend a trip to Tikal for both the birds and the Mayan ruins if you get the chance to go.
The great birding started when I got to Tikal National Park. On my first walk I found my first new bird in Guatemala, the Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher. They had just arrived in Guatemala from wintering in South America. Saw several other common birds for a total of 20 on my first day. It was not really a birding day as I had to take the bus to Flores and get settled into my hotel.
The next day was spent touring the magnificent Mayan ruins.
The following day was devoted to birding. I hoped to see lots of birds but the main two that I really wanted to see was the Emerald Toucanet and the American Pygmy Flycatcher. Started off at 6.30 a.m Tikal National Park opens at 6 a.m. which is really great for birders. The ruins are some of the best places to search for birds. Unfortunately, the archaeological sites in Mexico do not open until 8 a.m.
Started the day by seeing a Roadside Hawk on the lawn of the hotel. It was very tame and was there every morning. Oscillated Turkeys were very tame and plentiful. Saw lots of common birds such as Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Brown Jay, Great-tailed Grackle, White-collared Seedeater and others.
Found my first new bird in the parking lot. It was a very pretty Yellow-throated Vireo.
Found a few other nice birds that I had seen before such as the Squirrel Cuckoo and the Black-headed Saltator. I had seen the Keel-billed Toucan before but today I got a great close look at one. It was very tame in a tree near the parking lot. I got a glimpse of a Chestnut-coloured Woodpecker. I had seen this bird once before in Belize but only briefly on a dark, rainy day. Have yet to get a good, close look at it.
After about an hour I struck gold, or I should say emerald. I found a lovely Emerald Toucanet. Like most birds in Tikal it was fairly tame and did not fly away. Had a nice, long look at it. To top this off it was my 500th bird for my life list. I was thrilled.
I was thrilled but not finished. Next I found a Crested Guan and both Collared and Slaty-tailed Trogon. Also saw a couple species of parrots but all ones I had seen before. Still searching for the White-crowned , Yellow-headed, Brown-hooded and Mealy Parrots.
I was finding one nice bird after another. Next I saw a Blue-crowned Motmot and a Stripe-throated Hermit. This was followed by a Masked Tityra and a Short-billed Pigeon.
After a couple of hours I hit pay dirt again with the discovery of two fairly rare birds. These were the Strong-billed Woodcreeper and the Blue-throated Goldentail.
Next I found the Royal Flycatcher but with its crest down. This is the normal position and I guess it is very rare to see it with the crest up.
On the way back to the hotel I saw a Giant Cowbird. This very large blackbird walks hunched over. It reminded me of Dracula. To add a final touch it has red eyes.
Saw several species of flycathers including Eye-ring Flatbill, Royal Flycatcher mentioned above, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Boat-billed Flycatcher, Social Flycatcher, Sulpher-bellied flycatcher mentioned above, and the Piratic Flycatcher
I found a total of 42 species of which nine were new lifers for me. I wonderful day. The only disappointment was that I failed to find the American Pygmy Flycatcher. I have been looking for this bird since November. I spent some time at two different lagoons but no luck.
My last day in Tikal and still no Pygmy Kingfisher. I had to be out of my hotel room by 11 a.m. so I had time for one last search, I tried a new lagoon that I had not visited before. No luck. I went back to the lagoon near the entrance gate. No luck. Time was running out and I had just about given up on finding it. With less than one hour to go, I saw it. What a wonderful little bird. I had been searching for it in three countries since November 2011. Like most birds in Tikal it was quite tame so I was able to study it for a while and get some photos. Headed back to Flores with a big smile.
Tikal was definitely the best birding site of any place I have been in Yucatan, Chiapas or Belize. Crooked Tree and San Ignacio area in Belize come second. Have not found anything near as productive in Mexico. I would suggest that if you are on a trip to Yucatan or Belize that you include Tikal in your itinerary and make it as least an overnight or two-night trip. Many people (not birders) take trips to Tikal from Belizse. They drive three hours from San Ignacio or fly from the Cayes and spend only about four hours at Tikal. Driving sounds like a horrible trip to me. Six hours on the road for a four-hour rushed visit. Flying there and back in one day would be nicer but expensive and still short of time. Even if you are not a birder. Four hours is really rushing things to see the temples and other structures in Tikal.
Back in Flores I found many other birds not seen in Tikal of the type that live in the lake such as cormorants and grebes. I found one new bird here, the Grey-breasted Martin. I had a lot of trouble to ID it as it was brown and white instead of the blue and grey as shown in my books. Found out what it was with help from the good folks at bird forum.
I saw a total of 72 species while there of which 14 were new lifers bringing my total life list up to 510.
I am now back in San Ignacio Belize searching for hummingbirds as there are many in the area. I highly recommend a trip to Tikal for both the birds and the Mayan ruins if you get the chance to go.
