Cancún area, Mexico (1 Viewer)

ESTEBANNIC

Well-known member

• Oct 19, 2005

• #1

Hello!!! Info needed!!!

I will be unexpectely staying in Cancún/Playa del Carmen area for a week in one week's time. Can anyone advise any good birding areas near for a day trip so I can at least see more than American tourists ??

Thanks for any advise

Steve

 

tomjenner

Well-known member

• Oct 19, 2005

• #2

An excellent guide to birding in Mexico was written by Steve Howell, who also wrote the best field guide. A lot of the top birding sites mentioned by him are also archaelogical sites, so you can fit them both in together. Cozumel (which lies just off the coast) is also great birding and has 4 of its own endemics. I do recommend getting hold of this book. Good luck with the trip.

Tom

 

E

Edward woodwood

Member

• Oct 19, 2005

• #3

Steve's book is great

I also have a trip report from there (spent a week as part of a longer trip). Nice place.

try googling for 'birding and duding in yucatan'

Tim

 

D

Dave B Smith

Well-known member

• Oct 20, 2005

• #4

I'll add another recommendation for Steve Howell's books. Can't beat them for Mexico. I'm also attaching a link to a birding trip report to Cozumel (including Playa del Carmen that might give you some more info.

Here's another report for some more sites in Quintana Roo, though these are a little further afield. The Ruin of Chichen Itza is also pretty good and only several easy hours from Cancun.

While Tulum is fairly close to Playa del Carmen, it is not a great birding area. It is a beautiful Mayan site though!

Hopefully Hurricane Wilma doesn't do too much damage this week! Enjoy your trip - it's great birding!

 

Last edited: Oct 20, 2005

Andy Wraithmell

aka Limeybirder

• Oct 20, 2005

• #5

I hope your trip isnt ruined by Hurricane Wilma but its looking pretty bad.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

:storm:

 

J

James Lowther

Well-known member

• Oct 20, 2005

• #6

Hurricane will be long gone by then, but it's projected to land pretty much right on top of cancun, so let's hope not too much damage is done for Esteban and of course all the locals' sakes. I'm off to Belize next month and they haven't had a direct hit yet this year.... - it's pretty worrying, but of course unless i'm very unlucky the worst that can happen to me is i have a blighted holiday.

 

J

JeffMoh

Well-known member

• Oct 20, 2005

• #7

Playa Del Carmen Area

I visited the Playa area last summer and this summer. As you're going later in the year, you should see more birds.

The best sites I found south of Playa:

COBA - Extensive, atmospheric ruins scattered in the jungle. Lots of birds if you go there early. It would be worth staying in the Club Med overnight.

XEL-HA - Although it's near a water park, this Maya site is always deserted and hops with birds.

TULUM - Just south of Xel-Ha, the ruins are fantastic but not many birds.

MUYIL - South of Tulum, the site has one great building, some minor ones, and lots of birds.

You could do Xel-Ha in the morning, visit Tulum over lunchtime (and eat at one of the cabin beach hotels south of the ruins), and then hit Muyil in the afternoon.

IMPORTANT!!!
You need a lot of insect repellent -- preferably with 20+% Deet -- especially for Xel-Ha, Coba and Muyil.

 

ESTEBANNIC

Well-known member

• Oct 20, 2005

• #8

Thanks for the excellent info guys!
Hopefully "Wilma" will be a good girl.........

 

R

russkie

Well-known member

• Oct 21, 2005

• #9

i look forward to your belize report as i went there for a month in 1980 with the Royal Air Force Ornithological Society - went to lots of sites and camped out under canvas in the rainforest - neat toucan sightings - also went to a place called BIG Falls Ranch which was a rice plantation - many birds incuding Wood Stork nest site and whipoorwills. - plus boat trip to Northern Lagoon nr Belize City
enjoy

 

Andy Wraithmell

aka Limeybirder

• Oct 21, 2005

• #10

James Lowther said:

Hurricane will be long gone by then, but it's projected to land pretty much right on top of cancun, so let's hope not too much damage is done for Esteban and of course all the locals' sakes. I'm off to Belize next month and they haven't had a direct hit yet this year.... - it's pretty worrying, but of course unless i'm very unlucky the worst that can happen to me is i have a blighted holiday.

Click to expand...

MMM like your optimism mate but hurricanes have a tendency to cause damage that takes 12 motnhs to repair. We have friends who only recently moved back into their house after it was damaged by Ivan LAST September.

If I was you Esteban I would keep checking with your agent for the latest information on the storm and the damage caused. It is a very slow moving storm which means the eyewall will stay over Cancun for 24 hours. The latest hurricane advisory puts the storm smack over the area tomorrow. It was supposed to be over Florida by then so the forecast changes every day.

Good luck Esteban and I hope you get to go