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Yucatan in September (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter njlarsen
- Start date
Yes Steve.
We ended up only doing two nights at Hotel Puerta Calakmul, but enjoyed our going up and down that road (it has virtually no potholes at the moment, but still narrow). One morning we had a guide with us. In total we saw the first 5 of the new species there, plus other things including the Antthrush and a deer type. We missed on Agami Heron, seemingly not the best time of year for it being at the 27km ponds.
It cost us pesos112 x 2 for being on the road (per day) and another 96 for accessing the ruins. With the access only being good for the same day, that seems a bit excessive.
Niels
We ended up only doing two nights at Hotel Puerta Calakmul, but enjoyed our going up and down that road (it has virtually no potholes at the moment, but still narrow). One morning we had a guide with us. In total we saw the first 5 of the new species there, plus other things including the Antthrush and a deer type. We missed on Agami Heron, seemingly not the best time of year for it being at the 27km ponds.
It cost us pesos112 x 2 for being on the road (per day) and another 96 for accessing the ruins. With the access only being good for the same day, that seems a bit excessive.
Niels
Last edited:
Hamhed
Well-known member
That figures close to $30 for two? Yes, that does seem high. It is a very long, paved road though. Possibly the Mexican government is cutting back on funding. After traveling that far to the southern Yucatan, it would be hard to turn back even when confronted with those figures. They are probably counting on that!
Steve
Steve
Hamhed
Well-known member
I'm one who can't be of any help in that regard, Niels. Our guide, Fernando, must have told us; he spoke some English, as I remember and had a good supply of facts to relate. I can't find in my notes anything about which species were there.
I assume we went to the same place. Does this photo of the cave we visited look familiar? It was at the bottom of a pretty deep and wide cenote. Here is an excerpt from a trip report I never posted:
Several minutes after the flight of the initial group of bats flew from the hole, the main colony began to emerge. They not only poured out of the cave entrance but every crevice in the limestone walls. In less than 30 seconds, a funnel of bats began to form as they swarmed, circled and ascended; hundreds and hundreds of bats in an accelerating number coming from every possible direction. The bat funnel created its own breeze and their aroma tainted the air. Fernando covers his mouth with a bandanna to avoid breathing in a bacterial infection, (histoplasmosis), that the bats can pass on. Bats continued to stream out of the cenote in a wild, swirling mass, estimated at close to 6 million bats of 14 species. We were there, dodging bats and taking pictures in the dim light for at least 15 minutes, and still they streamed out. They would continue to emerge for hours, our guide told us, each species at different times. We leave them to their nightly exodus and drive back towards camp.
The number of species must have come from Fernando. An amazing experience!
Steve
I assume we went to the same place. Does this photo of the cave we visited look familiar? It was at the bottom of a pretty deep and wide cenote. Here is an excerpt from a trip report I never posted:
Several minutes after the flight of the initial group of bats flew from the hole, the main colony began to emerge. They not only poured out of the cave entrance but every crevice in the limestone walls. In less than 30 seconds, a funnel of bats began to form as they swarmed, circled and ascended; hundreds and hundreds of bats in an accelerating number coming from every possible direction. The bat funnel created its own breeze and their aroma tainted the air. Fernando covers his mouth with a bandanna to avoid breathing in a bacterial infection, (histoplasmosis), that the bats can pass on. Bats continued to stream out of the cenote in a wild, swirling mass, estimated at close to 6 million bats of 14 species. We were there, dodging bats and taking pictures in the dim light for at least 15 minutes, and still they streamed out. They would continue to emerge for hours, our guide told us, each species at different times. We leave them to their nightly exodus and drive back towards camp.
The number of species must have come from Fernando. An amazing experience!
Steve
Attachments
We saw 91 species on a trip that was planned to maximize forest birds and did not include any stops by the coast, for example. I am happy reaching that number for this trip. Realistically, the trip included about 6 days for birding, but of those about 2½ was mainly spent driving between places, with only incidental birding along the way.
Niels
Niels
Hamhed
Well-known member
We saw a Bat Falcon and heard Brown Jay, both after the bats, according to Fernando.
Steve
Hamhed
Well-known member
Muyil. They wanted more money for doing the trail down to the laguna than for entry into the ruins, and we were down to less than one hour available time (we needed to get to the airport) so did not do that trail. Some side trails within the ruins were nice. I have at least one photo from there I want to share at a later time.
Niels
Niels
Steve,
I took this photo remembering you. These two are actually brand new, they had found that the originals were getting degraded by being visible, so they were restored and re-buried behind these copies.
Notable birds in that area was Black-headed Trogon, Bentbill, Swainson's Warbler (first for me, and I needed to check some things before accepting it for my self), Yellow-olive Flycatcher, Greenish Elainia, and a short distance from there towards Tulum, a Gray Hawk on a power pole.
Niels
I took this photo remembering you. These two are actually brand new, they had found that the originals were getting degraded by being visible, so they were restored and re-buried behind these copies.
Notable birds in that area was Black-headed Trogon, Bentbill, Swainson's Warbler (first for me, and I needed to check some things before accepting it for my self), Yellow-olive Flycatcher, Greenish Elainia, and a short distance from there towards Tulum, a Gray Hawk on a power pole.
Niels
