I have never written a blog before, but decided to write one about our recent trip to Belize, to share experiences to others that may be considering a similar trip to this beautiful country. Whether you are looking for great food, amazing scenery, "unbelizable" wildlife & nature, or wonderful people & culture, we found it all in Belize. Have a read, hope you enjoy!
Day 1
We arrived at Philip Goldson airport in Belize the morning of October 19th, after collecting our baggage we picked up our rental vehicle from Crystal Car Rental, (So awesome to deal with!), located right on the airport parking lot. After deciding on where the destinations would be during the trip, I opted for a 2WD Jeep Patriot, which turned out to be an excellent choice, as 4WD was not necessary for the trip, but the extra space and ground clearance came in handy. Our first destination was at Hopkins, a place we stayed at the previous year. We took the scenic route down the Hummingbird Highway, something on Karen's bucket list that we did not do in 2022 and enjoyed a leisurely drive on a winding road with amazing scenery. We stopped for some delicious ice cream at The County Barn, and then again for tamales at Miss Bertha's, which lived up to its reputation of having some of the best tamales to be found in Belize! We arrived at Coconut Row that afternoon, located right on the beach in Hopkins, where we would be staying for the next couple of days.
Coconut rum in a coconut, great way to start the trip!
Day 2
The next morning after a delicious breakfast at the Coconut Husk restaurant, we were picked up by our guide as we headed out to our first tour of the trip at the Belize Spice Farm & Botanical Gardens. Our guide, Dirk, I discovered was also an avid birder so of course during the farm tour (on a wagon towed by tractor!) he was keeping an eye out for any birds that may be seen along the way. He was lucky enough to spot my first new-to-me bird of the trip, a pair of Russet-naped Wood Rails, as well as a few other seen-before birds such as a Green Heron & Ivory Billed Woodcreeper. The tour was very informative and I would have loved to have spent more time on foot exploring, but as this was a guided tour once it was completed and we had lunch (prepared for us on-site at the restaurant....soooo good!), we headed back to Hopkins. Dirk kept his eyes peeled along the way back and we made a couple of stops, once for some good views at a Roadside Hawk then again near a bridge where while photographing a Green Kingfisher my second new bird of the trip was found, a Common Tody-Flycatcher! Back at Hopkins, the rest of the day presented Great Kiskadees, a Ringed Kingfisher, several Willets, Brown Pelicans, Magnificent Frigatebirds and Great-Tailed Grackles.
Common Tody-Flycatcher
Day 3
We were up bright and early the next morning and headed out to eat at one of the local places we had on our list to try, and Kat's Coffee did not disappoint! Great food, friendly staff, and sooooo good coffee! A Golden-Fronted Woodpecker was busy close by, as were several Great Kiskadees and a pair of Ruddy Ground Doves. From there we headed out and drove to Bocawina National Park, where my step-daughter Jenna wanted to try out the ziplining at Bocawina Adventures & Ecotours. While we were waiting, I decided to take a stroll around the nearby grounds and found the area to be teeming with birds; in no time I had Eastern Wood-Peewees, Morlet's Seedeaters, Plain Ground Doves, and Summer Tanagers, both male and female. But the best was yet to come.....I also discovered a pair of Olive-Backed Euphonia's with juveniles that they were still feeding, a new bird for me! Then two more new birds, a Yellow-Winged Tanager and Black-cheeked Woodpecker! And as if couldn't get any better, I scored one of the birds I had on my bucket list, a pair of beautiful Golden-hooded Tanagers! I wish I could have spent more time in this area exploring, but it was time to head back to Hopkins and prepare for the start of the solo part of my trip.
Golden-hooded Tanagers
Once back at Hopkins, I said my goodbyes to Karen & Jenna, who were heading out to Caye Caulker for a few days. I jumped in the Jeep and began my drive south to my destination, Punta Gorda in the Toledo district of Belize. Keeping a close watch along the way I pulled out a few times, once at a roadside stand for some burrtios (amazing!), once to photograph a very obliging Crested Caracara, then again to take a few pics of another Roadside Hawk. Remembering some of the tips that Dirk had given me a couple days earlier, I stopped at an actively used dairy farmer's field and was rewarded while eyeing the fences with photos of another bird on my Belize bucket list....a Fork-tailed Flycatcher! There were actually several feeding in the field and using the fence as perches. Several pics later I was back on the road and finally arrived at my next place of stay, the Chaab'il B'e Lodge and Casitas.
This place was just what I hoped it would be, a quiet, lodge surrounded by forest with nearby trails and grounds that would prove to be excellent for birding. I was amazed at the fact that I was the only guest there, and would have all of this to myself! After getting checked in and dropping my bags off in my room, I hit the road and again headed south to Punta Gorda town, picked up some supplies, then headed back to the lodge where I did some exploring of the nearby grounds. Lighting was getting poor but was excited to see a lot of bird activity, including Magnolia Warbler, Kentucky Warbler, Yellow-Bellied Flycatcher, Wood Thrush, and Spot-breasted Wren. That evening I left the lodge and headed and met up with my good friend & bird guru Christian, who was going to be my birding companion and guide for the rest of this trip. His knowledge of Belizean birds is amazing, and was looking forward to our adventures and finds in the coming days. After an amazing fish supper prepared by his wife, I was honored to spend a few hours with him and his friends learning raptors and how to ID them. Back to the lodge for some sleep as I wanted to be hitting the on-site nearby trails in the morning before breakfast!
Day 4
The sounds of the forest had me up at the break of dawn, with high expectations that I would be seeing something new and unique. Wood & Clay-colored thrushes were busy in the grassy areas and I made my way to the first trail I wanted to explore, when I began to hear a call I had not heard before, and then I had my first new-to -me bird of the day, a Dusky Antbird, followed by another new bird for me, a Lesser Greenlet! Other birds included Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Wood-Pewee, American Redstart, Red-eyed Vireo and Northern Waterthrush. A Common Basilisk also was busy near the forest edge foraging and didn't mind getting its photo taken one bit!
After a wonderful breakfast at the lodge, it was time for me to head out and meet up with Christian and see what we could find. We spent some time near the grounds where he was staying, and was rewarded with many new finds for me, including Black-crowned Antshrike, Yellow-billed Cacique, White-throated Spadebill, juvenile White-collared Manakins, Kentucky Warbler and Stripe-throated Hermit Hummingbird! Lighting was very poor for decent photos but was very happy with so many new birds to add to my Belize list.
Next stop was to head out to Cattle Landing, to spend some time at the Belize Hawk Watch. This ongoing project is to gain valuable scientific information on raptors, as well as to give educational opportunities to Belizeans to help better understand and conserve raptors and their ecosystems, as Belize is a critical raptor migration corridor that has only been recently discovered. I enjoyed spending a few hours at the site, and even seen a few migrating raptors while there. From there Christian took me on a nearby trail where I got some great photos of another new bird for me, a very co-operative Mangrove Vireo!
After lunch at Thrillz in Punta Gorda (Delicious!) we headed to an area called The Dump. The name didn't sound promising but I was amazed at both the variety of birds and the great photo opportunities that I got. So many new birds in such as short time; Thick-billed Seed Finch, Yellow-tailed Oriole, Orchard Oriole, Plain-breasted Ground Dove and Blue Grosbeak, all new Belizean birds for me, as well as Baltimore Oriole, Groove-billed Ani, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Tennessee Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, and Blue-black Grassquit. We took a side road to bird some fields and although a quick downpour of rain tried to dampen our spirits we did manage a few more species including Common Yellowthroat, Limpkin, Cinnamon-bellied Saltator, Bare-throated Tiger Heron, and Blue-gray Tanager.
Dusky Antbird
Yellow-tailed Oriole
Day 5
Another early before-breakfast rise this morning on my last day at Chaab'il B'e, to hit a few more trails to see if I can score any new finds. This morning I was in again in luck, Ias got great looks and photo ops of another bird I have never even heard of, a Plain Xenops!. There was actually a pair on one of the trails near the creek, and I was very happy with the photos I was able to get. Other pre-breakfast birds included Black-headed Saltator, a bright orange male Baltimore Oriole, and Pale-billed Woodcreeper. I wish I had more time to explore the trails around this wonderful place but it was time to hit the road and move on.
After breakfast I headed out to pick up Christian, and he took over the driving duties as we hit the road to head north. We did stop at one area along the way for an attempt at seeing and photographing the beautiful Orange-billed Sparrow, and after walking a few trails was delighted to indeed get a glimpse, but was not quick enough for a pic!. I did see and photograph a couple of new birds, a Barred Antshrike and Long-billed Gnatwren. We drove the coastal highway with hopes that we would see my #1 target bird that I had yet to see, the Jabiru. When it appeared that this year I was again going to be out of luck Christian spotted them in the air headed our way. He pulled over and I got out just in time to photograph an over-the-head fly-by of these magnificent birds, an amazing experience! Also spotted along the way to add to my ever-growing list of new birds, was a Yellow-headed Vulture.
Our drive north took us to our next destination, the renowned La Milpa Eco-lodge. On the late evening drive on the road to the lodge there was constant activity: Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Crested Guan, and one of the target birds for this area, Great Curassow. Also seen was an Agouti, a large rodent that was not at all disturbed by our presence. When we arrived at the lodge we discovered that again we were the only people there and had the entire area to ourselves. Supper then off to bed to get an early rise to explore this beautiful spot!.
Plain Xenops
Jabiru
Day 6
We arose early morning before daylight at La Milpa to head to the La Milpa Mayan Ruins, lighting was a challenge for photography but with Christian's expertise was able to get so many new birds, including Northern Barred Woodcreeper, Ruddy Woodcreeper, Tawny-winged Woodcreeper, Rufous Phia and Yucatan Flycatcher. Driving back to the lodge we encountered Smoky-brown Woodpecker, Red-capped Manakin, and a very cooperative Wedge-tailed Sabrewing Hummingbird.
After breakfast we decided to bird the grounds of the lodge, which offered up many species of warblers such as Blue-Winged, Golden Winged, Hooded, Worm-eating, Magnolia, and others. I was happy to see and get some distant record shots of a Green Honeycreeper, another new species for me, as well as Short-billed Pigeon! White-eyed Vireos & Eastern Wood-Peewees were plentiful , as were Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds.
After lunch it was time to head back out towards our next destination, with stops along the way to explore and see what could be added to our list. A quick stop at a dry creek bed provided us with another new bird, a Grey-throated Chat! Very poor lighting made getting a decent photo impossible, but was able to secure record shots of this bird! Next stop along the way was a small watering hole that revealed some more amazing new birds, a Great Tinamou was briefly spotted before it made it's way into the forest; Purple-crowned Fairy & Stripe-throated Hermit Hummingbirds but on an amazing show as they dove into the water while foraging for bugs; a White-bellied Wren made a brief appearance long enough for a record shot, followed by an Ochre-bellied Flycatcher who was more accommodating for photos!
Ruddy Woodcreeper
We left the jungle as it gave way to farmland, which created opportunities for different species of birds as well as much better lighting for photos. The rain started but Tropical/Couch's Kingbirds were still commonly seen , and fences created great perching spots for birds such as American Kestrels, Summer Tanagers, Vermillion Flycatchers and Lesser Goldfinch. Another new bird was an Aplomado Falcon, seen in the distance allowing for a few record shots. Grassy fields are prime real estate for many seed and bug eating birds, and we got great views and photo-ops of Eastern Meadowlarks, Fork-tailed Flycatchers, Blue-black Grassquits, and Morelet's Seedeaters. A nice surprise was a Grey-crowned Yellowthroat, a new-to-me bird that offered us excellent photo opportunities! Another bird on my target list was also soon checked off, thanks to a very friendly farmer giving me a ride across his field on his atv. After a short ride through his herd of cows I was able to get some nice photos of Ocellated Turkeys!
As we continued on to our next destination, the skies opened up and the rain began to pour down, so other than one stop to get some shots of a Red-lored Parrot, we drove until we arrived very tired and wet at our next place of adventure, Bird's Eye View Lodge in Crooked Tree. A very productive day birding, time to rest up for hopefully another eventful day tomorrow!
Grey-crowned Yellowthroat
Ocellated Turkey
Day 7
The morning did not go as planned, as mother nature decided to continue to dump rain overnight and again in the early morning. That coupled with the fog made the lighting terrible so we opted to wait to see if the weather would improve before heading out. Bird's Eye View Lodge is a wonderful location, with plenty of birding to be had around the property and even from the huge second story veranda at the lodge itself. Record shots of a Chestnut-colored Woodpecker were taken right from the deck when the rain slowed, as was Mangrove Swallow, Yellow-throated Warbler, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, and Vermillion Flycatcher.
We stayed put till after breakfast and when the rain finally started to let up a bit we headed past Crooked Tree Village to try for some birds readily found in the area. First find was a Plain Chachalaca, a bird I have seen before but first time for this trip, and it allowed great photo-ops! Next bird was actually heard first by Christian, who then with his expert eyes found the female Rose-throated Becard singing in the nearby pines. Then a male was spotted close by, allowing distant record shots of both birds. Next up was a Yellow-Lored Parrot, my first new-to-me bird of the day, followed by another new bird, a Yucatan Woodpecker! The road was very wet and sandy so we opted to stop the car and continue on foot instead. A Clay-colored Thrush on a side trail peaked my interest and as I tried to get closer I heard a new bird, a Dusky-capped Flycatcher! This bird allowed some good photo opportunities so of course I took advantage and took as many as I could! Also spotted was Bay-breasted Warbler, and a second Yucatan Woodpecker which was much more camera-friendly than the first. The rain started again so we decided to head to the car, head back for some dry clothes, and plan our next move. Along the way back to the lodge we added Tropical Mockingbird and Northern Jacana to my trip list, as well as a quick stop to listen to a Tropical Kingbird singing in the rain as we snapped a few photos. The most reliable way to distinguish a Tropical Kingbird from Couch's Kingbird in Belize is by song, so for this reason locals usually call these birds TC Kingbirds unless they hear them sing!
Back at the lodge Christian made a few calls and arranged for us to access a place where I hoped to get another bird on my target list, an American Avocet. The rain again began to slow so i decided to walk the upper veranda in hopes of seeing something interesting and was awarded with yet another new bird, a nice male Orchard Oriole!
We headed out to our next location, an area much different from anything we have explored so far, making a couple stops to photograph Neotropic Cormorants along the way, as well as a Snail Kite! We arrived at Captain Hooks, a shrimp farm and restaurant surrounded by privately owned wetlands, offering excellent opportunities to see and photograph many shorebird species. A Bare-throated Tiger heron greeted us at the gate, an indication of what I had in store when we began exploring the area. This place is simply a shorebird's paradise, several man-made lagoons at varying water levels created a feeding haven for the birds and excellent photo opportunities for us. And luckily for me, the first bird I spotted in the very first lagoon was an American Avocet, feeding along with a Black-necked Stilt and a group of Least Sandpipers! I missed my chance at photographing a Clapper Rail, but other birds seen & photographed included Tri-colored, Little Blue, and Great Glue Herons, Great & Snowy Egrets, Yellow-crowned Hight Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, Semipalmated Sandpipers & Plovers, as well another new-to me bird, a Wilsons Plover!
Christian drove us to the back lagoons of the farm, so he could try for a particular bird found in this area, and with his expert guidance, was able to provide me with another new bird, a Yucatan Vireo! This bird came out of the thick brush only briefly, but long enough for me to get some excellent photos. As we left this amazing area I spied one young American Crocodile, which Christian mentioned are known be here in much larger sizes! We were again greeted at the gate by the Tiger Heron, who was joined by a Green Heron perched above on a wire keeping an eye on things.
Driving back we stopped at a restaurant that Christian recommended, aptly named the Roadside Diner. While looking at the menu I noticed something called gibnut, and as a person who isn't afraid to try something new I gave it a shot. Apparently gibnut is locally known as "food fit for a queen", as it was served to Queen Elizabeth during a visit to Belize. It is also closely related to the Agouti, which I did see in La Milpa and is a large rodent! So yep, I ate rodent in Belize, and it was delicious!
Back at Bird's Eye View it was time for more birding, the rain had stopped so it was a good time to explore the grounds and nearby trails. A pair of White Ibis were spotted by the shoreline as a Yellow-headed vulture flew overhead. Once we entered the trail it didn't take long to spot birds, a pair of Blue-gray gnatcatchers, Yellow Warbler, and Magnolia Warbler were busy foraging now the rain had stopped, as a group of Black-bellied Whistling ducklings made their was through the grass looking for food. Then Christian heard a sound he was very familiar with, and proceeded to find the next new-to-me bird, a Rufous-breasted Spinetail! This bird was very skulky, only allowing for brief glimpses and record shots only. An American Restart was followed by excellent views and photo ops of a Barred Antshrike, then a bright red male Northern Cardinal that allowed me my best photos ever of this beautiful bird. Walking back to the lodge we came across a male Vermillion Flycatcher that was so photogenic it allowed me to take shots from less that 5 feet away!
Back at the lodge we decided to hop back in the Jeep to do another drive through Crooked Tree village to the spot we were at in the morning to try our luck again. Now that the rain had ended there was much more bird activity, in the village I got excellent photos of Acorn Woodpeckers, a beautiful male Hooded Oriole, then outside the village a flock of another of my target birds, the Yucatan Jay! These birds were busy feeding on berries so stayed still long enough for some nice photo opportunities.. A Social Flycatcher, Ringed Kingfisher and a new-to-me White-tailed Kite rounded out the day as we listened to the Neotropical Cormorants vocalizing as the sun began to set. An excellent supper followed by a good nights rest after a great day of birding; what will the next day bring?
Acorn Woodpecker
Vermillion Flycatcher
Day 8
Another earlier morning rise as we said goodbye to Bird's Eye View to head toward the airport to pick up my Karen & Jenna and head together to our last destination of the trip. Before leaving I did one last trip around the veranda scouring the trees for any more birds before we headed out. I am glad I took the time, as I was rewarded with my best photos to date of Blue-gray Tanager, Yellow-Throated Euphonia, and yep, another new bird, a Yellow-bellied Elaenia! As with my previous locations I would have loved to stay longer but it was time to get moving. A stop along the way to photograph another Ringed Kingfisher, then another quick stop at Captain Hooks where I was able to see and photographer my first Western Sandpiper, as well as add a Spotted Sandpiper and Blue-winged Teal to my trip list.
Once everyone was settled and we left the airport, our next stop was to the Belize Zoo, a great experience to observe and photograph many species that would be very rare to photograph in the wild, from the various big cat species to Tapirs and large raptors such as the King Vulture and Harpy Eagle. I did manage to add one bird to my trip list while at the zoo, a visiting Black and White Warbler! Our next stop was for lunch at a very unique place recommended by Christian called Cheers Restaurant & Cabanas. One feature of this open-air restaurant is the ceiling which is covered with hanging T-shirts! The food was also awesome; I had one of the best nachos I have ever eaten! Next stop was at Calico Jack's Village, where another guide and friend I met last year, Julio, was waiting. We spent about an hour or so birding some trails on the grounds and I was again awarded with my best photos yet of White-collared Manakin, Blue-winged Warbler, Lesser Greenlet, and another new bird, a Northern Bentbill! Before heading on to our next location, I asked Julio if he would be interested in a day of birding tomorrow with Christian and myself, which indeed he was! Once plans were finalized, we were back on the road soon arrived at our next location where we would spend the last few days of our trip.
We arrived at our location, Black Rock Lodge, a place with a well deserved reputation for great birding, excellent food, and wonderful accommodations. The place is simply beautiful, located on the side of a deep valley right next to the Macal River, with exceptional views right from your cabin deck! A delicious supper followed by a good rest was a great way to end the day and recharge for our birding adventures tomorrow.
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Day 9
Christian and I were up long before sunrise, picking up pre-packed breakfast from the wonderfully accommodating kitchen staff, and were on the road to pick up Julio before heading for our first destination of the day. The Karen & Jenna had a Xunantunich Mayan Ruins tour booked for the day so it was just us three on the road headed to the renowned birding area known as Mountain Pine Ridge. I had fingers crossed for two of my target species that were commonly found in this area, but my hopes sank as yet again the skies opened up and the rain began to come down. Rather than continue, we all decided to wait until the rain had passed before proceeding into the area, which turned out to be a great idea, as the first new-to me bird of the day was shortly found. A Hepatic Tanager stayed still long enough for some record shots, followed by another new bird, a Golden Olive Woodpecker! Just a short drive further to my amazement one of my target birds was located, a Rufous-capped Warbler, a bird that unlike other warblers does not migrate to my neck of the woods in Canada. This male was very accommodating and offered excellent photo opportunities, which I took full advantage of, probably my best photos of the entire trip! Next up was another new bird, this one unexpected. I haven't had any luck with sparrows so far this trip, so it was nice to add a new-to-me Rusty Sparrow to my Belize birding list! While taking time to admire an iridescent blue Tiger Moth some movement in the grass further back had me exploring to find yet again another new bird, this time a Yellow-faced Grassquit! This day was turning out to be a excellent day so far! Higher up into the mountains I was unbelievably lucky again to get the second target bird I was hoping for, a Grace's Warbler, and a bright colored male at that! This one also allowed several great photo opportunities, I could have ended the day there and been more than satisfied........but our day was only starting.
Rufous-capped Warbler
Heading out of Mountain Pine Ridge we headed to a place I visited the previous year, the Green Hills Butterfly Ranch. This place is a great spot to view and photograph several hummingbird species up-close, and based on my tour last year held great potential for birding around the nearby grounds. First up were the hummingbirds, we spent some time photographing White-bellied Emeralds, Rufous-Tailed, Violet & Wedge-tailed Sabrewings, White-necked Jacobin, and Scaly-breasted Hummingbirds. On the grounds, my hunch last year was correct as the trees were alive with birds. First new bird was a Scrub Euphonia, followed by a bird I have heard several times during the trip but was not able to get a photo, a Kentucky Warbler. This one stayed out in the open long enough for some record photos. I was able to add a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher to my 2023 Belize list, then a Boat-billed Flycatcher. The last find was totally unexpected, and another new bird for me, a Louisiana Waterthrush!
After leaving Green Hills and dropping Julio off, we made our way back to Black Rock, taking our time scouring the roadside for birds. A distinct call got Christian's attention, and once getting a better look located at Northern Tropical-Peewee, another new bird that I was able to secure some photos I was very happy with. A bit further down the road and I was able to secure record shots of a Golden-Winged Warbler, as well as another new bird, a Blue-black Grosbeak! Light was quickly fading as we neared the lodge, but I was yet again to get one last bird, the first Brown Jay of this trip. Arriving back at Black Rock we came an Agouti feeding along the trail our cabins as well as a pair of Barred Whiptail lizards. Another amazing late evening supper was followed by a great night's sleep to prepare us for the next day of adventure.
Rufous-Tailed Hummingbird
Day 10
Our last full day here at the lodge, Christian and myself were up at dawn to try our luck on the Summit Trail. His plan was to hike to about midway up the trail hoping to add another specific bird to my list. Lighting was very poor for photos and the birds unusually quiet, and other than an Ovenbird, the hike up to the halfway point was uneventful. Coming back down we had some better luck, a Red-capped Manakin appeared followed by a Collared Acari. Almost to the bottom I realized I had left something at the rest stop at the halfway point and Christian asked me to stay and wait while he went back to retrieve it. A busy Kentucky Warbler evaded any chance at a good photo but was keeping me occupied, then a Northern Schiffornis came out in the open for some quick shots. Next spotted was an Ivory-billed Woodcreeper, followed by.....could it be? I began to take as many photos as I could, hoping of getting one good enough so Christian could confirm the ID. And indeed I did, a new-to-me Golden-crowned Warbler was added to my list, the specific bird Christian and I were looking to find! A Red-crowned Ant Tanager was also added to the trip list before we made it back to the lodge.
A quick stop to hydrate and we were joined by Karen & Jenna to walk the riverside trail. A group of Brown Jays were not annoyed by our presence and offered up some nice photo ops, also seen were White-eyed Vireo, Olive-backed Euphonia, another Northern Schiffornis, then a totally unexpected Alder Flycatcher lying in the grass right in front of us; yet another to add to my trip list. A new minutes another bird was also added o the list, a White-whiskered Puffbird, followed then by Black and Gartered Trogons.
We had lunch at the lodge, which again was delicious, then added a last-minute addition to our day. With Christian making the arrangements, we all headed to the Jeep and took a drive into San Ignacio where Christian drove us to the Belize Raptor Center. This amazing place is a rescue, rehab, and educational center specializing in all types of raptors. We learned a great deal about the birds, actually had a White-tailed Kite & Roadside Hawk fly onto our gloves to eat, seen Barn Owls and learned how invaluable they can be to farmers and got to see the star of the center, Maya, an Orange Breasted Falcon! One new thing we learned is the danger on imprinting: raptors are very intelligent and can easily bond with well-intentioned humans who rescue them and try to feed and care for them themselves which often makes it impossible for them to be re-released into the wild. All educational birds at the center are either imprinted or injured so they can no longer be released.....we learned all rehab birds at the center receive minimal human contact. It was a very informative and eye-opening experience.
Leaving the center and heading back to the lodge we kept our eyes peeled for any more birds we may find, and amazingly we found an adult Grey Hawk! This one stayed still to allow for some photos. A Slaty-tailed Trogon was also added to my already impressive trip list before getting back to the lodge.
This day's adventuring was not yet done. After supper Jenna and I went on a guided night tour, with headlamps and of course my camera! We both enjoyed the tour very much, our guide was informative and very skilled at finding and showing us sleeping birds, leaf-cutter ants, Red-eyed Tree frogs, toads, and some very cool bugs as well as quite a few spiders, including three Mexican Red-rumped tarantulas! Another day done, time to pre-pack and rest up for our last day tomorrow.
Gray Hawk
Day 11
The first morning I slept past sunrise, as we packed up preparing to head to the airport. I took my camera to breakfast and I was awarded one last bird to add to the trip list, a Black-cowled Oriole. The rain kept us in the car to Orange Walk Town, where we parted ways with Christian and continued to the airport to head back home. Final bird tallies for the trip.......243 species seen, of which 111 were new-to-me! Of the 243, I was able to photograph 187 of them, much better then I ever imagined. Belize is a place filled with wonderful people, great food, and amazing wildlife, and we can't wait until I can get back for my next trip for more exploring and adventure!
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