Forsyth Audubon in Belize: Birds Among Mayan Ruins

Jungle Jeanie has wi-fi, but only in the restaurant/bar area. After dinner, Katherine Thorington and I liked to sit on the outside deck to use our laptops. It sure was nice to do that in January.  An added bonus was watching a Common Pauraque dance under the lights of the adjacent parking area. Yeah, another life bird.

Male Great-tailed Grackle

Friday would be the last day we were together, and once again we were up at the crack of dawn to explore local birding hotspots. Much thanks to Jeanie, John and their staff for accommodating the breakfast timetable of these crazy birders.  Of course, the garrulous Great-tailed Grackles also were early risers and ready to send us off on our daily adventures. What’s that strange sound? It’s a grackle.

Birders’ Differing Views

Hopkins Savannah

There was no rush to meet anyone that morning, so we finally made it a point to stop at the savannah on the Hopkins road. Common Yellowthroats, Yellow Warblers and White-collared Seedeaters popped in and out of the reeds, and a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher perched briefly on the wire.  However, the main attractions were the numerous wading birds foraging along the mudflats: Little Blue and Tricolored Herons, Great and Snowy Egrets, Wood Storks and then a flash of pink as a Roseate Spoonbill came into view.

Our destination for the day was only a few miles up the highway – Mayflower Bocawina National Park. The park preserves partially excavated Maya ruins dating from 800-900 A.D.  There are about a dozen earth- and tree-covered structures, the largest being the Maintzunun Temple mound with a wall of stones wrapped around the base. We enjoyed a peaceful stroll among the hills, admiring the efforts and skills of the long-ago ancestors of the local populace.

Birding Amongst the Ruins

Two-barred Flasher

Most of the birds in the mound area were neotropical migrants – catbird, redstart, Magnolia and Black-and-white Warbler, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher.  A beautiful pair of Golden-hooded Tanagers flew by the visitor center but, alas, too quickly for a photo. Meanwhile, Pink Cattleheart and Two-barred Flasher butterlies fluttered from flower to flower outside the visitor center.

After we all enjoyed a relaxing lunch on a bridge spanning Silk Grass Creek, Shelley Rutkin and I clicked off several photographs of a puzzling hummingbird. Consulting with Lee Jones when we returned home, we eventually concluded that it was a Scaly-breasted Hummingbird.

Scaly-breasted Hummingbird

Blue-Black Grosbeak

We began the afternoon at Mama Noots Eco Resort in the park, where we could see Antelope Falls spill off a nearby mountainside. A shorter, easier trail leads to Bocawina Falls. Shelley and I opted to join Jeremy Reiskind on his mission to see this waterfall and perhaps new birds.  Before we went very far, we ran into a pair of Blue-black Grosbeaks. Even for a grosbeak, their bills are big. Then, just off the trail, a male Summer Tanager and several Olive-backed Euphonias lunched on bananas, completely oblivious to us observing them for several minutes. Deeper into the jungle, we discovered that Long-tailed Hermit hummingbirds also visit banana trees but for the flowers.

Female Olive-backed Euphonia

Male Summer Tanager

A larger bird glided across the path to a new perch. It was a species we had been hoping all trip to see – a Blue-crowned Motmot with its long racket-tail. Deeper into the jungle, we came across a cluster of birds, including Wedge-tailed and Ruddy Woodcreepers, White-breasted Wood Wrens and a Red-crowned Ant-tanager.  Shelley also found another bird Jeremy and I missed – a Royal Flycatcher This bird shows a spectacular crest at times, but this time it was in its usual folded position.

Bocawina Falls

To Jeremy’s geological delight, we made it to the falls. We had time only for a few serene moments before hustling back to the friends we had deserted.  A flock of about 20 Black-faced Grosbeaks and a couple of White-collared Manakins later, we arrived back at the lodge and I apologized profusely to Kitty Jensen for absentmindedly walking off with the keys to the van. Katherine seemed content with finding several birds we left behind, including Ruddy Ground Doves and Yellow-faced Grassquits. And, she happily showed us her photo of a Wood Thrush, Social Flycatcher and Gray Catbird in the same field of view.

Social Flycatcher

Soon we were back in Hopkins for our final evening. On Saturday morning, we would depart early to get Katherine, Kitty and I to the airport before Shelley and Jeremy continued their Belize birding for a few more days.  We celebrated our week with more fresh fish and young Guaranu drummers at the Frog’s Point Restaurant before turning in early, once again.

Last Supper in Belize

What a wonderful week it was! We took boat rides on rivers. We strolled the beach. We conquered muddy tracks to visit new parks and wildlife sanctuaries. We saw more than 160 bird species, dozens of them new to our life lists.  We met new friends from Belize Audubon who are working energetically to conserve habitat for both resident and migratory birds. Belize is a small country with a population less than that of Forsyth County and few dollars to support the effort. If our cooperative efforts help Belize Audubon and the birds of the Atlantic Flyway in only a small way, the trip was worth it. For Forsyth Audubon, here’s to next time.

Photo credits: Phil Dickinson, Kitty Jensen, Shelley Rutkin

This is the fifth in a series of five posts.
Previous post: Forsyth Audubon in Belize: Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Two members of our group, Jeremy Reiskind and Shelley Rutkin, stayed in Belize for another five days.  Read about that part of the trip on Shelley’s blog:
The Belize “Extension” (Part 1 of 2)
The Belize “Extension” (Part 2 of 2)

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Forsyth Audubon in Belize: Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

While birding along the 6-mile entrance road to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary on the morning of January 15, I saw my 1,000th life bird, a White-necked Puffbird.  Park director Nicasio Coc had arranged for Frederico, a senior guide, to accompany us on our way in to the park.  And Frederico was finding the birds for us – Montezuma Oropendola, Chestnut-colored Woodpecker, Slaty-tailed Trogon, Hook-billed Kite, and many more.  I had 10 life birds before we even reached the park boundary.

Hook-billed Kite

The highlight for Jeremy that morning was not birds, though, but sliding into a ditch.  He had kindly gone back to get our van a few times while the rest of us continued to walk along the road birding.  At one point, he tried his best to get our van up a muddy hill, but on the third attempt up, the van slid back – right into the ditch.  Fortunately, Jeremy was able to hitch a ride to the Visitor Center and our Belize Audubon friends came back with a truck to pull our van back on the road.

Our van in the ditch on the road to Cockscomb

Jaguar Print

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is most well known as the world’s first Jaguar preserve.  It also protects the upper watersheds of important river systems and is home to hundreds of species of plants, birds, and other animals.  Jaguars are not seen often, but one of the Audubon staffers told us about separate sightings of an adult male and a female with a young cub just a few weeks ago.  We did not see a Jaguar, but we did find a paw print.

Dan Froehlich and Dan Lipp at banding station

After a quick look around the Visitor Center, most of us headed off to the banding station that is part of Ph.D candidate Brett Bailey’s multi-year research project.   The goal of the study is to identify a suite of birds that can be used to best represent ecosystem health.  This information can then be used to guide future management decisions.

Katherine with Northern Schiffornis

We had up close views of both new and familiar birds at the banding station.  We watched as bands were applied and birds were examined and measured.  Several of us were able to hold birds in hand for release.  Even Frederico wanted to release a bird, so he was handed the feisty Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner, one of my favorites and a bird that we did not see anywhere else.

Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner

Phil with Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher

Frederico and Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner

After lunch, Katherine delivered eBird training to another enthusiastic group of Belize Audubon staff members.  Afterwards, one of our eBird students, Marvin Casey, hung around watching birds with some of us near a fruit feeder.  The birds included a gorgeous Red-crowned Ant-Tanager, a life bird for all of us including Marvin.  It was late afternoon and we needed to leave, but on our way to the van Marvin spied a Kinkajou in the treetops.  Marvin, Katherine, and I all had great looks at the Kinkajou and we wanted to share it with the others.  I ran all the way to the van where the group was gathering and breathlessly shouted “Kinkajou, KINKAJOU!!!”  Everyone got to see the adorable little mammal with the big eyes, round ears, and long tail, a wonderful end to a long and happy day.

Kinkajou

Gray Fox

Our mammal list was growing rapidly, with sightings of Peccaries and Gray Fox at Cockscomb in addition to the Kinkajou.

The following morning, we headed to Red Bank with Nicasio, Rebecca, and Dareece from Belize Audubon.  The Scarlet Macaws that I talked about in an earlier post were wonderful and we were thrilled to see them. Our climb up the steep mountain trail rewarded us with looks at some gorgeous birds including a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak and a White-collared Manakin.  Back on the road, we enjoyed the largest diversity of raptors of the trip – Gray, Short-tailed, Broad-winged Hawks, Common Black-Hawk, and both Black and Turkey  Vultures.

Black-cheeked Woodpecker

Also, at Red Bank, I finally had a quality view of a Black-cheeked Woodpecker, a species that was close to becoming a nemesis bird for me.  I missed it several times earlier in the trip when everyone else saw it.  A walk up the road was fun, too.  At one stop by a brush pile, we heard a Common Yellowthroat who responded to our pishing.  And, then a cute little Common Tody-Flycatcher popped up right beside him.

Jeremy’s most notable experience that morning was another adventure in the mud.  We started up a dirt road, but it soon became too muddy to continue.  Rebecca skillfully turned the truck around, but Jeremy was not so lucky with our larger, clumsier van.  After carefully making a nine-point turn, on point ten – you guessed it – he got stuck in the mud.  Once again, our friends pulled our van back on the road.

Red Bank is home to a large Mennonite community and we learned a little about their history.  The Mennonites first immigrated to British Honduras in 1958 at the invitation of the government.  The country had a history of reliance on imported goods.  In exchange for farming, the Mennonites would be granted religious tolerance and exemption from military service.  Today they contribute to the Belizean economy, particularly the agriculture sector, with the production of poultry products, eggs, corn, rice, beans, and other produce.  We heard some concern, however, about the vast areas of jungle that the Mennonites are clearing for farming and its environmental impact.  One thing that we know for sure, though, is that the Mennonites make great ice cream!

We saw many Plain Chacalacas

After lunch, we went back to Cockscomb and checked out the new birding trail that they are establishing near the Visitor Center.  Afterwards, Hooded Warblers hopped around on picnic tables a few feet away while Kitty talked about the Ovenbird that had foraged right at her feet the previous day.  She had not recognized the bird and she could not find it in Birds of Belize.  At first, it had its back to her and the main feature that she saw was its ‘white bum’ as it cocked it tail and hopped around looking for crumbs.  Paying close attention to field marks, Kitty described the bird perfectly, but none of us was able to offer an ID until Jeremy saw the bird, too.  ‘White bum’ is not an official field mark.

Tropical Kingbirds were seen everywhere.

We all loved seeing “our” birds in their winter habitat alongside resident tropical birds.  All too quickly our trip was nearing the end.  We would have only one more full day, which we would use to explore and bird on our own.  What else would we see in Belize?

Photo credits:  Phil Dickinson, Jeremy Reiskind, Shelley Rutkin, Katherine Thorington

This is the fourth in a series of five posts.
Previous post:  Forsyth Audubon in Belize: St. Herman’s Blue Hole
Next post:  Forsyth Audubon in Belize:  Birds Among Mayan Ruins

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Forsyth Audubon in Belize: St. Herman’s Blue Hole

On Tuesday the 14th, it was time to head toward out next destination in Belize – St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park.  Up again at dawn and saying our goodbyes to Matt Jeffery, we drove toward the foothills of the country’s interior. Stopping for petrol in the capital city of Belmopan, we got a kick out of this Kriol chicken billboard. Yes, Kriol not Creole.

Translate: This Chicken Is the Real Thing

A few miles down Hummingbird Highway, our visit to the park began on an auspicious note when an Emerald Toucanet landed in a tree next to the entrance.  Tourists journey to Blue Hole to swim in the azure mountain pool or to go tubing through a large cave carved out of the limestone rock. Of course, we were there for the birds and our eBird training session. Israel Manzanero , the senior park warden, was ready to  guide us around. We also were greeted by Israel, Jr. and Amanda, who feels proud to be the first and only female ranger in Belize.

Israel, Jr. and Jeremy Watch for Birds

Yellow-throated Vireo

It took us quite awhile to leave the parking area. Black-hooded Saltators, Black-cheeked and Golden-fronted Woodpeckers, Melodious Blackbirds, a Rose-breasted Becard, a Crimson-collared Tanager and a Yellow-throated Vireo cavorted in a single tree, as our first Wood Thrush hopped along the ground. Had it been to Winston-Salem? As you might expect, Israel had never heard its beautiful summer song. We played the Wood Thrush’s ethereal flute-like song for Israel, and he enjoyed it as much as we do.

Our next stop in the park was the pool area. I was ready to jump in but could not persuade my companions to leave the birds. At a small clearing, we watched a pair of Red-throated Ant-Tanagers, Ivory-billed and Olivaceous Woodcreepers, another Wood Thrush and several warblers search for insects. A larger bird flew into a nearby tree, and the tail pattern showed it was a female Black-headed Trogon.

Female Black-headed Trogon

Isabella’s Heliconian

Many birds called along the trail to the cave, although the dense foliage often made them impossible to see. Israel pointed out the songs of the Spot-breasted Wren, Dot-winged Antwren and others, but we weren’t ready to add them to our life lists by sound alone.  Three King Vultures soaring high overhead were another matter. Closer to eye level, Tropical Pewee, Ochre-bellied Flycatcher and Yellow-olive Flycatcher patiently waited for food. However, we had to keep one eye on the ground, too, to avoid stepping on Leafcutter or Army Ants. And, the butterflies were spectacular – a giant Blue Morpho, Owl, Isabella’s Heliconian and Banded Peacock, among others.

My award for most aptly named bird goes to the Roadside Hawk. Every few miles, we saw them perched on utility wires. One provided a nice photo-op at a Mennonite ice cream store not far from Blue Hole.  Other common roadside birds included Tropical Kingbird, Tropical Mockingbird, Great Kiskadee and White-collared Seedeater. We saw these everywhere.

Roadside Hawk

Willets Stroll on the Beach, Too

It was late afternoon by the time we drove down the unpaved, pothole-filled main drag of Hopkins and reached our beachfront accommodations at Jungle Jeanie By the Sea. Some people just wanted to relax or stroll on the beach. Shelley and I, of course, ignored our fatigue and set off to find more birds. Encounters with more potholes and lots of mud were worth it, when we spied a pair of Bat Falcons and some fruit-devouring Yellow-winged Tanagers.

With night falling, we hurried back to join the others at Innie’s Restaurant, featuring seafood dishes of the local Guaranu people descended from African slaves. Kitty still raves about her Fish Tea chowder. Under a tropical full moon, we slept well that night even with the anticipation of exploring Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary in the morning.

Tropical Caribbean Moon

Photo credits: Phil Dickinson, Shelley Rutkin, Katherine Thorington

This is the third in a series of five posts.
Previous post: Forsyth Audubon in Belize: Working with Belize Audubon
Next post:  Forsyth Audubon in Belize:  Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

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Forsyth Audubon in Belize: Working with Belize Audubon

We were having a great time in Belize, but our trip was about more than having fun.  It all started when we decided that we wanted to protect the wintering habitat for “our” Wood Thrushes.  But, where do our birds winter?  This spring, we will participate in a project that will tell us.  We suspect that our birds go to Belize, so that’s where we headed.  We wanted this to be a volunteer trip with real accomplishments, so Matt Jeffery of National Audubon’s International Alliances Program created a trip plan that would allow us to help our friends at Belize Audubon.

Belize Aububon Society office in Belize City

The major item on our agenda was eBird training.  Last fall I entered Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary point count data for the last three years into eBird.  Now the goal is for Belize Audubon to enter their own data going forward.  eBird is new to all of the Belize Audubon staff, but our considerable  experience using eBird made this a good task for us.  Katherine Thorington prepared a PowerPoint presentation that would work with or without Internet access.

eBird training in Belize City

Katherine helps Dareece set up her account

Katherine delivered the eBird training three times – at the Belize Audubon office in Belize City, at St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park, and at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary.  In Belize City and at Cockscomb we had an Internet connection, but it was intermittent (and mostly unavailable) at St. Herman’s Blue Hole.  With Katherine’s warm and friendly style, the training was a big hit.  In Belize City, we had wardens from Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary and a high school student who joined the Crooked Tree Junior Birding Club several years ago.  At all three sessions, our eBird students asked many excellent questions. They were excited about creating their own eBird accounts and getting starting entering data.

Another task assigned to us was to help with a bird survey of Burdon Canal, near Belize City. It didn’t sound like work to us – a boat ride in wonderful weather looking at gorgeous birds! But, Matt insisted that it would be helpful.

Lee Jones, Matt Jeffery, Belize Audubon staff, Forsyth Audubon birders

The canal and its lagoons are part of the Burdon Canal Nature Reserve.  The canal was created in the 1920’s to help farmers get crops to market without enduring risks of the open sea.  In 1992, Burdon Canal was designated as a nature reserve.

Haulover Creek on the way to the Burdon Canal

The wetlands help prevent flooding in the city from rains and provide protection from storm surges.  The beautiful red mangrove swamps and wildlife are also important for their proximity to Belize City which makes the nature reserve easily accessible.  There are some bird records, but Belize Audubon wants to improve the list to better promote the site.  It was especially helpful that Birds of Belize author Lee Jones was able to join us for the trip.  We entered all of our bird sightings into eBird.

Scarlet Macaws are breathtakingly beautiful and highly sought after by birders and tourists alike.  They are not common in Belize, but one area where they reliably are found is the small village of Red Bank, not far from Cockscomb, between January and March, when they come to feed on the sweet, ripe fruits of the ‘annato’ and ‘pole wood’ trees, which cover the hillsides.

Scarlet Macaws at Red Bank

Only a few years ago, it was believed that the macaws were hunted for food, but now the ‘Scarlet Macaw Group’ has been formed and it is looking for ways to protect these gorgeous birds and benefit from their survival. Belize Audubon is working with the villagers to help make Red Bank an ecotourism destination.

Climbing the Scarlet Macaw trail

We were fortunate and saw six macaws from the road, but the traditional route is to climb a steep mountain trail – a muddy trail without switchbacks, steps or toeholds of any kind.  I was only able to “climb” the trail because our local guides held my hand and nearly pulled me up the mountainside.  We did not need to offer advice on trail improvement; watching our ascent was enough for our friends to see that a better trail would bring more visitors.  We offered advice on signage, though, and other tourist amenities.  Red Bank has tremendous potential for becoming a great birding “hot spot.”  We can’t wait to see it again in a few years.

At Cockscomb Basin – Nicasio, Kitty, Dareece, Katherine, Rebecca, Shelley, Phil

Our last “work” was to have a preview of the birding trail that Cockscomb is creating near their Visitor Center and to offer advice.  They already have built trails and installed a bench and birdbath.  We offered generous amounts of both compliments and advice.  This will be another fun place to visit in a few years to see the improvements.

Wood Thrush

We saw and heard Wood Thrushes nearly everywhere we traveled, typically four or five birds during each outing.  We hope that some of them come to Forsyth County for the breeding season this spring.  Sadly, it was time to say “goodbye” to our new friends at Belize Audubon all too soon.  Meeting so many of these enthusiastic, talented, and dedicated people was the highlight of our trip.  We hope that some of them can visit us here in North Carolina, too.

Photo credits:  Phil Dickinson, Jeremy Reiskind, Katherine Thorington

This is the second in a series of five posts.
Previous post: Forsyth Audubon in Belize: River Birds and Baboons
Next post:  Forsyth Audubon in Belize:  St. Herman’s Blue Hole

 

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