2007 Tour Narrative
In Brief: “Do you ever see more than three at a time?” Not a question typically applied to the normally skulking Ruddy Crake, but an indication of the type of great luck and great birds we enjoyed on the 2007 Yucatan tour. Our visit to this unique corner of Mexico also coincided with wonderful weather, and the short driving distances and tasty regional cuisine are added attractions of this tour. Avian highlights included an Ocellated Turkey oscillating down the road; flocks of shockingly pink American Flamingoes in a surreal salt-lagoon setting; a strikingly handsome adult Ornate Hawk-Eagle that perched overhead, seemingly unconcerned as we gawked; abundant tropical color in the form of Collared Trogon, Turquoise-browed Motmot, and numerous orioles; and diversity that ranged from the massive and stately Jabiru to the tiny but dazzling Cozumel Emerald.
In Detail: Everyone arrived on time and the early arrivals had time to nap or take a stroll on the beach by the hotel and watch frigatebirds sailing overhead. This was followed by a fine seafood dinner overlooking the Caribbean as a refreshing breeze blew through the restaurant. Dawn of the first birding day saw us loading the vans to drive the short distance to a side road where a flurry of birds filled the morning: raucous Yucatan Jays, perched White-fronted Parrots, Red-billed and Scaled pigeons, Orange Orioles, and lots of eastern Neotropical migrants. We then visited the nearby botanical garden where migrant Northern Waterthrushes and Hooded Warblers showed well, and a male Black-throated Blue Warbler was a surprise. A short drive south took us to lunch at Tulum, followed by a walk to the spectacular Maya ruins overlooking the turquoise-blue Caribbean and laden with iguanas. We arrived at Felipe Carrillo Puerto by mid afternoon and after a short siesta headed out along the Vigia Chico road until dusk: birds included a great little Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, and a superb Northern Potoo. A full day-and-a-half along the Vigia Chico road allowed us good time to sample the avifauna of this rich semideciduous/semievergreen forest. The abundance of certain wintering migrants quickly became apparent – notably Magnolia Warblers, White-eyed Vireos, and American Redstarts! More exotic species included Black and Ornate hawk-eagles, Crane Hawk, Yucatan Parrots juxtaposed with a flame-bright Altamira Oriole!, Wedge-tailed Sabrewing, Royal Flycatcher, Barred Antshrike, a spectacular army ant swarm with Ruddy Woodcreeper and Gray-throated Chat, and regional specialties including Yucatan Flycatcher and Rose-throated Tanager.
Our drive to Valladolid featured a nice Laughing Falcon perched and some typical Yucatan scenery before arriving in good time for an early dinner before the next day’s early start. We reached the north coast in time for an early picnic breakfast, after which we found Mexican Sheartail and Yucatan Wren, two very local endemics, and then our first Yucatan Woodpecker. Shortly thereafter we found a Jabiru at a nest, and then a sunning Lesser Roadrunner – what a start to the day! Our marvelous boat trip with Diego and Ismael through the lagoons and mangroves was full of action. While we watched a mixed flock of terns and a dancing Reddish Egret, one sandbar held six (!) Piping Plovers, Common Black-Hawks swept in to catch fish, a Morelet’s Crocodile swam fearlessly around the boats, Boat-billed Herons lurked in the shade, tiger-herons sat in the sun, and, yes, there were those intensely salmon-pink American Flamingoes. A seafood lunch was followed by birding the waterfront in town and the nearby salt ponds which held a variety of shorebirds amid a surreal saltpond landscape, as well as Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures, and some 11th-hour Yucatan Bobwhites.
An early start the next day to Ekbalam and Chichen Itza made for a birdy morning that included a host of orioles and other color – one tree held Altamira, Orange, and Yellow-tailed orioles, plus Rufous-browed Peppershrike and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Besides the incredible ruins, other highlights included Yellow-billed Caciques, Hook-billed Kite, and Turquoise-browed Motmot. After lunch we drove to Playa del Carmen for the short ferry ride over to Cozumel Island, a Caribbean element in Mexico’s varied avifauna. Our two full days on Cozumel enabled us to explore most of the island and we did well with the specialties plus an excellent assortment of northern migrants. Birds included three island endemics – Cozumel Emerald, Cozumel Wren, and the endearing Cozumel Vireo, plus Smooth-billed Ani, Caribbean Elaenia, White-crowned Pigeon, and distinctive island races (= species! ) of Bananaquit and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Non-endemics included a variety of waterbirds, some sharing a lily pond with an American Crocodile, and then there was that ocean of brilliant turquoise hues with its waves crashing on white-sand beaches. The last afternoon was an option to relax, go swimming or shopping, or take the highly successful “Ruddy Crake” option. Our fun and delicious last night dinner in town ended with (finally) a torrential shower that ended as quickly as it began and made for a refreshing walk through town. Our thanks to all for making this such a great trip, full of birds and memories.
Steve Howell
Updated: January 2008