Bird Watching Guatemala Blog

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Showing posts from May, 2008

Mountain Trogon

May 31, 2008

Birding in highlands is a surprising experience, if you have been in lowlands you know how many different colored species you can observe in a couple of hours, but in the mountains it is just a challenge to look for birds, mostly green or blue, through the green trees. My friends Bill Thompson III (left) and Simon Thompson birding in Cerro Alux Can you see the bird? Guatemala’s national bird is Resplendent Quetzal but no so many people have watched it, in most cases because they don’t know where and when to look for, but a lot of people has heard and seen a Mountain Trogon. In many communities the common name for this trogon is “Quetzalillo” which means little quetzal. I really like the elegant form of these birds, the magic combination of colors, the unmistakable sound of the call, the adrenaline running in my blood when finally I can spot it and enjoy the sight. Mountain Trogon Posted by Maynor Ovando www.birdwatchingguatemala.com is a registered trademark of Martsam Tour &

Highlands

May 30, 2008

Highlands Photo by Maynor Ovando Guatemala has a lot of good reasons to travel along. The diversity of landscapes is one of them. The size of the country allows taking a car and visiting a thorn scrub area in one hour ride and enjoying a perfect cloud forest two hours later. I’ve been traveling and working in lowlands of Petén in the north of Guatemala but I live in Guatemala City in the middle of central highlands so I usually go birding and look for the regional endemic birds of northern Central America. There’s like 35 five species you can find between Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Western Honduras and Western El Salvador and more than 30 are found in the highlands, birds like Blue-throated Motmot, Black-capped Swallow, Bushy-crested Jay, Pink-headed Warbler, Green-throated Mountain-gem, Bar-winged Oriole, Black-throated Jay, Rufous-collared Thrush or the mythical Horned Guan. I will go birding in Alta Verapaz area in a few days to meet these jewels and I will post some pictures in a

Birding pal

May 29, 2008

Lemuel looking for a Peregrine Falcon Photo by Maynor Ovando Lemuel Valle is a biologist, expert in mammals, extraordinary birding tour leader but above all is a really good friend. I met him in High School and we have been close friends since. As consultant he has worked with all environmental agencies and conservationist organizations in Guatemala like The Nature Conservancy, Defensores de la Naturaleza, FUNDAECO and many more. He has led many research teams around Guatemala for San Carlos University and Del Valle University. We have shared many birding trips looking for regional endemic bird populations, including Pink-headed Warbler or Horned Guan as well as migrant species like Golden-cheeked Warbler and Cerulean Warbler. The best part is that we always get a story to tell with all the adventures we have. Posted by Maynor Ovando www.birdwatchingguatemala.com is a registered trademark of Martsam Tour & Travel Copyright® 2,008 http://www.birdwatchingguatemala.com/ http://www.ma

Chichicua (Spilotes pullatus)

May 28, 2008

Tiger Rat Snake ( Spilotes pullatus ) Chichicua is the common name for Tiger Rat Snake (Spilotes pullatus), member of Colubridae family, a well known snake in Guatemala. It’s an arboreal, non venomous snake who has a very distinctive behavior when feels in danger: expels a strong smell and inflates its neck vertically to seem lethal. That’s why when someone in Guatemala is really angry we say “angry like Chichicua…” Lemuel handling the snake During a visit to Uaxactún, we found this one crossing the road and Lemuel handled it to show us the beauty of the colors and the incredible way to self defense. Benedicto taking some pictures As you can see birding is just the perfect reason to go outdoors and enjoy nature in all ways... Posted by Maynor Ovando www.birdwatchingguatemala.com is a registered trademark of Martsam Tour & Travel Copyright® 2,008 http://www.birdwatchingguatemala.com/ http://www.martsam.com/

El Zotz

May 27, 2008

Mexican Funnel-eared Bat Zotz is the Mayan Word for “bat”. The biggest bat colony in Guatemala lives in the caves found in this Nature Reserve and this is one of the species found here, Mexican Funnel-eared bat (Natalus stramineus). This bat is member of Natalidae family, an insect specialist eater wide spread from Mexico to Brazil. There are many bat species in the area but the most incredible spectacle is to observe millions of these creatures going out from caves at sunset. Look at Bat Falcons and owls waiting around the cliff and predating the colony is absolutely amazing… Natalus stramineus Posted by Maynor Ovando http://www.birdwatchingguatemala.com/ is a registered trademark of Martsam Tour & Travel Copyright® 2,008 http://www.birdwatchingguatemala.com/ http://www.martsam.com/

First report...?

May 26, 2008

Tawny-collared Nightjar I’m posting these comments just after send a message to Guatemalan Ornithological Society to validate my identification of this bird: Tawny-collared Nightjar… I saw the bird in El Zotz Biotope on May 18th 2008 with my friends Benedicto and Lemuel, I digiscoped this picture and some other with a Vortex 20-60x80 scope and a Canon Powershot A430 and Benedicto took some more with a Canon EOS Rebel. I can’t wait for the confirmation… meanwhile I will gather all the info to complete this report. Posted by Maynor Ovando www.birdwatchingguatemala.com is a registered trademark of Martsam Tour & Travel Copyright® 2,008 http://www.birdwatchingguatemala.com/ http://www.martsam.com/

Birding and friends

May 24, 2008

Photo by Maynor Ovando Benedicto and Lemuel Friendship is the best part of birding. Look at a Vermillion Flycatcher’s nest is not the same thing if you can’t share the experience and fortunately I almost always travel with my friends Benedicto and Lemuel. In the future they will share pictures and comments in this space, so this is an informal way to introduce this wonderful guys to you. Posted by Maynor Ovando www.birdwatchingguatemala.com is a registered trademark of Martsam Tour & Travel Copyright® 2,008 http://www.birdwatchingguatemala.com/ http://www.martsam.com/

Nice sightings

May 20, 2008

Indigo Bunting As I told you on the last days, during my visit to El Zotz I found some bird species I supposed were far away Guatemala, but nature has always surprises and I’m glad to have the opportunity to watch them… This is the best picture I took of a Indigo Bunting my little friend who convinced me that not always the things happened as people say. Posted by Maynor Ovando http://www.birdwatchingguatemala.com/ is a registered trademark of Martsam Tour & Travel Copyright® 2,008 http://www.birdwatchingguatemala.com/ http://www.martsam.com/

News from Ceibal

May 16, 2008

Black-headed Trogon I'm back from Ceibal in Flores City, Peten. I've been three days traveling from Sayaxche to El Zotz Biotope and it's very impressive find so many different birds around, including my Magnolia Warblers friends, Indigo Buntings and some Northern Watertrhushes... I'll show some pictures in the nexts days, but definitely there are a lot of birds I wouldn't believe. I think my bird list in these days is about 120 species, including 5 lifers… Just great! Posted by Maynor Ovando www.birdwatchingguatemala.com is a registered trademark of Martsam Tour & Travel Copyright® 2,008 http://www.birdwatchingguatemala.com/ http://www.martsam.com/

Resident birds

May 15, 2008

Great-tailed Grackle Each time you decide to go birding, even if you think you are not, you wish to see unusual species… and nothing else, but one of the most rewarding experience is to check out for common species. Guatemala City is a place nested in highlands, five thousand feet level, and sometimes in the proper time you can find something extraordinary like a Red Crossbill but when you put your attention in how many species are living near your house you hardly believe it at first time. Walking and looking 2 hours in the small parks thru Historic Center I listed 21 species: Great-tailed Grackle Melodious Blackbird Bronzed Cowbird Clay-colored Robin Golden-fronted Woodpecker House Sparrow Rufous-collared Sparrow White-winged Dove Rock Dove Azure-crowned Hummingbird White-eared Hummingbird Turkey Vulture Black Vulture Gray-silky Flycatcher Social Flycatcher Blue-gray Tanager Yellow-winged Tanager House Wren Black-headed Siskin Pacific Parakeet Northern Rough-winged Swallow Visiting f

Migratory birds

May 14, 2008

Wood Thrush I'm going to Ceibal tomorrow morning and I have a big expectation to looking for birds that are not supposed to be here in Guatemala at this time… I’ve been seen some Magnolia Warblers and a pair of Black-and-White Warblers so I’ll check if they’re still here. A friend of mine Eduardo Galicia from Mexico told me about some juvenile birds that stay in winter territories because they won’t breed… Maybe they are in this situation. Anyway I’ll have wide opened my eyes to watch for them and I will tell you in a couple of days… Posted by Maynor Ovando http://www.birdwatchingguatemala.com/ is a registered trademark of Martsam Tour & Travel Copyright® 2,008 http://www.birdwatchingguatemala.com/ http://www.martsam.com/

Hummingbird feeders...

May 12, 2008

Amethyst-throated Hummingbird Photo by Maynor Ovando There are 38 Hummingbird species in Guatemala, from little jewells like Black-crested Coquette to the huge Violet Sabrewing and each time more people are interested in the use of feeders to observe these marvels of nature. If you want to use them, nectar recipe is simple: one part of sugar and four parts of water, boil this mix to eliminate bacteria and mold. Cool and fill the feeder and please don't add any color dye... Posted by Maynor Ovando http://www.birdwatchingguatemala.com/ is a registered trademark of Martsam Tour & Travel Copyright® 2,008 http://www.birdwatchinguatemala.com/ http://www.martsam.com/

Birding in Ceibal

May 11, 2008

El Ceibal Photo by Maynor Ovando Traveling and birding in Guatemala is an extraordinary experience, you can visit shores in the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean, visit semi-arid forest, cloud forest in the highlands or explore Tropical Rainforest lowlands in the Maya Biosphere Reserve. During regular visits to El Ceibal archeological site we have had the opportunity to enjoy the amazing sort of birds that live in southern Peten area. This place is bordered by La Pasión River and this makes great to look for shore and aquatic birds, herons and more. La Pasión River Photo by Maynor Ovando If you want to have a great birding journey include a visit to this place and be prepared to have views like these: Yellow-crowned Night-heron Rufous-tailed Jacamar Posted by Maynor Ovando www.birdwatchingguatemala.com is a registered trademark of Martsam Tour & Travel Copyright® 2,008 http://www.birdwatchingguatemala.com/ http://www.martsam.com/