Bird Watching Guatemala Blog

Bare- throated Tiger-heron Last days have been rainy and wet on Guatemala’s highlands and the direct effect on Peten lowlands is flood on areas along rivers. I went with my friends Melvin and Diego from Martsam Tour & Travel to birding around Ceibal and the experience was extraordinary. Hundreds of aquatic and shorebirds feeding on the extended ponds like Great-blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Cattle Egret, Great Egret and Bare-throated Tiger Heron. Gray-necked Wood-rail Through the bushes we saw Ruddy Crake, Mangrove Vireo, Gray-necked Wood-rail and Least Grebe. Over clean branches we had this great sight of the Amazon Kingfisher and a couple of Snail Kite. Amazon Kingfisher By the end of the day we had a bird list of 98 species. Posted by Maynor Ovando www.birdwatchingguatemala.com is a registered trademark of Martsam Tour & Travel Copyright® 2,008 www.birdwatchingguatemala.com www.martsam.com

Yellow-throated Euphonia (male) Photo by Benedicto Grijalva Last week I visited Ceibal by boat. Walking near the river looking for birds I saw a couple of Yellow-throated Euphonia flying fiercely near to me. My friend Benedicto told me we should be near their chicks, so we put our attention to neighbor trees. In the root of an epiphyte plant three chicks were perfectly hidden from predators. Yellow-throated Euphonia chicks Photo by Maynor Ovando We walk 5 meters ahead and looked back to the nest when Benedicto told me again about something unusual in a tree branch… “Why does that branch look so strange?” and immediately answered “It’s a Mazacuata!” A 6 ft. Boa constrictor taking the sun next to Euphonia's nest Photo by Maynor Ovando In Guatemala the common name for a Boa constrictor is Mazacuata. The snake was perfectly camouflage in a mango tree. Lay on a branch and taking a sun bath, just getting enough energy to look for the next food. Mazacuata, the local name of Boa...

Happy Father's Day Today in Guatemala we celebrate Father’s Day and I want to tribute to all men in this special occasion considering that birds are extraordinary parents, as we are. During a birding trip to Ceibal Archaeological Site I got this picture of a Black-cheeked Woodpecker male in its nest built in a dead tree or “tocon” as we said in Spanish. Woodpecker male and female take care of the little chicks, helpless, blind and featherless creatures, and work usually for three weeks until they leave the nest. Finally when they decide to move the nest to a better place, other birds take the “free space” and use it to grow their own families, like Toucans and Trogons. 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/

Juvenile King Vulture Sometimes during a birding trip I’ve found what most people think are common situations, but many times the result is extraordinary. I visited Ceibal this Tuesday and when I was in the entrance road my friend David saw some vultures on the ground, he told me they were Turkey Vultures but I noticed one really different to the others, immediately I thought “That’s a Juvenile King Vulture!” David took his camera and got some nice pictures and I armed my scope and digiscoped some like this one. I haven’t had a chance to see one like this and it is great to observe the big differences between a juvenile and an adult. It means that if an older one is a King Vulture a young one is a Prince Vulture, isn’t it? 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/

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/

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/