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Birding Belize 2006 Journal 23 Jan 06 |
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This is our last full day. More rain and drizzle; never really sunny. It did not start promisingly. Nancy and I tried the Sylvester Village Trail. It was mostly underwater from the repeated heavy thunderstorms over night. My clever idea of wearing sandals because of the puddles turned out to be a poor choice: I got into some ants early on and got six ferociously stinging and now itching bites. So we gave up on the trail, and doubled back to the cabana through the service area. Along the way we got a new pigeon - a Short-billed Pigeon - and a Red-legged Honeycreeper. We got back to the cabana to find a note from Dave and Jeff saying they were walking down the road. So we changed footgear and headed after them.
This was my seventh or eighth time down the entrance road, not counting Gilberto's orientation walk. It was the best. Good birds along the way, including a lifer Grey-headed Tanager at the small dump. And the White Hawk - finally - although in fog and pouring rain. After lunch, we boarded the covered bus to bird to, from and at Laguna Seca, a lake and marsh about ten miles north of Chan Chich. The place is underrated. We enjoyed an excellent selection of hawks along the way, outstanding views of a perched King Vulture near the farm, and terrific herons at the lake and estuary. I found a Jabiru Stork on the far side of the marsh, and Nancy heard and then found a Laughing Falcon, a trip first. Coming back we saw not one but ten Great Curassow. Despite rainy weather, we picked up lifers, trip birds and had some excellent views. Very nice. If we had it to do over, we might take two trips to Laguna Seca, or spend a while day there. Supper was a little somber. It will be a while before we see Dave and Jeff again. Excellent birders both, much better than me. Once again, Nancy and I thank their wives for letting them come and play with us. Click on the thumbnails below for a larger photo |
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