Northeastern Yucatan, 2015
I have just returned from a trip to the Yucatan. Along the way I birded from the Hotel Zone of Cancun, south to the Sian Ka’an below Tulum, and west as far as a little south of Coba and along the Puerto Morelos - Leona Vicario Road (also sometimes known as Camino de los Cenotes). This post will be to provide location information for birding and not a trip report, per se.
During winter months, a large number of eastern neotropic bird species can be found almost anywhere and everywhere. More than 15 species of warblers can be found with a little effort and by visiting a variety of habitats, and White-eyed Vireos often outnumber the regional vireo species. Shorebirds can be found where habitat is available and they often show up on the fairways and lawns throughout the golf resort areas and along less populated beaches. Ocean watches are generally not worth the holiday time invested. Although a few species of gulls and terns each are present, Laughing Gulls outnumber everything else by a ratio of about 50-1 at most locations. Ring-billed Gulls, and Royal, Caspian and Sandwich Terns are sometimes mixed in, but pelagic species are almost non-existent. Magnificent Frigatebirds are usually the only birds of interest along the coastal areas.
Birding in the tropics slows down rapidly after the sun is up and the temperatures start rising, usually by about 11:00 in the morning. If you want to do some meaningful birding here, you need to be out early; just after dawn through the first hour after sunrise can be most productive. Since there can be some distance needed to get to the birding sites, this means that you need to be driving very early in the morning. I’ve heard a number of nightmare stories about why not to drive at night here but that has not been my experience so far. There are a number of vehicles on the road with less than good maintenance that you need to use extra care for, but the much improved main roads in the region alleviates some of the hazards that existed when the main track south of Cancun was a 2-lane non-divided highway. Driving is interesting here and you need to be extra defensive – I sorta use the tactic that if in doubt the other person has the right of way and it has helped me avoid some traffic troubles. If you obey the speed zones, regardless of the number of buses, tour vans and taxis zipping by you at much higher speeds, you should stay out of notice of the policia. This isn’t a guarantee that you won’t be targeted but it greatly reduces your chances, and if you are in the middle of one of these maniacal packs of vehicles, you will be the vehicle singled out because of your rental car tags and stickers.
One last thing for those not initiated to driving down here. The speed bumps, called topes, are not to be taken lightly. These aren’t you’re neighborhood calming strips that you can take at the posted speed limit. They are of 2 types – a. 12 inch high concrete or asphalt pads with steep ramps on the sides or b. what look like 12 inch spheres half buried in the road surfaces. These things will cause serious damage to your tires, suspension, non-tied down belongings and anyone crazy enough to not be in a seat belt if you hit them at speed. Oh, they put these things in anywhere and many are the same color as the roadway. If you see a sign for “Topes” slow the hell down immediately.
HOTEL ZONE
In the Cancun Hotel Zone proper, there are places to visit and bird in which a number of regional species can be found, and the birding is easy and relatively safe (traffic being the main concern). My birding has usually been from Kilometer 16.5 south (from the Grand Omni Hotel south to around the perimeter of the Museo Maya de Cancun outside the Royal Caribbean and Islander properties) and golfing at the Iberostar Golf Course. I have not birded the Mayan ruins there or at El Ray, just south of the golf course.
Note 1 - The reason for this is that a tripod gets you labeled as a professional at any of the ruins sites and then there are ridiculous fees for permits that are ‘required’ for entry. Since hand holding a big lens isn’t an option for me, especially if there is dense cover, I tend to avoid those locations for my birding. If I do plan to bird the ruins anywhere in Mexico (since I want to visit the ruins I’m going to take binoculars and bird while there), my camera gear stays behind locked securely in my safe in the resorts that I stay in; I don’t lock them in the trunk. Another option is to sometimes take the camera with a lens that doesn’t require a tripod. I have a 16-300mm that suits my needs well in this case.
As stated above, warblers are everywhere during the winter season. Most common are Black-and-white Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Palm Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler and Black-throated Green Warblers. Birding the par 3 golf course in front of the Omni Hotel will produce any or all of these, and the 3 common flycatchers – Social Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee and Tropical Kingbird easily. Couch’s Kingbird occurs in lower numbers throughout this region, but even in winter they are often very vocal to aid in identification. The water hazards at the course usually holds Least and Spotted Sandpipers, and Black-necked Stilt. This has always been a reliable spot for Northern Jacana and you won’t get better looks than you’ll get here. They are used to people, due to the golfers, and usually allow close approach. On a few occasions I have spotted a Bare-throated Tiger Heron on the grounds.
If you have a car (the intricacies of the car rental situation in Mexico is a whole other post in and of itself), driving to places along the road from the airport to the hotel zone can also be very productive. The island medians are forested down at the lower end near the Wet & Wild, Dolphinaris and Riviera Cancun Golf Course. Birding around these medians, I have found a surprising number of species but you really have to watch yourself due to the relatively heavy traffic along the main route into this part of Cancun. The road into Wet & Wild and the parking lot has also been very productive, keeping in mind that my birding here is done early in the day before this place starts hopping. This area has been good for the majority of the oriole species when the acacias are in bloom and fruiting. I have also had some of the more sought out easy species here like all 3 jays, Black Catbird, tropical tanagers and Yellow-billed Cacique. There are also vantage points closer to the airport that provides views of the mangroves on the south side of the road. Early in the day when the birds are coming out of the roosts, you can get a good array of waders here, including a few Roseate Spoonbills if there is a good morning flight. Sometimes raptors are sometimes seen along the road here later in the morning.
Note 2 – The vast majority of the woodpeckers that you will see throughout this area are going to the Yucatan race of Golden-fronted Woodpecker. I can’t say that they don’t occur here but I have not seen a Yucatan Woodpecker anywhere from the Hotel Zone to the airport. This species is much less common then the former and I’ll bet that most of those reported are misidentified.
PUERTO MORELOS
South of here, the first area that I have visited is Puerto Morelos. The road into Puerto Morelos from the highway passes through mangrove but there really aren’t good places to stop and look from here. Once you get to the town, turning right at the first intersection will lead you south to some of the new resorts that have developed here. This road has places where you can pull off and view the mangroves. Depending on water levels, wader, including Roseate Spoonbill can be seen. Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and Blue-winged Teals are usually around and sometimes waders like Roseate Spoonbills that aren’t easy to pick up elsewhere can be seen in the mangrove shallows here.
SOUTH OF PUERTO MORELOS
Heading south out of Puerto Morelos, a number of resorts have been built along the coast. Most of these have longish entrance roads through the area’s jungle or at least have expanses of jungle inside the properties. If you are staying inside one of these (they are not open to those not staying there) they can produce a number of tropical species, especially some of the flycatchers. Like everywhere else in winter, migrants from the north are abundant but a number of south of the border species can be found easily walking the roads and paths. Even toucans can be found at times in these properties occasionally.
The paths to the Ruins at Tulum can be good for a lot of the species that can be seen in the resort areas because the habitats are somewhat similar. Orioles, vireos, flycatchers and migrants offer a variety of easy opportunities and the birding menu changes by the day on many occasions. As stated above, if you plan to take photographs and use a tripod, you are not welcome here, so leave the “professional gear” back at the resort.
SOUTH OF TULUM
From Tulum you basically have a choice of heading south or turning northwest. Heading south leads to Felipe Carrillo Puerto and then farther south to Chetumal at the border with Belize. Between Tulum and Felipe Carrillo Puerto and to the east is the Sian-Ka’an Biosphere Preserve, a vast undeveloped property that holds a large number of species. There are a number of for pay guided trip into the preserve but most of these are catered to those strictly interested in birding. If you have a rental vehicle, the 2 main unpaved roads that go through the preserve are accessed 50 kilometers south of Tulum or by heading northeast out of Felipe Carrillo Puerto and are drivable under dry conditions with a standard car.
A great variety of species can be found here but the dense forest is extremely hard to bird through. If you’re comfortable blazing trails, you might have better luck seeing things. Frankly, I’m not since some very venomous snakes do occur throughout the entire Yucatan region. I saw a Fer de Lance at Coba once that had the guides there justifiably very upset. If you get some bird recordings for the region, learning the songs and calls of the regional birds can make things a whole lot easier. While I was just there, even though I was actually able to see Ruddy Crake, Gray-necked Wood-Rail and a few passerines, learning the call of the Stub-tailed Spadebill was the only way that I was able to find this species. One was no more than 15 feet away from me and it was impossible to locate through the dense forest edge. I was also very surprised at how slow the birding was over the 10 miles that we drove the section south of Tulum known as the Camino Faro Vigia Chico, even as it was just after sunrise.
NORTHWEST OF TULUM
A. COBA
The drive from Tulum to Coba is nearly 50 kilometers and takes more than 30 minutes. There are a few villages along the way that can provide some birding opportunities that make this drive even longer. To get to Tulum, take the third exit out of the traffic circle at 43+ kilometers from Tulum and follow the road south. You can’t miss it. The first thing that you come to is a large lake. There are plenty of places to scan the lake from but other than cormorants, Anhinga and Pied-billed Grebe, there has been little else in the way of waterfowl when I have visited. A variety of waders can been found along the shoreline and both Ruddy Crake and Spotted Rails are reported from here annually.
In the town itself and the areas around the entrance to the ruins, the number of species that can usually be seen is pretty good. Blue-gray Tanagers are here and can usually be seen in the trees in the village section north of the lake. By birding the town section south of the lake, the landscaping in the yards can also attract a number of hummingbirds and other species.
5 Kilometers south of the ruins (don’t turn west at the intersection a little south of town) is a wetland. Limpkins can be heard calling, Gray-crowned Yellowthroats breed and I imagine the rails are also present at this location. The problem is that access and viewing are very limited. Back at the intersection mentioned earlier in this paragraph, if you drive west it’ll lead to several cenotes whose access roads provide more forested birding.
B. PUNTA LAGUNA
Follow the instructions from Tulum to the traffic circle but instead take the first exit out to the north, drive 18 kilometers and you’ll arrive. The caretakers of this preserve open the gates at about 9:00 here, but earlier entry can be made. You’ll get a guide for the maze of trails here after opening and on your first visit it is worth it. This place has generally taller trees and the understory is more open in many places. I have found this place to be hopping early in the day and if the fruiting trees by the parking area and entrance are with fruit, there can be a parade of species that comes through to feed early in the day – Flycatchers, Saltators, Vireos, Warblers, Tanagers, Finches and Orioles. This is also one of the easiest and most reliable places that I know of in the area to view Spider Monkeys. The trails lead to a large lake but the shimmer can make scanning difficult. Watch for army ant swarms here for species that benefit from their presence. Trails proceed around the lake but usually by the time I actually get there it’s getting late and things are seriously slowing down.
WEST OF PUERTO MORELOS
Heading west out of the south end of Puerto Morelos, the road to Leona Vicario heads west. This road leads to some places that area excellent for birding, which produce a large number of sought after species. To get to this road, regardless if you are coming from the south or the north, you need to exit the north/south highway (MX 307) into Puerto Morelos, then head south from the ‘traffic circle’ under the bypass bridge and take the access road south to the turn off west. Watch for signs to a number of cenotes and to the Selvatica adventure park once you are leaving the town. There is no turn off for this road from the highway south of Puerto Morelos, you must access it through town.
Driving this road early in the day will nearly always produce at least one Roadside Hawk, and Gray Hawk can sometimes be located. Once you drive about 10 KM or so, the roadside widens a bit and there are a few places that you can sometimes pull off to scan the trees and scrub along the road. This is a busy road as the sun gets higher and the shoulders are limited or non-existent most of the time. Be extremely careful trying to bird from the road, and watch for pedestrians and bicyclists as you drive. Beyond 10 KM is the small village of Central Vallarta on the right. The side roads here provide a safer place to pull off and I have only encountered friendly and curious locals here. These folks generally speak no English but they are willing to ‘help’ you bird. The introduction of imported trees often produces mixed flocks of birds. I have seen both species of Tityras and Becards, along with other species here several times.
A little farther west is Selvatica. This adventure park for zip-lining and other adventure activities is situated in a forested property on the north side of the road. I have pulled in and been granted permission to bird watch here many times. It can be hit or miss but a variety of species can sometimes be found by walking the few roads through the property. Red-throated Ant-Tanagers have been present several times, and as is usually the case in the tropics, hitting here when a foraging flock of mixed species comes through can be very exciting.
A little farther west are a number of non-paved roads that lead off to public and private cenotes and some development projects. Those that aren’t gated (and most are not) provide access to safe places to bird the forest edges away from the noise and traffic of the main road. These areas (along with Punta Laguna) can be some of the most productive birding sites throughout the northeastern Yucatan, in my opinion. The list of species that I have seen in the inland region is very good.
On my latest trip, I took the road signed for the Kin-Ha Cenote and it turned out to be a good choice. A little more than 1 KM along this road I came upon a small farm with a large sign proclaiming “Bird Watchers Welcome” in both Engligh and Spanish. I stopped, and after finding someone at the property that spoke reasonably good English, I learned that there are 500 hectares of property here and birders are welcome generally throughout. A donation of $7 US is asked for and I found this very reasonable for the access that it provides, and I was assigned a trail guide to prevent me from becoming lost on the vast property. His name was Hector and his English was a whole lot better than my Spanish. He knew some of the birds and was eager to learn more as we went along.
The ranchero is called Preserva Toh and there is an ebird hotspot for the location if you want more information. An area of the property to the east of the main housing area had somewhat recently been cleared of the primary forest to plant some type of valuable hardwoods, and this area produced a good variety of scrub species. A 2 KM hike in from the entrance reached forest for about ½ KM, then opened to another ranch house in a clearing with a cenote. Behind that was the entrance to a blazed 3.5KM nature trail into the forest.
Since I never had visited the region before the devastating Hurricane tag team of Emily and Wilma in 2005, I’m really not sure if the habitats today are the same as they were prior to 2005 when the region was scoured. Like most of the northeast Yucatan, the forest here is made up of densely packed trees that are generally no more than 30 feet high. From the edges of roads, it can be exceptionally difficult to peer more than a few feet into it. The nature trail here provides much better access, but even here seeing more than 10-20 feet in any direction can be really difficult and birds in the canopies can be extremely difficult to see due to obstructions. It can be amazingly frustrating to hear a bird singing or calling a few feet away and not be able to see it. Outside of the difficulties of forest birding common to much of the region, this place has a ton of potential and provides a place where birders can feel welcome and safe.
The owner and managers of this property are eager to improve things to make the property better for and to attract more birders. I have made a few recommendations to them to get them started. I have also gotten contact information to help provide a plan. They appear to be very aware of the value of eco-travel to their region.
I have just returned from a trip to the Yucatan. Along the way I birded from the Hotel Zone of Cancun, south to the Sian Ka’an below Tulum, and west as far as a little south of Coba and along the Puerto Morelos - Leona Vicario Road (also sometimes known as Camino de los Cenotes). This post will be to provide location information for birding and not a trip report, per se.
During winter months, a large number of eastern neotropic bird species can be found almost anywhere and everywhere. More than 15 species of warblers can be found with a little effort and by visiting a variety of habitats, and White-eyed Vireos often outnumber the regional vireo species. Shorebirds can be found where habitat is available and they often show up on the fairways and lawns throughout the golf resort areas and along less populated beaches. Ocean watches are generally not worth the holiday time invested. Although a few species of gulls and terns each are present, Laughing Gulls outnumber everything else by a ratio of about 50-1 at most locations. Ring-billed Gulls, and Royal, Caspian and Sandwich Terns are sometimes mixed in, but pelagic species are almost non-existent. Magnificent Frigatebirds are usually the only birds of interest along the coastal areas.
Birding in the tropics slows down rapidly after the sun is up and the temperatures start rising, usually by about 11:00 in the morning. If you want to do some meaningful birding here, you need to be out early; just after dawn through the first hour after sunrise can be most productive. Since there can be some distance needed to get to the birding sites, this means that you need to be driving very early in the morning. I’ve heard a number of nightmare stories about why not to drive at night here but that has not been my experience so far. There are a number of vehicles on the road with less than good maintenance that you need to use extra care for, but the much improved main roads in the region alleviates some of the hazards that existed when the main track south of Cancun was a 2-lane non-divided highway. Driving is interesting here and you need to be extra defensive – I sorta use the tactic that if in doubt the other person has the right of way and it has helped me avoid some traffic troubles. If you obey the speed zones, regardless of the number of buses, tour vans and taxis zipping by you at much higher speeds, you should stay out of notice of the policia. This isn’t a guarantee that you won’t be targeted but it greatly reduces your chances, and if you are in the middle of one of these maniacal packs of vehicles, you will be the vehicle singled out because of your rental car tags and stickers.
One last thing for those not initiated to driving down here. The speed bumps, called topes, are not to be taken lightly. These aren’t you’re neighborhood calming strips that you can take at the posted speed limit. They are of 2 types – a. 12 inch high concrete or asphalt pads with steep ramps on the sides or b. what look like 12 inch spheres half buried in the road surfaces. These things will cause serious damage to your tires, suspension, non-tied down belongings and anyone crazy enough to not be in a seat belt if you hit them at speed. Oh, they put these things in anywhere and many are the same color as the roadway. If you see a sign for “Topes” slow the hell down immediately.
HOTEL ZONE
In the Cancun Hotel Zone proper, there are places to visit and bird in which a number of regional species can be found, and the birding is easy and relatively safe (traffic being the main concern). My birding has usually been from Kilometer 16.5 south (from the Grand Omni Hotel south to around the perimeter of the Museo Maya de Cancun outside the Royal Caribbean and Islander properties) and golfing at the Iberostar Golf Course. I have not birded the Mayan ruins there or at El Ray, just south of the golf course.
Note 1 - The reason for this is that a tripod gets you labeled as a professional at any of the ruins sites and then there are ridiculous fees for permits that are ‘required’ for entry. Since hand holding a big lens isn’t an option for me, especially if there is dense cover, I tend to avoid those locations for my birding. If I do plan to bird the ruins anywhere in Mexico (since I want to visit the ruins I’m going to take binoculars and bird while there), my camera gear stays behind locked securely in my safe in the resorts that I stay in; I don’t lock them in the trunk. Another option is to sometimes take the camera with a lens that doesn’t require a tripod. I have a 16-300mm that suits my needs well in this case.
As stated above, warblers are everywhere during the winter season. Most common are Black-and-white Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Palm Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler and Black-throated Green Warblers. Birding the par 3 golf course in front of the Omni Hotel will produce any or all of these, and the 3 common flycatchers – Social Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee and Tropical Kingbird easily. Couch’s Kingbird occurs in lower numbers throughout this region, but even in winter they are often very vocal to aid in identification. The water hazards at the course usually holds Least and Spotted Sandpipers, and Black-necked Stilt. This has always been a reliable spot for Northern Jacana and you won’t get better looks than you’ll get here. They are used to people, due to the golfers, and usually allow close approach. On a few occasions I have spotted a Bare-throated Tiger Heron on the grounds.
If you have a car (the intricacies of the car rental situation in Mexico is a whole other post in and of itself), driving to places along the road from the airport to the hotel zone can also be very productive. The island medians are forested down at the lower end near the Wet & Wild, Dolphinaris and Riviera Cancun Golf Course. Birding around these medians, I have found a surprising number of species but you really have to watch yourself due to the relatively heavy traffic along the main route into this part of Cancun. The road into Wet & Wild and the parking lot has also been very productive, keeping in mind that my birding here is done early in the day before this place starts hopping. This area has been good for the majority of the oriole species when the acacias are in bloom and fruiting. I have also had some of the more sought out easy species here like all 3 jays, Black Catbird, tropical tanagers and Yellow-billed Cacique. There are also vantage points closer to the airport that provides views of the mangroves on the south side of the road. Early in the day when the birds are coming out of the roosts, you can get a good array of waders here, including a few Roseate Spoonbills if there is a good morning flight. Sometimes raptors are sometimes seen along the road here later in the morning.
Note 2 – The vast majority of the woodpeckers that you will see throughout this area are going to the Yucatan race of Golden-fronted Woodpecker. I can’t say that they don’t occur here but I have not seen a Yucatan Woodpecker anywhere from the Hotel Zone to the airport. This species is much less common then the former and I’ll bet that most of those reported are misidentified.
PUERTO MORELOS
South of here, the first area that I have visited is Puerto Morelos. The road into Puerto Morelos from the highway passes through mangrove but there really aren’t good places to stop and look from here. Once you get to the town, turning right at the first intersection will lead you south to some of the new resorts that have developed here. This road has places where you can pull off and view the mangroves. Depending on water levels, wader, including Roseate Spoonbill can be seen. Black-bellied Whistling Ducks and Blue-winged Teals are usually around and sometimes waders like Roseate Spoonbills that aren’t easy to pick up elsewhere can be seen in the mangrove shallows here.
SOUTH OF PUERTO MORELOS
Heading south out of Puerto Morelos, a number of resorts have been built along the coast. Most of these have longish entrance roads through the area’s jungle or at least have expanses of jungle inside the properties. If you are staying inside one of these (they are not open to those not staying there) they can produce a number of tropical species, especially some of the flycatchers. Like everywhere else in winter, migrants from the north are abundant but a number of south of the border species can be found easily walking the roads and paths. Even toucans can be found at times in these properties occasionally.
The paths to the Ruins at Tulum can be good for a lot of the species that can be seen in the resort areas because the habitats are somewhat similar. Orioles, vireos, flycatchers and migrants offer a variety of easy opportunities and the birding menu changes by the day on many occasions. As stated above, if you plan to take photographs and use a tripod, you are not welcome here, so leave the “professional gear” back at the resort.
SOUTH OF TULUM
From Tulum you basically have a choice of heading south or turning northwest. Heading south leads to Felipe Carrillo Puerto and then farther south to Chetumal at the border with Belize. Between Tulum and Felipe Carrillo Puerto and to the east is the Sian-Ka’an Biosphere Preserve, a vast undeveloped property that holds a large number of species. There are a number of for pay guided trip into the preserve but most of these are catered to those strictly interested in birding. If you have a rental vehicle, the 2 main unpaved roads that go through the preserve are accessed 50 kilometers south of Tulum or by heading northeast out of Felipe Carrillo Puerto and are drivable under dry conditions with a standard car.
A great variety of species can be found here but the dense forest is extremely hard to bird through. If you’re comfortable blazing trails, you might have better luck seeing things. Frankly, I’m not since some very venomous snakes do occur throughout the entire Yucatan region. I saw a Fer de Lance at Coba once that had the guides there justifiably very upset. If you get some bird recordings for the region, learning the songs and calls of the regional birds can make things a whole lot easier. While I was just there, even though I was actually able to see Ruddy Crake, Gray-necked Wood-Rail and a few passerines, learning the call of the Stub-tailed Spadebill was the only way that I was able to find this species. One was no more than 15 feet away from me and it was impossible to locate through the dense forest edge. I was also very surprised at how slow the birding was over the 10 miles that we drove the section south of Tulum known as the Camino Faro Vigia Chico, even as it was just after sunrise.
NORTHWEST OF TULUM
A. COBA
The drive from Tulum to Coba is nearly 50 kilometers and takes more than 30 minutes. There are a few villages along the way that can provide some birding opportunities that make this drive even longer. To get to Tulum, take the third exit out of the traffic circle at 43+ kilometers from Tulum and follow the road south. You can’t miss it. The first thing that you come to is a large lake. There are plenty of places to scan the lake from but other than cormorants, Anhinga and Pied-billed Grebe, there has been little else in the way of waterfowl when I have visited. A variety of waders can been found along the shoreline and both Ruddy Crake and Spotted Rails are reported from here annually.
In the town itself and the areas around the entrance to the ruins, the number of species that can usually be seen is pretty good. Blue-gray Tanagers are here and can usually be seen in the trees in the village section north of the lake. By birding the town section south of the lake, the landscaping in the yards can also attract a number of hummingbirds and other species.
5 Kilometers south of the ruins (don’t turn west at the intersection a little south of town) is a wetland. Limpkins can be heard calling, Gray-crowned Yellowthroats breed and I imagine the rails are also present at this location. The problem is that access and viewing are very limited. Back at the intersection mentioned earlier in this paragraph, if you drive west it’ll lead to several cenotes whose access roads provide more forested birding.
B. PUNTA LAGUNA
Follow the instructions from Tulum to the traffic circle but instead take the first exit out to the north, drive 18 kilometers and you’ll arrive. The caretakers of this preserve open the gates at about 9:00 here, but earlier entry can be made. You’ll get a guide for the maze of trails here after opening and on your first visit it is worth it. This place has generally taller trees and the understory is more open in many places. I have found this place to be hopping early in the day and if the fruiting trees by the parking area and entrance are with fruit, there can be a parade of species that comes through to feed early in the day – Flycatchers, Saltators, Vireos, Warblers, Tanagers, Finches and Orioles. This is also one of the easiest and most reliable places that I know of in the area to view Spider Monkeys. The trails lead to a large lake but the shimmer can make scanning difficult. Watch for army ant swarms here for species that benefit from their presence. Trails proceed around the lake but usually by the time I actually get there it’s getting late and things are seriously slowing down.
WEST OF PUERTO MORELOS
Heading west out of the south end of Puerto Morelos, the road to Leona Vicario heads west. This road leads to some places that area excellent for birding, which produce a large number of sought after species. To get to this road, regardless if you are coming from the south or the north, you need to exit the north/south highway (MX 307) into Puerto Morelos, then head south from the ‘traffic circle’ under the bypass bridge and take the access road south to the turn off west. Watch for signs to a number of cenotes and to the Selvatica adventure park once you are leaving the town. There is no turn off for this road from the highway south of Puerto Morelos, you must access it through town.
Driving this road early in the day will nearly always produce at least one Roadside Hawk, and Gray Hawk can sometimes be located. Once you drive about 10 KM or so, the roadside widens a bit and there are a few places that you can sometimes pull off to scan the trees and scrub along the road. This is a busy road as the sun gets higher and the shoulders are limited or non-existent most of the time. Be extremely careful trying to bird from the road, and watch for pedestrians and bicyclists as you drive. Beyond 10 KM is the small village of Central Vallarta on the right. The side roads here provide a safer place to pull off and I have only encountered friendly and curious locals here. These folks generally speak no English but they are willing to ‘help’ you bird. The introduction of imported trees often produces mixed flocks of birds. I have seen both species of Tityras and Becards, along with other species here several times.
A little farther west is Selvatica. This adventure park for zip-lining and other adventure activities is situated in a forested property on the north side of the road. I have pulled in and been granted permission to bird watch here many times. It can be hit or miss but a variety of species can sometimes be found by walking the few roads through the property. Red-throated Ant-Tanagers have been present several times, and as is usually the case in the tropics, hitting here when a foraging flock of mixed species comes through can be very exciting.
A little farther west are a number of non-paved roads that lead off to public and private cenotes and some development projects. Those that aren’t gated (and most are not) provide access to safe places to bird the forest edges away from the noise and traffic of the main road. These areas (along with Punta Laguna) can be some of the most productive birding sites throughout the northeastern Yucatan, in my opinion. The list of species that I have seen in the inland region is very good.
On my latest trip, I took the road signed for the Kin-Ha Cenote and it turned out to be a good choice. A little more than 1 KM along this road I came upon a small farm with a large sign proclaiming “Bird Watchers Welcome” in both Engligh and Spanish. I stopped, and after finding someone at the property that spoke reasonably good English, I learned that there are 500 hectares of property here and birders are welcome generally throughout. A donation of $7 US is asked for and I found this very reasonable for the access that it provides, and I was assigned a trail guide to prevent me from becoming lost on the vast property. His name was Hector and his English was a whole lot better than my Spanish. He knew some of the birds and was eager to learn more as we went along.
The ranchero is called Preserva Toh and there is an ebird hotspot for the location if you want more information. An area of the property to the east of the main housing area had somewhat recently been cleared of the primary forest to plant some type of valuable hardwoods, and this area produced a good variety of scrub species. A 2 KM hike in from the entrance reached forest for about ½ KM, then opened to another ranch house in a clearing with a cenote. Behind that was the entrance to a blazed 3.5KM nature trail into the forest.
Since I never had visited the region before the devastating Hurricane tag team of Emily and Wilma in 2005, I’m really not sure if the habitats today are the same as they were prior to 2005 when the region was scoured. Like most of the northeast Yucatan, the forest here is made up of densely packed trees that are generally no more than 30 feet high. From the edges of roads, it can be exceptionally difficult to peer more than a few feet into it. The nature trail here provides much better access, but even here seeing more than 10-20 feet in any direction can be really difficult and birds in the canopies can be extremely difficult to see due to obstructions. It can be amazingly frustrating to hear a bird singing or calling a few feet away and not be able to see it. Outside of the difficulties of forest birding common to much of the region, this place has a ton of potential and provides a place where birders can feel welcome and safe.
The owner and managers of this property are eager to improve things to make the property better for and to attract more birders. I have made a few recommendations to them to get them started. I have also gotten contact information to help provide a plan. They appear to be very aware of the value of eco-travel to their region.
