Yucatan in September (1 Viewer)

[njlarsen]

Dear all, it looks like I will be going back to Yucatan for a short trip in September. I am therefore wanting a little info. I remember a report on a lodge in some good rainforest near the border to Guatemala or Belize, but I do not remember a name or anything else about it. Can anyone give me any hints?

Niels

 

[Maroon Jay]

Your information is very vague and covers a lot of possibilities. By lodge do you mean a large building like a hotel or cabins? I know the area fairly well. There are cabins at Bacalar, near the Belize border with lots of birds around and the manager is a birder. If you mean the Guatemala border there is the Escudo Jaguar hotel in Frontera Corozal. Saw Painted Buntings there.

 

[njlarsen]

Thanks.

The reason I am vague is that I cannot remember enough details. Anyway, by lodge I mean one of the two (one larger or several smaller buildings) located in a natural area with birding on the grounds or with trails that run from the grounds into a neighboring national area. I had imagined the location as being more like the area around Calakmul, but my poor memory may mean that I am way off.

I guess that given that you traveled around so much a couple of years ago, I can ask in a different way: I did visit Rio Lagartos, Chichen Itza, and the Vigio Chica road last time, so for more forest birding, where should I go? I have a higher budget than you had, but less time, and I am starting from Cancun Airport.

Niels

 

[Maroon Jay]

Does it have to be in Mexico? There are many great spots in Belize. There is a very good guide and accommodations at Crooked Tree. Duplooys Jungle Lodge is supposed to be very good but I did not make it there. The area around San Ignacio is very good. I saw Jabiru Stork, several species of hummingbirds (at the butterfly farm) and lots of birds at Crystal Palace Lodge. I went on tours with the Tut brothers at Eco Lodge which was really good. If you can get transportation there are lots of good spots in the Mountain Pine Ridge including Orange-breasted Falcon and White Hawk. My most productive place was around the ruins of Tikal in Guatemala. Saw more than 70 species there in a few days. Yucatan is great but next time I go I will spend more time in Belize and Tikal and less in Mexico. The guide at Crooked Tree will take you anywhere in Belize or Guatemala (John). If you want to stay in Mexico look into Villas Ecotucan at Bacalar. Ask what tours they have. If you have time I would go to Eco Lodge in Belize which is better or Tikal. Hope this helps. Tom

 

[njlarsen]

I have a few days of work starting from Cancun, so the flight in will definitely be that airport. I wanted to limit the overall driving time from there.

Niels

Edit -- I am also not sure that I would be allowed to bring a rental car across the border

 

[Hamhed]

Niels -

Just catching up on your post... Wooded ruins in south eastern Yucatan that Liz and I explored back in '06 were Coba, Muyil, Chacchoben and Kohunlich. We liked them all. Multiple ant swarms at the first three. Kohunlich is closest to Calakmul, near the border with Belize. Coba would be your closest but maybe most crowded. We got there at opening time, before the tour buses, and it was nice for a couple of hours.
The night before our visit to Calakmul we stayed at Rio Bec Dreams. I can't say it was a good place for birds but we got there late and left fairly early. It's been too many years to remember if there was an alternative close to Calakmul. During our three days at Calakmul, we camped.

If you want pictures any of the above, I can dig some from our spare hard drive.

Steve

 

[njlarsen]

Thank you Steve, and also thanks again to Tom for earlier answers.

Our plans have developed a little: Firstly, 1 week is what we have this time. Secondly, Lene wants to see Mérida, so that is likely to be our first stop. I would like to see Uxmal when we are out west, including a little owling/nightbird driving. From there, we are likely to go East or South-east, and that is where your information comes in handy. We are not going to do Camping (we still have sleepingbags, but all other camping-gear is gone by now), but Calakmul does sound enticing. Chacchoben also looks like an enticing option, where did you stay near that one? It looks like it would even be doable to visit that one and Chico Vigia from the same lodging.

Niels

 

[Hamhed]

Keep in mind that Calakmul is tedious to get to. The entrance road, at least at the time we were there, was a good hour drive to the ruins from the last gate. What I remember is two gates (and small fees) - one for entering a protected forest of some kind (biosphere preserve?) and the second for the Calakmul ruins. Birding was good on the entrance road as it passes through some beautiful forest but there's barely room for two vehicles to pass and no place to really pull over and park. Still, the ruins are a big enough place to get lost in and the structures themselves are fantastically overgrown (and birdy).
Our overnight stays on that '06 trip were mainly camping, including the night before and after Chacchoben. We stayed two nights at La Casona ($28) in Felipe Carillo Puerto on a second trip in '08. We couldn't get enough of Vigia Chico road either!
I'm realizing now that we did not have a digital camera in '06 so no pictures from Chacchoben to post. It is also a potential tourist destination. Cruise ships from Mahahaul will go there as the closest ruins to that port.

Steve

 

[njlarsen]

Thank you everyone. Steve, I did read your last post a while back, and have included that as background for the decisions made:
On the day of arrival, we will drive to Mérida and stay overnight (not bird related).

The following afternoon, go to Uxmal where we have reservation for two nights at Hacienda Uxmal. I am especially hoping for a couple of night birds around there.

Reservation has not been made yet, but 2-3 nights at Hotel Puerta Calakmul. I know it is more expensive, but it sounds like it is perfectly located. I actually think this is the one I was thinking about with my question in post 1. Their website claims that the road to the ruins currently is in good state of repair

That leaves either 1 or 2 nights at either Filipe Puerto Carillo or Tulum. I have very fond memories about a little hotel in Tulum and there are several options close by - but the Vigia Chico road is also drawing.

On the day following night no 7, we will have to end at the airport to hand back the rental car. Thereafter a couple of days work in a large hotel complex at Playa del Carmen, possibly I can sneak in a little observation time there.

Any comments? The thought about Calakmul is that we are unlikely to return, so an extra day gives better chance of seeing at least a proportion of what is there. Of course, it is impossible to know how the weather will act up.

Niels

 

[Hamhed]

We want to revisit Calakmul someday also but the truth is "unlikely to return" is more likely so I think your intentions to spend extra time there are justified. It is big, very scenic and uncrowded. Remember what I said about getting lost. There were no maps except for one on a fixed sign at the entrance.

For the scarcer avian species, certainly the birding on Vigia Chico has more potential than Tulum. However, your lodging and eating choices seem better in Tulum. So, ask yourself, did you plan this trip to get fat and sleep a lot or FIND SOME BIRDS? That makes the choice easy, doesn't it? :t:
Of course, Lene might have something to say about that...

Steve

 

[njlarsen]

Thanks Steve
If we go for Tulum for overnight the last night, it is most likely to be combined with an early morning visit to the Muyil area. I read a recent report (by who?) who had some good birds there. Not so far in the wrong direction, and with not too many hours drive to the airport where we will need to be by around 4 pm.

Niels

 

[Hamhed]

A practical choice, Niels. You might find this bird while you are at Muyil. There is a trail there that goes down to a boat landing, which is also accessible by road. Along the trail is, or was, a observation tower with a very steep climb to above the canopy level. I don't remember if the water is salt or fresh but the viewing area at the landing is limited.

If you happen to be near the coast in Puerto Morelos, let me know if you see if the leaning lighthouse is still standing. It was at a dangerous angle when we visited in '08.

Steve

 

[njlarsen]

Thanks Steve

Niels

 

[lewis20126]

I spent a day and a half at Calakmul this spring - it was excellent (although we stayed outside the reserve) - especially the area around the pond on the right (west) as you drive south towards the ruins. We had Bare-throated Tiger-heron, 2 Agami Herons, Boat-billed Heron, Sungrebe and Pygmy Kingfisher here with a (shy) Great Currasow and male Red-capped Manakin in the surrounding forests (trail). The ares at about km 20-25 held a roadside group of Great Currasow in late afternoon.

cheers, alan

 

[njlarsen]

Thank you Alan.
Agami Herons have so far eluded me completely, and most of the others would be first time I see them in Mexico if they all came through.

Niels

 

[njlarsen]

Steve, your note on getting lost have made me think, but I think I will be OK. I have an ipad mini, and have a GPS unit for it. I also have downloaded a map from maps.me that allows me to use it offline: this map does include details of the Calakmul site. Unfortunately the map makers are not that interested in natural features, so it does not include the pond mentioned by Alan. Anyway, I hope this will take care of the problem if one arises.

Niels

 

[Hamhed]

Prewarned to pay attention and fortified by technology, you may do just fine. We wandered without aim, letting birds and ruins draw us hither and yon. Consequently, we did quite a bit of back tracking and double back tracking, if there is such a thing, to reverse course.
We also stopped at the pond that alan mentioned. It's a bit of a swamp really and we were not as fortunate as alan, finding almost nothing of note there. Our visit was cut somewhat short by a troop of Spider Monkeys. Upset that we would dare intrude on their private wetlands, they let loose with a barrage of screams and some flying foreign objects that took us very little time to identify.

As for the the pictures,
If you drive out of the ruins at night as we did, you may see the eyeshine of these Mexican Red-rumped Tarantulas in the road. Driving around them cost us a good bit of time and effort but they were too cool to squash.
We camped two nights and ate at the place on the sign which is on the road to Calamul before the pay station. Alan, did you notice if this place is still functioning?
The picture of the immense structure was taken fromthe top of one just as big. We felt no need to do both!

Steve

 

[njlarsen]

Thanks Steve

Niels

 

[njlarsen]

Thanks to all who helped. I have now returned, and a preliminary count gives me 7 new species:
Gray-throated Chat, Ocellated Turkey, Yucatan Flycatcher, Hooded Warbler, White-breasted Wren, Gray-collared Becard, Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, and as a bonus form, Mexican Antthrush.
Additionally, 2-3 new mammals.

I think, if the road to Calakmul had been more accessible (read: no toll), it might have been the more popular birding road compared with Vigia Chico rd.

I dipped on both the specialty nightjars/poorwill.

Niels

 

[lewis20126]

Well done with Grey-collared Becard - we didn't see that in the south, although I have seen it in the West.

cheers, alan