Sian Ka'an Reserve - Quintana Roo (1 Viewer)

[David A. Rintoul]

Greetings

I have the opportunity, after a tour of Mayan ruins in Yucatan in March, to spend a few days birding on the southern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. One of the places we are most interested in would be the Sian Ka'an reserve near Tulum (http://www.cesiak.org/). This is a UNESCO site, a Biosphere reserve. There are various options for birding in the reserve, including an outfit called Community Tours (http://www.siankaantours.org) that looks very promising.

Has anyone on this forum been to this reserve, or used this tour organization? Any information will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Dave

 

[Steve Schoech]

I've been through that region a couple of different times, though my visits pre-date the existence (I believe) of this reserve and one predates statehood (territorio de Quintana Roo) and Cancun! Though, not Tulum! :^).

I recall numerous keel-billed toucans as one highlight ... not much help but have fun. I need to get back down there. I also recall going off of a track trying to get a better look at an oriole and brushing up against some vegetation and needing my wife to pick the seemingly hundreds of very small 'seed ticks' off of me for the next hour or so ...

 

[James Lowther]

Hi Dave,
i can't help with Sian Kaan but if you're after forest birds then the well known vigia chico (dirt) road from felipe carillo puerto which actually runs eventually to the back of the reserve is very good. Just drive it as far as you fancy then get out and have a look round. If you don't have a car this might be more difficult but there is good birding within 5 km of town.
cheers,
James

p.s. Chichen Itza and Tulum aren't great for birds but Coba is really excellent, definitely worth a full day

 

[Hamhed]

Dave - My wife and I went to that area in late 2007 and visited Sian Ka'an for one day. We went kayaking with a guide provided by CESiaK (Centro Ecologico Sian Ka'an) in Laguna Champechen. The kayaks were meant for rivers, not open bay waters and we had some difficulty paddling in the breeze but eventually reached a few mangrove islands where we saw some nesting water birds, including Boat-billed Herons. Not a particularly birdy trip.
The Muyil site, 30 minutes driving south of Tulum, is a decent spot to find birds. We found several ant swarms there and a pretty good list of other species. It is a small site as archeological sites go and as James points out, Coba was also good birding, a much larger site with ant swarms also and only a 45 minute drive from Tulum.
Vigia Chico road is a place one could spend a week. We tried going in the entrance off the main highway, Rt. 307, but didn't see much in the way of birds. Forest was young and consequently not very shaded. I remember it being hot there. Entering from the town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto is a better entrance.
We went to Rio Largartos on one of those trips and got all but one of the endemics. One more site to add to the list!
I have all my notes from that trip and another in late '06 if you are interested in bird lists, etc.

Steve