Introduction

Sites visited

1. Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, Orange Walk      5-7th December, 2004

   Entering Belize by land from Chetumal, Mexico in the north, first take a bus to Orange Walk. Express buses to Belize City pass the junction for Crooked Tree but will not stop, so check with the driver first. From Orange Walk you can take another bus towards Belize City which will drop you at the junction. In Crooked Tree I stayed at Sam Tillet's Hotel and they picked me up from the junction. It's about 3km so you could walk it. There are another couple of places in this small town but I didn't check prices. Sam Tilett's place is comfortable and I paid about US$30 for a private cabin. They cook great meals, although they're a bit expensive at about $8. There is a bar nearby that serve drinks and burger. There is a direct bus from Crooked Tree to Belize City leaving in the early morning and returning in the afternoon. Ask locally for times.
The area has fantastic birding and I saw close to 100 species in a day. The area is managed as a wildlife sanctuary by the Belize Audobon Society and there is a visitors centre just after the lagoon on the right as you enter Crooked Tree. There is a map there showing the network of trails all named after birds. The Limpkin Trail runs alongside the lake and (funnily enough) is a good place to see Limpkin. Further round the lake in this direction is an open area with some boats tied up. Here I saw a Southern Lapwing. A bird not found on the Belize list. One of the trails goes a long way off and about 5km from town I found a board walk and tower which had been built by Operation Raleigh. This was a fantastic area for birding with Yucatan Jay and possibly White-fronted Parrots. This area can also be reached by boat and Sam Tillet brings people here.
97 species including 12 lifers.

Pied-billed Grebe	Podilymbus podiceps
Neotropic Cormorant	Phalacrocorax brasilianus	Recorded
Great Blue Heron	Ardea herodias
Great Egret	Ardea alba	Photographed
Little Blue Heron	Egretta caerulea	Photographed
Snowy Egret	Egretta thula
Cattle Egret	Bubulcus ibis	Photographed
Green Heron	Butorides virescens	Photographed
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron	Tigrisoma mexicanum	Photographed Recorded
Wood Stork	Mycteria americana
White Ibis	Eudocimus albus	Photographed
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck	Dendrocygna autumnalis
Blue-winged Teal	Anas discors
Black Vulture	Coragyps atratus	Photographed
Turkey Vulture	Cathartes aura
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture	Cathartes burrovianus	Possibly seen
Osprey	Pandion haliaetus
Snail Kite	Rostrhamus sociabilis	Photographed
Black-collared Hawk	Busarellus nigricollis
Roadside Hawk	Buteo magnirostris	Photographed
Short-tailed Hawk	Buteo brachyurus	Possibly seen
American Kestrel	Falco sparverius
Limpkin	Aramus guarauna	Photographed
Yellow-breasted Crake	Porzana flaviventer	Possibly seen
Common Moorhen	Gallinula chloropus
American Coot	Fulica americana
Northern Jacana	Jacana spinosa	Photographed
Southern Lapwing	Vanellus chilensis	Photographed Recorded
Wilson's Snipe	Gallinago delicata
Solitary Sandpiper	Tringa solitaria	Photographed
Spotted Sandpiper	Actitis macularia
Least Sandpiper	Calidris minutilla	Photographed
Red-billed Pigeon	Patagioenas flavirostris
Ruddy Ground-Dove	Columbina talpacoti
White-tipped Dove	Leptotila verreauxi
Olive-throated Parakeet	Aratinga nana
White-fronted Parrot	Amazona albifrons	Possibly seen
Red-lored Parrot	Amazona autumnalis	Recorded
Groove-billed Ani	Crotophaga sulcirostris	Photographed
Lesser Nighthawk	Chordeiles acutipennis	Photographed
Pauraque	Nyctidromus albicollis	Heard only
Canivet's Emerald	Chlorostilbon canivetii
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird	Amazilia tzacatl	Photographed
Buff-bellied Hummingbird	Amazilia yucatanensis	Photographed
Belted Kingfisher	Ceryle alcyon
Ringed Kingfisher	Ceryle torquata
Acorn Woodpecker	Melanerpes formicivorus	Photographed Recorded
Yucatan Woodpecker	Melanerpes pygmaeus
Golden-fronted Woodpecker	Melanerpes aurifrons
Rufous-breasted Spinetail	Synallaxis erythrothorax	Photographed
Tawny-winged Woodcreeper	Dendrocincla anabatina
Streak-headed Woodcreeper	Lepidocolaptes souleyetii
Yellow-bellied Elaenia	Elaenia flavogaster	Photographed
Vermilion Flycatcher	Pyrocephalus rubinus	Photographed
Yucatan Flycatcher	Myiarchus yucatanensis
Dusky-capped Flycatcher	Myiarchus tuberculifer
Great Kiskadee	Pitangus sulphuratus	Photographed
Boat-billed Flycatcher	Megarynchus pitangua
Social Flycatcher	Myiozetetes similis	Photographed
Tropical Kingbird	Tyrannus melancholicus	Photographed
Couch's Kingbird	Tyrannus couchii
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	Tyrannus savana
Rose-throated Becard	Pachyramphus aglaiae
Mangrove Swallow	Tachycineta albilinea	Photographed
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Spot-breasted Wren	Thryothorus maculipectus	Recorded
White-bellied Wren	Uropsila leucogastra
Tropical Mockingbird	Mimus gilvus	Recorded
Clay-colored Robin	Turdus grayi
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	Polioptila caerulea
Brown Jay	Cyanocorax morio	Photographed Recorded
Yucatan Jay	Cyanocorax yucatanicus	Photographed Recorded
White-eyed Vireo	Vireo griseus
Yellow-throated Vireo	Vireo flavifrons
Northern Parula	Parula americana
Yellow Warbler	Dendroica petechia
Black-and-white Warbler	Mniotilta varia
American Redstart	Setophaga ruticilla	Photographed
Northern Waterthrush	Seiurus noveboracensis
Mourning Warbler	Oporornis philadelphia
Common Yellowthroat	Geothlypis trichas
Hooded Warbler	Wilsonia citrina
Red-crowned Ant-Tanager	Habia rubica
Summer Tanager	Piranga rubra
Blue-gray Tanager	Thraupis episcopus
Red-legged Honeycreeper	Cyanerpes cyaneus
White-collared Seedeater	Sporophila torqueola	Photographed
Olive Sparrow	Arremonops rufivirgatus
Grayish Saltator	Saltator coerulescens
Indigo Bunting	Passerina cyanea
Melodious Blackbird	Dives dives	Photographed
Great-tailed Grackle	Quiscalus mexicanus
Hooded Oriole	Icterus cucullatus
Baltimore Oriole	Icterus galbula	Photographed
Orchard Oriole	Icterus spurius	Photographed
Black-cowled Oriole	Icterus prosthemelas	Photographed
Lesser Goldfinch	Carduelis psaltria

2. Punta Gorda, Toledo      7-10th December, 2004

   Some direct buses leave Belize City for Punta Gorda (PG) but other times you have to change at Dangriga. PG can also be reached by boat from Puerto Barrios in Guatemala. PG is a very laid back town and I stayed at the Nature's Way Guest House which has basic rooms at reasonable prices. There are a few places to eat in town. Some places are just peoples houses that sell food but there is a nice ice cream parlour in town that also has snacks. PG is on the coast and you can see a few coastal birds by walking along the front. Walking around the outside of town I saw a few common birds. The road north crosses a small river along which there are some mangroves. It seems you can rent canoes here which might be worth doing. The next site is more interesting.
34 species including 1 lifer.

Brown Pelican	Pelecanus occidentalis
Magnificent Frigatebird	Fregata magnificens
Great Blue Heron	Ardea herodias
Little Blue Heron	Egretta caerulea
Snowy Egret	Egretta thula
Cattle Egret	Bubulcus ibis
Turkey Vulture	Cathartes aura
White-tailed Kite	Elanus leucurus
Laughing Falcon	Herpetotheres cachinnans
Spotted Sandpiper	Actitis macularia
Laughing Gull	Larus atricilla
Royal Tern	Sterna maxima
Common Tern	Sterna hirundo	Possibly seen
Rock Dove	Columba livia	Introduced species
Red-billed Pigeon	Patagioenas flavirostris
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird	Amazilia tzacatl
Belted Kingfisher	Ceryle alcyon
Golden-fronted Woodpecker	Melanerpes aurifrons	Photographed
Great Kiskadee	Pitangus sulphuratus
Social Flycatcher	Myiozetetes similis	Photographed
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Gray Catbird	Dumetella carolinensis
Brown Jay	Cyanocorax morio
White-eyed Vireo	Vireo griseus
Magnolia Warbler	Dendroica magnolia
Yellow-throated Warbler	Dendroica dominica
American Redstart	Setophaga ruticilla
Summer Tanager	Piranga rubra
Blue-gray Tanager	Thraupis episcopus
Yellow-winged Tanager	Thraupis abbas
Blue-black Grassquit	Volatinia jacarina
White-collared Seedeater	Sporophila torqueola
Melodious Blackbird	Dives dives
Great-tailed Grackle	Quiscalus mexicanus

3. Blue Creek, Toledo       8th & 10-11th December, 2004

   This is a nice area of forest quite close to Punta Gorda and you can either visit on a day trip or better, stay over night. From PG take any bus heading north and get off at the junction for Blue Creek. This is about 20km along the road and is known locally as 'Dump'. Blue Creek is another 19km away and there is no bus. I caught the 6am bus from PG and where I got off, there were some locals waiting for a vehicle that took them to Blue Creek. The vehicle takes Menonite children to school and they agreed to give me a ride in the back. The people getting a ride pay a very small fare to the driver. From where you are dropped, walk further along until you get to the creek where there is a sign reading 'Rainfroest Lodge' The path runs alongside the river and after a few hundred metres you reach some wooden cabins. There was a caretaker there to whom I paid the small entrance fee and he explained where the trails started. I arranged to stay the next night which cost just $25 Belize dollars. His English was a bit difficult to understand but he explained that other people were coming the following day and the price would rise to $90 so I just stayed for 1 night. No food was available at the lodge but there was a shop back along the road towards PG and the lady there can prepare simple meals very reasonably. Birding around the cabins and along the few trails is excellent. The vulnerable Keel-billed Motmot has been seen in the area although I didn't find it.
63 species including 7 lifers.

Snowy Egret	Egretta thula
Cattle Egret	Bubulcus ibis
Turkey Vulture	Cathartes aura
Short-billed Pigeon	Patagioenas nigrirostris	Photographed
Ruddy Ground-Dove	Columbina talpacoti
White-tipped Dove	Leptotila verreauxi
Olive-throated Parakeet	Aratinga nana
Squirrel Cuckoo	Piaya cayana
Groove-billed Ani	Crotophaga sulcirostris
(Little Hermit)	Phaethornis longuemareus	Photographed
Western Long-tailed Hermit	Phaethornis longirostris
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird	Amazilia tzacatl	Photographed
Azure-crowned Hummingbird	Agyrtria cyanocephala
Violaceous Trogon	Trogon violaceus
Collared Trogon	Trogon collaris
Belted Kingfisher	Ceryle alcyon
White-whiskered Puffbird	Malacoptila panamensis	Photographed
Golden-fronted Woodpecker	Melanerpes aurifrons
Smoky-brown Woodpecker	Veniliornis fumigatus
Pale-billed Woodpecker	Campephilus guatemalensis	Photographed
Ruddy Foliage-gleaner	Automolus
Wedge-billed Woodcreeper	Glyphorynchus spirurus	Photographed
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher	Mionectes oleagineus
Bright-rumped Attila	Attila spadiceus
Rufous Mourner	Rhytipterna holerythra
Brown-crested Flycatcher	Myiarchus tyrannulus
Great Kiskadee	Pitangus sulphuratus
Rose-throated Becard	Pachyramphus aglaiae
Masked Tityra	Tityra semifasciata
Black-crowned Tityra	Tityra inquisitor
Mangrove Swallow	Tachycineta albilinea
Spot-breasted Wren	Thryothorus maculipectus
White-breasted Wood-Wren	Henicorhina leucosticta
Gray Catbird	Dumetella carolinensis
Wood Thrush	Hylocichla mustelina	Photographed Recorded
Clay-colored Robin	Turdus grayi	Recorded?
Tropical Gnatcatcher	Polioptila plumbea
Brown Jay	Cyanocorax morio	Recorded?
White-eyed Vireo	Vireo griseus
Yellow-throated Vireo	Vireo flavifrons
Yellow Warbler	Dendroica petechia
Magnolia Warbler	Dendroica magnolia
Black-throated Green Warbler	Dendroica virens
American Redstart	Setophaga ruticilla
Worm-eating Warbler	Helmitheros vermivorus
Ovenbird	Seiurus aurocapilla
Louisiana Waterthrush	Seiurus motacilla
Kentucky Warbler	Oporornis formosus
Hooded Warbler	Wilsonia citrina	Recorded?
Summer Tanager	Piranga rubra
Yellow-throated Euphonia	Euphonia hirundinacea	Photographed Recorded
Green Honeycreeper	Chlorophanes spiza	Photographed Recorded
Red-legged Honeycreeper	Cyanerpes cyaneus	Photographed
Blue-black Grassquit	Volatinia jacarina
White-collared Seedeater	Sporophila torqueola
Orange-billed Sparrow	Arremon aurantiirostris	Recorded
Black-headed Saltator	Saltator atriceps
Black-faced Grosbeak	Caryothraustes poliogaster
Blue-black Grosbeak	Cyanocompsa cyanoides
Melodious Blackbird	Dives dives
Great-tailed Grackle	Quiscalus mexicanus
Baltimore Oriole	Icterus galbula	Photographed
Yellow-billed Cacique	Amblycercus holosericeus

4. Bladen Nature Reserve (outside)      9th December, 2004

   The turn-off for the Bladen Nature Reserve is about an hour and a half north of Punta Gorda and buses leave PG as early as 5am. From the clearly signed turn-off to the reserve is quite far (at least 7-8km) and at the time I visited, the track was flooded in many places and probably only passable with a decent 4-wheel drive. The reserve can only be visited with prior permission and I turned back at the no entry sign after about 5km, well before the start of the forest. The habitat up to this point was savanna with scattered trees and had OK birding. The other alternative to birding in the reserve is to visit the adjacent BFREE Protected Area. The entrance is the same as for the reserve. I met people from BFREE on the way in and they said I could stay inside for US$40 a night. I decided against it but it would probably be worth it as the birding is supposed to be excellent. I recommend contacting the Bladen Reserve or BFREE before attempting to visit.
29 species including 0 lifers.

Great Egret	Ardea alba
Little Blue Heron	Egretta caerulea	Photographed
Cattle Egret	Bubulcus ibis
Turkey Vulture	Cathartes aura
Roadside Hawk	Buteo magnirostris
Red-billed Pigeon	Patagioenas flavirostris
White-tipped Dove	Leptotila verreauxi
Olive-throated Parakeet	Aratinga nana
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird	Amazilia tzacatl
Azure-crowned Hummingbird	Agyrtria cyanocephala
Golden-fronted Woodpecker	Melanerpes aurifrons
Yellow-bellied Elaenia	Elaenia flavogaster
Tropical Kingbird	Tyrannus melancholicus	Photographed
Couch's Kingbird	Tyrannus couchii
Fork-tailed Flycatcher	Tyrannus savana	Photographed
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Spot-breasted Wren	Thryothorus maculipectus	Recorded
Black Catbird	Melanoptila glabrirostris	Near-threatened
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	Polioptila caerulea
Brown Jay	Cyanocorax morio	Photographed
White-eyed Vireo	Vireo griseus
Black-and-white Warbler	Mniotilta varia
American Redstart	Setophaga ruticilla
Common Yellowthroat	Geothlypis trichas
Gray-crowned Yellowthroat	Geothlypis poliocephala	Photographed
White-collared Seedeater	Sporophila torqueola
Rusty Sparrow	Aimophila rufescens	Photographed
Great-tailed Grackle	Quiscalus mexicanus
Baltimore Oriole	Icterus galbula

5. Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary       11-14th December, 2004

   The entrance to the park is at the small village of Maya Centre south of Dangriga. There is a Mayan Women's Cooperative handicraft shop at the turn-off and they can sell you the entrance ticket which was B$10. They also have a list of accomodation prices in the park and can contact a taxi driver to take you in. There isn't much food available in the park although there is a good kitchen so you should take enough food in with you for the duration of your stay. It is 8km along the gravel road into the park and cost B$30 one-way in the taxi. It would be possible to walk it or hitch with park vehicles if you are lucky. The taxi driver that took me was also a guide and could be hired to take you round the park, although this is not really necessary. In the park, there are several different options for accomodation. It is possible to camp, but I opted for the rustic accomodation which was very reasonable at just B$16 a night. There was no electricity but there were oil lamps which gave some light in the evening. There is a good network of trails and it is definately worth spending a few days here. I was still seeing many new birds in my 3rd day in the park. The park supposedly has one of the highest concentrations of jaguars in the world and it is very easy to see tracks although for the real thing you need a lot of luck. One of the best spots in apparently the access road which the jaguars walk along at night. There is a house at a camp site half way along where you can get a good view along the road. I didn't see any though. I found Great Curassow on the Antelope trail. I also searched for the Keel-billed Motmot on the outlier trail which goes up a steep hill. This is supposedly an overnight trail which you must use guides to visit but I managed it in a day trip but failed to see the motmot.
110 species including 22 lifers.

Great Tinamou	Tinamus major	Recorded
Slaty-breasted Tinamou	Crypturellus boucardi	Photographed
Black Vulture	Coragyps atratus
Turkey Vulture	Cathartes aura
King Vulture	Sarcoramphus papa
Roadside Hawk	Buteo magnirostris
Plain Chachalaca	Ortalis vetula	Recorded
Crested Guan	Penelope purpurascens	Photographed Recorded
Great Curassow	Crax rubra	Near-threatened
Ruddy Crake	Laterallus ruber	Heard only
Short-billed Pigeon	Patagioenas nigrirostris	Recorded
Ruddy Ground-Dove	Columbina talpacoti
Gray-headed Dove	Leptotila plumbeiceps
Gray-chested Dove	Leptotila cassini
Olive-throated Parakeet	Aratinga nana
Vaux's Swift	Chaetura vauxi
Band-tailed Barbthroat	Threnetes ruckeri
(Little Hermit)	Phaethornis longuemareus	Recorded
Western Long-tailed Hermit	Phaethornis longirostris
Violet Sabrewing	Campylopterus hemileucurus
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird	Amazilia tzacatl	Recorded
White-bellied Emerald	Agyrtria candida
Black-headed Trogon	Trogon melanocephalus	Photographed
Blue-crowned Motmot	Momotus momota	Photographed
Collared Aracari	Pteroglossus torquatus	Recorded
Golden-fronted Woodpecker	Melanerpes aurifrons
Smoky-brown Woodpecker	Veniliornis fumigatus	Photographed
Pale-billed Woodpecker	Campephilus guatemalensis	Recorded
Plain Xenops	Xenops minutus
Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner	Automolus ochrolaemus	Recorded
Tawny-winged Woodcreeper	Dendrocincla anabatina	Photographed
Ruddy Woodcreeper	Dendrocincla homochroa	Photographed
Ivory-billed Woodcreeper	Xiphorhynchus flavigaster
Streak-headed Woodcreeper	Lepidocolaptes souleyetii	Recorded
Barred Antshrike	Thamnophilus doliatus
Dot-winged Antwren	Microrhopias quixensis	Photographed
Dusky Antbird	Cercomacra tyrannina	Recorded
Black-faced (Mexican) Antthrush	Formicarius analis (monoliger)	Recorded
White-collared Manakin	Manacus candei	Photographed
Red-capped Manakin	Pipra mentalis	Photographed
Greenish Elaenia	Myiopagis viridicata
Ochre-bellied Flycatcher	Mionectes oleagineus
Northern Bentbill	Oncostoma cinereigulare
Common Tody-Flycatcher	Todirostrum cinereum
Stub-tailed Spadebill	Platyrinchus cancrominus	Recorded
Sulphur-rumped Flycatcher	Myiobius sulphureipygius	Photographed
Tropical Pewee	Contopus cinereus	Recorded
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	Empidonax flaviventris
Acadian Flycatcher	Empidonax virescens	Possibly seen
Least Flycatcher	Empidonax minimus
Dusky-capped Flycatcher	Myiarchus tuberculifer
Great Kiskadee	Pitangus sulphuratus	Photographed
Social Flycatcher	Myiozetetes similis
Tropical Kingbird	Tyrannus melancholicus	Recorded
Couch's Kingbird	Tyrannus couchii
Thrush-like Schiffornis	Schiffornis turdinus	Photographed Recorded
Rose-throated Becard	Pachyramphus aglaiae
Masked Tityra	Tityra semifasciata
Northern Rough-winged Swallow	Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Spot-breasted Wren	Thryothorus maculipectus
House Wren	Troglodytes aedon
White-breasted Wood-Wren	Henicorhina leucosticta	Photographed
Gray Catbird	Dumetella carolinensis	Recorded
Wood Thrush	Hylocichla mustelina
Clay-colored Robin	Turdus grayi
Long-billed Gnatwren	Ramphocaenus melanurus
Brown Jay	Cyanocorax morio	Photographed
White-eyed Vireo	Vireo griseus
Yellow-throated Vireo	Vireo flavifrons
Tawny-crowned Greenlet	Hylophilus ochraceiceps
Lesser Greenlet	Hylophilus decurtatus
Magnolia Warbler	Dendroica magnolia
Black-and-white Warbler	Mniotilta varia
American Redstart	Setophaga ruticilla
Worm-eating Warbler	Helmitheros vermivorus
Ovenbird	Seiurus aurocapilla	Recorded
Louisiana Waterthrush	Seiurus motacilla
Kentucky Warbler	Oporornis formosus	Recorded
Common Yellowthroat	Geothlypis trichas
Hooded Warbler	Wilsonia citrina	Photographed
Rufous-capped Warbler	Basileuterus rufifrons
Gray-headed Tanager	Eucometis penicillata
Black-throated Shrike-Tanager	Lanio aurantius	Recorded
Red-crowned Ant-Tanager	Habia rubica	Recorded
Red-throated Ant-Tanager	Habia fuscicauda	Photographed Recorded
Summer Tanager	Piranga rubra	Recorded
Crimson-collared Tanager	Ramphocelus sanguinolentus
Passerini's Tanager	Ramphocelus passerinii	Recorded
Blue-gray Tanager	Thraupis episcopus
Olive-backed Euphonia	Euphonia gouldi
Golden-hooded Tanager	Tangara larvata
Green Honeycreeper	Chlorophanes spiza
Shining Honeycreeper	Cyanerpes lucidus	Recorded
Red-legged Honeycreeper	Cyanerpes cyaneus
Blue-black Grassquit	Volatinia jacarina
Variable Seedeater	Sporophila corvina	Photographed
White-collared Seedeater	Sporophila torqueola
Yellow-faced Grassquit	Tiaris olivacea	Rare/Accidental
Orange-billed Sparrow	Arremon aurantiirostris	Photographed Recorded
Grayish Saltator	Saltator coerulescens
Buff-throated Saltator	Saltator maximus
Black-headed Saltator	Saltator atriceps
Black-faced Grosbeak	Caryothraustes poliogaster	Recorded
Blue-black Grosbeak	Cyanocompsa cyanoides	Recorded
Indigo Bunting	Passerina cyanea
Melodious Blackbird	Dives dives
Yellow-tailed Oriole	Icterus mesomelas	Photographed
Baltimore Oriole	Icterus galbula
Yellow-billed Cacique	Amblycercus holosericeus
Montezuma Oropendola	Gymnostinops montezuma