Central Mexico & Belize 2005

(a birding trip by RV caravan)

© Bert & Shari Frenz, 2005 All rights reserved.

Chapter 1.  Getting Started at the Texas Border

Day -3 - January 9 – Social Flycatcher and Social Birders
Day -2 - January 10 – Early arrivals
Day 1 – January 12 – Orientation
Day 2 – January 13 – Crimson-collared Grosbeak, jackrabbits and Mexican geography

Chapter 2 - Sierra Madre Oriental

Day 3 - January 14 – The Officer-with-only-eyes
Day 4 - January 15 – Mountains above Monterrey
Day 5 - January 16 – Twists and turns
Day 6 - January 17 – What was your best bird today?

Chapter 3. Central plateau

Day 7 - January 18 – A wrong turn in San Miguel de Allende
Day 8 - January 19 – Touring Guanajuato
Day 9 – January 20 - Vermilion Flycatcher

Chapter 4. Volcanic mountains

Day 10 – January 21 – A slow drive to Pátzcuaro
Day 11 – January 22 – Birds at Tecámbaro and a wedding at Pátzcuaro
Day 12 – January 23 – The island of Janitzio
Day 13 – January 24 – A bad turn at Zitácuaro
Day 14 – January 25 – Riding horses to see butterflies
Day 15 – January 26 – Winding through pine forests in high mountains
Day 16 – January 27 – Freewheeling rutted mountain roads
Day 17 – January 28 – Circumnavigating Toluca and Nevado de Toluca
Day 18 – January 29 – Rare sparrows
Day 19 – January 30 – Starthroat to Erythrina
Day 20 – January 31 – Precious metals and precious birds
Day 21 – February 1 – Dropped driveshaft

Chapter 5.  Valley of Oaxaca

Day 22 – February 2 – Best of scenery follows with worst of traffic
Day 23 – February 3 – Mountain birding and market shopping
Day 24 – February 4 – Finally, an Ocellated Thrasher
Day 25 – February 5 – Tour of Oaxaca
Day 26 – February 6 – Hyperxanthic Chipping Sparrow and Philadelphia Eagles

Chapter 6.  Isthmus of Tehuantepec

Day 27 – February 7 – Reservation mishap
Day 28 – February 8 – Owl prowl
Day 29 – February 9 – 2.5 life birds
Day 30 – February 10 – Finding the Spot-breasted Oriole
Day 31 – February 11 – Pitter pattering on elephant ear leaves
Day 32 – February 12 – Color the world lime green

Chapter 7. Southeast Mexico

Day 33 – February 13 – Filete de res jacaranda
Day 34 – February 14 – A visit to a private ranch and a Valentine’s Party
Day 35 – February 15 – A remote jungle bordering Guatemala
Day 36 – February 16 – Vanilla Cotton Candy skies by day; Spanish taxis by night
Day 37 – February 17 – Caribbean delights

Chapter 8. Northern Belize

Day 38 – February 18 – Border crossing: new procedures again
Day 39 – February 19 – A South American visitor at Crooked Tree
Day 40 – February 20 – Weathervane flycatchers
Day 41 – February 21 – Ant swarm on a jungle trail
Day 42 – February 22 – “Take my picture, take my picture”
Day 43 – February 23 – Catching up
Day 44 – February 24 – River in the morning; river at night
Day 45 – February 25 – $50 doesn’t buy much gas
Day 46 – February 26 – An island – paradise?
Day 47 – February 27 – 500 species

Chapter 9. Central Belize

Day 48 – February 28 – Parrot, both bird and snake
Day 49 – March 1 – Orange-breasted Falcon, Solitary Eagle and Stygian Owl
Day 50 – March 2 – Hunting Ornate Hawk-Eagle
Day 51 – March 3 – Of birds and butterflies
Day 52 – March 4 – Marie Sharp expands
Day 53 – March 5 – Honeycreepers, Spotted Eagle Ray and Brown Boobies – Birds?
Day 54 – March 6 – The best birding site
Day 55 – March 7 – Jaguar scat, Scarlet Macaws and Pitcher Plants
Day 56 – March 8 – Exiting Belize

Chapter 10. Gulf coast of Mexico

Day 57 – March 9 – “Once pollo”
Day 58 – March 10 – Flat tire
Day 59 – March 11 – A missed turn, but later two pygmy-owl species
Day 60 – March 12 – Saturday at the beach
Day 61 – March 13 – My favorite Pemex station
Day 62 – March 14 – Mexico’s worst road no longer is
Day 63 – March 15 – A tight fit
Day 64 – March 16 – A great finish
Day 65 – March 17 – Good roads, but long delay at border

 

Epilogue

 

Appendix A.  Bird List

 

Appendix B.  Mammal List

 

Appendix C.  Reptile & Amphibian List

 

Appendix D.  Flower and Tree List

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Copyright © 2005 Bert Frenz. All rights reserved.
Revised: October 29, 2012.