The YUCATÁN, the LACANDÓN, and COZUMEL 18 Jan–1 Feb 2013 Leader: Michael Retter Photos by Michael Retter There were a couple alterations to the tour this year, and for the better, I think. Cozumel was included as part of the main tour rather than just an extension, and we took a boat ride up into the pristine Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve. As a result, we had good looks at all of the endemic species and most of the endemic subspecies on Cozumel, and enjoyed thrilling ride up the rushing crystal waters of the Río Tzendales. Along the way, we saw some great birds, such as Scaled Pigeon and King Vulture. While birding the Río Usumacinta marshes on the last day, we had the good fortune to be invited by a kindly farmer to drive around on the levees throughout thousands of acres of rice fields, which afforded us some stellar views of immense numbers of birds. We tallied hundreds of herons, egrets, and Fork-tailed Flycatchers, and clouds of thousands of Grassland Yellow-finches. But of course, the awe-inspiring Maya ruins are the main draw for many who come on this tour, and prolonged views of them are practically guaranteed! 18 Jan Arrival in Cancún 19 Jan A. B. Marín Botanical Gardens to Cozumel 20 Jan Cozumel and Chichén Itzá 21 Jan Río Lagartos (desert scrub and mangrove boat trip) 22 Jan Cobá to Felipe Carillo Puerto 23 Jan Felipe Carillo Puerto to Xpujil 24 Jan Calakmul 25 Jan Calakmul to Palenque via Río Usumacinta marshes 26 Jan Palenque 27 Jan Bonampak 28 Jan Yaxchilán 29 Jan Bonampak to Las Guacamayas 30 Jan Río Tzendales 31 Jan Palenque to Villahermosa via Río Usumacinta marshes 1 Feb Departure from Villahermosa . The YUCATÁN and the LACANDÓN 25 July–9 August 2011 - 1 - Summary The A.B. Marín Botanical Gardens is a perfect place to start this tour. It’s a short drive from the hotel and on the way to the Cozumel ferry. As is usually the case in January in Mexico, wintering warblers were in abundance. Some of the first birds we saw were Yellow-throated Warbler, Northern Parula, and Northern Waterthrush in the garden’s parking lot. As luck would have it, an army ant swarm was crossing the trail in the native forest portion of the property. Red-throated Ant-tanager, Yucatán Jay, Kentucky Warbler, Hooded Warbler, and Black Catbird (above) all put on a show. We took the ferry over to Cozumel in the afternoon, and had some nice birds in the parking lot of the hotel when we arrived: Carribean Elania, Green-breasted Mango, more Black Catbirds, and a handsome male Cozumel Emerald. We birded a nice tract of native forest next next morning, and easily picked up the remaining endemic species: Cozumel Vireo and Cozumel Wren. We also saw a number of endemic subspecies and Carribean species, such as “Cozumel” Gnatcatcher, “Cozumel” Peppershrike, Yucatán Vireo, White-crowned Pigeon, Caribbean Dove, Western Spindalis, and flowering a tree full of dozens of “Cozumel” Bananaquits. After crossing back over on the ferry and a delicious meal of Yucatecan barbecue, it was off to the incomparable Chichén Itzá and its famous El Castillo pyramid (left). Our visit was timed perfectly for the golden, evening light. The YUCATÁN and the LACANDÓN 25 July–9 August 2011 - 2 - The desert-like habitat along the northern coast of the peninsula offered us a suite of species not seen elsewhere on the trip. Near Río Lagartos we found Yucatán Wren, Yucatán Bobwhite, Orange Oriole, Zenaida Dove, Cinnamon Hummingbird, and Lesser Roadrunner. Prolonged views of Yucatán Jay and Mexican Sheartail (right) were especially memorable. We spent the afternoon out on the Ría Lagartos, among the mangroves, salt pans, and flocks of the intensely coral American Flamingos (below, with Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture). We also had nice views of a white morph reddish egret, some American Oystercatchers, and a Bare-throated Tiger-Heron. The YUCATÁN and the LACANDÓN 25 July–9 August 2011 - 3 - A visit to the Cobá ruins was in store the next morning, and we readily found our main target there: the endemic Rose-throated Tanager. Continuing south, we abruptly turned the van around to ogle a striking Turquoise-browed Motmot. Persistence paid off this evening, as we carefully checked dozens and dozens of parrots streaming by the outskirts of Felipe Carillo Puerto. We finally found a male that lacked green lesser primary coverts and had yellow lores qnd a dark ear patch, making it a Yucatán Parrot (above right) rather than the ubiquitous White-fronted. We started out very early the next morning in order to do some night birding, and were rewarded with a couple singing Yucatán Poorwills. Unfortunately, it started to rain shortly after dawn, which markedly depressed bird activity. We still managed excellent views of a few targets, though: Yucatán Flycatcher, Green-backed Sparrow and Campylopterus pampa, a new IOC split called Wedge-tailed Sabrewing. After lunch, we drove south and west to Xpujil for the night. The next morning we set out for Calakmul, one of my favorite birding locations in all of Middle America. Great birding and what is perhaps the Maya word’s most impressive ruins. What more could you ask for! The Ocellated Turkeys (left) preformed on cue, displaying in the Gran Plaza and even hopping up the vine-covered steps of the huge pyramid! We headed back to Xpujil for the late afternoon, where we visited the ruins of the same name, conveniently located across the road from our hotel. The YUCATÁN and the LACANDÓN 25 July–9 August 2011 - 4 - Another morning along the entrance road to Calakmul (within the massive biosphere reserve) was very productive, especially our time spent at another army ant swarm. As is typical in this part of the word, it was attended by a couple Gray-throated Chats (female at left). Also present were Roadside Hawk, White-browed Wren, Hooded Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Red-throated Ant-tanager, Ruddy Woodcreeper, Groove-billed Ani, Melodious Blackbird, Tawny-winged Woodcreeper, and a surprising second view of Rose-throated Tanager. We headed west as it began to get warm (pausing along the way for a troop of coatis), and had lunch at a nice restaurant along the shores of the Laguna de Silvituc (below). While we waited for our food, we birded along the edge of the lake and found dozens of Snail Kites, Purple Gallinules, Mangrove Swallows, and Northern Jaçanas. The YUCATÁN and the LACANDÓN 25 July–9 August 2011 - 5 - Watching the flooded fields and ditches on our westward journey through the Usumacinta floodplain yielded many heron, egrets, ibises, and the like. Bat Falcon, Aplomado Falcon, White-tailed Hawk, and Limpkin were also nice finds, but a huge Jabiru (right)—extremely rare in Mexico—was by far the best find. We awoke the next morning in Chiapas, not far from the entrance to the famous Palenque ruins (below). Spectacular as always, they contain some particularly distinctive architecture not found elsewhere in the Maya world. The avian highlight of our visit was a fruiting fig full of honeycreepers, Collared Araçaris, Masked Tityras, Keel-billed Toucans, and Golden-hooded and Yellow-winged tanagers. It was also interesting to watch an Aztec Parakeet seemingly eating the wood pulp from the top of a termite nest. Bonampak, in the rich Lacandón Rainforest, was our birding location the following morning. We intersected a rather cooperative and diverse mid-story flock as it crossed over the road. Gray- headed Tanager, Black- throated Shrike-Tanager Plain Xenops, Plain Antvireo, Dot- winged Antwren, Tawny- . The YUCATÁN and the LACANDÓN 25 July–9 August 2011 - 6 - crowned Greenlet, Royal Flycatcher… I’m sure I’ve forgotten a few! Out on the landing strip, flowering vines draped in the trees yielded Black-crested Coquette, Purple-crowned Fairy, Black-cowled Oriole, and Green Honeycreeper. A male Blue Ground-Dove responded nicely to playback, and we found Barred Antshrike and Dusky Antbird in the thickets. We made sure we were still in the open area at hawk-eagle o’clock (10:30), and were treated to three White Hawks, a pair of Double-toothed Kites, and a Black Hawk-Eagle. When the raptor show was over, we headed a bit further into the complex to view the stunning Maya paintings (above) which Bonampak is famous for. But on the way, a small flock caught our attention. I honestly can’t remember what most of the birds were, though, because it was in this flock that the rarest bird of the trip was found: Mexico’s second record of White-winged Becard (a female). Unfortunately, both it and the flock disappeared very quickly, and no one managed a photograph. We boarded a motorized canoe and headed down the fog- enshrouded Río Usumacinta (left) at dawn the next day. Our destination was the remote ruins site of Yaxchilán. One of the nice things about this site is that most of the tourist groups don’t arrive until mid- morning (and those groups are few . The YUCATÁN and the LACANDÓN 25 July–9 August 2011 - 7 - and far between), so you have the place to yourself for most of the morning. A quick check of the landing strip produced a large mixed flock of Variable Seedeaters and Indigo and Painted buntings, a pair of Rufous-breasted Spinetails, both tody- flycatchers, and the very scare Yellow-tailed Oriole. In the ruins complex proper we found Scaly-breasted Hummingbird, Mealy Parrot, White-whiskered Puffbird, and Rufous-tailed Jacamar. Another vigil at hawk-eagle o’clock yielded only a King Vulture (right).