[wisb] Re: Tulum, Mexico birding ideas?
- From: John Idzikowski <idzikoj@xxxxxxx>
- To: jeanbean krieg <jeanbean.krieg@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2011 11:47:06 -0600 (CST)
I've been fortunate to have visited this area 3 or 4 times so here are a few
comments. I'll post this to all as this is one of the easiest trips to make
from Wisconsin to Mexico for tropical birding. There should be far fewer
tourists now as opposed to the Christmas period. Bird lists for this area are
easy to find on the Net so I'll leave that out. One of the biggest differences
between temperate and tropical birding is that -especially in the more mature
forests- there is high diversity but fewer individuals of a species per area
than we are used to. Because of this you'll be finding new species daily and
miss many. Use a Pygmy Owl imitation extensively when birding Mexico to get
small birds -and Pygmy Owls- to mob and react.
Bird the edges of the Tulum ruins compound at the stone fence including the
path leading from the shops to the ruins and the north-south road just before
you get to the stone entrance of the ruins proper; it is a good idea to get
here early. The habitat is low scrub compared to the tropical deciduous forest
to the west; check out the beach from the bluff to the north of the el Castillo
temple. The view here is great.
One can find some of the most mature deciduous tropical forest in all of
Yucatan at the Punta Laguna Nature Preserve off of the Tulum-Coba Highway as
well as good birding, but most come for the spider and howler monkeys- you are
expected to pay a guide but tell them you are interested in birds and after
they show you the monkeys you probably can go on the trails by yourself, but
things change frequently in Mexico. Last time I was there the family living at
the entrance was very Mayan, poor and the women were selling Mayan textiles.
The Tulum-Coba highway will produce many great areas to stop and bird- look for
raptors once the thermals of the day have picked up- stop in areas where the
forest is thick right up to highway, esp just before you get to Coba, but make
sure that you are way off the road. Look for flycatchers and flocks of toucans
crossing the road. Always be aware of wild dogs which are near every human
habitation- if you are attacked or threatened just pretend that you are picking
up a stone to throw- it seems to be a universal defense, but if the attackers
are javelinas you'll have to run back to your car. Always be listening for
groups of these snorting from the brush- they are dumb, nearsighted and can be
very aggressive. Drinks and snacks are much cheaper at the small stands that
cater to the locals rather than the stands that are larger, have tourist stuff
and are regular stops for the buses from the hotels, but no English is spoken
at these. Note the people in the more secluded villages along this highway and
the huts that they live in- many are mostly Mayan; you can purchase Mayan arts
and crafts directly from some of the locals- look for the homes with huipils
and/or carvings displayed.
The other place to bird is Coba- bird all around the lagoon between the ruins
and town. Try to get to the ruins early before the tour buses arrive around 10
a.m. and bird the long trail- 2-3 miles to the pyramid Nonoch Mul- take the
side trails to the lesser ruins along the way and bird the back edges. Use a
whistled "toot-toot..." pygmy owl imitation to get the forest birds and
neotropical migrants going. Read up a bit on Coba and Tulum as they
fascinating places historically in relation to the other big ruins of the
Peninsula; look for the unbelievably work intensive sacbe at Coba and find out
why they made Nonoch Mul so tall. You can do both Coba and Punta Laguna in a
long day or stay in Coba if there is any room at the motels.
Most birders who visit the big biopreserves on the Coast- Sian Ka'an and Xcaret
find them very pricey so unless money is no object bird the access roads up to
the gates- unless you want to swim with dolphins for probably now about $175 US
plus your daily entrance fee. Check out trip accounts and species lists at
Birding the Americas or on Surfbirds.
John Idzikowski
Milwaukee
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jean Krieg" <jeanbean.krieg@xxxxxxxxx>
To: wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, January 22, 2011 1:41:32 PM
Subject: [wisb] Tulum, Mexico birding ideas?
Hi - We're headed off to the Tulum, Mexico area in a few weeks.
If you have any ideas for places to bird please send them -
jeanbean.krieg@xxxxxxxxx
Thanks!
Jean Krieg, Madison, Dane county
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