Thanks to the Morris clan we started off the adventure in Key West, it was awesome. Lots of reveling. Took an amazing day trip out to the Dry Tortugas. The Tortugas are about 60-70 miles off the Florida Keys. It is major nesting site for Sooty Terns, Brown Noddy, Magnificent Frigate Birds, and Bridled Tern. I spent the day exploring Fort Jefferson and watching / logging some life birds.
Fort Jefferson
Frigate Birds
Nesting area
Frigate Birds
Brown Noddy
Royal Tern
Ruddy Turnstone, dominant shorebird on the island. Doubt I'll be getting this close on Plum.
A number of Skimmer's were on the island as well. I am real big fan of Skimmers, I hardly get to see them. As such, I took a bunch of pictures.
There was also a Crocodile milling around the fort...so that was cool and unnerving.
I learned also in Key West every time you hear a sound in the bushes...a herd of Chickens charge out. Here 2 Roosters proceed to chase each other in circles while Tina and I watch in bewilderment.
Next we flew from Florida to Belize City, and from there took a puddle jumper to Plancencia. We stayed at the Green Parrot an awesome spot right on the beach recommended by Whitney and Brian. We got hooked up by Leo the manager, and went out with some great guides. The birding in Belize lived up to its infamy, birds everywhere from the second we touched down.
Plancencia
We went with a guide up the Monkey River seeing TONS of birds, Howler Monkeys, and even a few Manatees .
Tropical Kingbird
Red-Lored Parrot
Common Tody Flycatcher ...I think
Social Flycatcher
Yellow Throated Euphonia
Some kind of Creeper, Tawny-winged I think
Prothonotary Warbler
Keel-Billed Toucan, one of 10+ birds we saw the last day. Leo took us out to a Reserve on the last night so we could see these birds prior to leaving. Shot by Casey.
Bare-Throated Tiger Heron. I was very excited to see these.
Little Blue Heron
Croc
Montezuma Oropendola nests, numerous birds flying about.
White-Collard Seedeater
Acorn Woodpecker.
I had to review the ol' book to figure out some of my new pals, of course with a cocktail.
Sometimes in Belize you have a tree frog in your toilet.
Common Basilisk
Golden silk orb weaver...extremely large spider
Blue Gray Tanager
Brown Booby
Parrakeet
Howler Monkey
Here we have the Plum Island snorkel tag team at Laughing Bird Kaye National Park. It was an amazingly healthy reef, very well protected by a full time live in ranger, well done Belize. Incredible to explore, like swimming through a forest. At any rate, great trip we were sad to go back to the frozen north.
Pretty strait forward on this one...
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