Glaucous Gull

This Glaucous Gull was at Westmoreland Park. I think it is a first year bird.

WHITE-FRONTED PARROT

How can you not love looking at a parrot? There were many WHITE-FRONTED PARROTS at Chichen Itza. They can be remarkably noisy when in a group.

CENTRAL AMERICAN (LEAST) PYGMY-OWL

Also at Chichen Itza we found the tiny CENTRAL AMERICAN PYGMY-OWL, also called LEAST PYGMY-OWL. At only 5.5-6 inches it is smaller than a robin and similar in size to many sparrows. We saw 2 there both mornings that we were there, and they copulated both days.

TURQUOISE-BROWED MOTMOT

We were fortunate to find both Blue-crowned Motmot and this TURQUOISE-BROWED MOTMOT while at Chichen Itza.

ROSEATE SPOONBILL, BOAT-BILLED HERON, REDDISH EGRET

Bird Island also had, from top to bottom, colorful ROSEATE SPOONBILL; the bizarre and nocturnal BOAT-BILLED HERON; and several beautiful REDDISH EGRET in which the red contrasts nicely with its blue legs. While at Bird Island, we also saw Great Blue, Little Blue, and Tricolored Herons; Great and Snowy Egrets; and White Ibis

MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRDS

A highlight of the vacation was a sea kayak trip at the Sian Ka'an Biosphere, a large protected area on the southern coast of the Yucutan. We kayaked to the aptly named Bird Island, a small mangrove island no larger than 25 meters in diameter. We were first struck by the large number of Magnificent Frigatebirds. They nest there, and we got a good view of a male with its red gular pouch inflated as well as a mostly-white immature. These birds are quite striking when flying, with their forked tails and angled pointed wings.

PLAIN CHACHALACA

We found this PLAIN CHACHALACA perched in a tree at Tulum.

YUCUTAN JAY

The YUCUTAN JAY, here seen at the ruins of Tulum, is a striking bird with velvety blue and black coloration. The immature is even more striking with a bright yellow bill and white eyering.

RED-THROATED ANT-TANAGER, RUDDY WOODCREEPER

Coba is a gorgeous area with beautiful ruins in a forested setting. At one point we saw several birds and upon closer look found a small swarm of ants with both male (top) and female (middle) RED-THROATED ANT-TANAGERS and a nearby RUDDY WOODCREEPER, here looking quite funky with its raised head feathers.

Hooded Oriole, Tricolored Heron, Squirrel Cuckoo

While in Puerto Morelos, there were lots of good birds right near our hotel. HOODED ORIOLES were seen daily, and several times a TRICOLORED HERON came to the small pond adjacent to the hotel grounds. A SQUIRREL CUCKOO is such a striking bird with its red coloration and long patterned tail.