The return from our trip to Belize was like many trips others have experienced. Ms. JG and I were amazed by the experience but glad to get home. The participants in our trip were all interesting and friendly (only nine total including us). The photo opportunities at Bird’s Eye View Lodge and Lamanai Outpost Lodge, including walking and boat excursions, were abundant, and we took advantage of them to the fullest. I will provide more background about the environment and location in future Buckets. Today’s Bucket will showcase a few of the birds we observed during the first couple of days. I took two memory cards’ worth of photos, each with about 4,000 photos and videos, a rich vault of memories of our trip. Join us as we take you along.
Our first lodging was at Bird's Eye View Lodge, located in Crooked Tree, an hour away from Belize City. Many birds were visible without leaving the lodge and its waterfront.
This is the first look at the Vermillion Flycatcher, much different from the closeup I got later in the trip.
Some of the birds we have in the Seattle area where we live. Green Heron are only in our area in the summer.
We have swallows, but ours are not building nests yet.
You’ll get to know this Banded Kingfisher better in future episodes. Up close and personal. Some of the birds we saw every day.
Some birds, like this oriole, are mostly hidden at first.
After hours of watching, better views are found. This is a Baltimore Oriole, one of the oriole species we watched.
I enjoyed most the birds that gave me a chance to catch them in an active pose.
We’d seen the Little Blue Heron before, but not as well. The colors are striking. I enjoy herons and there will be several other species of them in future Buckets.
Little Blue Herons were daily feeders on the waterfront of our lodging.
I tried to capture birds in their hidden state as well as when fully in the open.
The morning light proved a challenge for photography. After first found hiding in the bushes, this Great Egret finally fed in the open for a clear photo.
A new bird for us was a White Ibis. They were easier to photograph than the egret.
After getting some good photos, I could try to get some poses.
And some closeups. I think I have some in flight in future installments.
I took videos which is the sequence part of this Bucket.
Sandpipers frequented our shore every morning and into the afternoon. Both Least and Spotted Sandpipers fed there. The Spotted bobbed their tails and there were only two or three. This is a Least Sandpiper (according to the Merlin app). I recognize them better when they are in a group.
After watching awhile, I was able to get some preening photos.
Another feeder on our shore was this Limpkin. We saw them every day.
We’ve only been home in the Pacific Northwest one day so far. There are more photos and videos to come. I hope the rest of you are finding different birds as the season changes to spring. Please take time to comment and add some photos of your own.
