Quest Nature Tours

Belize and Guatemala 2011 - Page 1 of 8

Keel-billed Toucan is the national bird of Belize.

I thank Laurielle Penny of Quest Nature Tours for inviting me to lead this 12-day adventure trip to Belize and Guatemala from 21 February to 4 March 2011. Our Belizian guides, Luis Godoy and Rene, did an outstanding job of showing us Belize. Additional local guides enhanced our experiences. We visited four Mayan sites and three caves. Thank you to everyone in our Quest group for enthusiasm and good spotting.

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Every morning Great Kiskadees fed on the fruit of Royal Palm in the garden of the Biltmore Hotel in Belize City. This tree attracted orioles, woodpeckers, grackles, flycatchers and more. 23 February 2011.

Golden-fronted Woodpecker on Royal Palm. 23 February 2011.

Social Flycatcher also on Royal Palm waiting to eat fruit. 23 February 2011.

To reach Lamanai Mayan site, our group of 14 took a 50 km boat ride on the New River, spotting wildlife there and back. 22 Feb 2011.

Our guides - left to right: Rene, Luis Godoy and Luis's brother who drove the boat and guided us at Lamanai.

Belize Slider, a species of turtle. 22 February 2011.

From the river we saw a very rare Jabiru stork on the nest in Ceiba tree. 22 February 2011.

Northern Jacanas were common on shallow vegetation along the sides of the river. 22 February 2011.

This wild Geoffroy's Spider Monkey came to check us out. 22 February 2011.

Temple of the Jaguar in Lamanai, Belize. Lamanai means Submerged Crocodile. 22 March 2011.

Morelet's Crocodile is an endangered species in Belize. Unlike the American Crocodile, it inhabits fresh water. It floated motionless in the river. Waiting... 22 February 2011.

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