Belize – Part 4: Birding with Elvis
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Feb 5, 2009 | by Kevin Loughlin
Collared Aracari -photographed from the breakfast table at Black Rock Lodge.
Today I had the opportunity to go Birding with Elvis. We hiked forested trails around Black Rock Lodge in the Cayo District of western Belize. The lodge sits on a mountain side overlooking the scenic Macal River, where from the veranda as we ate breakfast, we enjoyed a White Hawk perched on the other side. The trails wind their way up or down the mountain, through wonderful broad-leaf rainforest full of life. This is where Elvis does most of his birding.
Elvis Bostramonte and Hector Bol, two up-and-coming Belize birding guides.
Hector Bol, one of the birding guides at Black Rock Lodge had been assigned to show me around the grounds and Elvis decided to join us. Elvis Bostramonte is also a guide at the lodge. Together they escorted me toward the summit above the lodge… though we never made it to the top. When Hector noticed the 8 inch surgical scar running across my knee cap, he chose to do a more level trail… I guess he was afraid he may have to carry me back down!
The trail was very productive, as are probably all the trails here. We came across several feeding flocks, or rather, they came across us. Tawny-winged Woodcreeper, Wedge-billed Woodcreeper, Lesser Greenlets and many North American migrants joined in the frenzy, then disappeared leaving the forest eerily silent until the next flock came through soon after.
Back to the lodge for lunch, I had to depart soon after. Hector and Elvis also left the building…