Pantanos de Centla – Mexico’s Main Marshes
Our final day of the week-long tour of Mexico’s Lacandon Rain Forest and the Maya Ruins.
We had a relaxed morning at our Palenque hotel. The birding from the open-air dining hall at breakfast was actually quite good. A marauding troop of Red-throated Ant-Tanagers entertained us as they stole bites from the fruit platters waiting for the later diners. We also spent some time watching this Golden-fronted Woodpecker excavating a cavity in a coconut palm.
Then it was time to head towards Villahermosa where we spent the final night of our tour. A direct drive is only an hour and a half, but we took the detour through a small part of the Pantanos de Centla, a huge area of freshwater marshes. Here is a concentration of mostly Caspian Terns and Blue-winged Teal, with a few Northern Shovelers and American Coots thrown in.
The Limpkins, Bare-throated Tiger-Herons, and Snail Kites were too numerous to keep a close count (not to mention the utterly countless herons, egrets, ducks, and jacanas), and we had great views of rarer Pinnated Bittern, Black-collared Hawk and Gray-necked Wood-Rail, as well as good comparisons of Glossy and White-faced Ibises. Here’s an immature Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, the plumage after which the group gets its name.
Next year Steve Howell is scheduled to lead this tour (Feb 25 – March 4), but I’ll be joining as a second leader if there are enough participants. I sure hope there are, as I really look forward to returning.
Whenever we look this picture, one thought will arising for me.. “Always straight forward” like this.. Thanks for sharing this awesome picture..
Looks like Mexico’s Everglades. Sounds incredibly exciting!
Nice pictures, they birds are looking amazing.