[Tweeters] Belize Trip

[Vincent Lucas via Tweeters]

The Garifuna people have a large population in Belize as well.

Subject: [Tweeters] Birding in Belize ... Trip Report
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        <20240419215407.Horde.92NJzoHtHsGiFk-SRM64fMr at webmail.jimbetz.com>
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Hi,

   We have just returned to the States from a birding tour in Belize.
It was great!  The rooms were comfortable, the food was simple/basic
and excellent, the 2 different resorts we stayed in were both convenient
(close to the birding) and accommodating, and the people of Belize are
friendly and honest.  If that isn't enough to make you consider Belize
then I'll add in that our guide was one of the best, if not the best,
birding guide we've ever had - and he was also a history, cultural,
and archeological guide as well!

   Are you "into numbers"?  We had 9 days of guided birding, 3 different
guides but 2 of those were one day only, and we saw 201 species (by my
count).  At the end of each day we sat down with the guide and checked
boxes in a comprehensive list/chart.  In addition, our primary guide
shared his eBird checklists with us.

   Most of the birding was done walking, one boat trip, and some "car
birding" where we drove, stopped, birded, and drove some more.  We
went to pine savanna, oak-transition, jungle, wetlands, and one full
day of island birding on Caulker Caye.
   Belize is the 2nd smallest country in Central America, English is
the official language and the exchange rate is 2 Belizean dollars to
1 U.S.  There are many different language/cultural groups with
Hispanic and Mestizo (Mayan+Hispanic) being the most common.  There
were many whose preferred language was Spanish, but they all spoke
English well enough to speak with us.
   Yes, this is a "Third World Country" ... no, we didn't care.  We
felt safe and welcomed every where we went.  There are about 500,000
people living in Belize and the population density is under 20 per
square kilometer.

   We -highly- recommend Belize, Crystal Paradise (aka "Birding in
Belize"), and our excellent guide Abimael Morales.
                                                             - Jim


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