Bird Week Wrap Up – 2 Bird Species in One Shot

Birding has been great at Lower Dover Jungle Lodge lately. The Wild Grape trees that line our jungle hotel grounds are prime habitat for all kinds of birds, especially when the trees are fruiting.  Recently, two birds stopped by to eat it’s seeds while we were bird watching on the 100 jungle acres in Belize.

Male Yellow Throated Warbler and female White Collared Manakin bird photo

The olive and yellow bird is a female White-Collared Manakin. The other bird is one of two subspecies of Yellow-Throated Warblers found in Belize, Dendroica dominica. We know these birds in the picture are not the same species because of their different shaped bills.

Bird Watching Photography at Lower Dover Belize Jungle Lodge

H. Lee Jones describes the female White-Collared Manakin as olive with a yellowish body in his book, Birds of Belize.   Jones helps birders differentiate the male Yellow Throated Warbler between subspecies by noting the yellow fore-half of the supercilium of the subspecies seen. The other subspecies, Dendroica albilora is without yellow on the supercilium (above the eye).

Two tropical birds on one branch in Belize

Click on the image above for a close up to see the yellow over the Warbler’s eye.

Tropical Birdwatching: Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet in Belize

Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet bird photo in Belize

We caught a quick bird photo of this Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet while hiking along the medicinal plant trail at Lower Dover Belize Jungle Lodge. Lower Dover has plenty of flycatchers to see, including the Great Kiskadee, our logo’s inspiration.

Notice the bright orange lower mandible of the flycatcher

According to Birds of Belize, by H. Lee Jones, the Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet does not have the colorful markings common in flycatchers. Rather, it is the distinct, bright orange lower mandible, that identifies this jungle bird (click on the photo for a better look). Tropical birdwatchers will find the Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet sometimes hanging upside down while gleaning insects. Maybe you can get that bird photograph while visiting Lower Dover Jungle Lodge!

Jungle Bird Photos : Female White-Collared Seedeater

Earlier we wrote a story how we were fortunate to have a nesting pair of White Collard Seedeaters right outside of the bunkhouse at Lower Dover Belize Jungle Lodge. This kind of seedeater is very common in the fields and along forest edges throughout the Cayo District.

Female White Collared Seedeater photograph in bamboo

While on a bird watching hike along the Belize River, we spotted this female White-Collared Seedeater perched on a bamboo thistle overhanging the confluence of Barton Creek and the Belize River.

Bird Photography in Belize at Lower Dover Jungle Lodge

In the absence of the clearly marked male nearby, we identified this female jungle bird by it’s buff to whitish wingbars thanks to Birds of Belize, by H. Lee Jones.

Clearly marked wingbars make this female bird easy to identify

Bird Watching in Belize: Black-Headed Saltator

Black-Headed Saltator seen while bird watching at Lower Dover Jungle Lodge

One of the best parts of hiking near the unexcavated Mayan site of Lower Dover in Belize is the surrounding wildlife. The jungle lodge at Lower Dover contains some of the last remaining bush area along the Belize River in the Cayo District. This vital habitat provides ample opportunity to see birds, all while getting a tour of the Maya ceremonial center in the backyard.

Black Headed Saltator - Bird Photography in Belize

We stumbled upon this group of Black Headed Saltators making a scene in the trees over one of the larger Mayan temples. Most of the time multiple Saltators will be seen traveling together and blasting their bird calls in unison. Luckily for our bird watching friends, we were able to see both the male and female together in the same tree.

Male and Female Black-Headed Saltator on Lower Dover Mayan Temple

Bird Week in Belize: Brown Jays aka Pam Pams

Brown Jay, aka Pam Pam, seen in the jungle at Lower Dover

Since bird watching is such a breeze at Lower Dover Jungle Lodge, we decided to showcase some bird photography that we have stashed away for safe keeping. Today marks the beginning of our self proclaimed bird week here at Lower Dover. Birding here is as simple as looking outside your cabana at all times of day. This time it was a Brown Jay, aka Pam Pam (because of the noisy call) near the Honeymoon Suite.

Birding for Brown Jays at Lower Dover Jungle Lodge

These jays are very common in the jungle. They act as “jungle watchmen” to alert the forest animals of activity on the ground, from a perched position in the canopy. While hiking the nature trails at Lower Dover Jungle Lodge, bird seekers are sure to encounter at least one, but more likely a large group of Brown Jays. Trust us, birders will know when the Pam Pam is around…