2011 Belize Birding Tour; Tropical Birding with H. Lee Jones

Aug. 30, 2010 - PRLog -- Punta Gorda Belize:  Lee Jones, author of Birds of Belize, and Cotton Tree Lodge, a premier eco-lodge in southern Belize, are partnering to offer an eight-day/seven-night tropical birding tour to Belize, January 8 – 15, 2011.

This is the second trip that Lee Jones and Cotton Tree Lodge have organized together. The first trip, in early 2010, centered around the Belize Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count. The 2011 itinerary will focus on exploring the diverse environments of the Toledo and Stann Creek Districts of southern Belize. Both Jones and the lodge aim to promote southern Belize, which boasts more than 85% of all species recorded in Belize, as a world class tropical birding destination.

Participants in the 2011 tropical birding tour will be based out of Cotton Tree Lodge and will take daily excursions to Red Bank Village, lowland pine woodland and savanna, the Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Reserve, remote Mayan villages, and the Moho River. Birders can expect to see 7 species of parrots, including Scarlet Macaw and the Belizean subspecies of Yellow-headed Parrot, Great Curassow, Crested Guan, Boat-billed and Bare-throated Tiger-herons, White Hawk, Sungrebe, Squirrel Cuckoo, Blue-crowned Motmot, 4 species of trogons, 5 species of kingfishers, Keel-billed Toucan, Scissor-tailed and Fork-tailed flycatchers, Crimson-collared, Scarlet-rumped, and Golden-hooded tanagers, Red-legged and Green honeycreepers, and much, much more. Last year’s tour tallied nearly 300 species.

The trip is appropriate for both novice and experienced birders. All participants will have full access to Lee Jones’ expertise.

Reservations for the trip can be made through Cotton Tree Lodge. Double occupancy rates for the week start at $1431.5 and include accommodations, all meals, all birding excursions, on-site activities at the lodge, and transfers between Cotton Tree Lodge and Punta Gorda airstrip. Non-birder partners and children are welcome, and may take advantage of tours and activities organized by Cotton Tree Lodge.

About Lee Jones: Lee is an experienced environmental consultant and research biologist based in Punta Gorda. He is the author of Birds of Belize, the definitive guide to birds in Belize, and the Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Belize.

# # #

About Cotton Tree Lodge: An eco-friendly jungle lodge in southern Belize that opened in early 2007. Offering guests cultural, nature, soft adventure, and volunteer experiences in the rainforest. Beautiful accomodations, attentive staff, and a unique, jungle experience.