Monday, August 29, 2022

The Belize Raptor Center


Luna the spectacled owl at The Belize Raptor Center 

Today I picked a popular post from my sidebar for another stroll down memory lane. This post isn't that old, but you made it a favorite. I love it too. It's a hoot! 

"A wise old owl sat in an oak. The more he saw, the less he spoke. The less he spoke, the more he heard. Why can't we be like that wise old bird?" Edward Hersey Richards

The road sign for the BRC was tiny, weather-beaten, and hand-scrawled, typical signage in and around San Ignacio, Belize. Still, we were curious. Later that same week, our jungle hosts endeared us to the excellent tour at the BRC - not only fantastic, but free. Donations are encouraged; back then, they equaled a free t-shirt.

 The tour proceeds rain or shine, tourist, or not since the raptors need food and exercise daily. Follow my lens for a fun, feathered photo safari...


 
I think this is Ky, the gray-headed kite. 





I think this is Jamin, the bat-falcon. Or is it Maya, the Orange-breasted falcon? I have a Maya t-shirt, so I should know, right? Hmmm.





Ghost.




Zion, perhaps? Akna? Not sure.



This is Cora, the black vulture. She is a special bird, beloved by Sarah, the raptor whisperer. Cora follows Sarah everywhere and loves to receive beak massages. I dare you to massage this beak! Sarah did, repeatedly. All creatures need a little love.


At the end of the tour, we spotted baby howler monkeys in the canopy above. I hope this post persuades some of you to spurn the isolated islands like Ambergris Key, and have a real vacation on the mainland. 

Those who drink whiskey with the owls at night, cannot soar with the eagles the next day.  Brian D. Ratty 


 My blog might be transitioning to my new author website next week. Either way, it is happening soon. I hope you'll follow my feet to my new location!

  






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24 comments:

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Beautiful examples of hawks, owl and vuklture!

DJan said...

I love barn owls, their pretty face is unforgettable. Thanks for the raptor tour, I loved it. :-)

Jim said...

Great shots.

DUTA said...

Sometime ago I wrote a comment on a birder's post on owls: ' Ugly is beautiful'. I meant the ugliness of the owl, which was really beautiful in my eyes.

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

wonderful birds - my favs are the owls

Su-sieee! Mac said...

Wow, what a fun visit you had! I'm impressed with the wildlife whisperers, getting the birds to be okay with meeting humans.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

The owls are just fabulous! What a thrill to see all of these beautiful raptors! Great photos too!

Tanza Erlambang said...

Yes, Luna is "the spectacled owl."....and look great.
thank you for sharing beautiful photos.

Duwan @MakeLikeAnApeman said...

Love this! I was only in San Ignacio once before overnight. Wish we had stayed. Longer. Perhaps we will have to return.

In Tucson, AZ they have/had something similar at the Desert Museum called Raptor Free Flight. It is amazing to see them fly through the air. Often time they fly inches/feet from the crowd. They aren't doing it any more because of the pandemic (,it was very popular and people would squeeze in to see the demo) but I think you can pay (a lot) for a private demo.

When Greg and I go to bird demos like this I make him write down all the names while I photograph.

Rain said...

What beautiful photos!! I love "Maya", a gorgeous bird with such lovely colouring! :)

Photo Cache said...

What an awesome place. I would not miss that.

Worth a Thousand Words

Shiju Sugunan said...

Gorgeous photos of some wonderful birds!

Angie said...

Sharon - all those magnificent birds, and for free! If we visited Belize again, I would certainly split my time between the remote islands and the mainland! Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday!

s.c said...

Great birds to see.

Peabea Scribbles said...

The pretty birds are so fun to watch.Great photos. Looks like nice place to visit. Have a great week.

Mary Kirkland said...

Those birds are beautiful.

Meditations in Motion said...

Cora must be quite a character! Thank you for sharing your visit to the raptor center with us. Another reason to visit Belize! I can't wait until we can travel again.

Dawn said...

oooh my heart! Ghost! My favorite owl. Lovely
Dawn aka Spatulas On Parade

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

I love the owl, Luna and Ghost. The raptors are cool, great collection of photos.
Belize is a beautiful place to visit! Thank you for linking up and sharing your post.
Take care, enjoy your day and week ahead.

Anni said...

How MARvelous!!! Wow, such an impressive post filled with so many beautiful species.

Thanks for linking with us Sharon. Stay safe.

Joanne said...

Beautiful photos! We have a local raptor rehabilitation center near us that we've toured a time or two and I just love learning about the birds.

betty-NZ said...

What gorgeous birds! Each one is beautiful in its own way :)

Thank you for being a part of 'My Corner of the World' this week!

Lady Fi said...

Amazing owls and raptors!

Amy Johnson said...

Such beautiful birds! I love to visit places like this.