Birds of the Mayan World 1

Posted By : V7879HOelleng
Jose is so knowledgeable and his English is terrific so he made the tour easy and effective. I loved seeing the birds in their natural settings and listening to all their wonderful sounds. We had a lovely breakfast in a jungle setting. It was a wonderful contrast to the ocean seaside environment and made our visit to Puerto Morelos complete.
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Posted On : 2023-02-10 21:32:12

Posted By : J5344VLmichaelg
Gill (aka Jose) is an amazing tour guide. He knows his stuff and is a good companion to spend a day with. I would highly recommend him to any birders and expect to use him in the future on my next visit to Cancun and vicinity.
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Posted On : 2022-12-26 17:22:08

Posted By : joshuas510
Jose picked me up from my hotel at 5:30am and took me deep into the jungle near Vallarta. We made 5 stops and as a Virginia birder, almost all of the 60+ birds we saw were lifers. We got great looks of a beautiful Turquoise Browed Motmot, Barred Antshrike, Wedge Tailed Sabrewings among others. I was the only one on the tour and Jose answered all of my questions including many about native plants that I didn't ask! We stopped at 9am for a home cooked breakfast over an open-fire grill. Breakfast burritos with fresh avocado and habaneros over a white table cloth with ice cold lemonade. We didn't return to the hotel until 1pm, exhausted. We also saw some unreported Mayan ruins on the private reserve we traveled. 5 stars, would definitely recommend Jose. He also does snake tours and whale shark tours, so I would consider him for those as well.
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Posted On : 2021-09-02 20:20:32

Posted By : mlongnags
Our day with Jose was beyond words, and we learned so much from our kind, new friend. Not only did we see or hear 63 species of birds (you can see our list on ebird.org), but we enjoyed a delicious breakfast, cooked fresh for us, at a comfortable bird watching station. We then headed out for another walk where we observed more birds, learned about a few important endemic plants and trees, and their importance to Mayan culture as well as medicinal uses. The walk ended under a 300 year old Ficus tree. Jose’s passion for the natural world coupled with his knowledge of birds and biology made for an unforgettable day. Thanks again, Jose. We will most certainly be back to Puerto Morelos for another adventure with you!
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Posted On : 2021-04-13 15:36:01

Posted By : Kelli_P
Gil was amazing! He took me to three different locations, provided a homemade breakfast, and we saw over 60 species of birds. It was a great half-day excursion.
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Posted On : 2021-04-04 19:14:57

Posted By : ColegiodeGuias
José is a great tour guide, He knows a lot of information about the birds, the jungle, the different ecosystems around the Yucatan península. He is very respectful with nature and it´s very friendly.
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Posted On : 2020-05-12 15:28:38

Posted By : Birdgryl
Jose was the perfect guide. He is a trained biologist, top eBirder in the area and such a sweet person. And, now, he is my friend. We arrived at the reserve and before entering, we heard the dawn song and saw my target bird, the Turquoise Motmot! We also heard and saw the Collared Aracari, Scaled Pigeon, Curved billed Ani and many others in just 10 minutes of arriving. 7 am is the magical hour. Experiencing the morning song of the jungle alone was worth the trip. Jose could hear and spot the birds in an instant. I was really impressed with his skill and patience. He went on to spot over 60 species, many of them lifers for me including the Masked Tityra, Green and Yucatan Jays, Trogons, Squirrel Cuckoo and the amazing Barred Antshrike (male and female). The endemics were a special treat: Yellow-billed Cacique, Black Catbird and Gray-throated Chat. We also saw mixed flocks of migrating warblers, buntings and grosbeaks. If you want to see the birds of the Yucatan, Jose is your man. I highly recommend him.
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Posted On : 2020-03-12 09:14:51

Posted By : tcbursch
Great way to get off the Cancun beach and see the forest and many amazing birds!
We are amateur naturalists but not big bird listers. Gills easily worked with our level and it was not difficult to see very colorful exotic birds. We enjoyed walking through the forest with him learning Yucatan natural history. His english is very good and he is a very thoughtful person. We highly recommend this tour.
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Posted On : 2020-02-07 18:09:39

Posted By : karenwY5228HJ
We went on a several hour birdwatching walk with Gill at Reserva Toh. Although we have been in Quintana Roo many times, we have not really looked for birds in this area though we have been birding in other parts of Central America.
This outing was great. He met us before dawn but by the time we drove from Puerto Morales to the reserve —about 25 min, it was perfect timing to find birds. We saw over 30 species with the highlights for us being the squirrel tailed cuckoo, Chakalakas and most exciting, the keel billed toucan. There was a good sized hidden denote along the route and evidence of large, unexcavated Mayan ruins. Gill really knows the birds and the wildlife in the area, speaks good English and was very friendly. At the end of the walk we had a Mayan breakfast.
I would HIGHLY recommend this outing for anyone who enjoys birding. Despite the proximity to heavily touristed areas you will be impressed.
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Posted On : 2019-12-22 14:21:39