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Description
The Vigia Chico Road was famous among birders. The old pot-holed dirt road outside of the city of Felipe Carrillo Puerto traveled many kilometres eastwards into the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. It was a little-travelled road which headed through a variety of habitats (forest, farmland, scrub, some small lakes). The road provided a habitat for many of the Yucatan Peninsula's endemic species. But recent roadworks have had a big impact. The road has been widened and improved and the work was still in full swing when we visited in January 2024. Trucks were all over the place. Sad to see so many trees that have been felled to make way for the new wide road (see the uploaded picture). The birding is still good (especially in early morning and often best near more open spaces or near the scattered small lakes along the road), but the quietness and the serene atmosphere are gone.
Although the works were still going on when we visited in January 2024, most stretches of the road seemed to be ready and we could watch birds without any problems. Just park your car on the side of the road so that the trucks and other traffic can pass.
Among the birds we observed or heard along the road were Black Catbird, Yucatan Jay, Rose-throated Tanager, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Thicket Tinamou, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Northern Potoo, Yucatan Nightjar, Black-headed Trogon, White-bellied Wren, Ivory-billed Woodcreeper, Ruddy Woodcreeper, Tawny-winged Woodcreeper, Keel-billed Toucan, Grey-collared Becard, Yellow-billed Cacique, Stub-tailed Spadebill, Mayan Antthrush, Yucatan Flycatcher, Canivet's Emerald, Black-cowled Oriole and Orange Oriole. Nice surprise also was the female Slaty-tailed Trogon we spotted (see the uploaded picture).
If you visit the road, please leave a comment below and describe the current situation.
Details
Access
The Vigio Chico Road is located in the town of Felipe Carillo Puerto, about 95 km southwest of Tulum. The road heads northeast from Felipe Carillo Puerto in the direction of Reserva de la Biósfera Sian Ka'an. The road goes on for many miles. The easiest option is to drive to the first cenote (lake) and start exploring the road from there. Click on the P in the map to get directions to that point. The advantage of the new road is that it is easier to explore by car.
The best time to explore the road is starting just before sunrise. Because of this we spend the night in the simple, but fine hotel Turquesa Maya in Felipe Carillo Puerto. From there it was only a 15 minute drive (7 km) to the first cenote. We didn't only do a morning walk. On arrival we also did an afternoon walk of the road from 4 PM to 7 PM and this also produced plenty of birds and after sunset we saw many nightjars.