Happy Thanksgiving!

You never know who you may run into !!!!

Strolling through the Belmopan Market two amazing artists and long time friends bumped into each other. Pen Cayetano and Carolyn Carr have known each other for years and have even held exhibitions together. He invited us to visit his newly opened gallery in Dangriga. He has renovated his home of his youth into a lifetime portrait of his work and passion - music and painting. His wife Ingrid also displays her beautiful needleart on canvas. It is almost like visiting a mini museum with all their collection of musical instruments and Garifuna culture. Even through Pen has returned to Belize after living many years in Germany to retire he has many projects and dreams to fulfill especially with the Belizean youth.

Banana Bank Blitz'n

Atlanta Los Angeles Baltimore

Nashville Washington DC

As a new marketing effort we have been visiting many Travel Agencies in different cities of the United States and we hope to extend our effort next year to Canada and Europe. It has been an amazing journey meeting new people and places. If you are an agent we have visited or a guest thinking of visiting Belize/Banana Bank and need more information or would like more brochures please contact Leisa at 954-934-5071 or e-mail your address to bbl@bananabank.com and we can mail them to you.

A WORD OF THANKS

As many of you know Banana Bank is not just a resort and a great place to go jungle horseback riding - we also farm over 1500 acres to corn and black-eyed-peas and we would just like to say that having faced a very challenging year which includes weather, crazy markets and of course the global economy - we had a great harvest and for that - we are very very thankful.

New Telescope!

We are very excited about our new addition to ammenities offered to our guests. It is a brand new 16" telescope that is replacing our previous 14" one. The urge to upgrade is due to the fact that it provides observers of the unpolluted Belizean skies an even greater experience as they explore galaxies, clusters, nebulas, novas not to mention even the moons that circle other planets. This is the only telescope of this magnitude in the entire country and we are thankful to be able to share it with all who visit Banana Bank.

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Official Banana Bank Bird Checklist - over 230 species !!!

Carolyn has been working very hard compiling lists that she has collected over the years and the result is over 230 species sited right at Banana Bank ! We are very excited as this will be published in a book sometime next year. We will certainly give more details when we have them. If you would like the list in the checkable format please let us know and we would be happy to e-mail it to you

C-common   U-uncommon  R-rare    X-very rare

SPECIES         /         SCIENTIFIC NAME

C    -   Thicket/Rufescent Tinamou   /   Crypturellus cinnamomeus
C   -   Olivaceous/Neotropical Cormorant    /   Phalaacrocorax auritus
C   -   Anhinga    /   Anhinga anhinga
C   -   Bare-throated Tiger Heron   /   Tigrisoma mexicanum
C   -   Great Blue Heron   /   Ardea herodias
C   -   Great/Common Egret   / Ardea alba
C   -   Little Blue Heron   / Egretta Caerulea
C   - Tricolored/Louisiana Heron   / Egretta tricolor
C   - Cattle Egret   /   Babulcus ibis
C   -   Green Backed Heron   /   Butorides striatus
C   - Yellow-crowned Night Heron   /   Nyctanassa violacea
C   - Limpkin   /   Aramus guarauna
C   - Boat-billed Heron   /   Cochlearius cochlearius
R   - Jabiru Stork   / Jabiru mycteria
C   - Wood Stork   /   Mycteria americana
C   - Black-bellied Whistling/Tree Duck   / Dendrocygna autumnalis
Glossy Ibis   /   Plegadis falcinellus
C   - Blue-winged Teal   /   Anas discors
C   - Black Vulture   /   Coragyps atratus
C   - Turkey Vulture   /   Cathartes aura
C   - King Vulture   /   Sarcoramphus papa
U   - Osprey   /   Pandion haliatus
U   - Grey-headed/Cayenne Kite   / Leptodon cayanensis
C   - American Swallow-tailed Kite   /   Elanoides forficatus
C   - Black-shouldered/White -tailed Kite   /   Elanus leucurus
C   - Plumbeous Kite   /   Ictinia plumbea
R   - Northern Harrier/Marsh Hawk   /   Circus cyaneus
U   - White Hawk   /   Leucopternis albicollis
U   - Common Black Hawk   /   Buteogallus anthracinus
C   - Black-collared /Fishing Hawk   /   Busarellus nigricollis
U   - Gray Hawk   /   Asturina nitida
C   - Roadside Hawk   /   Buteo magnirostris
U   - Short-tailed Hawk   /   Buteo brachyurus

C   - Laughing Falcon   /   Herpetotheres cachinnans
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
U   - American Kestrel/Sparrow Hawk Fal. Falco sparverius
U   - Bat Falcon   /   Falco rufigularis
C   - Plain Chachalaca   /   Ortalis vetula
U   - Crested Guan   /   Penelope purpurascens
U   - Great Carassow   /   Crax rubra
Black-throated Bobwhite   /   Colinus nigrogularis
C   - Gray-necked Wood Rail   /   Aramides cajanea
C   - Sora   /   Porzana carolina
U   - Purple Gallinule   /   Porphyrio martinica
C   - Common Moorhen/Gallinule   /   Gallinula chloropus
C   - American Coot   /   Fulica americana
C   - Sungrebe/American Finfoot   /   Heliornis fulica
C   - Pied-billed Grebe   /   Podilymbus podiceps
U   - Least Grebe   / Tachybaptus dominicus
C   -   Killdeer   /   Charadrius vociferus
C   - Black-necked Stilt   /   Himantopus mexicanus
C   - Northern Jacana   / Jacana spinosa
C   -   Greater Yellowlegs   /   Tringa melanoleuca
C   -   Solitary Sandpiper   /   Tringa solitaria
C   - Spotted Sandpiper   /   Actitis macularia
C   - Pale-vented Pigeon   /   Columba cayennensis
C   - Red-billed Pigeon   /   Columba flavirostris
C   - Short-billed Pigeon   /   Columba nigrirostris
Common/Wilson Snipe   / Gallinula delicata
U   - Plain-breasted Ground Dove   / Columbina minuta
C   - Ruddy Ground Dove   /   Columbina talpacoti
C   - White-tipped/Fronted Dove   / Leptotila verreauxi
C   - Gray-fronted Dove   /   Leptotila rufaxilla
C   - Gray-crested/Cassin's Dove   /   Leptotila cassini
C   - Ruddy Quail Dove   / Geotrygon montana
C   - Olive-throated Parakeet   / Aratinga nana
C   - White-crowned Parrot   /   Pionus senilis
C   - White-fronted Parrot   /   Amazona albifrons
C   - Red-lored/Yellow-cheeked Parrot   /   Amazona autumnalis
Yellow-lored Parrot   /   Amazona xantholota
C   - Squirrel Cuckoo   /   Piaya cayana
Yellow-billed Cuckoo   /   Coccyzus americanus
C   - Grooved-billed Ani   /   Crotophaga sulcirostris
U   - Common Barn Owl   /   Tyto alba
U   - Vermiculated/Guat. Screech Owl   /   Otus guatemalae
C   - Ferruginous Pygmy Owl   /   Glaucidium brasilianum
C   - Mottled/Wood Owl   /   Ciccaba virgata
C   - Lesser Night Hawk   /   Chordeiles acutipennis
C   - Common Pauraque   /   Nyctidromus albicollis
U   - Common/Northern Potoo   /   Nyctibius jamaicensis
C   - White-collared Swift   / Streptoprocne zonaris
C   - Vaux's Swift   /   Chaetura vauxi
U   - Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift   /   Panyptila cayennensis
C   - Long-tailed/billed Hermit   /   Phaethornis longirostris
C   - Little Hermit   /   Phaethornis striigularis
U   - Scaly-breasted/Culvier's Hummingbird   /   Phaeochroa cuvierii
U   - White-necked Jacobin   /   Florisuga mellivora
U   - Green-breasted/Prevost's   /   Mango Mycteria americana
C   - White-bellied Emerald   /   Amazilia candida
C   - Rufous-tailed/Rieffer's Hummingbird   /   Amazilia tzacatl
C   - Black-headed/Citreoline Trogon   /   Trogon melanocephalus
C   - Violaceous Trogon   /   Trogon violaceus
C   - Blue-crowned Motmot   /   Motmotus momota
C   - Ringed Kingfisher   /   Ceryle torquata
C   - Belted Kingfisher   /   Ceryle alcyon
C   - Amazon Kingfisher   /   Chloroceryle amazona
C   - Green Kingfisher   /   Chloroceryle americana
C   -   Rufous-tailed Jacamar   /   Galbula ruficanda
C   -   Collared Aracari   /   Petroglossus torquatus
U   - Kill-billed Toucan   /   Ramphastos sulfuratus
C   - Black-cheeked Woodpecker   /   Melanerpes pucherani
C   - Golden-fronted Woodpecker   /   Melanerpes aurifrons
C   - Golden-olive Woodpecker   /   Piculus rubiginosus
C   - Lineated Woodpecker   /   Dryocopus lineatus
C   - Pale-billed/Guat. Ivory-bill Woodpecker   /   Campephilus guatemalensis
C   - Rufous-breasted Spinetail   /   Synallaxis erythrothorax
C   - Plain Xenops   /   Xenops minutus
C   - Tawny-winged Woodcreeper   /   Demdrocincla anabatina
C   - Ruddy Woodcreeper   /   Demdrocincla homochroa
U   - Northern Barred Woodcreeper   /   Dendrocolaptes sanctithomae
C   - Ivory-billed Woodcreeper   /   Zyphorbynchus flavigaster
U   - Streak-headed/Athick-billed Woodcreep   /   Lepidocolaptes souleyetii
U   - Great Antshrike   /   Taraba major
C   - Barred Antshrike   /   Thamnophilus doliatus
C   - Dot-winged Antshrike   /   Microrhopias quizensis
U   - Dusky/Tyrannine Antbird   /   Carcomacra tyrannina
C   - Black-faced/Mexican Antthrush   /   Formicarius analis
Northern Beardless Tyrannulet   /   Camptostoma imberbe
U   - Greenish Elaenia   /   Myiopagis viridicata
C   - Yellow-bellied Elaenia   /   Elenia flavogaster
C   - Ocher-bellied Flycatcher   /   Mionectes oleagineus
U   - Sepia-capped Flycatcher   /   Leptopogon amaurocephalus
C   - Northern Bentbill   /   Oncostoma cinereigulare
R   - Slate-headed Tody Flycatcher   /   Poecilotriccus sylvia
C   - Common Toey Flycatcher   /   Todirostrum cinereum
C   - Yellow-olive/Sulpher Flycatcher   /   Tolmomyias sulphurescens
Stub-tailed Spadebill   /   Platyrinchus cancrominus
C   - Royal Flycatcher   /   Onychorhynchus coronatus
C   - Eastern Wood Peewee   /   Contopus virens
C   - Tropical Peewee   /   Contopus cinereus
C   - Least Flycatcher   /   Empidonax minimus
C   - Black Phoebe   /   Sayornis nigricans
C   - Bright-rumped/Polymorphic Attila   /   Attila spadiceus
Fork-tailed Flycatcher   /   Tyrannus savana
R   - Yucatan Flycatcher   /   Myiarchus yucatanensis
C   - Dusky-capped/Olivaceous Flycatcher   / Myiarchus tuberculifer
C   - Great Kiskadee   /   Pitangus sulphuratus
U   - Boat-billed Flycatcher   /   Megarynchus pitangua
C   - Social/Vermillion-crowned Flycatcher   /   Myiozetetes similis
C   - Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher   /   Myiodynastes luteiventris
C   - Tropical Kingbird   /   Tyrannus melancholicus
U   - Eastern Kingbird   /   Tyrannus tyrannus
R   - Scissors-tailed Flycatcher   /   Tyrannus forficatus
R   - Gray-collored Becard   /   Pachyramphus major
C   - Masked Tityra   /   Tityra semifasciata
U   - Thrush-like /Schiffornis Manakin/   /   Mourner Schiffornis turdinus
C   - White-collored/Cande;s Manakin   /   Manacus camdeo
C   - Red-capped Manakin   /   Pipra mentalis
C   - Gray-breasted Martin   /   Progne chalybea
C   - Mangrove Swallow   /   Tachycineta albilinea
C   - Northern Rough-winged Swallow   /   Stelgidopteryx serripennis
C   - Barn Swallow   /   Hirundo rustica
C   - Brown Jay   /   Cyanocorax morio
C   - Spot-breasted Wren   /   Thryothorus maculipectus
Band-backed Cactus Wren   / Campylorhynchus zonatus
C   - House Wren   /   Troglodytes aedon
U   - White -bellied Wren   /   Uropsila leucogastra
C   - White-breasted Wood Wren   /   Henicorhina leucosticta
U   - Long-billed Gnatwren   /   Ramphocaenus melanurus
C   - Blue-gray Gnatcatcher   /   Polioptila caerulea
U   - Tropical Gnatcatcher   /   Polioptila plumbea
C   - Wood Thrush   /   Hylocichla mustelina
C   - Clay-colored Robin   /   Turdus grayi
C   - Gray Catbird   /   Dumetella carolinensis
C   - White-eyed Vireo   /   Vireo griseus
C   - Mangrove Vireo   /   Vireo pallens
U   - Yellow-throated Vireo   /   Vireo flavifrons
R   - Philadelphia Vireo   /   Vireo phaladelphicus
C   - Tawney-crowned Greenlet   /   Hylophilus ochraceiceps
C   - Lesser/Gray-headed Greenlet   /   Hylophilus decartatus
U   - Yellow-Green Vireo   /   Vireo flavoviridis
X   - Nashville Warbler   /   Vervivora ruficapilla
U   - Northern Parula Warbler   /   Parula americana
U   - Blue-winged Warbler   /   Vermivora pinus
C   - Yellow Warbler   /   Dendroica petechia
U   - Chestnut -sided Warbler   /   Dendroica pensylvanica
C   - Magnolia Warbler   /   Dendroica magnolia
C   - Black-throated Green Warbler   /   Dendroica virens
C   - Yellow-throated Warbler   /   Dendroica dominica
Tropical Mockingbird   /   Mimus gilvus
R   - Blackburnian Warbler   /   Dendroica fusca
C   - Black and White Warbler   /   Mniotilta varia
C   - American Redstart   /   Setophaga ruticilla
U   - Prothonotary Warbler   /   Protonotaria citrea
U   - Worm-eating Warbler   /   Helmitheros vermivorus
R   - Swainson's Warbler   /   Limnothlypis swainsonii
C   - Ovenbird   /   Seiurus aurocapilla
C   - Northern Waterthrush   /   Seiurus noveboratcensis
U   - Louisiana Waterthrush   /   Seiurus motacilla
U   - Kentucky Warbler   /   Oporornis formosus
C   - Common Yellowthroat   /   Geothlypis trichis
U   - Gray-crowned/Ground Chat Yel. Throat   /   Geothktpis poliocephala
C   - Hooded Warbler   /   Wilsonia citrina
C   - Yellow-breasted Chat   /   Icteria virens
U   - Bananaquit   /   Coereba flaveola
U   - Golden-masked Tanager   /   Tangara larvata
U   - Red-legged Blue Honeycreeper   /   Cyanerpes cyaneus
U   - Scrub Euphonia   /   Euphonia affinis
C   - Yellow-throated Euphonia   /   Euphonia hirundinacea
C   - Blue-gray Tanager   /   Thraupis episcopus
C   - Yellow-winged Tanager   /   Thraupis abbas
U   - Gray-headed Tanager   /   Eucometis penicillata
U   - Red-crowned Ant Tanager   /   Habia rubica
C   - Red-throated Ant Tanager   /   Habia fuscicauda
C   - Summer Tanager   /   Piranga rubra
R   - Scarlet Tanager   /   Piranga olivacea
R   - Crimson-collared Tanager   /   Ramphocelus sanguinolentus
R   - Scarlet-rumped/Passerini's Tanager   /   Ramphocelus passerinii
C   - Grayish Saltator   /   Saltator coerulescens
U   - Buff-throated Slatator   /   Saltator maximus
C   - Black-headed Saltator   /   Saltator atriceps
U   - Rose-breasted Grosbeak   /   Pheucticus ludovicianus
C   - Blue-black Grosbeak   /   Cyanocompsa cyanoides
U   - Blue Bunting   /   Cyanocompsa parellina
C   - Blue Grosbeak   /   Passerina caerulea
C   - Indigo Bunting   /   Passerina cyanea
C   - Green-backed Sparrow   /   Arremonops chloronotus
C   - Blue-black Grassquit   /   Volatinia jacarina
C   - Variable Seedeater   /   Sporophila americana
C   - White-collared Seedeater   /   Sporophila torqueola
Eastern Meadowlark   /   Sturnella magna
C   - Melodius Blackbird   /   Dives dives
R   - Bronzed Cowbird   /   Molothrus aeneus
U   - Giant Cowbird   /   Molothrus oryzivorus
C   - Black-cowled Oriole   /   Icterus prosthemelas
C   - Orchard Oriole   /   Icterus spurius
C   - Hooded Oriole   /   Icterus cucullatus
C   - Yellow-tailed Oriole   /   Icterus mesomelas
C   - Northern/Baltimore Oriole   /   Icterus galbula
Yellow-backed Oriole   /   Icterus chrysater
C   - Yellow-billed/Prevost's Cacique   /   Amblycercus holosericeus
C   - Montezuma's Oropendola   /   Psarocolius montezuma
Chestnut-backed/Waglee's Oropendola    /   Psarocolius wagleri