Hi blog-friends!
Sarah & I arrived in Puerto Natales, Chile yesterday, after a very slow-feeling 5-hour bus ride from El Calafate, Argentina. So far, our trip has been fantastic. Some highlights so far include:
– Recoleta Cemetery in BsAs – where Evita is buried, and full of interesting above-ground monuments to BsAs´ rich and famous
– Perito Moreno Glacier – words cannot really do this justice. Nothing quite compares to staring a large glacier in the face (its face is the height of a 20-story building). Although the weather was not very nice for our trip to the viewing balconies in front of the glacier, it cleared up nicely for the boat ride by the south face. Amazing blues, and the cloudy and snowy Andes behind were the icing on the cake
– 6-hour 4×4 trip through the high country above El Calafate, with varied terrain (Patagonian steppe, Magellanic forest, high volcanic rocks). Great guide, and some good wildlife sightings
– the drive today to/through Parque Nacional Torres del Paine. All I can say is WOW! Easily one of the most beautiful places I´ve ever been. Think Yosemite, except that the glaciers are still here!
Wildlife has been great too. In addition to the birds below, we´ve seen Patagonia Skunk, Patagonian Foxes, and Guanacos galore.
Even though it is fall here, and not the prime season for birding, virtually every bird is a life bird, which works out nicely. Other than American Kestrel, the ubiquitous Rock Pigeon, and a House Wren, my lifers list for the trip so far isÑ
– Lesser Rhea
– Andean Condor
– Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle
– Southern Crested Caracara
– Chimango Caracara
– Dark-bellied Cinclodes
– Rufous Hornero
– Fire-eyed Diucon
– Patagonian Sierra-Finch
– Rufous-collared Sparrow
– Long-tailed Meadowlark
– Austral Blackbird
– Neotropic Cormorant
– Imperial Shag (Cormorant)
– Black-faced Ibis
– Chilean Flamingo
– Black-necked Swan
– Coscorba Swan
– Upland Goose
– Ashy-headed Goose
– Crested Duck
– Chiloe Wigeon
– Red Shoveler
– Yellow-billed Pintail
– White-winged Coot
– Red-gartered Coot
– Red-fronted Coot
– Magellanic Oystercatcher
– Southern Lapwing
– South American Snipe
– Dolphin Gull
– Kelp Gull
That´s 33 life birds and counting – woo!
That is an impressive sounding list! What an awesome trip.
Tom
Wow! You’re gonna have quite a few posts with great photos to do when you come back! Sounds like you and Sarah are having a great time. I look forward to hearing more about your trip.
Thanks for the update and sounds like an amazing time! Just saw a slideshow last night from a friend who made a similar trip down there! I can’t wait to see your photos you are taking!
Right on! Happy Easter and I can’t wait to see your photos! Completely enjoy yourselves!!!
Tom: I´m pretty happy with what we´ve seen so far, and it should only improve birding around BsAs, since it´s a much warmer area
Mary: Thanks! I´m taking photos left and right, about 800 so far. It will indeed take me quite some time to sort and edit them, and then to post about it all!
Monarch: Will be intereseting to see the weather differences. The skies, which are amazing, change every minute or two here, making it important to take the photo when you see it, as it may be in shadow, or raining, or both, next time!
Lori: Happy Easter to you & yours too!
Great for you Adam, glad you are having a wonderful time, can’t wait to see some pics !!
Thanks, Bernie – I wish there was a way for me to post them while I´m down here, but 1) I shoot in RAW and everything needs processing, and 2) I haven´t seen any places to insert a CF card anyways.