Large in Arg...

Once I'd finished my business in Peru I jetted off to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I was to meet five of my Ontario birding friends - namely Dave, Dave, Darrell, Rob and the "boy" Steve. The boy was soon to become a "man" - but more of that later!

We had rented a van and intended to drive a 5000 km loop in the north, taking in Ibera Marsh, Iguazu Falls, the Chaco, the Andes up to the Bolivian border and down to Cordoba...and finally back to BA. Of course, it was a longer route than expected and the eventual loop was nearer 9000 km! Just a slight underestimate - but an expensive one. No regrets though cuz it was amazing. We got to travel through many parts of the country that most birders fly over, stop wherever we wanted and generally have a good time. True, we spent an inordinate amount of time in the van but ultimately it was a great experience, especially finding our own birds in obscure locations.

Above we have a view of the Yatay Palm forests of Parque Nacional El Palmar. I'd never seen anything like it before. I mean I've seem loads of palm trees, but never in such quantity. Birdwise it was not great. We had hoped for some interesting seedeaters, and found none! However, we did score a much-wanted Glaucous-blue Grosbeak and had fantastic views of a hugely impressive Nacunda Nighthawk - not a bird one sees any old day I can tell ya...



After that we prayed for no rain so we could visit the bird-rich Ibera marshes. Wish granted we drove the potentially "lethal-when-slippery" dirt track to the town of Carlos Pellegrini. Sorry, but I have no photos of this place - I was too busy trying to find some birds. If "still-the-boy" Steve allows I may put some of his amazing photos on the blog later on. We flushed a Sickle-winged Nightjar on the way into town which boded well. We did well here and scooped most of the wanted birds. We had great views of the incredible, and highly localized, Strange-tailed Tyrant, as well as all the seedeaters we were after. Only the Saffron-cowled Blackbird eluded us - oh well, another trip.

After that it was all the way up to Iguazu Falls on the Brazilian border. A bit touristy here, and you do get ferried around on a train, which goes against the grain a bit, but the falls are indeed spectacular and well worth the effort of becoming an uncomfortable tourist for a few hours. We struggled a bit for the birds here. We saw tons of list padders but few of the real goodies that the area is famed for. Still, what can one expect in just a couple of days? We started our good run of 'peckers here and had great views of the lovely Robust, Blond-crested and Yellow-fronted. Rob and I glimpsed what could have been a Helmeted from the train, but we couldn't find it again once we jumped off - hmmmm, typical. Other niceties here included Creamy-bellied Gnatcatcher, Blackish-blue Seedeater, Gray-bellied and Olive Spinetails and much more.



After this it was a long, long drive through the seemingly endless Chaco. After a couple of days one sees the distant foothills of the Andes on the far horizon. Again, I have no photos from the Chaco - what a shame, but at least I'll not bore you with the monotonous flatness of it all. I loved it though and the birds were great. Black-bodied and Cream-backed 'peckers, Black-legged Seriema and a nice selection of furnariids and tyrants featured in an action-packed couple of days. Who could forget the Olive-crowned Crescentchest or the magnificent Crested Gallito?

One of the very special birds in the Andes of north Argentina if the Rufous-throated Dipper. Very local and nowhere common, this bird is highly desirable. Thankfully there are a couple of sites where the bird is virtually guaranteed. One such place is just outside Parque Nacional Yala. A lovely place and the fast-flowing stream in the photo above is where we had gripping views of a pair building a nest on a rocky overhang beside the water.



Whilst driving north towards the Bolivian border one has to stop a few times and marvel at the incredible rock formations that line the highway. The colours are amazing early in the morning and it's one occasion where birding takes a back seat...well, for a few minutes at least! There are some great birds to be had on this stretch though, including Bare-eyed Ground-Dove, Brown-backed Mockingbird, Puna Yellow-Finch and Rufous-sided Warbling-Finch.

At La Quiaca, right on the border with Bolivia one can find some neat birds just outside of town. Best is the lovely Citron-headed Yellow-Finch, but also White-banded Mockingbird, the strange White-tipped Plantcutter and the lovely Red-tailed Comet.



The gang watching Chilean, Puna and Andean Flamingos on the edge of Laguna de Porzuelos. This large lake is hard to actually get close to but at the south end there is a track that takes you to within a couple of kilometers of the shoreline. We were lucky to see a single Horned Coot here and well as Puna Plovers and Andean Avocet amongst the more familiar wintering Baird's Sandpipers and Wilson's Phalaropes. A lovely, almost surreal place.



Another view of the lake and the dramatic skies above it - which were getting ominously blacker by the minute as we scuttled back to the van!



Blacker still as we hurried a bit faster across the closely chewed carpet...



We escaped the rain - and hail - and were treated to this awesome rainbow as we drove back to the main highway.

Part two will appear when I feel like it. Stay tuned...