Milestones...

Whilst in Argentina two important milestones were achieved. First to go was Steve's induction into manhood. Well, to be honest it's not as exciting as it sounds! At the beginning of the trip he needed a good few hundred species to make 2000 for his world list - lets face it anyone UNDER 2000 really IS a very small boy indeed! Anyhow he did it...and became a man, albeit a small one! And the rest, as they say, is history.

But he reached this great towering height with a very special bird. Indeed it was was one of MY very favorite birds of the whole trip - the incomparable Sandy Gallito featured above. The Gallito is a very unusual bird. It is a medium-sized, mostly terrestrial tapaculo that lives out it's life in a very distinctive habitat-type. The habitat is easy to spot. It is basically sand dunes interspersed with low shrubbery - here we go again, always the shrubbery I hear you say!! Now, the Gallito is easy to hear, and at times its distinctive series of "cho" notes seems to be all around, but can be devilishly hard to actually see. They run you see - and they can run very fast indeed! Also, the rather uniform plumage matches the sandy substrate incredibly well so often ones gets a glimpse of this sandy flash out of the corner of one's eye...and it's gone! We were lucky and, as a group, got some really nice looks at this super endemic.

Best of all though was that Steve found and photographed the very first one! Way to go "small man".



The other milestone notched-up was for "solid-as-a-rock" Darrell. He made it to the magical 4000 with the bird above - the lovely Rufous-chested Dotterel. I know for a fact that it was a bird he really really wanted to see - so three cheers for the Darrell Master General!! We only saw two, and they were foraging on the exposed mud around a small pool along the road to Cabo Virgenes, south of Rio Gallagos in Patagonia. The top bird is an adult and the lower a lovely crispy-fresh juvenile. This is a really lovely bird. The MM had only seen birds in non-breeding plumage before (in Chile) so it was a real treat to see a super bright adult AND a sharp-looking juvenile. This species breeds in southern Chile and Argentina and moves north as far as southern Peru and extreme SE Brazil in the austral winter.

As far as I know there were no other milestones reached on this trip. The rest of us just slogging away doing the best we could. I think for the MM though this trip took him pretty close to 2400 for South America, which is okay for now. Now I just have to get to Colombia, Bolivia, some key sites in central Amazonian Brazil and and and...

More Argentine Birds...

This is the Nacunda Nighthawk I mentioned a couple of posts ago. This is the largest nighthawk and it is totally impressive in all respects. When at rest during daylight hours they are often to be found on the ground, where they blend into their surroundings remarkably well - cryptic would be the work I'm looking for. I have great memories of watching a lone Nacunda Nighthawk sailing purposefully across a stygian sky as we set out on a night drive across the Llanos of Venezuela - it was an arresting sight, not sure why...but it was! Well, they are quite big...for a nighthawk...oh, never mind.


One of the birds I was really looking forward to seeing in Argentina was this fellow - the aptly-named Scarlet-headed Blackbird. Argentina is fully-stocked when it comes to blackbirds, but this is certainly one of the nicest of the bunch with its unique appearance, and those lovely red thighs, which, rather sadly, cannot be seen on in this photo. Ermmm Steve - can you do better next time? Male Scarlet-headed Blackbirds are easy to see in their preferred marshy habitat since they sit right up on reed stems and emergent shrubberies as they sing and otherwise prance around - a lovely sight indeed!


Contrary to the name Steve has given this bird it is in fact the Red-crested Cardinal. Where did he get this name from? Now you know why he is the "small boy" of the birding world...but read on because his fortunes do improve...

This nice-looking species is very common in chaco woodland and marshes of the north where they are easy to observe due to their habit of sitting out in the open looking pretty. However, we looked high and low for its sister species the Yellow-billed Cardinal, driving through a vast part of it's range without success. We eventually did track down a couple back where we started in Buenos Aires - at Costanera Sur, where everyone seems to see them. Well, the birds there ain't got nowhere else to go have they???


I've never quite understood birders who say they don't like tyrant flycatchers very much. They are either too difficult or too drab, or there are too many of them - the tyrants, not the birders that is. But it could be the other way around I guess. Anyway, I am a devoted fan of the tyrant assembly and find them a fascinating, if challenging group. There are well over 400 species throughout the new world so it takes a lifetime to see 'em all - if indeed that is even possible. Throughout my travels I've see a big chunk so every new one is precious. I did well on this trip and got to grips with a whole bunch of unfamiliar tyrants. Some were "tart's ticks" like the whacky-looking Spectacled tyrant featured above, whereas others were a bit more obscure - like the very local Dinelli's Doradito. What a great name though! Not as good as the Chocolate-vented Tyrant...but more of that later...

The Spectacled Tyrant is a great bird. The male is jet black with those crazy yellow wattles around its mad staring yellow eyes. But when he flutters up in his display flight he has glaring white primary feathers, I mean they really stand out! The female is completely different and is streaky and brown and has flashy rufous - almost burnt sienna - primary feathers. A very good example of sexual dimorphism.


And this is one of those Burrowing Parrots I was telling you about. Fantastic-looking parrot, though I don't know why they are not lumped in with the Macaws because they look and behave like them. They are often to be found in large noisy flocks, sometimes over 100 birds, in open, often dry countryside. They nest in burrows in cliffs and as we drove south through the awe-inspiring sandstone badlands heading towards Cafayate we observed many cliff faces riddled with the nest holes of this strange parrot. I really do like those odd white eyes...

Thanks, as always, to the Pikemaster General for the stunning pix...

High and Dry...

No, not the lovely Radiohead song from years gone by, though speaking of which, I encourage all my readers to listen to "In Rainbows" because it is quite simply the best. No, this is about the high and dry Andes of NW Argentina. North of Jujuy one travels through some dramatic rain-shadow scenery, certainly some of the best I've encountered on my travels. The colours in the rock formations are incredible in the clear early morning light - wonderful golds and reds, like nothing else. Vegetation is sparse but there are some nice birds to be had in the shrubbery - and lets face it everyone loves a bit of shrubbery early in the morning - don't they? Well, whatever, we found a number of Giant Hummers, Puna Yellow-Finches, Black-billed Shrike-Tyrants and an assortment of Sierra-Finches here. I was initially confused by the Shrike-Tyrants because this form has a very different tail pattern from those farther north. Hmmm, all very interesting for the tyrant freaks out there and the MM is certainly to found firmly within that pigeonhole...please don't ask why!


Cast yer eyes on the beautiful colours in this barren and inhospitable terrain. All rufescent and ochraceous! Sorry, but for someone who makes a megre living out of painting the likes of furnariids these are key words! This photo was taken along the track that heads west from La Quiaca towards Laguna de Porzuelos. Not many birds can live here, though we did see the occasional Rufous-banded Miner, Golden-spotted Ground-Dove and, further along the road where there were some suitable rocky outcrops, the local Rock Earthcreeper. It was a memorable drive through some stark and surreal landscapes.


A couple of days later we travelled the road that heads west out of Salta and cuts though Parque Nacional Los Cordones. Our main birding stop was a (yes, you guessed it) shrubbery-choked quebrada just as one enters the reserve. Lovely scenery enlivened by circling Andean Condors and Puna Hawks. We saw some nice birds here including the highly local Maquis Canastero and Zimmer's Tapaculo. We had fun with the tapaculo as it played hide-and-seek amongst the huge boulders higher up on the slopes. We also had nice looks at Brown-capped Tit-Spinetails and some lovely Black Siskins. No luck with Rufous-bellied Saltator though. Is okay, I'll save that one for the grand Bolivia bash.

As one travels through the park you enter a veritable forest of large cacti - after which the park is named. It is quite impressive. Again, a bit sparse on bird life, but there is one very local endemic here - the attractive Steinbach's Canastero. As luck would have it one flew across the road in front of the van and we were able to leap out, after we had untangled ourselves that is - the van was quite small, and grab some epic views of this much-wanted furnariid.


A closer view of some prime canastero habitat. Any bird that lives here would have to be rather specialized in my mind. A good way to find canasteros, and many other members of the furnariidae, or ovenbirds, is to look for their nests. Many ovenbirds build large stick nests in the middle of bare shrubs and trees or attached to large cacti. They are easy to spot. A few days after this we were looking the the endemic White-throated Cachalote and were getting more and more frustrated because we couldn't actually find one! We found several nests but they all appeared to be inactive. We heard a couple but could never see the bird in the dense thorny brush. Anyway, after several hours of this persistence eventually paid off when "The Brewer" flushed one out of a head-high nest - what a wave of relief that was! It was interesting because the bird very cleverly lead us away from its nest before flying way away across the road. We pursued it quite a way but couldn't find it again. However, when, some minutes later we approached the nest again, there was the bird! It had looped around us - a fairly common diversion tactic. We departed to leave the bird to go about its business. A somewhat drably attired bird but, as always with endemics, very highly-prized.


As we travelled south along a torturously slow and winding track heading for the very pleasant town of Cafayate we passed through some truly beautiful weathered sandstone scenery. There were Burrowing Parrots all over the place, often in large noisy flocks, sometimes feeding right outside the van windows on roadside fruits - amazing! We spent some time looking in vain for Subtropical Doraditos wherever we felt they should be but that one will just have to wait. We passed some sand dune habitat where we felt the endemic Sandy Gallito should live but we were pushed for time and had other sites for this highly sought-after tapaculo. Is a terrible thing to have to drive past nice habitat without stopping! As we neared Cafayate we noticed that the road was badly washed-out in many places and were thankful to actually get there at all! And yes, the wine tasted good. And yes again - the flan was terrific...


Ever wondered what high Andean cemeteries look like? Well wonder no more.

Argentine Birds - Part One...

We were lucky indeed to the "the boy" Pikey along on this trip. He selflessly lugged huge and heavy cameras and lenses through marsh, waterfall, thorny brush and mountain trail, never asking for assistance - well, only sometimes...actually quite a lot really, but never mind that now. Indeed he almost got SWALLOWED up in marshes, ending up IN the waterfall, being impaled ON the thorny brush and ending up at the BOTTOM of the mountain trail faster than expected! Did he ever complain? You bet he did! However, he is sharing these amazing images with you all so don't be too hard on the lad...

The wonderful bird above is a male Strange-tailed Tyrant. It was in just about everyone's top five of most-wanted birds for the trip. We were lucky to see a bunch of them very well. The boy Steve got some stunning shots using the van as a hide, like the photo above. This species used to be more widespread throughout its small range. However, in recent years the trend of converting grasslands to ranch lands has had an adverse affect on this, and many other species dependent upon natural grasslands. The area around Ibera marsh in the province of Corrientes is a particularly good place to see this desirable tyrant. Check out the crazy modified tail feathers...


Everyone loves a Dipper in the rain - and we were no exception to that rule. This is especially true when the Dipper concerned is the scarce and highly range restricted Rufous-throated Dipper. The fast-flowing clear water stream that runs through Parque Nacional Yala just north of Jujuy in NW Argentina is a reliable stake-out for this lovely bird. We had to wait a few minutes for the first one to appear, but when one is watching a pair of equally lovely Torrent Ducks, time passes in a rather pleasant warm and fuzzy way. After careful observation, whilst MM was off looking for Spot-breasted Thornbirds (successfully I might add), a partially constructed nest was found on a rocky overhang by the water's edge. One feature of this species that is rarely evident in field guide illustrations is the white edging to the primaries - looking very striking in the low whizzing flight typical of the family.


When in Argentina large 'peckers are never far away...if you see what I mean! There are some dramatic looking woodpeckers in this huge country and we were hell bent on seeing as many as possible. We did well, though the rarely seen Helmeted Woodpecker eluded us at Iguazu, sadly. This one is a superb male Cream-backed Woodpecker which was photographed near the obscure town of Pampa de Infierno, which, basically, is in the middle of nowhere - though I do seem to recall there being a particularly good flan there! This species has quite a big range in Argentina and can be found in better developed Chaco woodland as well as montane forest.


In the grasslands of Entre Rios and Corrientes in NE Argentina this large bird, the Greater Rhea, is very common - and hard to miss! They were especially easy for us, even when asleep in the back of the van, because Steve would slam on the brakes and dash out with his big lens. "Oh no, must be another Rhea" would be the collective groan...


The rather odd-looking bird above is a White-tipped Plantcutter. There are three species, Rufous-tailed in southern Argentina and Chile, Peruvian in coastal central to north Peru and this one, the most widespread of the bunch. As a group they have flip-flopped between being part of the cotingidae or their own family. At the moment they are firmly in with the cotingas. Indeed, they do resemble the Ampelion cotingas, especially the streaky females. This one is a male, which bears some resemblance to a Pine Grosbeak from a distance, and a little imagination! White-tipped Plantcutters are found in Chaco woodland and montane scrub.


One of the birds I really really wanted to see in the high Andes of NW Argentina was this gorgeous hummingbird, the Red-tailed Comet. I think it just about lives up to its name! In some areas, especially around the town of Humahuaca, this beautiful hummer was quite common, usually around a certain yellow flower whose name escapes me right now. Often all you would see is a flash of vivid shining red as a male whizzed by. At other times they could be quite confiding and would sit atop a shrub in full view for some time - simply amazing...


It has taken me a while but these days I'm rather fond of parrots. This is certainly one of the nicest we saw on this trip, the lovely Turquoise-fronted Amazon. It is quite common in Chaco woodland, especially so near the town of JV Gonzales. One morning in particular, when this photo was taken, was particularly memorable. Apart from the Amazons, that were noisily flying over on a regular basis, we saw a number of great birds in beautifully clear sunny morning light. Black-legged Seriema, Crested Gallito and several White-fronted Woodpeckers stand out. However, the sight of Comb Ducks, Muscovy Ducks and, strangest of all, Coscoroba Swans flying over the dry Chaco really made the morning.


Pigeons and doves are less desirable in my mind but I was very pleased to see this little guy - the endemic Bare-eyed Ground-Dove. Lovely innit. We saw a few small of flocks of this diminutive sprite, usually in shrubby quebradas.


Finally, no account would be complete without a Puffbird! I love Puffbirds, and I make a point of trying to see one new puffer per trip. I can tell ya it's getting hard these days! I managed it in Peru with a fantastic Grey-cheeked Nunlet and we saw this Spot-backed Puffbird near Parque Nacional Copo in the Chaco. Some authorities split this southern form off as the "Chaco Puffbird" but I think it is in limbo right now. I'll count it as new anyway!

I will pry a few more images out of Steve and will post some more photos soon. Hope you like 'em...

Argentina - the land of the flan...

One thing that is often associated with Argentina is beef! And, to be honest, it is everywhere to be found - and is amazingly good from what I've been told. You see the MM is a vegetarian. Well, is a term he uses rather loosely these days because he does consume rather large quantities of fish and (when possible) organic chicken and turkey...and the odd accidental shred of bacon thoughtlessly tossed into salads. But, as the photo above proves, there is life beyond the meat platter, and it IS possible to enjoy some first-rate pastas and salads at most restaurants. BTW - not sure who this scruffy dude is...he wasn't invited.


This great country is also famed for its excellent wine - and rightly so. We made a point of trying as many varieties as possible wherever we went at any time - in the name of science and cultural experimentation. We concluded that the critics were right and the wine is good! We tasted many a Malbec and failed to find a bad one anywhere. Now, just who are those two odd fellows lurking in the background? I wouldn't trust 'em...


Another example of a fine Argentine wine, and yet another depraved character trying to get a piece of the action in the background. I tell ya, you can't go anywhere, in any part of the world these days without being accosted by complete nutters. Hang on, is that a flan he's tucking into???


Which brings us nicely to...flans, and the whole point of this rather pointless blogging exercise. Something I didn't realize when I started out on this adventure is that Argentina is truly THE land of the flan. I kid you not. It is also true to say that whilst some are totally amazing many others are decidedly on the dodgy side. But, they are all over the place from top to bottom, lowland and highland. Each region appears to have its own special kinds, but that is hard to judge because we by no means sampled them all. If we had we would never have fitted, sardine-like, into our trusty van. Please note the bird notes on the dinner table thus illustrating that we were very serious birders indeed...


Everyone has their favorite flan...and this was mine. I love the flag, very patriotic. But what has all this got to do with moths I hear you say? Absolutely nothing - but who really cares when they taste this good...

I would like to thank my good friend and demon photographer Steve "still the small boy at the time" Pike for his glorious wine and flan images, generously shared with all of you in blogland. Three cheers for the boy...