Day 14: Pattering about Patagonia
Wednesday 1 January 2020
63 °F
Before I go on to narrate today’s adventures, I must include some more photos from yesterday evening’s cruise through the Beagle Channel, which was incredible:
And today we had a port of call at Punta Arenas, Chile!
I photographed this KING CORMORANT on the tender ride to shore:
Yep — Chile!
After disembarking the tender, a wonderfully kind man named Jürgen picked us up for a whole day of birding!!! Along the drive northeast from the city, we picked up my first life bird of the day: CINEROUS HARRIER
Lifer #2 was a BLACK-FACED IBIS:
And #3 was the incredible LESSER RHEA!!! Amazing — one of my target birds for the trip and one of those birds you only dream of seeing in the wild. In fact, they were surprisingly common today!
Then, we stopped at a saline lagoon and immediately picked up probably our main target for the morning: MAGELLANIC PLOVER! This is an awesome shorebird which is placed in a whole taxonomic family of its own, and it is found exclusively in Patagonia. AMAZING! Lifer #4!
BAIRD’S SANDPIPER:
Lifer #5: BUFF-WINGED CINCLODES:
CORRENDERA PIPIT:
Lifer #6: the striking GRAY-HOODED SIERRA FINCH:
BROWN-HOODED GULL:
Lifer #7: SILVERY GREBES!
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, amazingly a species I have only seen once before!
Lifer #8: COSCOROBA!
All those dots are WILSON’S PHALAROPES, amazing little shorebirds that have flown all the way from the Arctic to winter in Patagonia:
MAGELLANIC OYSTERCATCHERS:
RED SHOVELERS:
Then, I spotted the one-and-only Guanaco, a hallmark species of South American wildlife! AWESOME!!! We saw many of these today, and learned they are one of the Mountain Lion’s favorite foods.
Immature BLACK-CHESTED BUZZARD-EAGLE:
RUFOUS-COLLARED SPARROWS were omnipresent as usual:
Lifer #9: the dazzling CHILEAN FLAMINGO!
It is not a birding trip unless I catch a little creature for closer inspection — this time, it was a grasshopper! (all animals are released in perfect condition after observation)
Beautiful rhea with the Patagonian steppe in the background:
Lifer #10: CHOCOLATE-VENTED TYRANT — what a name!
LONG-TAILED MEADOWLARK:
Then, we spotted an AMAZING life bird: APLOMADO FALCON, an uncommon species for the area!!
Lifer #12: the diminutive, but ornate LEAST SEED SNIPE.
Then we saw a pair of Gray Fox which had some really cute canine mannerisms that made us miss our own dog, Daisy. 
European Jackrabbit, introduced species:
Love the fast-running Guanaco, the wild version of an Alpaca!
Lifer #13: AUSTRAL CANASTERO
Lifer #14: COMMON MINER
COSCOROBA with adult & juvenile WHITE-WINGED COOTS:
CORRENDERA PIPIT:
PATAGONIAN SNIPE:
Lifer #15: many CHILOE WIGEONS, beautiful birds!
UPLAND GEEESE with BROWN-HOODED & FRANKLIN’S GULLS:
BLACK-NECKED SWAN:
Lifer #16: the uncommon ANDEAN DUCK!
Lifer #17: PLUMBEOUS RAIL
Lifer #18: DARK-BELLIED CINCLODES:
AUSTRAL NEGRITO, a common but striking bird throughout the day:
Lifer #19 was an unphotographed BAND-WINGED EARTHCREEPER which was extremely secretive in nature.
Lifer #20 was a MAGELLANIC DIVING-PETREL seen from the ship this evening!
Whew — another awesome day of birding! Thanks Mom and Dad for arranging the tour and huge thanks to Jürgen for getting me so many lifers that I am now 3 away from 1100! Bird-of-the-day to the Aplomado Falcon, with runner up to the Andean Duck. Stay tuned — 3 days of Pacific pelagic birding, followed by a week in Patagonia, yay!
Happy birding,
Henry
World Life List: 1097 Species (20 life birds today)
HAPPY NEW YEAR HENRY AND FAMILY!!!
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What an incredible trip! The Pygmy owl and woodpecker and so many others oh my!
Loving reading about it all, wish I was there!????
by Poo