ITINERARY

Notes on our itinerary
We chose to have a very flexible itinerary and only made some arrangements (with local guides) towards the end of the trip. No accommodation was arranged beforehand. This way we were able to get the most out of our birding time where needed. For some sites/species we scheduled a bit too much time, for others we needed a bit more. Eventually, we gained a couple of days which allowed us a brief visit to find the most important species (for our list) in Misiones and include a detour to catch up with Chaco Eagle. We drove over 7000 km although long continuous drives (5+ hrs) were restricted to a few days only.

PRACTICALITIES

GETTING THERE & GETTING AROUND

We flew to and from Buenos Aires with AirEuropa (stopover in Madrid). We only booked our tickets 2 months in advance (significantly cheaper return flight on Christmas eve). Although flights to Argentina are never ‘cheap’, we would have paid a lot less if booked earlier (perhaps down to 1200 EUR per person).

We considered flying directly to Cordoba to avoid the long drive and gain some hours. Advantages of our Buenos Aires round trip were the lack of any additional drop-off cost of the rental car, but most importantly: we included a short detour to find Pampas Pipit (Laguna Melincué).

We rented a (almost brand new) Fiat Cronos via Hertz at the Ezeiza Airport (Buenos Aires). This was one of the few companies where we could pay in cash (see money section!). The car was absolutely fine to get to most places. All of our main luggage + extras fitted in the trunk, which was a great plus as we did a lot of roadside birding and this facilitated jumping in and out rapidly.

Main roads were paved (tar) of decent to very good quality. Away from the main roads, unpaved local roads (like RP’s) were usually well maintained (graded and gravelled) allowing smooth travel. Dirt roads in Chaco were fine during our visit, but rainfall can make them very muddy and slippery and probably very hard to drive on with a normal 2WD car. The same goes for the long dirt roads near Ibera NP. The very dry weather resulted in good road conditions (suited for 2WD cars), but rain will certainly turn some parts into giant mud pools and chances are high you’ll get stuck with a normal 2WD car.

Police checkpoints were scattered across the loop at often strategic (in/out large towns) but sometimes also at bizarre ‘middle-of-nowhere’ locations. The police were almost always very friendly, just interested to find out where we came from and immediately let us pass. Only on one occasion they were playing it a bit more hard, requesting for documentation: proof of rental/payment, number of registered drivers, etc. After complying, they also let us go. There were some fixed speed trap cameras along the route, but we never encountered police with mobile speed traps.

For navigation, we mainly used Google Maps when we had mobile data coverage. For other areas, we used Organic Maps (replaces Maps.me). We found Google Maps to provide good and accurate navigation instructions although in general, we were able to drive at least 10% faster than the estimated time. Organic Maps would sometimes suggest strange or impassible routes, and travel times were a lot less consistent and reliable.

SIM CARD

One of our most used tools during this trip was mobile internet. Right after we settled our rental car at the airport, we bought a local prepaid SIM card (provider: Personal). This can be bought at the first floor of the airport arrival/departure hall. As coverage varies per provider we found it was useful to have a backup and bought a Movistar prepaid SIM. We noticed consistent better coverage with Personal. Getting a SIM took a bit more time, due to the registering process, but topping up calling or data credit was generally very easy (fuel stations, small shops) and fairly cheap. The possibility to top up was not consistently available though and it sometimes took some asking around. We used these mobile bundles to make local phone calls (accommodation, guides, etc), looking up accommodation up front, getting the best routes via Google Maps, checking ebird (recent observations, uploading checklists, consulting up-to-date target lists, etc), checking satellite view of the habitat and so on. Data bundles weren’t too expensive, so even video calling and Spotify streaming (long drives, you know) were all possible.

WEATHER & TIMING

We planned our trip in December to match the peak of the breeding season. While this indeed ensured that all the migratory species wintering closer to the equator were present (Blue-capped Puffleg, Crested and Dinelli’s Doradito, Rothschild’s Swift, Buff-banded Tyrannulet, etc.), a handful migratory species that winter in this area but breed further south were absent and missed (Cinnamon Warbling Finch, Sharp-billed Canastero, Lesser Shrike-tyrant, Carbonated Sierra-Finch, etc.). As there were some records for these latter species on eBird still in late November, we contemplated whether doing this trip in November would have been even better: the species wintering north should already have arrived, while the species breeding further south should still hang around. Nonetheless, most (all?) of them are easy to catch up on a southern loop trip, so December was fine for us. Others have done this loop in Austral winter (like Delforge en co), which lacks some breeding birds.

We had almost no rain, only a thunderstorm in the altiplano of Los Cardones and during one long drive, and lost no birding time due to precipitation. On the other hand, there was a sort of a heatwave during our trip, which made birding during the hottest hours of the day slow. Apparently, it has been very dry for a while in some areas (up to 2 years in Ibera) which resulted in a very dry landscape/vegetation and many dried out water bodies.

Weather throughout was sunny and warm to really hot. The higher altitude areas like Yavi, Abra de Lizoite and Los Cardones were chilly (down to 2°C in Abra de Lizoite in the morning). Mid-elevations like Yala and Calilegua were fine. Salinas Grandes, Mar Chiquita and all Chaco sites were very hot during the day. In Salinas we started birding at first light with a staggering 32° C that climbed up to 45° C.

ACCOMMODATION & FOOD

Accommodation was always easy to find. Even small and remote villages often had more than one option. We did not pre-book accommodation and usually just showed up, which worked perfectly. That said, when we planned to arrive late in a village (9 pm or later), we usually checked Google Maps in advance and phoned the accommodation to check for availability (and arrange food). On a few occasions we had to check a couple of options before settling, but this never caused major problems or delays.

We usually opted for basic, low to mid-range accommodation. Prices for an overnight stay generally ranged between 7 - 15 EUR per person (Blue Dollar rate, see below), variably with breakfast included. Many places have large ‘family’ rooms with a combination of single and bunk beds, which we found convenient. Even though basic, rooms were almost always very clean with decent beds and towels provided. Places were often able to offer us early breakfast (5 am) of some sort which invariably included an (instant) coffee with medialunas (croissant) and/or dry biscuits.

With the exception of Yavi and Finca La Montana, we never birded directly from the hotel/campsite and always needed to drive to get to the birding sites. Although some (national) parks have facilities for camping we chose against camping to save weight and to be more efficient. At Finca La Montana, we stayed in Olivier’s garden house where we needed a sleeping bag.

Except for overnights at mid-altitudes and higher (Yala, Calilegua, Tafi del Valle, etc), an AC was a must to get a good night's sleep, or at least welcome. Luckily, most rooms had AC, a fan or even a combination of both. Note of caution: we had several AC units leaking, so do pay attention and don’t put your stuff under it! We learned the hard way!

We found food generally to be rather western and dominated by meat dishes, pizza (sometimes pasta) and patatas (and usually without many other options available). Refreshing ensaladas were luckily also always available, and were happily made in huge portions. Argentinians are very much familiar with vegetarianism and we never had challenges finding/requesting vegetarian options.

Restaurants start serving dinner fairly late (from 8.30pm and later) which was often more an advantage (we birded until last light) than a disadvantage (when we wanted early dinner prior to night birding). Except for panaderia’s, many restaurants close in the afternoon and open again only in the evening for dinner.

Fuel stations (YPF in particular) had the most reliable availability of coffee and snacks (open throughout the day).

HEALTH & SAFETY

At the time of our trip and writing, there were no (more) specific Covid restrictions other than the regular guidelines (social distancing, washing hands, etc). Be sure to check this prior to booking your trip until the Covid pandemic is left behind us.

One of us did suffer slightly from altitude sickness. We did not have the time to acclimatise and went from the lowlands straight to higher altitudes (> 4000 masl). Be aware of this and be careful when serious symptoms occur...

Looking back at our trip, we can only advise to bring sufficient sunscreen and other sun protection like long sleeves, lip balm and safari hats. Some places can get mosquito infested (Chaco is notoriously known for that), so repellent can be handy. We did not suffer too much from mosquitoes though - perhaps due to the heatwave.

VISA

For most tourists, it is straightforward and efficient to get a tourist visa upon arrival. No extra costs charged.

MONEY

The current massive inflation and strong devaluation of the Argentine Peso (ARS) isn’t in favour for local people, but it made travelling cheap for us. The key is to avoid the official currency (credit cards, cash withdrawals etc) as the ‘unofficial’ Blue Dollar rate is more than twice as high! Foreign valuta like Euros and Dollars are highly wanted and probably can be changed easily (we only need to do this once). Another very convenient way to get Pesos at the Blue Dollar rate, is to send money to yourself via Western Union (WU) and some minutes later you could go and pick up the money in one of the many local WU offices (Pago Facil offices are present in most larger cities)! You can even do this on site.

For the rental car, we specifically picked one of the few companies that confirmed beforehand they were willing to accept cash payment instead of credit card. Although the official rates are advertised at the Hertz kiosk, we managed to pay the vehicle cash using a mixture of USD and EUR notes at an intermediate rate between the official and the Blue Dollar rate after discussing with the Hertz responsible. Although this rate was not the best blue rate possible, it conveniently saved us a trip to a downtown WU office to get ARS, which would have been difficult on a Sunday anyways (most/all WU are closed).

LOCAL GUIDES

For a handful of sites, we used the services of local guides:

• Finca la Montana (c. 15 KM east of Salta) | This is a private farm, run by Oliver Kohler (+54 9 3875 51-7997) and family who is a very keen birder. We contacted him beforehand and he joined us for a great birding trip (evening and morning). We spent the night on his farm, not after having seen loads of night birds! He is happy to show future birders around. He is not a professional guide, so make sure to acknowledge him accordingly... Highly recommended!

• Tacuaralito (Ibera NP) | Eventually, we skipped this site as we had already seen all our targets in other Ibera sites. We contacted professional guide Ariel Ramos (+54 9 3794 62-9144), who could arrange access to this private area and take us around. The main target would have been Crested Doradito which is less guaranteed near Colonial Pellegrini.

• Rincon de Santa Maria | To get access to the lekking sites of the Sickle-winged Nightjar, we arranged a visit with the local guard/researcher Nestor Fariña (+54 9 3794 73-9679). No entrance nor guiding fee was charged, but we happily supported the research/protection with a voluntary contribution!

• Colonia Pellegrini (Ibera) | Weather and road conditions were hard to anticipate while planning our trip. To be on the safe side, we didn’t want to take the risk of getting stuck in the mud with our saloon car. Hence, we opted to use the services of local professional guide Roque Hernán (+54 9 3491 54-7376). With his 4WD car, we would certainly make it to all birding sites (and back). Furthermore, as a local, Roque knew stake-outs for most species, including some on private properties. Particularly for Yellow Cardinal and Saffron-cowled Blackbirds as availability of their distribution data is limited (for protective reasons!). While Roque was a knowledgeable character, he was not as hardcore as we would have wanted.

• Tostado area | Via Sandpiper Birding & Tours, we got in contact with local researchers studying/protecting Chaco Eagles. Maximiliano Churruarin (+54 9 3491 54-7376) would bring us to an area with a recently fledged chick. While driving through the Chaco towards Tostado, we had a few roadside birding stops and found a posing Chaco Eagle ourselves. The guided trip the next morning was cancelled by us, but we were happy to financially support the project anyway!

LITERATURE & INFORMATION

Bird identification:

• the recent Birds of Argentina and the South-west Atlantic by Pearman

• the handy Merlin app by the Cornell Lab, which comes with pictures, maps and sounds for most (not all!) species

Bird sounds:

• numerous recordings from the excellent Xeno-Canto sound repository

• a great selection is featured in the Merlin app (see above)

• a collection of commercial CD’s including:

• Audiornis Guide to the birds of Argentina (Bernabe Lopez-Lanus)

• Bird Sounds from Southern South America (Bernabe Lopez-Lanus)

• Songs of Argentine Birds (Robert Straneck)

• Voices of Chilean Birds (Guillermo Egli)

Logistical & bird info:

• Cloudbirders for trip reports of which we mainly used:

• Delforge (2022)

• Branch (2022)

• Jansen (2022)

• Gordijn (2018)

• eBird

• observation.org

SITE INFO

Here we only list the areas where we birded significantly, i.e. where we searched specifically for some species and did quite some effort to find them. On our trip, we also had many (sometimes random) roadside stops where we did not really ‘fully’ bird and those are left out in this overview.

LAGUNA MELINCUE

Our first stop was just a small detour en route to Mar Chiquita. Via eBird we learned that Pampas Pipit had been seen recently and regularly near Laguna Melincué. We accessed the area via the dirt road on the northern side: -33.658360, -61.430214 and were able to drive the dirt road for about 1 km. From here we continued on foot. It took some time working through all other pipit species, including our first Short-billed Pipits for the trip, but eventually a pair of Pampas Pipits was found near -33.681419, -61.415462. On the way we encountered several showy Bearded Tachuris.

Bearded Tachuri

MAR CHIQUITA

This large salt water lake is in between Buenos Aires and Cordoba (closer to the latter) and was our first ‘full’ birding site. We birded 2 different sections.

Early morning took us to the Loma los Indios section. From the parking lot (-30.946817, -62.710192) it is only a short walk to the observation tower which overlooks a completely dry pan (at the time of our visit). We continued birding the scrubby vegetation where we found both Dinelli’s Doradito and Olive-crowned Crescentchest. In the lower but very dense scrub at the edge of the lake, we heard several Dot-winged Crakes (around -30.948362, -62.712211) and after some playback effort we were able to get one into view. Later on, we briefly explored the Sendero El Pampero (-30.957934, -62.709852) but little extra was seen here and we returned before even reaching the end of the trail.

Our second stop was near the camping site of Laguna del Plata. When we arrived before noon, the camping was closed and we weren't allowed to pass the campsite to reach the lake/marsh. Another dirt track a bit northwards (-30.937652, -62.889532) gave us access to the lakeshore (after descending the 3m high bank) and we walked to the marshy area where we soon found our target bird: South American Painted Snipe (ca 15 birds at -30.939558, -62.883308). Scanning the mudflats with a telescope produced 2 Two-banded Plovers.

Olive-crowned Crescentchest

QUEBRADA DEL CONDORITO - PAMPA ACHALA

Just one hour drive outside Cordoba, this scenic national park is located right in the Sierras de Cordoba and is home to two relatively new cinclodes species (Olrog’s and Cordoba) and a range-restricted Meadowlark. Coming from Mar Chiquita, we only arrived late in the afternoon. Strong winds made birding not too easy. A morning visit should be more productive, we guess.

Our first birding stop was at the entrance road (turnoff at -31.611229, -64.712276) towards the HQ of the Quebrada del Condorito. Road construction works were going on with heavy and noisy machinery passing by. We made a few stops anyway, but quickly moved on to seek better birding opportunities. Nevertheless, we saw Sierran Long-tailed Meadowlark (-31.615739, -64.708221). When we returned later on (just before sunset) to this spot, we added Cordoba Cinclodes and a (too) distant nothura… If you want to hike and enter the park on foot, you are requested to register at the HQ of the park (where a number of trails start from). As all birds could be seen along the road, we did not do that.

Next stop was the side road “Vieja Ruta Provincial 14” which starts at -31.611135, -64.768177. We enjoyed the first (of more to come) encounters of commoner species like Red-tailed Comet and Andean Condors. After some more Sierran Long-tailed Meadowlarks along the first stretch of the road, we found good numbers Cordoba Cinclodes around the highest part (-31.601118, -64.753616).

The Orlog’s Cinclodes proved harder to get than expected and after consulting eBird for other locations, we drove a bit down and made a stop near a roadside lake (-31.612319, -64.805525). We were more lucky here and had up to 4 Olrog’s Cinclodes in this area. Again, we had good numbers of Cordoba Cinclodes and saw our first Puna Canasteros.

Sierran Long-tailed Meadowlark

LA JUNTURA

While preparing our trip, we shortlisted several sites (La Juntura, Casa Grande, Las Vaquerías and Capilla del Monte) to connect with the potentially difficult Black-bodied Woodpecker.

La Juntura is a local reserve with rather limited access: apart from the public picnic area where we parked the car (-31.209848, -64.484471), there is only a short riverside trail (on the other side of the river). We tried our luck for a while, but quickly moved to the next woodpecker site... We did see our only Short-billed Canastero, Straneck’s Tyrannulet and Black-and-chestnut Warbling-Finch here. We also had our first encounters with Tufted Tit-Spinetail and Chaco Sparrow. We assume that accessibility is year-round, but it might be relevant to check if the water level of the river is not too high to cross. Keep your eyes to the sky as there are Chaco Eagle sightings from here as well.

CASA GRANDE

Our second site for the woodpecker. It seems to be a locally created/declared nature reserve where a local birder frequently registers it (see eBird). Coming from the bridge in the village (-31.168035, -64.485876) we drove our car until the track became too steep/rocky and continued the last km or so on foot. We found a Black-bodied Woodpecker at -31.167072, -64.500481. Spot-winged Falconet has been reported here regularly, but we did not find it. Other sites (for the woodpecker) we could check later on the day were Las Vaquerias and Capilla del Monte, but didn’t go there in the end.

SALINAS GRANDES

This is basically, as its name suggests, a huge salt flat. It is being exploited for industrial reasons (chemical elements), for salt and it is a tourist attraction as well. The alkaline scrubby Salicornia vegetation along the shoreline of the lake is home to the endemic Salinas Monjita.

As temperatures before (!) sunrise climbed already above 30° C, we went straight to look for the monjita. As soon as we arrived at the shoreline (-30.060556, -64.689521), we instantly found a very tame and cooperative Salinas Monjita.

Nearby the salt pan some decent Chaco areas can be found. The remaining part of the morning was spent here and we managed to find several of its specialties: Black-legged Seriema (several heard and eventually one seen at -30.029155, -64.644523), Spot-winged Falconet (at -30.016275, -64.631752 and -30.063861, -64.681632 but also seen previous day long the main road -30.072719, -64.559982), Chaco Puffbird (a duetting pair at -30.031051, -64.646446), Crested Gallito (several heard and seen near -30.063558, -64.682640), Black-crested Finch (a pair at -30.029848, -64.645217 and the only ones during our trip), our first Ringed Warbling-Finches, etc.

The temperature went up as high as 45° C (heatwave?) which made us call it a day and enjoy an air-conditioned long drive towards Jujuy...

During Austral winter, this area should be good to catch up with wintering birds...

Salinas Monjita

QUEBRADA LOS SOSA

The RP 307 goes through the valley of the Rio Los Sosa and winds up from the lowlands all the way to the plateau near Tafi del Valle. The road gives stunning views as it passes through some very beautiful Yungas forest. Unfortunately, birding is mainly done along the relatively small and winding road. Traffic was not extremely busy but there was a constant flow of cars (and sometimes even large trucks) which hampered birding and made it relatively unpleasant.

Again, we arrived late in the afternoon as we came from Salinas Grandes. Our main target here was the Rufous-throated Dipper. In order to find it, you should ‘just’ check the fast flowing stream until you get one. There are many hotspots where birds have been reported in the past and very often these are bridges or places where you can pull over easily. It took us quite some time to find one, but persistence pays off and just before it got too dark, we found a single bird (and its nest) at -26.982275, -65.663673.

Other spots worth for dipper checking are: a bridge (-26.988311, -65.662117) and two consecutive bridges and a side track (-26.985368, -65.663876).

While searching for the dipper, we also bumped into some other birds of which Yellow-striped Brush-Finch was the highest on our priority list. We had up to 5 birds and first saw it near -26.987611, -65.662414. White-browed Tapaculo and Torrent Ducks were heard/seen on several occasions.

We did get our main targets in just a couple of hours. Hence, we decided not to come back and gain some extra time which we could use elsewhere. But it has to be said that it felt a bit awkward to leave this beautiful and interesting forest without further exploration...

Yellow-striped Brush-Finch

EL INFIERNILLO - CUESTA LOS CARDONES

Once past Tafi del Valle, the same road that passes through the forested Quebrada Los Sosa continues on the dry hillside via El Infiernillo and Cuesta Los Cardones to Amaicha Del Valle. Birding is done all along the road with many roadside stops, especially near/along the many small quebradas (gullies).

We left early in the morning - not after having a coffee with a sunrise view - and at our first stop near a quebrada (-26.792308, -65.727951) we immediately saw our first Tucuman Mountain-Finches, amongst others. A bit further, at a sideroad and another quebrada, we encountered our first Moreno’s Ground-Dove (-26.775085, -65.730102).

While checking an isolated tree patch near some kind of chapel (-26.740133, -65.757934), we accidentally bumped into a day roost of a Magellanic Lesser Horned Owl. It didn’t bother too much about the hoards of people that were picnicking right underneath.

We continued and our next stop was in the sharp bend at -26.737932, -65.763017. Here we followed the dry quebrada - no trail here - for about 1.5 km. On the way up and down we picked up a nice variety of species. We climbed the steep grassy slopes at (-26.726402, -65.758277) and found several Scribble-tailed Canasteros playing hide-and-seek.

Next quebrada (-26.706062, -65.795463) a bit further along the road was where we found a pair of Rusty-vented Canasteros, not too far from the main road.

Driving down, we made multiple stops to check steep canyons in order to find Monte Yellow Finch. Frustratingly, at many of the eBird locations, we only found Greenish Yellow-Finches, despite thoroughly checking. After quite some effort, we were looking at the real deal: four Monte Yellow-Finches that had their territory on the cliffs at -26.671810, -65.816825.

Lower down, we stopped once again near a quebrada (-26.641042, -65.822014) and after some work, we finally had great views of a 1 or 2 Steinbach’s Canasteros (-26.639450, -65.821891).

Just before reaching Amaiche Del Valle, we spent the last half hour of birding along the entrance road (-26.610739, -65.845103) towards the Ampimpa Observatorium. Another Rusty-vented Canastero was seen here.

Other birds seen along this large stretch of roadside birding include: White-browed Tapaculo (multiple occasions, mainly higher up), Puna Canastero (good numbers in the higher parts), Andean Tinamou (several, higher up), etc

We headed towards the town of Amaicha Del Valle, quickly arranged accommodation, had a delicious dinner and went out again for owling (see next site).

Tucuman Mountain-Finch

RUINAS DE QUILMES

This is mainly an archaeological site not too far from Amaiche del Valle, where we would spend the night. We only did some night birding along the entrance road. This entrance road is public and can be accessed freely at -26.485216, -66.000727.

Tropical Screech-Owls were heard calling upon arrival and after some playback we got a pair of Chaco Owls in view at -26.480459, -66.008369.

Chaco Owl

AMAICHA DEL VALLE

We headed out at first light and started birding just outside Amaicha Del Valle. The area along the dirt track at -26.565885, -65.953695 turned out rewarding birdwise.

A group of 3 Elegant Crested Tinamous (-26.569591, -65.951137) were very vocal and gave away great views after some playback. In the same area, we also saw our one and only White-throated Cacholote.

While walking further along the track, we distantly heard some interesting calls and after a bit of bushwhacking we found the very vocal roadrunner-like Sandy Gallitos (2 seen, more heard around -26.575372, -65.954147). At the same spot, a pair of Black-crowned Monjitas was found.

Other birds seen in this area were Ringed Warbling-Finches, Greater Wagtail-Tyrants and a single Diuca Finch.

Sandy Gallito

QUEBRADA DE ESCOIPE - CUESTA DEL OBISPO - VALLE ENCANTADO - LOS CARDONES

This site is birded as a return trip from the valley up the mountain to the altiplano and back, with plenty of roadside stops along the way. From El Carril, the first stretch is straight and paved. After some time, the road becomes unpaved but is well-maintained (graded and gravelled) although very windy. When we drove up there was a small rock slide that was being cleared and larger rocks (that could damage the vehicle) were scattered along the road. There was some traffic, but it did not really hinder birding.

We started the day early with an attempt to find Huayco Tinamou in the meadows in the valley. Luck was on our side as we got response from a bird close to the road (-25.188760, -65.799835) and managed to get decent views of it within minutes!

Our next stop somewhat higher up was near Quebrada La Sirena (-25.178426, -65.816070). Bird activity was high, and we soon found Zimmer’s Tapaculo, Maquis Canastero, Rufous-bellied Mountain-Tanager and Rock Earthcreeper all within the same area. Other species seen were Rust-and-yellow Tanager, another Tucuman Mountain-Finch, our first Fulvous-headed Brush-Finches and many more.

We climbed up and some roadside stops produced our first Straight-billed Earthcreeper (-25.180828, -65.856109) and another Zimmer’s Tapaculo.

Once we reached the altiplano, vegetation changed drastically and in the company of some guanacos we scanned and crossed the plains in search of some ground dwelling birds near -25.261665, -65.885299. By doing so, we found two Least Seedsnipes, a Gray-breasted Seedsnipe and at least two Rufous-throated Dotterels just before a quickly approaching thunderstorm made us flee into the car.

We drove away from the bad weather and had some more stops on the way down. Some Golden-spotted Ground-Doves were seen near the settlements at -25.193239, -65.865440 and some Bare-eyed Ground-Doves at the start of the “Valle Encantado trail” (-25.183986, -65.853276).

We continued much lower down as rain came in at these higher elevations. A roadside stop near the river at -25.157995, -65.673316 was productive as bird activity increased after the welcome shower. Birds of note were a single Sclater’s Tyrannulet, a Dot-fronted Woodpecker, some Yungas Guans, etc.

When driving out of the area, we came across a huge flock of Tucaman Parrots which gave away excellent views. In the roadside scrub at the very same spot (-25.102502, -65.594909), we saw a single Yungas Sparrow, which surprisingly turned out to be the only one for this trip...

Bare-eyed Ground-Dove

FINCA LA MONTANA

While preparing our trip, we found this area via eBird. Later on, it turned out that our friends (Delforge et al) had been there recently. We got in contact with Oliver Kohler (+54 9 3875 51-7997) who runs this private farm with his family. Oliver is a young, local and very keen birder who was happy to show us around. Together we enjoyed some great night birding, some gin tonic fun at his ‘garden house’, and a productive morning birding session! Oliver is not a professional bird guide, but he is happy to help out future birders who want to visit his place. Muchas gracias, Oliver!

Our night birding was very successful with great views of: Montane Screech-Owl (1 seen, another heard), Buff-fronted Owl (1 seen), Tropical Screech-Owl (1 seen, many heard), Scissor-tailed Nightjar (3 seen), Rufous Nightjar (2 seen, more heard), Little Nightjar (20+) and Common Potoo (2 heard, another seen the next day on a day roost).

Our daytime excursion produced: Huayco Tinamou (1 bird sat just next to our car), Chaco Puffbird (1 heard), Large-tailed Dove (our 2 first seen for the trip, several more heard), Rothschild’s Swift (2 birds flying overhead), Dot-fronted Woodpecker (single bird), Cream-backed Woodpecker (3 birds), Great Rufous Woodcreeper (1 seen, several heard), Moss-backed Sparrow (up to 5 birds), Stripe-backed Antwren (a pair), etc...

As this is a private farm, you cannot access this on your own and we won’t share any exact locations here.

Buff-fronted Owl

RP 112 (ROADSIDE STOP)

En route from Finca La Montana to Yala we made a small detour to search for Cinereous Tyrant. Right at the main junction of RN 9 and RN 34, we took the unpaved RP 112 at -24.738238, -65.028730. Even in the heath of the day, we quickly found several Cinereous Tyrants along the roadside at -24.734142, -64.999588.

PN YALA

After a morning birding in Finca La Montana and a short stop along the RP 112 (see above), we arrived just after noon in PN Yala. The lower area was crowded with people enjoying the refreshing river - not the best conditions for finding a dipper. Luckily we already saw one in Quebrada de Los Sosa, so went directly up to the lagunas.

Birding was slow, but step by step we were able to find our target birds. Near the Restaurante La Turuca we encountered some very vocal and responsive Spot-breasted Thornbirds (-24.108167, -65.479690) and several Plumbeous Black Tyrants. Carefully checking flowering plants rewarded us with both a male and female Slender-tailed Woodstar (-24.111761, -65.486541) a bit further along the road.

While descending again, we made a few more stops and saw several Red-faced Guans (most at -24.120765, -65.459777) and Yungas Guans. To conclude the day, we got our first White-browed Brush-Finch at -24.120847, -65.462974 and some Rusty-browed Warbling-Finches.

We found all of our most important target species during this afternoon, which made us decide not to spend an extra day here and gain some more time to be used elsewhere...

Yungas Guan

ABRA PAMPA - LAGUNA DE LOS POZUELOS - LAGUNILLAS

After a successful Yala visit, we gained some time, but still needed to drive all the way here. With an extra quick roadside stop to look for Thick-billed Siskin (no success), we only arrived late in the morning at Abra Pampa.

When leaving the village of Abra Pampa in the direction of Laguna de Pozuelos, there are some pools (-22.709299, -65.714186) just outside of the village. We briefly stopped here while having a snack and added several species to our trip list: Andean and James’s Flamingo, our first Andean Avocets and Puna Ibises, our only Andean Ducks for the trip, etc. Within the village itself, a nice flock of Bright-rumped Yellow-Finches was seen in the less nice area next to the local soccer field.

We continued along the dirt road (well-maintained) and kept an eye on the horizon for rheas, but did not see any while driving. We arrived at Laguna de los Pozuelos HQ, checked in (apparently obligatory but free of charge) and headed towards the lake. Along the entrance road that starts at -22.473204, -65.996270 we saw several Puna Miners and Puna Yellow-Finches and up to 5 Puna Lesser Rheas. The water level of the lake was low and at quite some distance from the parking lot. Light was hard and visibility was severely hampered - it should be better early morning. Hence, we didn’t try too hard identifying distant birds and as soon as we found several Puna Plovers we left for the next stop.

We continued along the RP 7, and took the turn-off to Lagunillas at -22.331586, -66.080302. When leaving the small town, road conditions decreased but never got very bad. Only one small dried-up stream crossing was a bit harder but all went fine and we drove all the way up to the western side of the lake (-22.299232, -66.102523). Here we got perfect light conditions and easy access by foot towards the shoreline. This lake is much smaller and easy to check with a scope. About 25 Horned Coots were the absolute star birds and were seen nesting alongside good numbers of both Giant and Slate-coloured Coots. On the way back we found our only Puna Plain-mantled Tit-Spinetails of the trip (-22.319704, -66.085334).

Horned Coots

YAVI

The drive from Lagunillas was fairly long but went smoothly. We arrived just before sunset and just for fun gave it a try at the mirador (-22.127496, -65.465477). Within the last half hour of the day, we managed to get views of a female Wedge-tailed Hillstar and a single male Citron-headed Yellowfinch!

The next morning took us to the same place and apart from some more hillstars (up to 4) and yellow-finches (up to 30), we also found in the same area Bare-faced Ground-Doves, Brown-backed Mockingbirds, Black-hooded Sierra-Finches, Diuca Finches, etc

After our visit to Quebrada de Lizoite, we made a quick stop near ‘Yavi Chico’ (-22.097096, -65.460662), where we hoped to find Thick-billed Siskin, but birding was rather disappointing here...

Wedge-tailed Hillstar

QUEBRADA DE LIZOITE

From Yavi, we took the unpaved road (well-maintained) towards Santa Victoria (RP 5) which winds through a scenic environment over a high altitude pass (Abra de Lizoite). We made some random roadside stops (including some relatively close Lesser Rhea), but the main birding site is at the quebrada (-22.202361, -65.211125). We explored the bogs alongside the stream and soon found the enigmatic Diademed Sandpiper-Plover (-22.201055, -65.210327). Other new bird species seen in the same general area are: Red-backed Sierra-Finch (good numbers) and Black-fronted Ground-Tyrant (2 birds), as well as our second encounter with Straight-billed Earthcreeper (2 birds). This was by far the coldest site of our trip.

Note: by continuing this road, one could bird near Santa Victoria where some typical Bolivian species could be found. We were unsure about the state of the road and how long it would take. Furthermore, all species can easily be seen on a Bolivian bird trip. Hence, we decided to leave them for another adventure and go for the long drive towards Calilegua...

Diademed Sandpiper-Plover

PN CALILEGUA

This national park was our only true Yungas forest for the trip. The park is bisected by an unpaved winding road (again well-maintained with hardened gravel), which continues further up to Abra Laura. As has often been the case with other sites as well, we birded this site as a return trip from the valley, frequently stopping along the way. Although there are considerably more demarcated trails away from the main road as compared to other parks we visited, we found our main targets along the road. Traffic was sparse and did not really hamper birding. While you can spend the night above the park in the small village of San Francisco (convenient to bird the higher areas of the park early morning?), we choose to spend the night in the valley in the namesake village Calilegua in a nice small family-run hotel.

While we expected some cooler mid-elevation cloud forest birding, it soon got hot again. We had a fairly slow start, but as soon as we reached the higher parts, birding got more rewarding. A Yungas Manakin (seen) and Sclater’s Nightingale-Thrush (heard) were recorded at -23.693668, -64.868080. The first Yungas Guans started to appear as well as White-browed Brushfinch.

Our first calling White-throated Antpitta was too far away, but on our second encounter we got nice views of a responsive bird at -23.689197, -64.879508. Later on, a few more were heard. A cooperative Sclater’s Nightingale-Thrush was seen at -23.682884, -64.887992 as well as our only Buff-banded Tyrannulets.

While continued and climbed up slowly with several birding stops. The higher trees covered with beard lichens at -23.684745, -64.893745 seemed a perfect spot for Yungas Pygmy-Owl, and soon we were enjoying views of this diminutive owl. We did get our single and only Rough-legged Tyrannulet here too. At one of the supposedly better spots for the puffleg we only found another Slender-tailed Woodstar (-23.681673, -64.901466) between the more common hummingbird species...

After a short (coffee) break further along the road in the small village of San Francisco, we were still missing the puffleg and started a focussed search for it. After stopping and scanning multiple sites with roadside flowers, we finally found a female Blue-capped Puffleg at -23.683538, -64.890357.

The day was coming to an end, so we decided to drive all the way down and see if we could connect with any Psittaciformes. We stopped just above the river at the Aguas Negras section (-23.756862, -64.854255) and immediately found some Green-cheeked Parakeets and Golden-collared Macaws plus Scaly-headed Parrots.

Next morning we concentrated on the lower elevations and started birding along and near the Sendero Lagunita (-23.752912, -64.853652). Here in the lush forest, we added amongst others Black-capped Antwren and Rufous Casiornis to the trip list. Our final stop near the Aguas Negras and visitor centre (-23.759874, -64.850402) only added Grey-headed Elaenia.

Other species seen in Calilegua which we encountered before were: Large-tailed Dove (lower sections), Tucuman Parrot (lower sections), Plumbeous Black Tyrant, Rusty-browed Warbling-Finch, etc.

Sclater’s Nightingale-Thrush

LA ESTRELLA ROAD (ROADSIDE STOP)

Initially planned a full birding site, but we saw most of the specialty birds elsewhere. It was only a minor detour from Calilegua to Taco Pozo, so we had a short break here during the long drive.

At the time we arrived, the heath kicked in already and there were strong winds (and some sand storms). The habitat seemed less degraded compared to other Chaco sites, but birding was slow. A quick stop near a pond (-23.820450, -64.220615) was good for our very first (of many) Giant Wood-Rails of the trip and a pair of Little Thornbirds. We continued and birded near a farm where we expected to find some seriemas walking between the chickens (frequent visitors according to the farmer). We added our only Plain Tyrannulet (-23.820003, -64.212989) and our first Gilded Hummingbird to the trip list. The atmosphere at this farm reminded us of an obscure scene from a Coen Brothers movie...

TACO POZO

This scruffy little industrial/exploitation town is located in the middle of the dry Chaco, but habitat is getting seriously degraded by human activities (settlements, roads, agriculture, charcoal,...). We did already see most of the Chaco specialties in previous sites, so we mainly searched for Quebracho Crested Tinamou and tried to get more (better) views of Black-legged Seriema.

We arrived late afternoon and when the worst of the heat was gone, bird activity increased. We tried several dirt roads near the village, but due to recent rains, several had muddy sections not possible for us to cross, or were not leading towards decent habitat. A broader but not too busy side road seemed suitable for birding, and we got immediate response to our tinamou playback. After a few distant individuals, we were lucky with a bird closer to the road. Soon we enjoyed views of 2 Quebracho Crested Tinamous crossing the road (-25.566377, -63.236110)! We heard some nearby calling seriemas just before darkness fell. The next morning we tried our luck at the very same site and soon enjoyed good views of some cooperative Black-legged Seriemas!

We had some extra Chaco sites on our initial itinerary, like some of the dirt roads towards Copo NP, but we skipped those.

Black-legged Seriema

HOTEL LAS CURIOSAS (ROADSIDE STOP)

As a backup plan for some more challenging species like Chaco Owl and Black-bodied Woodpecker, we had this hotel (-26.709460, -60.752490) in our schedule. It is situated along the route from Taco Pozo / Copo to Ibera NP. Apparently, it is a reliable site for those two species, see Delforge. As we had been successful both with the owl and the woodpecker plus Quebracho Crested Tinamou, we left the Chaco earlier than planned. Hence, we just had a brief midday stopover at Las Curiosas as a break during our long drive and to enjoy a coffee...

CANADON DE PROFUNDIDAD

As we gained almost two full days, we wanted to spend this time looking for some of the harder Parana species in Brazil, mainly Creamy-bellied Gnatcatcher and Southern Bristle-Tyrant. Scrutinising eBird observations made us give this small nature reserve a try, as it was one of the closer sites where both species had been reported.

We parked our car at the picnic area (-27.558178, -55.709076) and birded along the (only?) waterfall trail. We registered many new species for the trip and eventually found what we were looking for: a Creamy-bellied Gnatcatcher (at -27.559150, -55.709556)! Along the trail, several Southern Antpipits were heard and seen.

Creamy-bellied Gnatcatcher

CAMPO SAN JUAN

In the afternoon, we went to the nearby PF Campo San Juan. In the forest patch near the Parana River the gnatcatcher should be present, but we were after another target species that had only recently been discovered here as a first for Argentina: Ocellated Crake.

We parked our car at the entrance only to find out it was gated, and we parked here (-27.414332, -55.613068). It was a bit unclear to us if we could enter the reserve or not. Luckily we came across a patrolling car of friendly police officers who let us continue our walk. They did warn us that at night the area is being used by narcotraffickers...

After some walking we enjoyed we found the habitat for the crake and soon heard some Ocellated Crakes. Eventually, one was close enough and after some effort, it gave brief views at -27.391472, -55.632180! Along the main road we also recorded our first Long-tailed Reed Finches. On the way back during sunset we had several nightjars on the road before we bumped into a nice male Sickle-winged Nightjar!

Note: although the police officers let us explore the park, we are still not sure if this is officially allowed. It might be better to check with local people/authorities...

CERRO DE SANTA ANA - DON RODOLFO

We wanted to make use of the first hours of daylight for birding and started birding close to our accommodation. Based on eBird sightings we picked this site.

First we shortly birded along a dirt track, starting at -27.437845, -55.571809. Amongst several new trip list species, we mainly enjoyed Large-tailed Antshrike and Dusky-tailed Antbird (both at -27.439311, -55.574275).

When we continued further towards the reserve itself, it turned out to be some kind of tourist recreational area with an entrance fee and we could only enter at 9:00. We decided to skip it, bird a bit along the road (we had Rufous-thighed Kite) and then quickly continue to our next stop...

PP DE LAS SIERRAS ING. RAOUL MARTINEZ CROVETTO

In search of the bristle-tyrant, which we still missed, we picked this reserve based upon eBird records. It was somewhat further away but still worth trying one afternoon. We came from the eastern side and took the turnoff from the main road at -27.761536, -55.514625 on the 201. At -27.776174, -55.562403, we took right again and finally right at -27.746075, -55.582389. We parked our car at the park HQ (-27.743163, -55.565821).

From the HQ, we started birding along the signposted waterfall trail. Despite the suboptimal timing in the middle of the day, birding was productive. It didn’t take too long before we saw a Southern Bristle-Tyrant at -27.744832, -55.563167 and encountered many other species such as Southern Antpipit, a single Rusty-breasted Nunlet and several Variegated Antpittas. When we were back at the HQ, we found another Creamy-bellied Gnatcatcher.

Southern Bristle-Tyrant

RN RINCON DE SANTA MARIA

To protect Sickle-winged Nightjars, this reserve was created recently. It is right at the border with Paraguay. As the nightjars are displaying in a restricted part of the reserve, you have to arrange a visit in advance via the park guard Nestor Fariña (+54 9 3794 73-9679). As Nestor and his wife have been studying the nightjars for many years, they know the exact lekking sites.

We arrived late in the afternoon and parked our car near the house of Nestor (-27.529933, -56.602259). This is also the start of a public trail (we did not try it). We jumped in Nestor’s 4WD and were driven into the reserve. We found some Sharp-tailed Tyrants on our way to the lekking site (only ones of the trip, and not easy elsewhere on our loop?), as well as several Red-winged Tinamous. As soon as darkness fell, the first Sickle-winged Nightjars started calling, flying and perching on the track. We also came across some more Scissor-tailed Nightjars on the way out.

Note: many mosquitos!

PN IBERA

This national park is one of the largest wetlands systems in the world. While preparing our trip, we felt that more of the specialty birds could be seen on the eastern side than the western side: like the cardinal, blackbird and Chaco Eagle. The only problem here is accessibility. When dry for a while, the roads to Carlos Pellegrini are mostly fine to pass with a normal 2WD car like our Fiat Cronos. At some points it does require some careful driving as there are sections with deep ruts. In rainy/wet conditions, there is a serious risk of getting stuck in the mud, even with 4WD vehicles. We came from the north (Ituzaingo), but the same probably goes for the southern road (from Mercedes).

December should bring some rain and it was hard to judge whether or not we would make it. Hence, we decided to contact a local guide with a 4WD who would be able to safely take us around. We used the services of Roque Hernán (+54 9 3491 54-7376) for a 2-day Ibera excursion. He was very communicative and helpful and knew stakeouts for most of our target species, albeit not always spot on. For Yellow Cardinal and Saffron-cowled Blackbird, it seems Roque was essential as he had local contacts to get recent information (records are hidden for protective reasons) and to enter private areas.

It took some effort and initiative from our side, but in the end, we had a very productive trip! The total price was rather high compared to the rest of our trip, but it is up to yourself to judge if it is worth it to avoid the risk of getting stuck and missing recent information/contacts on the blackbird and the cardinal.

Birding was done along the main (northern) road with several road stops, where we were able to find a plethora of seedeaters: Ibera (2 birds at -28.433069, -56.970901), Rufous-rumped (several at -28.170503, -56.706302), Dark-throated (a single male at -28.170532, -56.706249), Pearly-bellied (a few birds), and on multiple locations we had small to good numbers of Chestnut, Rusty-collared and Marsh Seedeater.

For Saffron-cowled Blackbird, Roque arranged a visit to a protected breeding colony with local researchers. We enjoyed these beautiful birds from a safe distance and encountered our first Black-and-white Monjitas.

Yellow Cardinals are scarce breeders in the area. The chicks fledged already a while ago and the birds became less predictable. We tried several locations before we finally found them on a private farm.

On the other side of Carlos Pellegrini, we visited the Lobo Cua section (-28.556993, -57.208342) of the park, where we instantly connected with several aptly-named Strange-tailed Tyrants, our first Lesser Grass-Finches, Tawny-bellied Seedeaters and some more Rufous-rumped Seedeaters.

Despite some effort in several marshy areas, we were still looking for Crested Doradito. Roque suggested a morning boat ride on the lake to reach the vegetation where it resides. It felt very enjoyable for the regular tourist with views of general waterfowl. We had mixed feelings about it as time went by and only one of us had brief views of the doradito. Unicoloured Blackbirds were numerous on this trip. As we disembarked from the boat, we continued our quest in the marshy area behind the campsite and finally all of us had great views of a pair of Crested Doraditos (-28.530506, -57.186317)!

Other birds of interest that were seen on several occasions were Greater Thornbird, Scarlet-headed Blackbird, Brown-and-yellow Marshbird, Yellow-billed Cardinal, etc.

Note: we also looked at other options instead of or as addition to Carlos Pellegrini:

• On the western side, in Tacuaralito near Loreto, Crested Doradito seems to be more reliable and many other target species are present there as well. As it is a private area, you should go with a local guide (see above).

• The Wild Wetlands Lodge is situated within the park near the Don Luis reserve. Most of the target species are present here, including good chances for Crested Doradito and Sickle-winged Nightjar, but the blackbird and cardinal are absent here. Transport can be organised, but prices are rather steep as well.

Yellow Cardinal

LA HERMINIA (TOSTADO)

We hoped to bump into Chaco Eagle during our stay / travelling through the Chaco. Unfortunately we did not, despite a lot of checking perched or distant flying raptors along the road. As time permitted, we decided to make a not so small detour to go and look for it. Via Sandpiper Tours, we got in contact with local researchers who study and protect the Chaco Eagle. Maximiliano would take us to an area where a chick recently fledged and was still around.

While driving towards Tostado, we made use of the last birding hours and stopped at several sites, mainly to scan for the eagle. Eventually, we hit the jackpot and were looking at an adult Chaco Eagle near -29.239143, -61.382403 (coordinates given as eBird is showing all sightings anyway) ! We cancelled our excursion for the next morning to save time, but only after having met Maximiliano and supporting the project anyway.

Chaco Eagle

PERDICES - CEIBAS

After a long drive, coming from Tostado, we arrived in the afternoon at Perdices. Birding is done along the dirt roads going through marshlands (dried out), pastures and scrub. Birding was very slow and not too exciting, so we were happy we found a nice male Glaucous-blue Grosbeak (-33.286064, -58.585685). The grosbeak was on top of our list, as it seems less reliable in our next stops. Others focus here on seedeaters and the Saffron-cowled Blackbirds which can be seen here. As we saw all of those in Ibera, we did not try for them and moved on...

Later on we moved to Reserva Natural Ceibas which is nearby. First we birded a bit in the dry scrub along the main road, but quickly continued as bird activity was low. We took the turnoff at -33.478921, -58.690049 and birded along this side road. Yet another site where drought kicked in and hardly any water was found in the marshy area. Eventually, we found Curve-billed Reedhaunter (-33.485984, -58.684249), Sulphur-bearded Reedhaunter (-33.487514, -58.682899) and Warbling Doradito (-33.487506, -58.682949) along this stretch. A pair of Yellow-billed Cardinals was surprisingly only the second encounter for this trip. At dusk, we enjoyed dozens of Nacunda Nighthawks near Ceibas village (-33.4981, -58.7625)

OTAMENDI - CIERVO DE LOS PANTANOS

The first stop was along the road from the Otamendi railway station towards the Parana River (and ferry). Birding is done along the broad dirt road and is somewhat unpleasant as there is quite some commuting traffic. Most specialty birds are confined to the marshy areas which are not easy to explore/bird from the roadside. Nevertheless, we found most of our wanted species along this stretch: Straight-billed Reedhaunter (a single bird at -34.214729, -58.891628) and Red-and-white Crake (almost ran over our feet at -34.218376, -58.894245 and another heard calling). Other good birds seen were Curve-billed Reedhaunter (a pair at -34.218441, -58.894149) and in the same general area Long-tailed Reed-Finch. We finally caught up with a vocal and showy Ash-coloured Cuckoo (-34.186546, -58.873668) after having missed it on several of the previous sites.

Another roadside stop closer to the river produced a pair of Diademed Tanagers, Blue-billed Black Tyrant as well as and the surprise of the trip: the first Black-faced Tanager (-34.186102, -58.873394) for Argentina! We spread the news quickly, but the bird hasn’t been seen again, despite some effort of local birders. Little discussion about the ID, but its origin might be debatable with the Parana river nearby filled with boats coming from Brazil. Stripe-breasted Starthroat has been accepted as a true vagrant bird in similar circumstances, so we’ll happily leave it up to the Argentinian rarity committee :-)

The second stop is the PN Ciervo de los Pantanos, which is just on the other side of the railway. This is a real park with a gate and HQ (-34.225342, -58.900319). The park has opening hours but is free of charge. We briefly birded the trail system but birding had become already slow by now. For some of us, Dusky-legged Guan was new.

Note: robberies have been reported in this area. The official reserve (Ciervo de los Pantanos) should be very safe with the guards around, but we’re not sure how safe the road towards the Parana River is. The abandoned train station might attract squatters and this area seems a bit shabby. It might be wise to contact local birders to ask about the current

Straight-billed Reedhaunter

COSTANERA SUR

Situated right in the middle of Buenos Aires, this park is very conveniently located as a starter or an end of the trip. We arrived late afternoon in the capital and enjoyed some “goodbye birding” in this nice park. Right from the touristic boulevard (-34.612905, -58.357903), we were able to add some more species (mainly waterfowl) to our triplist, albeit no hard targets. Parking can be done along this boulevard if not too busy. We also walked into the reserve and explored the ‘trails’. Unlike the boulevard, the reserve itself has opening and closing hours (8 am - 6 pm) and days (Monday), but it’s free of charge.

Birds of note were a Stripe-backed Bittern and several species of waterbirds new for the triplist like Lake Duck, Black-headed Duck, etc...

Black-faced Tanager - Otamendi
first record for Argentina?