Southern Argentina part 5: La Angostura to El Calafate and home (25-30 November)

Southern Argentina part 5: La Angostura to El Calafate and home (25-30 November)

The final part of my blog giving my take on a very enjoyable Ornis trip to Southern Argentina. Made so by a very high success rate and excellent leaders Chris Venetz and top Argentinian guide Hector Solongo, driver extraordinaire Pedro Chiesa and the other participants very long time friend/travelling companion Nick Preston, Magnus Aurivillius, Lyn Capalad, Gordon Beck and Eric Shaw. Having had such good views of Hooded Grebes the previous day it was smiles all round but there were still important birds to see and hopefully photograph. New birds in red, I finished the trip (including our pre-tour day) seeing 25 having thought a realistic target might be 22.

Monday 25 November 2024. Before breakfast we had a final look for Austral Rail. I may have heard it, the others did, but at times I find it hard to differentiate between bird and tape when my mono hearing can’t judge direction. The two Silver Teal were present as were 25 Upland Geese, 10 Crested Duck, 4 Chiloe Wigeon, 6 Yellow-billed Pintail, 2 Red-gartered Coot, 5 Black-faced Ibis, a male Cinereous Harrier, 4 Chimango Caracaras, 3 Austral Negritos, 2 Spectacled Tyrants, 3 Chilean Swallows and 4 Black-chinned Siskins. We left at 07:00 and drove the 280km to El Chalten seeing 3 Lesser Rhea, Tawny-throated Dotterel, 2 Southern Lapwings, 2 Baird’s Sandpipers, 2 Grey-breasted Seedsnipe, 2 Magellanic Snipe, Cinnamon-bellied Ground Tyrant and a poor view of a Chocolate-vented Tyrant on the way. We’d stopped at a deserted garage outside Tres Lagos but fortunately didn’t need any fuel as the pumps were padlocked. Pedro said this wasn’t uncommon and it was always wise to fill up when the opportunity arose. We left our bags in store at El Chalten’s Hotel Poincenot and went for lunch nearby. After lunch we followed the RP23 following the Las Vueltas River into a wooded valley crossing into and then out of the northern section of Parque Nacional Los Glaciares. The difference was relevant as taping birds isn’t allowed in the Parque and we’d be returning later to look for Rufous-legged Owl where using a tape would be very helpful. We birded along the road more than halfway to Lago del Desierto. Birds noted along the valley were Great Grebe, Black-crowned Night Heron, 2 Austral Pygmy Owls, Chilean Flicker, male and female Magellanic Woodpecker, 12 Austral Parakeets, 2 Buff-winged Cinclodes, 4 Thorn-tailed Rayadito, 2 White-throated Treerunners, Magellanic Tapaculo (heard), 4 Chilean Elaenias, 2 White-browed Ground Tyrants, 2 Fire-eyed Diucons, 4 Rufous-tailed Plantcutters, 4 Austral Thrushes and a Patagonian Sierra Finch. We returned to El Chalten at 20:00, had a meal and set out again at 21:30. We drove for about 20km to a small clearing by the road where Hector and Chris had both seen Rufous-legged Owls previously. It was almost as far as we’d been that afternoon and well outside the Parque. We tried a tape and elicited an almost immediate response as a very annoyed Rufous-legged Owl flew in and landed almost directly above us were it peered down trying to spot an intruder. It was not happy and neither was its mate who came in and stared at us too. We watched them for several minutes before leaving them in peace and were back at the Hotel Poincenot at 23:20.

Black-faced Ibis at La Angostura

Chimango Caracara at La Angostura

Hacienda La Angostura

roadside Guanacos

Nick, Pedro, Hector and Lily

heavily cropped Magellanic Snipe en route to Tres Lagos

Grey-breasted Seedsnipe during the same stop

petrol station near Tres Lagos, it was closed

popular with overlanders

Austral Parakeets along RP23

female Magellanic Woodpecker by the PR23

following the PR23

Magnus, Lyn and Gordon on the RP23

spectacular views

female Rufous-tailed Plantcutter from the RP23

male Rufous-tailed Plantcutter

with Fire-eyed Diucon in light rain

White-throated Treerunner above the RP23

Austral Pygmy Owl over the PR23

Thorn-tailed Rayadito from the RP23

Thorn-tailed Rayadito from RP23 (photo: Chris Venetz)

Chilean Flicker by the RP23

Rufous-legged Owl by the PR23

Rufous-legged Owl (photo: Chris Venetz)

Tuesday 26 November 2024. We left El Chalten at about 07:30 and for the third time headed along RP23 following the Las Vueltas River towards Lago del Desierto. A Chilean Hawk spotted in a tree by the road caused a sudden stop. It was a new bird for me and not something I hadn’t expected. We continued further along the road than yesterday, mostly through thick forest, stopping for a very distant pair of Ashy-headed Geese beside a laguna where the river widened. A little further on a partly hidden lake held a pair of Bronze-winged Duck. Next, near Salto del Anillo where a waterfall came down to the road, we had excellent views of a Magellanic Tapaculo and soon after a superb Black-throated Huet-Huet circled us a couple of times. What a contrast between the large and small tapaculos, the large ones of the Southern Cone are stunning although most are virtually restricted to Chile. We continued to the southern end of Lago del Desierto where the road ended, 35km from El Chalten. The lake runs north for 8km with the Chilean border 3km further on. We walked a short distance along a narrow footpath beside the lake seeing a very much closer pair of Ashy-headed Geese. We made a few stops on the way back seeing 3 Magellanic Woodpeckers, 3 Austral Parakeets, Buff-winged Cinclodes, Thorn-tailed Rayadito, 6 Austral Thrushes and Black-chinned Siskin. We returned to El Chalten for lunch and then drove 215km to El Calafate, around the northern shores of Lago Viedma then south and around the bottom of Lago Argentino. Magellanic Plover was our main target with only Nick and I having seen them before (in Chile). We parked near the Hotel Las Dunas and passed a number of beachgoers to overlook a marshy area on the edge of the lake just north of Reserva Laguna Nimez but only Chris saw one, very distantly, and it promptly walked out of sight behind a bank and didn’t reappear. We drove through El Calafate to the opposite side of the bay and most of us walked out onto the Punta Soberana shingle spit. None were immediately apparent and we cautiously continued a short way down the spit, wary of disturbing any breeding birds. A Magellanic Plover was seen at some distance on the shingle ridge and just as Hector gave the green light to a slow approach it flew towards us and out to the water’s edge where it started feeding. We watching it for a while then Chris and I commando crawled out onto the marsh to get closer. I soon realised I was crawling over Upland Goose poo but the bird seemed unconcerned by us and I kept going. The managed reasonable photos without disturbing the bird and I managed to clean up my trousers. We continue to our hotel, the very pleasant Hostería La Estepa situated on the edge of El Calafate overlooking the lake, dumped our bags and went into a very busy town for a meal. Other birds seen during the day, mostly at El Calafate were 6 Black-necked Swans, Flying Steamer Duck, 75 Upland Geese, 10 Crested Duck, 3 Red Shoveler, 2 Chiloe Wigeon, 4 Yellow-billed Pintail, Red-fronted Coot, 10 Chilean Flamingos, 8 Southern Lapwings, 2 Lesser and a Greater Yellowlegs, 6 Baird’s Sandpipers, 4 Kelp Gulls, 2 Cinereous Harriers, 12 Austral Negritos, 2 Chilean Swallows, House Wren and 4 Rufous-collared Sparrows.

the RP23 along the Las Vueltas River valley

Chilean Hawk from the RP23

Bronze-winged or Spectacled Duck from the RP23

Bronze-winged or Spectacled Duck from the RP23 (photo: Chris Venetz)

Salto del Anillo

Austral Thrush near Salto del Anillo

Magellanic Tapaculo near Salto del Anillo

Magellanic Tapaculo near Salto del Anillo (photo: Chris Venetz)

Black-throated Huet-Huet near Salto del Anillo

those feet!!

Black-throated Huet-Huet near Salto del Anillo (photo: Chris Venetz)

Hector and Chris by Lago del Desierto 

Lago del Desierto looking north to distant mountains in Chile

Ashy-headed Geese by Lago del Desierto

Dog Orchid at Lago del Desierto

male Magellanic Woodpecker south of Lago del Desierto 

female Magellanic Woodpecker south of Lago del Desierto 

Mount FitzRoy in clearing cloud

leaving El Chalten

Upland Goose stand-off at Punta Soberana

goose poo machines

Magellanic Plover at Punta Soberana

Magellanic Plover at Punta Soberana (photo: Chris Venetz) 

view from Hostería La Estepa

 Wednesday 27 November 2024. Our last full birding day, breakfast was at 07:00 so Chris, Nick and I spent the hour before birding in the scrub below La Estepa. Seeing Scale-throated Earthcreeper, the first of 8 Austral Negritos, 10 Rufous-collared Sparrows and 8 Long-tailed Meadowlarks seen during the day. At 07:30 we drove to the beach by Hotel Las Dunas to pick up our guide for the day’s visit to Glacier Perito Mareno. Checking the wetlands first we all had decent views of 2 Magellanic Plovers. The previous afternoon mobility issues had prevented Magnus from risking the shingle spit and he was understandably very emotional when he saw the plovers. We left El Calafate heading west on PR11 and stopped by the road a few times before and after reaching the entrance to Parque Nacional Perito Moreno. We continued to a car park by a Visitor Centre at the end of the road and followed crowds of tourists around a boardwalk giving stunning views overlooking the glacier. We had a sandwich lunch in the Visitor Centre and returned to El Calafate. Birds seen during the morning were 10 Southern Lapwing, 2 Two-banded Plovers, Andean Condor, Black-chested Buzzard Eagle, Chilean Flicker, a glimpse of a flyover Magellanic Woodpecker, 15 Crested and a Chimango Caracara, American Kestrel, 10 Austral Parakeets,3 Thorn-tailed Rayaditos, 2 Chilean Elaenias, 4 Fire-eyed Diucons, 2 House Wrens, 3 Austral Thrushes, 4 Black-chinned Siskins and 4 Austral Blackbirds. Back at El Calafate we spent a couple of hours late afternoon/early evening in Reserva Laguna Nimez, a popular reserve around a lagoon on the edge of El Calafate. Here and around Calafate we saw 6 Coscoroba and 4 Black-necked Swans, 30 Upland Geese, 5 Crested Duck, 6 Red Shoveler, 4 Chiloe Wigeon, 4 Yellow-billed Pintail, Yellow-billed Teal, 20 Lake Duck, 3 Plumbeous Rails, Common Gallinule, 2 Red-fronted Coot, 4 Red-gartered Coot, Magellanic Snipe, Greater Yellowlegs, 5 Baird’s Sandpipers, 5 Brown-hooded and a Kelp Gull, 5 Black-faced Ibis, 2 Cinereous Harriers, 2 Wren-like Rushbirds, Sharp-billed Canastero, 4 Tufted Tit Tyrants, 4 Spectacled Tyrants, 6 Chilean Swallows, 2 Grass Wrens, 5 Patagonian Mockingbirds, Corrandera Pipit and Yellow-winged Blackbird. We returned to Hostería La Estepa for an end of tour meal.

Long-tailed Meadowlarks near La Estepa

Scale-throated Earthcreeper near La Estepa

female Austral Negrito near La Estepa

male Austral Negrito near La Estepa

Sharp-billed Canastero near La Estepa

Magellenic Plover near Laguna Nimez

Lago Argentino from the RP11

Austral Blackbird from the RP11

immature Black-chested Buzzard Eagle over the RP11

Fire-eyed Diucon by the Parque Nacional Perito Moreno entrance

Austral Parakeet by the Parque Nacional Perito Moreno entrance

me in Parque Nacional Perito Moreno

first views of the Perito Moreno glacier

Brazo Rico, the Rico arm of Lago Argentino

the water flows left to right from Brazo Rico into the main body of Lago Argentino

periodically the glacier dams the Brazo Rico causing its level to rise by up to 30m

the dam ruptures on average every four years although last did so in 2019

blue ice

impressive scenery

Corrandera Pipit at Reserva Laguna Nimez

Yellow-billed Pintail at Reserva Laguna Nimez

 Austral Blackbird at Reserva Laguna Nimez

Tufted Tit Tyrant at Reserva Laguna Nimez

Tufted Tit Tyrant at Reserva Laguna Nimez

Patagonian Mockingbird at Reserva Laguna Nimez

adult Plumbeous Rail at Reserva Laguna Nimez

Chiloe Wigeon at Reserva Laguna Nimez

Red Shoveler at Reserva Laguna Nimez

Lake Duck at Reserva Laguna Nimez

female Spectacled Tyrant at Reserva Laguna Nimez

Black-faced Ibis on a nest at Reserva Laguna Nimez

presumed immature Plumbeous Rail at Reserva Laguna Nimez

seemingly minding its own business

either spots an intruder or has been caught trespassing?

an almighty punch up develops

seen them off

no its round two

Long-tailed Meadowlark at Reserva Laguna Nimez

L>R: Magnus Aurivillius, Lyn Capalad, Nick Preston, Gordon Beck, Eric Shaw, Chris Venetz, me keeping a low profile, Pedro Chiesa and Hector Solongo

evening views from Hostelaria la Estepa

Thursday 28 November 2024. Our final morning. From 06:10-06:55 I birded the scrub below the hotel, on my own this time seeing much the same as the previous morning with the addition of a Grey-headed Sierra Finch. After a leisurely breakfast and packing the van we left Hostelaria la Estepa and drove into low scrubby hills at Hoya de Chinque, just off PR15 about 10km SW of El Calafate. There we spent an hour or so looking for Great Shrike Tyrant without success, a Grey-bellied Shrike Tyrant being the closest we managed. Back at El Calafate we spent a couple of hours late morning in Reserva Laguna Ninez. Mostly here but also around El Calafate we saw 2 Coscoroba and 5 Black-necked Swans, 15 Upland Geese, 25 Crested Duck, 2 Red Shoveler, 6 Chiloe Wigeon, 6 Yellow-billed Pintail, 15 Lake Duck, Red-fronted Coot, 4 Red-gartered Coot, 12 Southern Lapwings, 2 Magellanic Snipe, 7 Black-faced Ibis, 6 Crested and 2 Chimango Caracaras, Wren-like Rushbird in flight, 3 Scale-throated Earthcreepers, 2 Sharp-billed Canasteros, 4 Tufted Tit Tyrants, 15 Austral Negritos, 6 Spectacled Tyrants, 4 Chilean Swallows, 3 Grass Wrens, 3 Patagonian Mockingbirds, Corrandera Pipit, 20 Rufous-collared Sparrows, 6 Long-tailed Meadowlarks, 2 Austral and a Yellow-winged Blackbird and 8 Mourning Sierra Finches. We were all on an early evening flight back to Buenos Aires and Pedro dropped us off at the airport after a brief look in some tourist shops in town. He was driving back but taking time out seeing friends on the way. Our flight was at 18:35 landing three hours later at Jorge Newbury Airport in Buenos Aires. Flight times didn’t allow making European connections the same day, not helped by domestic and international flights flying into and out of airports at opposite sides of the city. Nick and I had thought it best to find a hotel near Ezezia International Airport, our departure airport, and had intended getting a shuttle bus there and either hotel transport or a taxi to the hotel. As it turned out Chris was staying in the same hotel as us, had a taxi booked and was happy to give us a lift. It was close to midnight when we arrived, after a somewhat chaotic pickup and at times heavy traffic.

Austral Negrito near La Estepa

Sharp-billed Canastero at Hoya de Chinque

Mourning Sierra Finch at Hoya de Chinque

Lily at Hoya de Chinque

Scale-throated Earthcreeper at Hoya de Chinque

Rufous-collared Sparrow at Hoya de Chinque

Upland Goose with goslings (and a Spectacled Tyrant) at Reserva Laguna Nimez

Southern Lapwing at Reserva Laguna Nimez

Grass Wren at Reserva Laguna Nimez

Austral Blackbird at Reserva Laguna Nimez

Spectacled Tyrants at Reserva Laguna Nimez

Long-tailed Meadowlarks at Reserva Laguna Nimez

Lake Ducks at Reserva Laguna Nimez

Chris at Reserva Laguna Nimez

me at Reserva Laguna Nimez

 Friday 29 November 2024. We had breakfast, said goodbye to Chris who was flying home via  Amsterdam on a later flight, and took the hotel shuttle to the airport soon after 10:00. I saw 4 Southern Lapwings and single Grey-breasted Martin and White-rumped Swallow from the van on our 10 minute drive. We met up with Gordon in the departure lounge, he’d stayed near the domestic airport and had seen Campo Flicker nearby. Our BA flight at 13:35 was on time. We had what seemed an even longer ‘touchdown’ at Rio where the plane was cleaned around us. I watched a whole series of House of the Dragon and quite enjoyed it as we continued through the night.

Saturday 30 November 2024. We landed slightly ahead of schedule but luggage was slow to arrive. I said goodbye to Gordon and Nick (who Gordon was giving a lift back to York), managed to catch an earlier National Express coach, was in Brighton by 12:15 and home an hour or so later. I had been very impressed with my first Ornis Birding Expedition helped by a very high hit rate, excellent leaders, driver and group.