Torres del Paine

Left the port of Punta Arenas with our guide Ava ,our chartered flight to Puerto Natales our 45 minute arrived around 0820hrs.

This place is called Last Hope province,our first stop was Puente Pocarillo.

A few miles down the road Andean Condors sat at rest amongst Caracaras,obviously a carcasse nearby.

Noting more birds on route we stopped for tea and toilets at Cerro Castillo where a Long tailed Meadowlark was singing.

Also of note Upland Goose and Chilean Flicker.Soon we were viewing Guanacos (camelids) .

All At Sea

Well as you can imagine a number of days were at sea without visiting a port so some serious sea watching ensued not everyones cup of tea.

Good numbers of Great Shearwaters obliged and fairly easily identified.

this picture shows a number of Great and what I think was a Manx or two.
Next a map showing the water covered on the cruise.

So much variety obviously some pictures are distant but on a cruise ship you take what you get.
Albatrosses at last Black browed being the commonest.

Also Wandering Albatross in good numbers with its massive wingspan.

This is an immature any mistakes feedback would be appreciated.

Here's an adult followed by Salvins  , saw at least 5 Species of Albatross.

Another big bird was Southern Giant Petrel juveniles and colour phases makes things difficult they say Northern or Halls Giant Petrel don't follow boats ?

sitting pretty this one.

Well that's the pelagic for a bit back soon with some more soon
I leave you with a favourite Cape Petrel.

The Falklands

The first tender off the boat saw Flightless Steamer Ducks even distant penguins.

Our first view as we entered the bay to Stanley.
I left the boat around 1000hrs for a tour to Volunteer Point,which is the largest King Penguin colony in the Falkland Islands.

We boarded our land rover and Naomi our driver took us out of
Stanley.

The habitat was huge areas  of  upland grass with boulders and stones  and beyond that peat bog,after the gravel roads it took 2and a half hours on boggy peat tracks to reach Volunteer Point.

 First up was a number of Gentoo penguin which posed admirably in the sunshine.

followed by small numbers of Magellanic near there burrows.

Finally the magnificent King Penguins were superb they were harassed by
Dolphin gulls and Turkey Vultures but nothing deterred these astonishing birds.

The colony was fairly large and very photogenic.

Also they were Kings of the beach

Montevideo Uruguay

Arrived 0700 hrs in Montevideo of note Band tailed gulls also brown hooded gulls and Olivaceous cormorants.

Around 10.00hrs got off the boat and did a walking tour of the city,we walked through Mercado Puerto on to Plaza Zabala.

On to the Durango St where flea markets entertained us along with Monk Parakeets,eared doves etc.

Moving along Sarandi we entered the Cathedral Metropolitani before arriving at Constitution Square.

Finally passing through the gate of the original  citadel in to Independence Square.Back to Mercado Puerto  we stopped  for a beer and garlic prawns while  watching Uruguay Tango.

Finally we returned to the ship and sailed onwards to the Falklands.

Buenos Airies the city and its culture

Arrived BA in the rain we checked in had breakfast had a siesta noted American Kestrel from the hotel,went for a walk along Reconquista,before our visit to Hotel Faena for the Rojo tango.

We sat close to the stage and had a meal with close views of this excellent production.

The following morning our guide arrived for our tour of Buenos Airies her name was Anna ,the first stop was the Plaza de Mayo the political heart of Argentina,here the obelisk and markings of the people killed in the revolution.

Opposite Casa Rosado where Eva Peron stood on the balcony.

Here's Madonna looking like Eva in the film Don't cry for me Argentina.

Just before leaving the square I see Argentinas national bird its the Rufous Hornero.

A beautiful Baroque church San Pedro Gonzalez was plain but incredible.

Next up the Boca with classic murals of Che,Maradonna,Peron on this highly garish painted neighbourhood.

The Boca juniors stadium where the kids were playing football in the street and tango was everywhere.

on route back the tower of the English the Metal flower and Eva Peron's statue.

Finally the Cemetario de Recoleta this amazing resting place of affluent people.

Including Eva Perons family a great but short tour of this fabulous city.

birding in buenos airies

Met Marcelo Gavensky and got a cab from the hotel to Costanera del Sur where on arrival a Grey necked Woodrail obliged immediately.

Birds were arriving thick and fast Chalk browed Mockingbird and in the marsh Cocoi Heron and Great White Egret.

This area is classified as urban birding it was so diverse.

Now the Coots came closer Red Gartered and Red Fronted showed well.

I even photographed White Tufted Grebe ,we searched for Bitterns and found Rufescent Tiger Herons.

While overhead noisy Nanday conures seemed common,lots of duck up to four species of Teal.

Silver,Ringed,Brazillian and Yellow billed along with Rosy bill Pochards,
a humming bird called Glittering Bellied Emerald showed along with Red crested Cardinal.

Distant  Limpkin along with Southern Screamer and eventually Monk Parakeet.

The nest of the Rufous Hornero was something and my favourite passerine was the Spectacled Tyrant.

Finally great views of Limpkin feeding close to the entrance of the park.

The wooded area and phragmites produced juvenile Harris Hawk and Guira cuckoo ended our morning.A cab back to the hotel goodbye to Marcelo.