Strange tails in Ibera... (1 Viewer)

... coming soon. Just need to sort some photos and get my notes in order.

Cheers

James

So, I and a (non birding but interested in wildlife) colleague have just returned from a short work trip to Argentina, splitting our time between Buenos Aires and Ibera, in the northern province of Corrientes. In between work commitments I accidentally did some birding, and what follows is an account thereof.

Arrived in Buenos Aires just as it was getting light on 30th September, and first bird up was a lifer, a couple of Chimango Caracaras (the first of many) sitting up on the terminal. The taxi ride into town was one familiar to many birders who indulge in overseas trips; trying to see as many species from a moving car as possible while driving through incredibly unpromising habitat (so much effort for so little reward). First impressions (strengthened with subsequent experience of the place) was that Buenos Aires is a city of pigeons. Not so much Feral Pigeons (although there are plenty around), but Picazuro Pigeons and especially Eared Doves, which are just everywhere. A few other bits and bobs, including Chalk-browed Mockingbirds, Southern Lapwings & Caracaras, and Rufous Horneros, and we're at the hotel to drop off luggage, and then walk down to the coach station to book tickets for the day after tomorrow, with Rufous-bellied Thrushes in a small park en route, and a couple of Baywings, the first of 11 species of Icterid (most of them ticks), at the coach station itself.

Chimango Caracara
Chalk-browed Mockingbird
Starling
Picazuro Pigeon
Southern Lapwing
Southern Caracara
Eared Dove
Rufous Hornero
House Sparrow
Rufous-bellied Thrush
Baywing

More to follow.

James

Pics

View from hotel
Eared Dove x2
Picazuro Pigeon
Baywing

looking forward to this one James, nice one :t:

The first afternoon was spent meeting with an Argentinian colleague, but as this took place in a rather pleasant park there were plenty of birding opportunitues. In addition to the aforementioned super-abundance of pigeons were a few more interesting birds. Buenos Aires has a variety of parrot species that occur wild elsewhere in the country, but in the capital exist as feral populations (so far as I understand it, although I think I’m right in that the Monks are Cat A), and the afternoon’s tally made it to 4; Monk, Yellow-chevroned, White-eyed and I’m pretty sure Maroon-bellied. Also kicking about were Green-barred Woodpecker, Narrow-billed Woodcreeper, Great Kiskadees, Red-crested Cardinals, Rufous-collared Sparrows and a single Red-fronted Coot, as well as most of the morning’s cast. So with the trip’s list having reached 25, including half a dozen lifers, the first day came to an end with a damn tasty Quattro Formaggio at a nearby eatery which was ably chaperoned by several bottles of Quillmes. An empty day beckoned after a much needed night’s sleep, and here we were based in downtown Buenos Aires. Hmmm… where to go, where to go. Ideas on a postcard please.

James

Yellow-chevroned Parrakeet
Shiny Cowbird
Black-crowned Night Heron
Great Egret
Narrow-billed Woodcreeper
Green-barred Woodpecker
Southern House Wren
Great Kiskadee
Maroon-bellied Parrakeet
Neotropical Cormorant
White-eyed Parrakeet
Rufous-collared Sparrow
Monk Parrakeet
Red-fronted Coot
Red-crested Cardinal

Cheers

James

Pics

Rufous-bellied Thrush
Chalk-browed Mockingbird
Red-crested Cardinal x2
Red-fronted Coot

Costanera Sur (it had to be really) doesn't open till 08:00, so we had time for breakfast before a short walk to the north entrance of the reserve. For those unaware of its existence, Costanera Sur is a large urban reserve jutting out into the Rio Plata estuary and easily accessible from the heart of Buenos Aires. In its heyday it was a mosaic of lagoons, marshes and grasslands, but habitat succession has seen it become mostly scrubby woodland (some of it swampy) with some large areas of reed bed. A decent management plan and a couple of viewing platforms and it would be world class, but as it is it's merely very good. Black and Rufous Warbling Finch was first up, just outside the entrance before the place opened, along with fly-by white-faced Whistling Ducks (familiar from Africa, but my first in the neotropics), Rosy-billed Pochard and Yellow-billed Teal, Giant Wood-Rail and Limpkin were sitting up on bushes and Blue and White and Chilean Swallows hawked to and fro. When the gates opened a dozen or so joggers who had been warming up were off and away, and we started to slowly explore the place, coming across White-crested tyrranulet, Green-winged & Golden-billed Saltator, Masked Yellowthroat & Gnatcatcher, Golden-crowned Warbler and a stunning male Blue and Yellow Tanager in no time at all.

James

Black and Rufous Warbling Finch
White-faced Whistling Duck
Limpkin
Giant Wood Rail
Yellow-billed Teal
Moorhen
Brown-chested Martin
Rosy-billed Pochard
Blue and White swallow
Chilean Swallow
Saffron Finch
White-crested Tyrannulet
Green-winged saltator
Masked Yellowthroat
Golden-crowned warbler
Masked Gnatcatcher
Golden-billed Saltator
Blue and Yellow Tanager

pics

Distant joggers
Distant skyscrapers
B&R Warbling Finch
Golden-billed Saltator x2

As we made our way round the perimeter I kept scanning the sea for Great Grebes, to no avail, just Cormorants and a very distant unidentifiable Tern sp. Cutting across the middle of the reserve we heard a Woodpecker quietly tapping away in a tree, low down and close. After several minutes of fruitless and confusing searching we spotted a hole, which is where the tapping was coming from, and before long out popped a dainty little Checkered Woodpecker. Continuing on, other delights put in appearances; Glittering-bellied Emerald, a zappy little male Spectacled Tyrant (one of those birds whose appearance takes you completely by surprise in spite of all that time studying the field guides), Great Pampa Finch, all against a backdrop of the ubiquitous Pigeons & Doves, along with Chalk-browed Mockers, Horneros, and Kiskadees. And then, finally, we found some open fresh water. I had one of those 4 tick moments, when afterwards as you do your notes you can’t quite figure out the order the birds should go on the list (these things are important, as I’m sure you don’t need telling) – Coscoroba Swan, Fulvous Whistling Duck (almost certainly saw a couple of these very very distantly in Belize a few years back, so it was very satisfying to lay it to rest now), White-winged Coot & White-tufted Grebe! Except… that’s not a Swan, it’s a bloody white farmyard duck! Dagnabbit! What are the frickin’odds! (If you look carefully you can see it on the reedy island on the very first pic of this report).

James

Hooded Siskin
Checkered Woodpecker
Glittering-bellied Emerald
Spectacled Tyrant
Great Pampa Finch
Fulvous Whistling Duck
White-winged Coot
White-tufted Grebe

Pics

Checkered Woodpecker x2
Spectacled Tyrant
Pampa Finch tick-site
Coot, Ducks & Grebe

And there was me thinking the title was just a slight spelling slip of Iberia ...did think those first five photographs looked unfamiliar

Bloody white duck. I consoled myself with a couple of passing Epaulet Orioles before a family of real Coscoroba Swans drifted by and all was well with the world again. Also on show were a pair of Silver Teal and a small group of Ringed Teals. What with all the exotic wildfowl, traffic noise, joggers, pigeons and general CBD habbo it was like being in St James Park, Guira Cuckoos & Baywings notwithstanding. There were even Moorhens and that bloody white duck. By now we had reached the south gate, and so took the opportunity to recharge with coffee and empanadas at one of the many kiosks along the promenade before cracking on.

James

Epaulet Oriole
Coscoroba Swan
Silver Teal
Ringed Teal
Guira Cuckoo

pics

Swan mimic
Coscoroba Swans x3
Costanera Sur's last remaining patch of open fresh water

Epaulet Oriole
Ringed Teal x2
Rosybill montage
Guira Cuckoo

Pleasantly refreshed we resumed our exploration with a loop round the southern end of the reserve looking easily doable before lunch became a priority. On the water a couple of strange contraptions were busy gathering up reeds, looked like they were engaged in keeping them from overgrowing the lake, so some management did seem to be taking place. Shortly after setting off a fine male Glaucous-blue Grosbeak put in a brief appearance, and as we approached the sea Cocoi Heron & Kelp Gulls obliged with fly-bys. In various areas of the reserves Pampas Cavies cropped the grass along the trails, which were alive with Rufous-collared Sparrows, Eared Doves, Rufous Horneros & Chalk-browed Mockingbirds. It was on a relatively dry, sandy section of the walk that I was surprised to have a White-banded Mockingbird fly up into the pathside scrub; I had thought they would all have moved south by now, but apparently not. Then we reached the sea, and finally I met with success in the hunt for Great Grebes, with three floating slowly past a little way off shore. A much wanted bird in the bag. Nice! They were shortly joined on the growing day list by a small party of Brown-hooded Gulls, and then before we knew it we’d looped back to the south gate, via a distant flying Rufescent Tiger-Heron (to complete my set) and my first Grey-necked Wood-Rail on the South American continent, skulking through some flooded scrub, much as the one I saw in Belize a few years ago had been. Anyway, time to stop for lunch methinks, in a café across the road. That’s one of the weird things about Coastanera Sur. One minute you’re scrutinising a Wood-Rail, lurking in a swamp, then a bare few minutes later you’re in an eatery on a busy city road ordering a Milanese sandwich and a beer, then a few minutes after strolling out onto the pavement, carrying before you a full belly and trying to suppress a burp you’re trying the photograph a Narrow-billed Woodcreeper that just will not keep still!

James

Glaucous-blue Grosbeak
Cocoi Heron
Kelp Gull
White-banded Mockingbird
Great Grebe
Brown-hooded Gull
Rufescent Tiger Heron
Grey-necked Wood-Rail

Pics

Reed chomping thing
Pampas Cavy x2
Great Grebe
Narrow-billed Woodcreper

Post lunch we found a large area of reeds, sedges and such like which could be overlooked and with a good scanning session I started to sort out some icterids, namely Unicoloured and Yellow-winged Blackbirds, both around in small numbers. While doing this we got much better views of the Tiger Heron stalking through an iris bed, and finally a raptor thay wasn’t a bloody Caracara (it had been a cold and breezy day until now and was only just beginning to calm down and warm up a little so there hadn’t been much incentive for Hawks and the like to get out of bed yet). Ok, so it was only a Roadside Hawk but I’d only ever seen the grey ones before, and this was one of those brown southern Roadies, so something a bit different, and sitting up for scoping rather than just a fly-by. A couple of distant Bay-winged Hawks, flapping along the far edge of the reeds got the pulse quickening a bit more, but never really gave good views. From time to time flocks of Parrakeets would go screeching past, with all the identifiable ones thus far being Monks, but finally a small group of Nandays, or Black-hooded, showed sufficiently well as they shot over. By the middle of the afternoon things had slowed up a lot, so with travel weariness beginning to set in we decided to check out a swampy area that had contained Coypu when we had passed first thing when light had been rubbish and maybe try and get some photos this time. It was an overgrown area, so light was still poor, but I managed a couple of shots anyway. Strolling little further along we were treated to the sight of 90 or so White-faced Ibis going over in a great strung-out V formation and a fast moving and not very showy Black-capped Warbling Finch (think Sardinian Warbler tribute act that needs a bit of work on the eyes and beak and you’re about there) in amongst a busy mixed flock of Golden-crowned Warblers and Masked Gnatcatchers. After that it was another South America tick in the form of a some Grey-heaed Gulls flying over, then a female Vermillion Flycatcher by the gate on out way out and a Grey-breasted Martin sitting up on an aerial from my hotel window. So endeth the first full day, and none too shabby at that. What I hadn’t reckoned at the time (and didn’t figure out till I got home) was that that day’s birding had put my life list on 1999. So what would the morning bring?

James

Unicoloured Blackbird
Roadside Hawk
Yellow-winged Blackbird
Bay-winged Hawk
Nanday Parrakeet
White-tipped Dove
White-faced Ibis
White-lined Tanager
Grey-headed Gull
Black-capped Warbling Finch
Vermillion Flycatcher
Grey-breasted Martin

Pics

Monk Parrakeet
Green-barred Woodpecker x2
Coypus quarrelling

A non birding day today. Sort of. I forewent a lie-in in favour of a solo dawn raid back down at C Sur. Even though the gates don’t open till 08:00 there’s plenty of birding can be done along the promenade. As the late feeding bats started to be replaced by some early feeding hirundines the birding began. Wattled Jacanas joined the list (I’d managed to miss them off yesterday, in spite of their abundance and prominence), along with Catttle Tyrant, Pied-billed Grebe and Brazilian Teal, with plenty of most welcome repeats from yesterday, such as a small party of Yellow-billed Teal, a nice Tiger Heron out in the open, the Swan family and much improved views of White-tufted Grebe & Silver Teal. And that momentous tick? The 2K bird? A scruffy little Picui Ground Dove, slumming it with the Shiny Cowbirds, Feral Pigeons & Eared Doves, scrounging for scraps by one of the refreshment kiosks along the prom. A much sunnier, stiller day today gave the raptors a reason to get up and about, and the views of Bay-winged Hawks were stunning! Equally stunning was a fly-by pair of Scarlet-headed Blackbirds; shame they didn’t pitch down in line of sight, but nice to have them safely on the list. Time enough for upgrades elsewhere if all went well. Second helpings were also had of Rufous-and-black Warbling Finch (whose “pleased-to-meet-you pleased-to-meet-you pleased-to-meet-you” song followed you round the more wooded areas of the reserve), Yellow-chevroned Parrakeet and Checkered Woodpecker. One last bonus was excellent if brief views of a Freckle-breasted Thornbird that flew into a nearby shrub and glared at me with its angry yellow eye before dropping out of sight into the adjacent reeds. Then it was time to head back to the hotel for a late breakfast, and then spend the rest of the day engaged in quotidian activities that have no place on a forum such as this.

James

Wattled Jacana
Picui Ground Dove
Scarlet-headed Blackbird
Brazilian Teal
Cattle Tyrant
Pied-billed Grebe
Freckle-breasted Thornbird

Pics
The prom at dawn
Picui Ground Dove. 2K’s up!
Yellow-billed Teal
Bay-winged Hawk
Yellow-chevroned Parrakeet

Nice one, already a few in there I didn't manage to see, and excited for you in anticipation of what your number 2000 was :t:.

By the way, Epaulet Oriole has been split, at least by some, and the ones down there are now Variable Oriole.

So's the Moorhen!!

Larry Sweetland said:

Nice one, already a few in there I didn't manage to see, and excited for you in anticipation of what your number 2000 was :t:.

By the way, Epaulet Oriole has been split, at least by some, and the ones down there are now Variable Oriole.

Click to expand...

Cheers Larry. This is the only one I've seen so far, so I'll store that gen for a future trip :t:

birdboybowley said:

So's the Moorhen!!

Click to expand...

Did wonder, was going to post a query on the taxonomy forum at some point, so thanks for pre-empting. I guess that makes Black-capped Warbling Finch 2K.

Cheers

James

The overnight buses in Argentina are just ace. Under 50 quid for the 9 hours from Bs As to Mercedes in Corrientes, and a damn site more comfortable than the transatlantic flight, with seats that recline dead flat. Very comfortable. We were met in Mercedes and spent the journey up to Socorro on the southern shore of the marshes talking shop and scanning the countryside for wildlife.
For anyone who doesn’t know them, Ibera marshes is a vast expanse of marshes in north east Argentina, with amazing wildlife and a fast developing eco-tourist infrastructure. It is also undergoing some serious repopulation of previously locally extinct species, with programmes for Giant Anteater & Pampas Deer well underway, and Collared Peccary, Tapir and even Jaguar in the pipeline. Brilliant place, I’ve wanted to visit since discovering of its existence around 20 years ago, and that discovery was a result of seeing pictures of Strange-tailed Tyrants and daydreaming of one day seeing one. It’s a species that has remained in my top 5 wanna wanna wanna see birds ever since, so it’ll not tax anyone’s deductive skills to figure out what I was straining to see most from the car as we bounced along the rutted mud road from Mercedes.
Now, some birds lend themselves to being ticked from moving vehicles more so than others, and I would say without fear of contradiction that Greater Rhea falls comfortably within this category. The entire time we were on the southern side of the marshes it seemed that we were never far from a small party of these, my first family tick of the trip. A few larger birds were also doable from a moving car, such as a couple of fly-by Anhingas, a lone Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle and a trio of Plumbeous Ibis alighting in a roadside field (this last species is apparently a bit hit and miss, and its presence at various sites over the next couple of days was attributed by our hosts to recent rains). In addition to these new species there was no shortage of Southern Caracaras, Giant Wood-Rail became a common roadside bird, and Brazilian Teal put in occasional appearances.
Tyrant Flycatchers can have a bit of a reputation for being “all the bloody same”, but it’s a reputation that is blown somewhat by certain open country and marsh species, rendering Vermillion & Fork-tailed Flycatcher & both White and Grey Monjitas fair game for the drive-by lister. Other obvious smaller birds incuded the first of many Yellow-rumped Marshbirds, and repeat showings from Red-crested Cardinals, Monk Parrakeets & Green-barred woodpeckers.
No Strange-tails though. Yet.

James

Greater Rhea
Anhinga
Plumbeous Ibis
Fork-tailed Flycatcher
Yellow-rumped Marshbird
Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle
White Monjita
Grey Monjita

Pics

The road into Ibera
Greater Rhea
Southern Caracara
Plumbeous Ibis
Fork-tailed Flycatcher

JWN Andrewes said:

I guess that makes Black-capped Warbling Finch 2K.

Cheers

James

Click to expand...

unless you've already seen Sardinian Warbler

Larry Sweetland said:

unless you've already seen Sardinian Warbler

Click to expand...

I'm going to push my luck here Larry and split them. Anything for a tick!

James

Arrived at Socorro (with Bare-faced Ibis on the lawns, and Sayaca Tanager, Epaulet, I mean to say Variable Oriole and Solitary Cacique all kicking about) to dump bags etc and then off for a scout around along the road towards Carlos Pellegrini. Well-peeled eyes were quickly rewarded with a fine male Long-winged Harrier quartering the roadside grassland (saw quite a few of these, all males. A far cry from Harrier hunting back home where ringtails seems to predominate) and then Oh! Oh! Oh! Look! Look!Look! Strange-tail! Strange-tail! Strange-tail! On a fence quite a way back from the road, and passed before I had a chance to call a stop (and we had work to do), but no need to worry, they turned out to be a pretty regular ornament to fences and reed tops hereabouts, and an opportunity to photograph one a lot closer to the road wasn’t long in the coming. Being mid afternoon by now it was getting pretty hot, and bird activity was low, but one roadside stop yielded a fine male Rufous-rumped Seedeater (and more Strange-tails), another had Black-capped Warbling Finch and a couple of Burrowing Owls and Crikey oh Riley! a pair of huge, and I mean mahoosive Southern Screamers bowled low overhead, how the hell they get off the ground beats me. Monsters. Maguari Storks, Black and Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures, Guira Cuckoos and Tropical Kingbirds were all roadside birds in the area. Then back to base (Whistling Heron sailing overhead), for the back end of the day, for a bit of an explore. First off our hosts were kind enough to draw our attention to a duo of Tropical Screech Owls lurking under the eaves of the house we were staying in. A nearby scrubby, grassy area held Lark-like Bushrunners, Campo Flickers and Spot-winged Pigeons dotting the ground, Firewood-gatherers, Savannah Hawks and Large Elaenias perched up in the bushes, and a Grassland Sparrow singing from the tussocks. A Streaked Flycatcher back at the house rounded the day off. Ah yes. This is the life!

James

Solitary Cacique
Bare-faced Ibis
Sayaca Tanager
Long-winged Harrier
Strange-tailed Tyrant
Maguari Stork
Rufous-rumped Seedeater
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture
Black Vulture
Tropical Kingbird
Snowy Egret
Burrowing Owl
Southern Screamer
Tropical Screech Owl
Whistling Heron
Campo Flicker
Lark-like Bushrunner
Savannah Hawk
Barn Swallow
Grassland Sparrow
Large Elaenia
Spot-winged Pigeon
Streaked Flycatcher

Pics

Bare-faced Ibis
Strange-tailed Tyrant montage
Burrowing Owl
Tropical Screech Owls
Streaked Flycatcher

And for all you lovers of the pelage...

Crab-eating Fox
Capybara
Marsh Deer
Plains Viscacha x2