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Northern Argentina 2016 (just) and 2017 (1 Viewer)

mjh73

Well-known member
Australia
I was lucky enough to get a volunteer gig on a bird research project for Museo De La Plata in Argentina for January / February 2017, and lucky enough to get my wife to let me abandon her and the kids for six weeks to do it! Having never been to the Americas before I planned two side trips to the North East and North West of Argentina to book-end the research work.
The day job has been pretty full on since I returned (as has the family side of things, having used most available leave passes up for a while!) so apologies for only just getting this up now.

Part 1 – Iguazu

Arriving in Buenos Aires late on the 30th December 2016 all I managed on my first day in Argentina was a handful of birds on the way from the international airport into my (not particularly great as it happens) hostel in town: Southern Lapwing, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Southern Caracara, Eared Dove and Rock Dove.

31st December 2016
Up early to head to the domestic airport for the flight to Iguazu, and a 1 hour delay meant after check-in I had some time to explore. The airport is right alongside the Rio de la Plata and a tree-lined esplanade so was reasonably birdy for a busy urban location!
It didn’t take long to connect with my first sightings of Argentina’s ubiquitous National bird the Rufous Hornero, along with Picazuro Pigeon, Shiny Cowbird, White-rumped Swallow, Monk Parakeet, Rufous-bellied Thrush, Red-crested Cardinal, Eared Dove and a couple of ‘plastics’ for the list – House Sparrow and Common Starling.

When I eventually disembarked at Iguazu airport mid morning I was met by my guide for the next few days, Guy Cox from Toucan Birding Guides, and quickly loaded into his Crazy Camper Truck*. Since I had inconveniently persuaded him to guide me across New Years, Guy’s wife and kids were also along for the trip but once we arrived at our first stop at the legendary cataratas Guy took me off birding down the back trails while his family took the train trip.
Once we’d got past the marauding Coatis of the more touristy parts of the falls we quickly racked up some more new birds for me – Turkey Vulture, Red-rumped Casique, Pale-breasted Thrush, Grey-breasted Martin, Chopi Blackbird, Saffron Finch, my first of many many Great Kiskadee I would see in my time in Argentina and more Rufous Hornero. Passing a more reedy section we were only able to hear Black-capped Donacobius and Blackish Rail. Fortunately there were not so many ‘heard only’ birds for the trip overall, but these were two of them. Shortly after saw great views of a male Blonde-crested Woodpecker. I was particularly keen to see some of the woodpeckers, having lived in Australia – we have no woodpeckers! - for 11 years. We saw a few through the trip but this was probably my favourite.
There were large flocks of Plumbeous Kites overhead much of the time, along with Turkey and Black Vultures.
Working our way through the forest a small group of Black Capuchin monkeys passed by - never seen monkeys in the wild so that was pretty cool!
As we moved through the forest towards the falls we added Southern House Wren, Slaty-breasted Wood-rail, Great Dusky Swift, Greater Ani, Squirrel Cuckoo, and Toco Toucan. Plush-crested Jay hung around public areas hoping to pick up tidbits. A few more things heard in the forest but not seen – Short-tailed Ant-thrush, Purple-throated Euphonia high in the tree tops, and Surucua Trogon. A possible streamside warbler stays on the ‘missed’ list as the view just wasn’t good enough to be sure as it darted away.
To get to view the falls there are long narrow walkways out over the river. Being holiday season it was busy, and at times a little awkward trying to bird watch without getting in the way of ‘normal’ people just trying to get out to the falls! That said heading out to the falls was a) worth the effort they are spectacularly impressive! and b) good birding with Aningha, Snail Kite (high on my list of things to see!), Cattle Tyrant, Smooth-billed Ani, Double-collared Seedeater, Amazon and Green Kingfisher, Giant Cowbird, Tropical Kingbird and Southern Rough-winged Swallow all added to the list.
The walk back to the car park added a small group of Blue Dacnis, Red Eyed Vireo (heard), Variable Oriole, Eared Dove, Common Tody-Flycatcher and Short Crested Flycatcher.

Despite being a busy tourist site the Iguazu Cataratas had certainly delivered the goods and my trip to Argentina was off to a flying start

(* not the official vehicle marque)
 
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Report sounds interesting.
I was 3 x times on bird vacation in Argentina.
Also some days with Guy Cox und another 2 days in Karadya.
Argentina was easy to travel and 5 years ago also very save, in comparing to most other South American countries.
 
Next destination was in the Urugua-I National Park, at the Uruzu section campsite trails. This was just a brief 20 minute stop as we still had some miles to our final destination. There were Swallow Tanagers and Sayaca Tanagers around the picnic tables, as well a Great Kiskadee and a White-browed Warbler (aka White-rimmed Warbler). The highlight of this brief stop was great views of a pair of Sharp-tailed Streamcreeper creeping in the stream under the highway bridge! Other new birds picked up were White-eyed and Maroon-bellied Parakeet, White-barred Piculet and Creamy-bellied Thrush (in amongst more Pale-breasted and Rufous-bellied Thrush) and another Variable Oriole.

Back on the road and we soon arrived at Andresito township where –aided by some unplanned exploring to find our rendezvous point – we added my first Guira Cuckoo, along with Grey-rumped Swifts and Blue-and-white Swallows. In and around the township we also had a Social Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee (to be honest just assume that everywhere I went I saw or heard a kiskadee now, because that’s pretty much how it played out), Eared Dove and Double-collared Seedeater. Once we had met up with Adrian from Surucua Eco-lodge and transferred to his truck we were back on the road and saw my only puffbird for the trip – White-eared Puffbird – just out of town, some Pale-vented Pigeon, and further along the road a small group of Chestnut-eared Aracari.

We arrived at Surucua Ecolodge at dusk so unpacked and had a late dinner before seeing in 2017.

I will just pause at this point to say my brief stay at Surucua is easily one of the highlights of the trip to Argentina. It’s a bit out of the way but the location has an impressive bird list, the accommodation is very comfortable and the food is unbelievably good for the price I paid to stay there for a couple of nights. With hindsight I should have stayed at least four or five nights! I’m keen to go back in a couple of years with my wife and kids.
Adrian who runs Surucua with his wife Laura is a keen wildlife photographer and on 1st January we were supposed to head out with the benefit of his up to date knowledge of where the harder species were best seen, unfortunately he was up late assisting a neighbour who had come off the road. I was ably guided by Guy alone.

1st January 2017
After a late night, a slow start – breakfast at 8 then out onto the trails. Even sitting eating breakfast I picked up Rufous-bellied and Pale-breasted Thrush, Picazuro Pigeon and White-tipped Dove, Rufous Hornero, a small party of White-eyed Parakeet and my first ever wild hummer – Violet-capped Woodnymph.

There are a number of decent walking trails around the ecolodge, but I quickly realised how challenging neo-tropical rainforest birding is. Luckily with Guys’ help I saw most things but a few remained on the heard only list – Short-tailed Ant-thrush, Greenish Elaenia, Band-tailed Manakin, Red-crowned Ant-tanager, Pavonine Cuckoo, Variable Antshrike, Greenish Shiffornish (the later heard often but not seen!)
I saw plenty though!
Tropical Parula and a nice male Black-throated Trogon got things started on the trails, and a Plain Antvireo was what I hoped would be the first Ant*thing* I would actually see. A Toco Toucan flew across, and some more Pale-vented Pigeons before the next Ant*thing* - Streak-capped Antwren – hopping about above our heads. Ochre-breasted and White-eyed Foliage-gleaners kept the list ticking along and the calls of an Olivaceous Woodcreeper eventually led to the bird.
A very confiding Nine-banded Armadillo provided some mammal interest as we headed into a deeper swampy section of the forest.
This did not make birding easier! Around this section was where many of the ‘heard only’ birds were. A Red-ruffed Fruitcrow disappeared quickly with dissatisfying views, while with a bit of effort we had views of a couple of shy Green Ibis. Nothing like the raucous ‘bin chickens’ of Australia! I missed a probably Guan (for big birds they’re hard to see!) and while Guy tried to put me on to a Robust Woodpecker I failed miserably to see it.
More positively a Chestnut-bellied Euphonia, and a group of tanagers – Ruby-crowned Tanager and some very cool Magpie Tanager, and a few tyrannidae – Yellow Tyrannulet close enough to photograph, Sepia-capped Flycatcher and Mottle-cheeked Tyrannulet. After a bit of head scratching we sussed a finch seen in the shrubbery was a Saffron-billed Sparrow.
After missing the woodpecker an Ochre-collared Piculet was a decent consolation prize. Raptor action was limited to Plumbeous Kite and Black Vulture. A White-bearded Manakin was a nice find.
Versicoloured Emerald, Chesnut-eared Aracari and a couple of Grey-fronted Dove rounded out the mornings birding as we returned to the lodge where a Azara’s Aguti was another mammal for the list.

Before dinner I struck out on my own for a couple of hours adding not much - Red-rumped Casique, Squirrel Cuckoo, Black-crowned Tityra, Southern Yellowthroat, Grey-hooded Flycatcher and a group of Black Capuchin monkeys.

After dinner we headed out for night birds, only connecting with a couple of Tropical Screech-owl, although Surucua also has Black-capped. Then off to bed before an early start planned for the next day.
 
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