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Santiago in October (1 Viewer)

ekopa

Well-known member
Hi!

I will have one day for birding in the Santiago on Saturday on October 15. Would be great if you could give me recommendations where I can go in the adjacent area. I can rent a car if needed. As it's my first time in Chile, my priority would be to get the maximum variety of birds

Thanks!
 
Near Santiago is beautiful Cayon de Maipo ( about 75 km from Santiago ).
Diademed Sandpiper Plover is in El Yeso area. I found them after I passed the dam. Of course there are more birds possible to find.
The street up to El Yeso is a little bit rough for normal cars, but I did it without 4x4.
Near El Volcan I used hut of Club Andino de Aleman.
In front of EL Volcan I saw Condor.

Estera Lampa is about 30 - 45 minutes drive from Santiago airport.
South 33 Grad 16,743
West 70 Grad 48,658
Ducks, Waders, Herons, Raptors can be find there.

South East of Santiago is reserve Rio Clarillo
entry at
33 42,686
70 31,487

Alternativ drive to La Parva.
Is possible to drive up to 3.000 m altitude.
Many small birds are there, but also raptors and also chance for Condor.
In the evening I walked near highest point of Faralleones into an unsealed road. Near main road was every evening a snipe to hear and see, but it is 7 years ago.
 
This I wrote 6 years ago in a thread:

4 x 4, I am not sure if this is needed, but can be an advantage because some streets in the mountain are a little bit rough e.g. to El Yeso.

From Santiago to Cayon del Maipo some inexpensive Cabanas not far from Santiago. They are not difficult to find.
In Cayon del maypo e.g. is Refugio de Aleman a nice hut from German Adino Club. The chief is from England.
Around the hut is possible to see some birds, but in opposite of the hut is an protected area ( small fee for entry ).

El Yeso is good for Diadem Sandpiper Plover, but also Bairds Sandpiper, South American Snipe, Crag Chilia, Dark Billed Cynclode, Grey flaked Cynclode and so on.
But in the mornig are different birds in the rock area along the lake.

From Larva ( 2.700 m altitude ) are some hikes for birding also with chance for Condor, but also Montain Caracara, White Side Hillstar, Rufous Naped Ground Tyrant and at the mountain nearby I saw also Black faced Ibis.
Farellones ( almost 2.500 m ) has bushes and trees where is possible to see different kind birds.
There are accomodations from the Andino Club, but very basic ( for me it was enough, I had a sleeping bag with me ).

Lampa reserve ( 30 km north of the airport ) is worth to see, even if it is dry and you have no chance to see Painted Snipe, but also herons, ducks, coots and some waders are there.

La Campana national park is not to far from Santiago and there are 6 or 9 endemic birds of Chile.

Rio Clarillo reserve is very near to Santiago.
It is a big suprise in this dry area with very rare vegation and you will in the forest area in the reserve ( ask for the entrance time, not sure 8 a.m ? ).
Good place for Giant Hummer, but also Moustached Turca, White-throated Tupaculo, Dusky Tupaculo and at the picnic place in front the entry also Chilean Pigeon.
 
One day!!?? That's tough. The top birding spots are scattered around Santiago.

If you can get on a pelagic from Valparaiso or Quintero I would do that in the early morning and from there go to the various coastal birding hotspots (lunch in concon) then go to the 3 lampa sites then tranque la cadellada nearby. I could do that in a day but I know exactly where to go and what to look for. even if you can't go on a pelagic I would do the coastal hot spots (see ebird) if you are looking at species count.

But in all fairness unless you are just blitz twitching which is something I rarely do, the greater Santiago area really needs 2 weeks.

albatross02 has some excellent suggestions.

I suggest going on ebird and look at where species have been sighted.
 
Thank you all!
I went to Farellones, saw a few local specialities, however it started to rain and snow so it was just a half day of birding
 
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