A few days in Argentina in December (1 Viewer)

[RobHynson]

Hi all,

I'm doing an Antarctic trip over Christmas and have a few days in Buenos Aires and Ushuaia either side of the trip. Does anyone have any recommendations for a field guide that would suitably cover these two spots?

For ushuaia I was planning on Tierra del Fuego, would 3 or 4 days be enough here?

For Buenos Aires I was planning on Otamendi National Reserve and Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve as a start, any other location people could recommend near the city?

Thanks in advance,

Rob

 

[Richard Klim]

This should help with BA:

• Pugnali 2008. Capital Birding: Buenos Aires. Neotropical Birding 3: 44-52.
  www.neotropicalbirdclub.org/neobird/NeoBird3-CBbuenosaires.pdf

Re field guides, Narosky & Yzurieta 2003 (Birds of Argentina & Uruguay) obviously covers all of Argentina, but is expensive and of very poor quality.

De la Peña & Rumboll 1998 (Birds of Southern South America & Antarctica) is probably slightly better (and much cheaper), but still not brilliant.

Jaramillo 2003 (Birds of Chile) is good, and covers all species in Tierra del Fuego (and Antarctica).

Couve & Vidal 2003 (Birds of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego & Antarctic Peninsula, the Falkland Islands & South Georgia) is an attractive photographic guide.

Richard

 

[JCL]

Rob

Entirely agree with Richard's suggestions - until Mark Pearman's guide (or my photographic guide) come out (2012?).

Not quite sure what you mean by 'For ushuaia I was planning on Tierra del Fuego, would 3 or 4 days be enough here?'

I assume you mean 'Tierra del Fuego national park'? You should see most decent TdF stuff in the park, and a trip up the Martial Glacier above Ushuaia itself should yellow-bridled finch and (if you're lucky; i never was) white-bellied seedsnipe. It's also worth driving E from Ushuaia towards and beyond Harberton. Plenty of trip reports around with details.

3-4 days is about right; it's a lovely area, and you will enjoy having the time to explore it.

Marcelo de la Cruz is Ushuaia's birding guide; you can hire him via Seriema Nature Tours.

 

[Richard Klim]

...my photographic guide...

James, tell us more...

Sounds like something to look forward to (as well as Mark Pearman's guide)!

Richard B

 

[tmurray]

Cant recommend Costanera Sur in Buenos Aires enough, spent a month in Argentina and few days at beginning and end in BA with several trips to Costanera Sur, and even the few weeks between had brought a cast of new species.
As mentioned Narosky & Yzurieta 2003 was the bible when we were there, but there is a new Passerine Guide to Sth Am out now, but not sure what its like and what size it is, maybe too big for field guide...
As Richard said Jaramillo 2003 (Birds of Chile) is fine for Tierra Del Fuego.

 

[Richard Klim]

...there is a new Passerine Guide to Sth Am out now, but not sure what its like and what size it is, maybe too big for field guide...

That's Ridgely & Tudor 2009 (Birds of South America: Passerines). It's good, but (as you suggest) it's big/heavy, and probably OTT (~2000 spp) for a couple of days in BA.

Richard

 

[BrightonBirder]

Definitely check out the dump near Ushuaia, Caracara heaven.

What ship are you travelling on?

 

[RobHynson]

Thanks for all the great info, the Neotropical birding article is really good, I'm sure I'll be spoiled for choice in Buenos Aires.

As for a field guide I'll probably go for Narosky & Yzurieta 2003 (Birds of Argentina & Uruguay) as a good compromise, pelagic birds I'm fine with it's the mainland birds that will all be new for me.

The boat I'm taking is the MS Expedition and the company is Chimu Adventures.

Cheers,

Rob

 

[Trevor Hardaker]

Hi Rob,

Don't know the boat or company that you are travelling with, so can't comment on them at all, but we did a very similar trip at the beginning of 2010.

We spent about 2 weeks in Argentina beforehand birding from BA south to Ushuaia and then took the cruise which went to the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica. If you are interested in seeing my trip reports for this (separate reports for the Argentina portion and the cruise), feel free to visit my website at www.hardaker.co.za and then click on the "my trips" link in the left margin to get to the trip reports page.

I also managed to get photos of a reasonable number of the species we encountered on the trip (which are linked from the trip list on the second page of the reports). They are not all great photos, but may help to give you a better feel for some of the species you are likely to encounter as, with the Narosky & Yzurieta "Birds of Argentina & Uruguay" field guide, you are sometimes not sure what to expect the bird to actually look like based on the illustrations in the field guide...

Hope you have a fantastic trip - I'm sure it's going to blow your mind!

Kind regards
Trevor

 

[BrightonBirder]

The MS Expedition is operated by GAP and you have bought a ticket through an agent. It is newly refurbished and tends to attract a yonger crowd then other companies.