Chile 2023: Puma, Mountains and much more….

[TonyQ]

The landscape has a bleakness about it but I found it stunning. We reached a point where the road was closed so we got out to walk.

 

 

We had a wonderful late picnic lunch out of the back of the car. Cristian catered for dietary restrictions really well, and also managed to make us some fresh coffee. It was a wonderful place to enjoy good food.

 

The landscape looked like it couldn’t support much life, but a surprising number of creatures live here (including many birds I will put in my Big Year)

.

Grey-breasted Seedsnipe - it was wonderful to hear them calling to each other across the valley

Hares (an introduced species) chasing each other

Greater Yellow Finch

Bleak but beautiful - we loved it here

 

After a wonderful day we headed back to Santiago (arriving back at the hotel at about 8.30pm. Christian is very hard working!

Edited December 11, 2023 by TonyQ

[jeremie]

Nice. I prefer the landscapes of Yeso Valley to Farellones, but this latter is much better for birdlife.

If you arrive a month later to el Yeso, you can even see the near-threatened diademed sandpiper-plover, which migrate North to South during summer to nest in the Andean wetland or bofedales.

 

In the mountains just over Santiago is to be found the critically andean cat. During centuries they were thought to be restricted in the altiplano, only in the extreme North of Chile around Lauca National Park. During two decades, new discoveries extended the rangeland of the cat to the South. First to San Pedro de Atacama (still the altiplano), later to regions further South. And now over Santiago city... This was a very pleasant ver recent discovery. They first spot one during daylight at Farellones nearly a decade ago. Then another one close in the Cajon del Maipo on the way to el Yeso. And during the pandemic, they identified a breeding population in the San Ramon range which is just over Santiago city! 3 millions people living just below 5 andean cats. I still can't realize that during decades, people were not aware that one of the most precious and rare feline species was to be found so close to one of South America largest city.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/dec/10/most-endangered-andean-cat-americas-found-living-on-outskirts-of-chilean-capital-santiago-aoe

 

 

 

Edited December 11, 2023 by jeremie

[michael-ibk]

Wonderful bird and landscape photos Tony!

[Zim Girl]

Fantastic Condor pictures @TonyQ.

The scenery is absolutely stunning, and I agree that bleak is sometimes very beautiful. 

 

[offshorebirder]

@TonyQ - you have caused me to pause other 2025 plans in serious consideration (and reaching out to potential trip-mates) of a Chile mammal and bird trip.  

 

Thanks so much for the ongoing info on operators, guides, etc.

 

[TonyQ]

@jeremiethank you - a fascinating link about a beautiful cat. We did look for the Diademed Sandpiper Plover but could not find them.

@michael-ibk  @Zim Girl  thank you

@offshorebirderthank you. I will give more information also when I get to the Puma tracking section which hopefully will give you more to think about. We really enjoyed our trip to Chile

 

When I did my introduction, I missed out a link to this very fine report from @gatoratlarge        we found it very useful when planning and it has some great videos and photos

 

https://www.safaritalk.net/topic/20675-prowling-pumas-snoring-whales-and-penguin-royalty-chilean-patagonia/#comments

 

To the Coast...

After another early pick-up today, we would head towards the coast, hopefully seeing some wetland birds, starting at Humedal Rio Mapo.

 

There was light rain when we arrived

Spectacled Tyrant in light rain

Masses of flowers benefiting from the rain

Burrowing Owl

 

 

But it did begin to get very heavy.

 

We decided it was becoming too wet (even with waterproof coat and trousers) and it was becoming very difficult to photograph birds. So we picked up some coffee from a gas station and headed to a place that Cristian knew where we could sit in the car, drink the coffee and watch birds from the car. We did see and photograph a lot of birds here despite the weather and I will show these in the BIg Ye.ar

 

We have mentioned what a good guide Cristian is, but is also an interesting man and good fun to be with. (We even found out that we both have “Tuxedo” cats (a term I have never heard before but on that cat lovers will identify instantly I think).

 

Next we headed to restaurant on the coast for a great lunch (cheese and shrimp empanada followed by a seafood soup). Usually Cristian said they sit on the terrace for lunch watching a particular bird – but not today.

View through Restaurant Window

However we still got great of the wonderfully named Seaside Cinclodes.

 

Edited December 13, 2023 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

After this we headed to a nearby village where we could do some more car-birding. The rain did eventually ease and the light improved, giving us the opportunity to get out of the car again and enjoy seeing some beautiful birds (and a mammal!)

Lake Duck

Snowy Egret

Coypu

 

Plumbeous Rail

Stripe-back Bittern

 

 

 

We would stay in Valparaiso at the end of this day in preparation for a Pelagic trip on the Pacific Ocean looking for sea birds.

We stayed at the Ibis Hotel, simple but very close to the pier for the boat trip early tomorrow. Albatross recommended we stay here, and Cristian was also staying in the same hotel.

 

https://all.accor.com/ssr/app/ibis/rates/8227/index.en.shtml?compositions=1&dateIn=2023-12-13&nights=1&hideHotelDetails=false&destination=valparaiso-chile

 

 

[Dave Williams]

Great stuff so far Tony. Not a trip for Claire though!

Looking forward to the pelagic report.

[gatoratlarge]

Thanks @TonyQreally that's why we do the reports I reckon to maybe say something or spur something for the next person that takes a similar excursion.  Glad it was useful!

[gatoratlarge]

Wow!  Those Andean Condors!!!

[PeterHG]

Absolutely stunning photos of scenery and birds, Tony! Those Condors close-by are just incredible.

[TonyQ]

@Dave Williamsthank you - I don't think it is a trip for Claire either!

@gatoratlargethank you. Your report was certainly useful, and you will se some similarities as we head South!

@PeterHGthank you

 

Pelagic Trip

The British Foreign Office warns that Valparaiso has problems with muggings. Christian was very cautious when we were here – he had been robbed in this town. He drove to a secure car park near the docks, and parked with the back of the car right up against a wall. He also told us to put cameras away, and arranged for a group of fellow passengers to walk together to the boat.

 

The boat left the dock at around 06.30 and headed out into the Pacific Ocean. I think we travelled about 20 miles until we reached the Humbolt Current – cold water, rich in nutrients, heading north from Antarctic waters. I think the boat had about 20 tourists on plus some guides. It was open, with little shelter, so we were pleased it was dry.  There was a room where we could place bags etc. There was a basic toilet on the boat.

 

We wore lots of clothes – many layers including waterproofs as it would be cold out at sea. The weather was quite calm (we had taken a sea-sickness tablet and we both were fine). We heard that windier weather generally produces more birds, but we were happy as it was.

 

At the start of the trip, light was low but it improved during the day. The whole trip lasted about 6 hours. We did see a few mammals, but mainly this is a birding Boat trip. Again, I will put a selection of birds seen, with the others being posted in the Big Year.

 

 

 

Peruvian Diving Petrel

 

Peruvian Pelican

 

 

Taking photos of moving birds on a moving sea from a moving boat can be tricky. If you are like me you may end up with more photos of the Pacific Ocean than you intended!

[TonyQ]

We really wanted to see Albatrosses, and we were lucky enough to see 4 species – here are three of them

Northern Royal Albatross

Buller’s Albatross

 

Buller’s Albatross

 

Black-browed Albatross

Pink-footed Shearwater  - very common

showing why it is a “Shearwater”

 

Another Pelican - not such a graceful landing

Edited December 18, 2023 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

A fishing boat attracting many birds

A Sealion also heading after the fishing boat (Photo by MrsQ)

Humbolt Penguins

Giant Petrel

 

As we headed back towards the port, some dolphins swam alongside the front of the boat - grerat fun to watch them, and they seemed to enjoy it

 

And some Red-legged Cormorants flew past.

 

We really enjoyed the trip, the weather was good and there was a good variety of birds. A great way to spend a morning!

[TonyQ]

After finishing the boat trip, we head to a small seaside resort where we stopped at a restaurant for some very good fish dishes.

 

View from the restaurant.

 

 

 

 

We visited our final couple of birding sites where we saw

 

Black Skimmers flying by

 

[TonyQ]

And then a bird we had very much wanted to see – Inca Tern

 

They nest in a sea wall near to the seaside resort – people were on the beach below this.

Incoming with fish

Nesting sites

 

 

 

I think they are stunning birds

 

Finally, we headed back to Santiago and our farewells to Christian. We felt really luck to have him as our guide. He tailored the activities really well to our interests and our abilities. He was also a really nice man to be with - important as he was guiding us for four days.

 

We highly recommend him.

[PeterHG]

A real beauty, the Inca Tern ! And an excellent pelagic trip with ditto photos.

[jeremie]

It seems you had a great day with many fantastic bird species! I agree that the inca tern is one of the best species!

[janzin]

ohhhh I am reading this eagerly, as this is very much like the trip we had planned with @michael-ibkwhich got derailed by COVID.  Minus the pelagic part (which I wouldn't do!) although we had also included Chiloe Island. We are actually thinking seriously about re-planning this trip--as you say, before we are too old to handle it! So am eagerly following along.

[Treepol]

Really enjoying your TR @TonyQThe Inca Tern is a smart looking bird.

[gatoratlarge]

Wow!  The Inca Tern is a real beauty!  

[offshorebirder]

Love the account of the pelagic trip @TonyQ and especially the photos (very jealous).

 

The Inca Terns are fabulous and you did them great credit - what whiskers!

 

[Atravelynn]

Gorgeous birds skimming over the water.  Then there's that water only shot. But you did a great job capturing the flying birds from the moving boat. Coypu is a find!

[Zim Girl]

What a lovely bird the Inca tern is, and you have great pictures of it.

[michael-ibk]

That was a really awesome pelagic trip! And agree with everybody, the Inca Tern is just wonderful.