Overview: This 7 day sojourn in Tierra del Fuego was part of a six week trip to Argentina and Antarctica. I had spent a little over a week in Iguazu in the far north of the country, then a couple of days in Buenos Aires before departing on a 21 day expedition to Antarctica via the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. I arrived in Ushuaia on the expedition ship.
I have uploaded trip reports covering the Iguazu/Buenos Aires stage and the Antarctic cruise.
Accommodation & transport: My accommodation had been organised by Craig of Chimu Adventures in conjunction with the Antarctic expedition – I normally organise all the details myself, or in partnership with a birding partner, but in this case had left the details to Craig. It had been stressful leading up to the departure from Brisbane, but everything had gone perfectly – it was just my lack of direct control that freaked me out a bit.
My hotel was the Wyndham Garden Ushuaia hotel de glacier. Halfway up Martial Mountain, above Ushuaia, it promised easy access to the mountains and potentially good birding in the surrounding forest, breakfast included.
I had considered renting a car for the few days. Aware that some of the main targets in this area were more likely on the north side of the island it seemed like an option. In the end I decided not to and concentrated on birding sites close to Ushuaia within walking distance. This undoubtedly limited my resulting bird list. I did not hire a guide either, preferring to ‘do my own thing’ as I believe it gives me a quality outcome – quality over quantity. I find I remember the birds better and enjoy the experience more than having a huge list. So, don’t expect any serious revelations or surprises, this trip report is about the birds I saw in Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego National Park in a few days birding alone, probably something anyone could do – and possibly better!
Research: I had a copy of the Helm guide to the Birds of Argentina and the South-west Atlantic (Pearman & Areta, pub 2020) and had studied it with specific relevance to the locations I visited in my total trip – Buenos Aires, Iguazu and Ushuaia. I also used the Merlin app and found it to be super helpful, using it for the first time in a country/continent I had never visited before.
Day 1 Saturday 12.11.22
We left the ship and boarded our bus and headed off into Ushuaia. I was the last to be dropped off as my hotel – the Wyndham Glacier Hotel – was half way up Martial Mountain. The guy from Poseidon came in and checked that my booking was all good then he took off.
My room wasn’t ready, wouldn’t be till 3pm – I had anticipated that anyway – so I talked them into giving me a cup of coffee, then headed out to walk up the road to the glacier. My plan was to get above the tree line, as there were a few specialties in that area according to Gaston (Note: Gaston was a local Ushuaia bird guide and had been the ornithologist on board the Sea Spirit to Antarctica. He had happily shared some local gen on the Ushuaia area before the ship docked.)
It took me an hour to get to the bottom of the trail – but I was in no rush and stopped several times for birds. Firstly I had Rufous-collared Sparrow singing at the back of the hotel. Further on a few small birds attracted my attention and were Black-chinned Siskins. I saw them quite well, but briefly. Just further along the road I stopped for a call and it turned out to be a Thorn-tailed Rayadito – pretty cute, but difficult to photograph as it never stopped moving.
As I tried to do that, a call sounded in the trees that at first I thought was a car alarm of some sort. As I stood and pondered a car alarm in a forest halfway up a mountain (?) a large black bird with white in the wings and a red head flew over – Magellanic Woodpecker! YES!! It didn’t stop, but wow, look forward to more of THAT! Immediately after that another much larger bird flew fairly low over the road and again I got a brief view, with the bins this time – Andean Condor!! YES again!
All, I think, relatively easy birds here, but never the less - very happy. I walked on, reached the car park and the start of the trail and tried for a coffee in the T House place. They wouldn’t serve it outdoors so I moved on. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, it was quite warm, verging on hot. Apparently unusual in Ushuaia – the guy in the bus had said it was a heatwave – hmmmmm wouldn’t go that far, but for here? OK, agreed.
It took me another hour to walk the steep, rough track up to the glacier, or at least the snow. It wasn’t hard, just a trudge. I didn’t need or desire to see more snow, but I did get above the tree line as planned.
I actually only saw one bird up there. The track was fairly busy – with the weather and being a Saturday it was only to be expected. There were some manly dudes running up the mountain, locals out for a stroll, tourists struggling along with sticks and shit hanging of them. I had brought my blue fleece, but had tied it round my waist. I had only a long-sleeved t-shirt and my green birding shirt on top and was more than warm. The wind however, had picked up and it was blowing a gale down the mountain – kept me comfortable, but made birding difficult.
The bird I saw was a goodie - Ochre-naped Ground-tyrant. Reminded me of a Wheatear. This was one of the ‘above the tree line specialties’. I walked on up to the snow, then crossed off track to walk back down by a less busy route. I didn’t see anything much, but at least I wasn’t tripping over other hikers. Back at the car park I had two café con letches grande in another café which appeared to be a survival hut place. Whatever, I did sit indoors and it was cheaper than yon T-house-we-don’t-serve-outdoors place. While I sat there my 6th lifer of the day appeared on a powerline outside – Chilean Swallow.
I headed back down the mountain at 2, planning on being at the hotel by 3. With a few stops along the way for Chimango Caracara, a few singing Austral Thrushes and the like I was back on time.
My room was ready so I grabbed my bags and hauled everything up to room 246. It turned out to be a back room with a view of the mountain. It was OK, but I would have preferred a view of the Beagle Channel so…… I went back down to reception and asked?
Apparently I had ‘booked’ a view of the glacier – Oooookay. I hadn’t, but whatever.
I could be moved tomorrow – it would cost me an extra $50 (presumably US) per night. I told him it wasn’t worth that and we both watched any possibility of a tip from me flying out the window and down into the harbour I couldn’t see.
Back in my room – which, incidentally was stifling hot – I had a shower and washed some stuff. I did consider using the bidet - I wondered if it would work like a washing machine? But decided I’d leave that for another day so just washed everything in the shower with me, using the hotel shampoo. All good! I hung out in my room for the latter part of the afternoon, checking my emails, bringing everything up to date. At 7 I wandered downstairs and finally had a very cheesy, slightly doughy pizza and a coke for dinner.
I still had no idea if the booked tour of the National Park was happening the next day. I had no details of the agency and there had been no advice received by the hotel. I enquired again at the desk and the very helpful clerk said she would follow up for me.
At 9 I went down again for a smoke and she had the details. I would be collected at 7.50. I didn’t understand the name she gave me but it was good enough.
Outside as I rolled a cigarette a bird flew in and landed nearby on a light pole. Pale grey with a white throat, slightly smaller than austral Thrush size – it was my seventh lifer of the day, Fire-eyed Diucon. Of course, no camera or even bins, but it was close enough and I was 100% certain. Nice end to the day.
Day 2 Sunday 13.11.22
I was up at 6 and outside before breakfast at 6.30. There were a couple of Chimango Caracaras hanging around and the Fire-eyed Diucon put in an appearance again.
I had breakfast at 7, then hung around outside again until my tour lift turned up. The guide was, of course, a local and there were, eventually after a number of stops, several Italians, 3 Taiwanese-Americans and a Chinese group leader who was married to an Irishman and lived in Carlow (Ireland)…. (I am Irish Australian and grew up in Dublin)… she was very nice and we chatted throughout the morning between the guide’s spiel.
So, we headed out towards the National Park. On the way the guide advised that there was a train ride involved. Optional, at extra cost, as it wasn’t included on anyone’s itinerary. I declined. I really didn’t fancy being on a train with, as it turned out, 100s of other screaming passengers. I was the only one to decline, so had to wait for an hour or so while the others trained it into the National Park. No drama.
I saw a Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle while everyone else was on board. Then the guide took me to a side track where we ultimately found Thorn-tailed Rayadito, Black-chinned Siskin, a Patagonian Sierra Finch, a Grey-headed Goose possibly on nest, and a White-crested Elaenia which perched up very nicely. Three lifers in 10 minutes! And she wasn’t a birder, but had been a ranger in central Patagonia, I understood. Brilliant! The other punters got off the train and into the minivan and we moved on to stop at several locations in the park. It was very dusty as the roads were unsealed and the traffic was heavy. Basically people at every stop, cars, minibuses, huge coaches, pushbikes, hikers, taxis, it just went on and on.
All I wanted was an overview of the park – where things were and the distances. I got all that and the guide also gave me opportunity to wander a bit within rigid time lines whenever we stopped.
The only bird of interest was a Great Grebe, somewhat distantly on a lake. I did take photos, but not good enough – hopefully will improve next time. We ended up at The End of The World - along with a couple of hundred other travellers.
Around 13.00 they dropped me off in Ushuaia as I requested - no point in going all the way back to the hotel up the mountain only to come all the way back down again.
I found a café/bistro on the sea front that was open. It being Sunday, it appeared most cafes/restaurants were closed? This one was hopping, busy as – probably because everywhere else was closed. I managed to snag a table and ordered coffee and a ham and cheese baguette. It took me another coffee and a half an hour or so to gnaw my way through the baguette. It was really nice – just a lot of baguette to get through.
After I had recovered somewhat, I walked along the sea front to the reserve Gaston had advised me to visit. It was salt water and appeared pretty dead on the harbour side apart from a single, sleepy, cranky Flying Steamer Duck who refused to get excited and complained bitterly when I woke him up.
I walked past the reserve and along roads for ages trying to access what appeared to be a more remote area out towards the Beagle Channel. I gave up eventually, as it all seemed to be fenced off and non-accessible.
Back down to the west end of the reserve and things picked up. There were heaps of Crested Duck (~150 minimum), Yellow-billed Pintail (~40), Red Shoveler (~30), Chiloe Wigeon (~10) and a couple of South American Terns perched up.
Off to one side was a fresh water pond that looked interesting. At first there was nothing much happening, but I scanned the banks and found a distant Magellanic Snipe – a bird I had NOT expected to see, Snipe being what Snipe are.
Shortly afterwards I found a second – much closer and beside a track. I stalked it using my amazing field skills – i.e. I walked quietly along the track and waited till it appeared - and had crippling views from a few meters away, photos, video the whole shootin’ match.
I was very happy with THAT! I walked back to the bistro and celebrated with two more coffees, during which I met a woman from the UK who was going to Antarctica for the second time, having been in 2004. She was also a self-confessed Penguin addict and had taken on a mission to see all the world’s penguins in their natural habitat. We chatted for an hour or so before I said goodbye and set off to walk back to my hotel. It took me over an hour to walk the 4.5 kms. It was a tough walk, up hill most of the way and I was sweating in the 15C, 43% humidity and gasping by the time I got there at 18.45. I didn’t do much for the rest of the evening – just sorted photographs and updated my lists. A good 9 lifer day.
Day 3 Monday 14.11.22
I was up for breakfast well before it started at 7. At 7.40 the free shuttle to Ushuaia arrived and took me down to town.
I went to the Taxi place on the waterfront and asked for a taxi. The guy there didn’t speak any English – but called up a cabbie who did – a little. I told him I wanted to go to near the visitors center in the National Park. I wanted to walk the trail beside the Lapataia river, then be picked up again at Lapataia Bay. He quoted me 8,000 pesos to be dropped off and 10,000 pesos to be picked up. A total of $160.00 Aus. I was a bit shocked, but had committed to going to the park so agreed. I probably could have got a bus, but it would have taken ages and I had no idea how to arrange a pick up. On reflection it would have been cheaper to rent a car, but no way to organise it at both ends so…..
We set off. I suddenly remembered – as I counted out all my cash to pay the man – that I would have to pay into the park as well – 3,500 pesos = $35Aus. I panicked a bit but because I realised I didn’t have enough cash for that as well. The driver told me I could pay with the credit card so that eased my concern a bit.
Overall, although crazy expensive, it wasn’t the money so much as having to get more. It had been a bit of a drama overall – banks not giving out much cash and charging on every withdrawal, US dollars being exchanged for a much higher than the official rate and some doubts expressed about the ‘quality’ of my used $20.00US notes. That caused me more concern than paying $160 to be driven into a park. After all, it took at least 30 minutes to drive in – then he had to drive out without a fare. The he had to drive back in again to pick me up – 2 hours driving for him at least. It all started to make some sort of sense, but it still seemed bloody expensive!
We got to the ‘gate’ of the NP – and there was no one there so I didn’t have to pay in, which was a break. The road was just as dusty as the previous day, but…. there was no one else around. My plan had worked, well I had thought Monday might be quieter, but didn’t expect to be dropped off at the lake front and have the place completely to myself. I mean completely, once the taxi was gone. It was amazing, just me a Black-necked Swan and a few Upland Geese. Wow!
I started walking and just enjoyed the peace and quiet and the scenery as I kicked the Upland Geese out of the way along the path. They were really cute and completely unafraid.
Just opposite the visitor center where I had seen the one yesterday, I saw another Great Grebe, much closer to the shore. I sort of crouched down to await it as it swam towards me, then realised there was another one right in front of me as well. Stunning views.
I continued walking watching the river on my right. I heard a knocking noise from the tree belt 50 meters away across the road and headed over quietly to investigate.
I didn’t really need to exert caution. I ended up underneath a tree where 3, no less, Magellanic Woodpeckers were hammering the shit out the wood. 2 males and a female absolutely smashing this tree and completely ignoring me 3 meters below. Reputedly the biggest woodpecker in the world, it is, in fact, the same size as the European Black Woodpecker – but I reckon the red head makes it look bigger! A stunning experience and almost made the $160 fee worthwhile. I don’t know if this is normal with this bird or I was just plain lucky, but it was 15 minutes I will never forget.
I moved on, leaving them to their demolition.
The walk was, at times, a scramble, but overall easy going. The scenery and peace away from the road was really good and with the very pleasant, warmish, clear weather totally enjoyable. The birds however, were very poor. After the woodpeckers I saw only 1 Patagonian Sierra Finch in the next hour or so. That was it, apart from the pairs of Upland Geese I came across every 100 meters or so. There were literally no other birds. The track followed the road for a while at one point and I had a couple of Austral Thrushes and Rufous-collared Sparrows, but nothing else. I turned into the last section that took me away from the river and the road and through a forested section. Ah Ha I thought – here we go. Nope, here we didn’t go.
I saw more Thrushes and a handful of Black-chinned Siskins and even sat down and ate the banana, croissants, ham and cheese I had stolen from breakfast and still saw nothing more. I tried playback for my target species and got nothing in response.
I reached my pickup destination at 11.30, an hour and a half ahead of the agreed pick up time of 13.00. I had allowed myself 4.5 hours to walk the 6 kms because I had thought I would spend a lot more time with birds, but… The taxi turned up at 13.00 as arranged and we were back in Ushuaia 40 minutes later. I asked to be dropped off at a money exchange place and got out right outside. I was dubious as to whether they would take my $20 notes, but the totally uninterested youth inside simply counted the 5 x $20 I gave him, machine counted the pesos and handed me 2,400 ARS – the rate 240-$1. Probably a little low, but considering my notes were worn and not really wanted, I was happy enough.
Coffee again in my now favourite café/bistro, even the waitress remembered me. I guess its not often they have the same moron two days/three times in a row. Most people probably only spend a day or at most two in Ushuaia on their way to or from Antarctica. Won’t she be surprised when I show up again tomorrow?
After two coffees I walked up the street to the Aerolingus Argentinus office and went inside. I took a ticket and waited with the other 3 people ahead of me while 2 staff out of 5 counters stared at their computer screens and showed no enthusiasm for life, never mind the job. Finally it was my turn and I explained that I wanted to add an extra bag to my Ushuaia/Buenos Aires flight in 3 days time. Surprisingly the dude understood and I paid 2,800 pesos ($28) for a 15 kg second bag. I asked for a 20kg bag extra – just to be sure - but for some strange reason I didn’t fathom, if the second bag was between 15kgs and 23 kgs (max) I would need to pay extra at the airport? WTF? I couldn’t actually book and pay for any extra weight over 15kg at the office, I would need to do that at the airport. I say again – WTF?? Anyway, I don’t think my second bag will be more than 15kg so…. it’s probably irrelevant, but no less confusing.
At this stage I had had enough really so I got a cab off the road back to the hotel – it cost 1,000 pesos ($10, actually less, but I told him to keep the $1.30 change) and headed up to my room for a little collapse.
It was only 16.00 so I headed out again fairly shortly and walked up the road looking for a gap in the trees. I found one fairly quickly and followed a trail through the forest to eventually emerge onto a soggy sphagnum type moss covered hillside. I followed my nose along what appeared to be a skiing track that wound across the hillside with occasional signs indicating the type of ground skiers should be aware of. It was all Argentinian to me, but I kept going along the ‘piste’ or ‘toboggan’ or whatever.
I stopped at one sort of junction and set up the speaker. I played a couple of calls but nothing much happened, however, when I played White-throated Treerunner, a White-throated Treerunner appeared! Brilliant!
I decided to try Austral Pygmy Owl as it was reputed to bring in the small birds – it did. A Thorn-tailed Rayadito, two House Wrens and at least 1 White-crested Elaenia came in to complain about the noise. It also stimulated a real Austral Pygmy Owl to call back from a copse 50 meters away! There followed one of the most frustrating 45 minutes I have ever experienced in birding.
The real Owl kept calling well after I stopped playing. It’s a sort of whistle ‘phew, phew, phew, phew’ which is repeated for up to 20 or 30 seconds? I could hear this really clearly – even a deaf man could hear it. The local birds could hear it too and responded accordingly.
But do you think I could SEE the bloody thing? I staggered around trying to be quiet staring up into the canopy about 30 feet above me, but I just could not see the bird. I was pretty sure I had the right tree, the Elaenia, Rayadito and Wrens were up there, it even brought in a Patagonian Sierra Finch (surprise) but I just could not see the tiny owl.
Eventually I moved back outside and played the tape one more time to see if I could draw the bird out into the open. It did, it flew above me and into another copse. I didn’t actually think the bird in flight was it, cause it didn’t fly like an owl, just looked like a smaller-than-a-thrush brown jobbie, but then it started to call from its new position and I ticked it based on that simple fact and basic view.
That was definitely enough. The two lifers sort of saved the day from being a bit of an expensive disaster bird-wise, although the Woodpeckers were exceptional.
I found my way back to the road across more soggy sphagnum and back to my hotel room. I simply dumped my stuff and went down to the almost completely deserted restaurant and had fish and chips for dinner. I was in bed writing my notes before 19.00.
Day 4 Tuesday 15.11.22
I had breakfast at 7, then got the free shuttle down town at 7.40. I started walking east immediately.
I had decided to check out an area along the Beagle Channel that the guide on Sunday had suggested. It was about 13 kms from Ushuaia. I had considered a taxi, but was a little gun-shy after the 160 dollar experience of the previous day. I thought a walk would be good anyway…
The road took me along the sea front past the naval base, dockyards, container collections, small businesses and all the kind of industrial stuff that keeps a city going. There wasn’t much of a path after the first few kilometers and the edge of the road was broken and dusty. It wasn’t very pleasant, but I persevered.
It was kind of lucky I did as I found one of my target species on a rock in the ocean viewed between two buildings. If I had got a taxi I’d have missed Fuegian or Flightless Steamer Duck as it was the only one I saw.
Further along as the buildings petered out I was checking out a pair of Flying Steamer Ducks offshore (as you do) when an Austral Negrito flew along the shoreline through my view.
I went down and got a better look – another species I might have missed in a cab, although I did see another one later, but at a greater distance.
I eventually reached the beginning of the unsealed road that ran out along the coast. The main bitumen road swung to the left and went off over the mountains somewhere. I headed down the unsealed, dusty, loose road. It was plenty wide enough for two cars to pass, but there was no path and the dust was incredible when a vehicle drove by.
Not far down the road I turned left and followed the Gulls and my nose to the dump. The walk took me a kilometer or so up the road and round a hill to the city refuse facility. I didn’t go too close, but sat on a rail beside the main building and scanned the birds around the activity.
I eventually picked out at least 2 White-throated Caracaras among the hundreds of Kelp and Dolphin Gulls and several Chimango and Southern Crested Caracaras. This location is well known and recorded as a hotspot for the White-throated, which can be difficult. There was no point in trying for a photo, they were too far away and the dust in the air was horrific.
I walked back down to the coastal road and trudged on east, the sea on my right.
I ended up walking all the way to the end of the dirt road, sometime along the beach below, but mostly along the dusty edge. There wasn’t a lot of traffic, just small cars with sightseers. There were no houses, cafes or any facilities along the road. I didn’t see much either. It was a bit disappointing, but repeated views of Chilean Skuas flying past, a small flock of Magellanic Penguins out in the channel and an overhead view of a White-throated Caracara at one point kept me going. I also did see 2 Black-browed Albatrosses and one, possibly two, White-chinned Petrels offshore.
At the end of the road, the track continued out along the shoreline and I followed on. It was tough going, the track was rough with protruding rocks and tree roots and some very steep sections. Definitely not wheelchair friendly, more likely to put you in a wheelchair……
Along the way, again, I didn’t see a lot of birds. Several White-crested Elaenias, a couple of Patagonian Sierra Finches, House Wrens, an Austral Thrush or two, a pair of Fire-eyed Diucons and several Thorn-tailed Rayaditos. It was while I was trying to photograph one of these little suckers, when another bird popped up in the bush and I managed to get the camera on it straight away because I already had it in my hand. Tufted Tit-Tyrant – one of my priority targets – so freaking cute!
I reached the end of my strength, 13 kms out. I had arrived at an old house on a flat patch of land and beach frontage. I had not seen hide nor hair of my main targets along this shoreline – either one of two species of Cinclodes. I don’t know where these things could be, this appeared perfect habitat to me as described, but I decided to give up. I had a rest and ate the second croissant, cheese and ham I had filched from the breakfast table.
I started heading back at 14.00. My shins and knees were aching but eased out a bit as I walked. It was just going downhill…..uuuuuuhhhhhh. Halfway back to the road I found a Thorn-tailed Rayadito’s nest hole. I assume it was made by something else – maybe a woodpecker? The birds flew in and out, obviously feeding well developed chicks, one emerged with a fecal sack.
I knew there was no access to a bus or a taxi out there, unless a prior arrangement had been made, so I was resolved to walk all the way back, at least to the main road, approx 6 kms. I was 15 kms in at this stage. However, I decided I might as well try and hitch a ride. Nothing to lose! It’s been years. In fact I think the last time I actually raised a thumb was in Thailand with Mr D and Di when I hitched us all a ride to the top of a mountain in some National Park? Yonks since then anyway.
So I took off my headscarf, which had been protecting me from the sun, and started out along the road. I had only walked a couple of hundred meters when the first car came towards me. I turned, lifted my sunglasses, stared at the driver and raised my arm, thumb extended. (I believe in hitching properly, none of this walking along pointing down at the road – you need to communicate with the driver and show you’re 1. Not a threat and 2. Keen enough to put effort in. If they can see your face, it gives them a subconscious opinion of the type of person you are and if you manage to make eye contact, it shows you’re basically honest.
Yeah – the science of hitching according to Colin. Then again, would YOU pick up someone with their back turned or who avoided eye contact? I wouldn’t!).
It was an older couple and they didn’t appear to be interested. I gave them a wave to say ‘it’s OK, thanks, anyway’ – another thing I do – and they stopped! Just like that I got a ride all the way back to Ushuaia! They didn’t speak any English so it was a relatively quiet ride, but I was very grateful and expressed my gratitude repeatedly.
I walked into town from the naval base where they had dropped me off and found my way to my favourite café/bistro – again. I had three coffees and their croissant especial and rested up for 40 minutes or so.
It was 16.00 and I figured I had gained some time with the lift so I might as well use it to try to find either Grass Wren or Correndera Pipit in the reserve. Two species I had failed to connect with but which Gaston had told me were there. I walked the kilometer or so along the seafront to the reserve, stopped at the hide briefly, then tried for the wren at least in the longer grass and low bushes but got nothing, nada. I did see the Magellanic Snipe again – at extremely close quarters – again!
I headed back into towards town and eventually picked up a cab back to the hotel, where I collapsed for a while. I debated a bath to ease my muscles and thought about someone who would have jumped at the chance of a bath. But, as she wasn’t there to share it, I had to go hard and have a shower. A 4 lifer day today and a 19 kilometer walk.
Day 5 Wednesday 16.11.22
I had decided to spend my full last day in Ushuaia above the tree line so after breakfast I started walking.
It was not a long walk, just a continual uphill trudge with my knees and ankles protesting after the first 50 meters. I was about 100 meters up the road from the hotel and just checking out yet another Rufous-collared Sparrow when I heard a ‘honk’ and looking up caught a brief glimpse of a Black-faced Ibis flying low over the trees. It disappeared as quickly as it had appeared but I immediately recognized it for what it was – after all there’s only one Ibis in this area, so it wasn’t any great feat of bird knowledge. I had no idea where it went. There’s supposed to be ‘common’ in this part of the world, but this was the only one I had seen and Ibis are not exactly discreet birds.
I carried on, eventually reaching the top of the tree line at 9.00 which I considered pretty good going considering my condition and the slope. I was the first one out along the track towards the patch of snow I think they refer to as the glacier. I was optimistic. My targets – White-bellied Seedsnipe, Yellow-bridled Finch and a Cinclodes species – were, I thought, possible if there weren’t many people around. In the end I saw none of them. It’s hard when you know so little about the specific birds – especially in a habitat you are not familiar with. Was I too high? Not high enough? Should I be looking on the bare rock? The scree? The moss covered rocks? The swampy bits? The bushes? The grass? Difficult to know where to start in such a vast landscape and knowing the Seedsnipe in particular is a very wary bird and inclined to just sit down and stay still – good luck with that! I tried playback on everything, but the only reaction I got was White-crested Elaenias which seemed to be everywhere.
I did see a number of Ochre-naped Ground Tyrants to the point where it became ‘it’s just another Ochre-naped’, and I did add Dark-faced Ground Tyrant to my Argentinian list, having seen it in the Falklands a couple of weeks ago, but saw bugger all else despite staring at miles of rock face, mountains of scree, acres of short stunted trees and grass, wading across swampy bogs, crossing freezing rivers, tramping through snow drifts and walking rough and rugged steep rocky tracks for 3 hours. I took to sitting down and just watching a hillside for a flicker of movement - it was always a Ground Tyrant. BUT!! I did see a pair of Andean Condors. They were a long way away – maybe 400 meters - high on a ridge, but taking it in turns to soar overhead and land and take off for about 10 minutes before I lost them and didn’t see them again. Spectacular!
I made my way eventually back down to the start of the narrow track and headed off on another track that wound across the mountainside and seemed to be much less busy. It kind of came to an end after about 500 meters and I sat there for a while watching the valley below without result, apart from another glimpse of two more Ibis flying away…. I then decided to go down a rather steep, loose slope and follow the river I could hear below back down to the café, rather than return the way I had come. I got down the slope OK and started working my way through the trackless birch forest below. It was hard going with the slope, fallen trees and marshy ground. I eventually crossed the river carefully, aware that if I fell they’d probably never find my bones, even after the snow melted.
Finally I came out on the road below the café and trudged back up the 500 meters to get coffee and have a lentil and meat dish that took ages to come, but was very tasty. I figured it was better value for 2,100 pesos ($20) than a meal in the hotel that would cost twice that and not taste half as good.
Then I started back down the road to my hotel. My knees were screaming at me to stop, but I pushed on, turning off into a tree-lined track and using the speaker for a while to see what I could bring in. Black-chinned Siskins, White-throated Treerunner, Austral Thrush and White-crested Elaenia responded well.
Back at the hotel I packed most of my stuff, then had a snooze. No intention of going anywhere else at this stage. I think I’m done with Ushuaia! A one-lifer day and another 10 kms staggered.
Day 6 Thursday 17.11.22
A bit of a nothing day. I got up late, had breakfast and then hung out in my room until checkout at 11. I had considered taking the early shuttle down to the city for some shopping, but the shops didn’t open till 10 or later and I had found out I was being picked up at 13.00 so just hung in the hotel until then.
The queue at the airport was long, but moved quickly. The flight boarded, as they all seemed to do here, at the last minute and left about 15 minutes late. Arrived in Buenos Aires later and it took a while before the bags came off the plane, although the airport didn’t seem that busy. My driver was ready and waiting and took me into the Argenta Tower Hotel again.
I am based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. For more detail, photos and videos – please refer my blog: Reidcolin55.blogspot.com.
Questions, comments or feedback – jangles14@optusnet.com.au