17 Mar 2018

17 Mar 18 - Chile: Arica Harbour

As we were coming back into Arica Harbour at the end of the pelagic, there were plenty of species still hanging around.
Silver Explorer: This is a high luxury cruise ship masquerading as an expedition ship. It's not a ship I would enjoy going on. There seems to be too much focus on comfort & not enough on expedition for my liking. I'm surprised on of the Brexit gang hasn't insisted on a bloody big British flag like the one being flown on the hillside, being flown over both ends of the channel tunnel as part of the Brexit deal
Red-legged Cormorant: This was a species that had eluded me on my first short visit to the Valparaiso coastline in 2002
Neotropic Cormorant
Peruvian Pelican: Adult
Peruvian Pelican: Two immatures with Inca Terns
Turnstone
Grey Gulls & Franklin's Gulls offshore from the harbour
Grey Gull: They were a common species around Arica, albeit not as common as the Franklin's Gulls
Grey Gull
Franklin's Gull: This was the commonest Gull in the Arica area
Franklin's Gull
Kelp Gull: This first year seems to be the only one I bothered to photograph or note
Band-tailed Gull: Non-breeding adult. Breeding birds have white heads
Inca Tern: I saw at least five hundred around the harbour or close inshore
Inca Tern: Adult. This is a common coastal Tern which occurs as far South as Chiloe Island in Chile
Inca Tern: Immature
Inca Tern: They must be the best Tern
Fishing boats in the harbour
Fishing boats in the harbour: This one had half a dozen Turkey Vultures feeding on it
Turkey Vultures
Inca Terns resting on these fishing boats in the harbour
There were also good numbers of South American Sealions, both lazing around offshore & around the harbour breakwater.
South American Sealion: They are a friendly species & generally happy to wave when awake
South American Sealion: There is also a chance of a Juan Fernandez Fur Seal appearing along the Arica coastline. They would be a lot smaller with a very pointed snout, whereas, South American Sealions have a very square-nosed snout
South American Sealion: The breakwater was perfectly designed for chilling out
South American Sealion: A big male catching the rays
Once I was back at the car, I had a final few hours around Arica before my evening flight to Santiago. I decided to have a final crack for Chilean Woodstar at the Hummingbird garden at San Miguel de Azapa. I will cover that in the next Post.