9 Jan 23 - Argentina - Two Family Photo Ticks During The Inland Day

After an early look around the small coastal town of Mar Chiquita, I headed off to check out the large cattle estancias, inland from the Mar Chiquita area. I had a number of eBird locations where Red-winged Tinamous has been seen, but it was clearly going to be a hit & miss species and it appeared that some of these sightings had occurred when a Birder had been allowed to drive onto an estancia. In the last Blog Post, I had included the photos of a number of the wet pool species seen on the estancias. In this Blog Post, I will focus on the rest of the species photographed during the drive inland of Mar Chiquita.

Long-winged Harrier: This monotypic species occurs in the grasslands of tropical South America

Long-winged Harrier: They are a great-looking Harrier

Long-winged Harrier

Wilson's Phalarope: Another wintering North American Wader

This drive produced two Family photo ticks: the first Tinamou & the first Screamer.

Spotted Tinamou: I saw three Spotted Tinamous (AKA Spotted Nothura), but all were the wrong species of Tinamou. This is the annectens subspecies which occurs in the moist grasslands of East Argentina

Southern Screamer: This is one of three species of Screamers that occur in this South American family

Southern Screamer: This monotypic species occurs from the wet lowlands of South East Peru to South Brazil & North Argentina

There was still a good selection of other dry country species.

Picazuro Pigeon: This was a common Pigeon on the Pampas, especially where there were a few trees. This is nominate picazuro subspecies which occurs from East Brazil to Bolivia & South-central Argentina

Spectacled Tyrant: This is a gorgeous Tyrant Flycatcher. This is the nominate perspicillatus subspecies which occurs from South West Brazil to Uruguay, Paraguay & North Argentina

Correndera Pipit: This is the nominate correndera subspecies which occurs from coastal South East Brazil to Uruguay, Paraguay & North Argentina

Great Pampa-finch: This is the nominate platensis subspecies which occurs from East Paraguay to South East Brazil, Uruguay & central Argentina

Bay-winged Cowbird: The juvenile Screaming Cowbirds look very similar to Bay-winged Cowbirds (AKA Greyish Cowbirds). The bill shape is one of the key features and gives this away as a Bay-winged Cowbird. This is the nominate badius subspecies which occurs from East Bolivia to Paraguay, Uruguay & North Argentina

Chestnut-capped Blackbird: This is the nominate ruficapillus subspecies which occurs from South East Bolivia to Paraguay, South Brazil, Uruguay & North Argentina

Hooded Siskin: This is the nominate magellanicus subspecies which occurs in Uruguay & East Argentina

I had spent the morning & early afternoon driving on a set of sandy dirt tracks alongside large estancias for about thirty miles, before finally reaching a tarmac road on the edge of the small town of Coronel Vidal. From here it was an hour or so of driving back to the city of Mar del Plata and another thirty minutes from there to return to Mar Chiquita.

Mar del Plata beach: As I passed through Mar del Plata, I had a look at the beach in the hope there might be some Seabirds along the shoreline. All I saw was these angry seas

After getting back to the coast at Mar Chiquita, I spent the last few hours of the day having a final look at the fields to the North for a Red-winged Tinamou. I had no joy with the potential Tick, but there was still plenty to look at.

Long-winged Harrier: I saw about a dozen Long-winged Harriers during the day

Long-winged Harrier

Long-winged Harrier

Brown Hare: Brown Hares have been commonly introduced from Europe by the colonial settlers

Although I hadn't managed to see a Red-winged Tinamou, it had been a great day of Birding with seventy-two species seen & many photographed. I headed back to the Mar Chiquita campsite for another night in the car.

9 Jan 23 - Argentina - Going Inland

After having an early morning look around the small coastal town of Mar Chiquita, I carried on to explore the neighbouring small coastal town of Mar de Coba.

Great Kiskadee: This is the argentinus subspecies which occurs from extreme South East Brazil to East Paraguay, Uruguay & central Argentina

There was a reasonable-sized lake in Mar de Coba, with more of the Wetland species I had seen on the previous day. It was good to see Southern Lapwings breeding on some of the front garden lawns, which was an indication of the respect the locals had for their local wildlife and also the lack of garden cats.

Southern Lapwing: Feeding on a front lawn & looking after its offspring

Southern Lapwing: Chick. This is the lampronotus subspecies which occurs South of the Amazon & East of the Andes to South Uruguay & central Argentina

It was time to head to check out the large cattle estancias inland from the Mar Chiquita area. I had a number of eBird locations where Red-winged Tinamous has been seen, but it was clearly going to be a hit & miss species and it appeared that some of these sightings had occurred when a Birder had been surveying private estancias.

A typical view one of the from the dirt tracks

Over the next half day, I drove on a set of sandy dirt tracks for about thirty miles, before finally reaching a tarmac road on the edge of the small town of Coronel Vidal. The tracks wound between large estancias. There were many large grassy fields with a few wet marshy pools along the route. The long rank grassland and ditches between the track and the boundary fence provided plenty of habitat for a good variety of Pampas species. It was a stark contrast with many arable and cattle farms in the UK where sadly the birdlife is struggling.

One of the many Pampas roadside fields

American Golden Plover: I found one large ploughed field near the start of the dirt tracks which contained over thirty wintering American Golden Plovers

Guira Cuckoo: This monotypic species occurs from North East Brazil to Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay & central Argentina

Fork-tailed Flycatcher: An adult with two young nearby

Fork-tailed Flycatcher: The recently fledged two youngsters

Fork-tailed Flycatcher: Another nest. This is the nominate savana subspecies which breeds in central & Southern South America. The Southern populations are migratory and Winter in Northern South America

Brown-and-yellow Marshbird: This monotypic species occurs from extreme South Brazil & Uruguay to North Argentina

Brown-and-yellow Marshbird: Another individual

Brown-and-yellow Marshbird: A third individual

White-browed Blackbird: This is the obscurus subspecies which occurs from extreme South East Peru to Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil & North Argentina

Long-tailed Meadowlark: This is the obscurus subspecies which occurs in central Argentina

Bay-winged Cowbird: The juvenile Screaming Cowbirds look very similar to Bay-winged Cowbirds (AKA Greyish Baywing). The bill shape is one of the key features and gives this away as a Bay-winged Cowbird. This is the nominate badius subspecies which occurs from East Bolivia to Paraguay, Uruguay & North Argentina

This was only a few of the species seen along the dirt tracks through the cattle estancias. More photos will be included in the next Blog Post.