TIERRA DEL FUEGO EXTENSION Circumnavigation of The Cruise

November 7–10, 2018

Chiloe Wigeon © Michael O’Brien

LEADERS: GASTON RETTI & MICHAEL O’BRIEN LIST COMPILED BY: MICHAEL O’BRIEN

VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM

TIERRA DEL FUEGO EXTENSION Circumnavigation of The Falkland Islands Cruise November 7–10, 2018

By Michael O’Brien

This short Tierra del Fuego Extension was the perfect way to wrap up our Falklands cruise, with some great new , including several local specialties. Based in the scenic town of Ushuaia, we were surrounded by stunning snow-capped mountains, lush forest, and a lovely coastline, making our stay all the more pleasant.

View from the Tolkeyen Hotel across © Michael O’Brien

After parting ways with the rest of our cruise members, we began the extension with a walk right on our hotel grounds, situated on the shores of Beagle Channel, and at the mouth of the Pipo River. This lovely spot was surprisingly birdy. Large flocks of Dolphin and Kelp gulls filled the tidal flats, and among them we saw Kelp Goose, Flying Steamer-, Chiloe Wigeon, Chilean Skua, Magellanic Oystercatcher, and a mixed group of Baird’s and White-rumped . Nearby grassy areas were home to several noisy Southern Lapwings, a flock of Black-faced Ibis, and a lovely Austral Negrito. We then moved on to the local landfill (a required stop on any birding tour!) and found a swarm of Kelp Gulls, but also dozens of caracaras, including the very local White-throated. And a real prize here was a very cooperative Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle. Nearby at Bahia Encerrada, we enjoyed an abundance of waterfowl, plus excellent views of two South American .

The following day we made a thorough exploration of the forest and coastline of Tierra del Fuego National Park. Much of our time was spent on forest trails, searching for the iconic

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 2 Tierra del Fuego Extension, 2018 Magellanic Woodpecker. To our delight, we scored with superb views of a stunning male on our last stop of the day! Along the way, we found numerous other local specialties including Austral Parakeet, White-throated Treerunner, Dark-bellied Cinclodes, Thorn-tailed Rayadito, Tufted Tit- Tyrant, Fire-eyed Diucon, and Patagonian Sierra-Finch. We also enjoyed good views of several Flightless Steamer-. For those who participated in all three tour segments, this represented a “sweep” of all four members of this unusual waterfowl group.

Magellanic Woodpecker © Michael O’Brien

We finished up on our last morning with another nice walk at the hotel grounds. Although we had seen them on the cruise, it was fun to stand on terra firma and watch Black-browed Albatross and Southern Fulmar flying over the Beagle Channel!

ITINERARY

November 7 – Tolkeyen Hotel (Pipo River Mouth); Olivia River Mouth; Ushuaia landfill; Bahia Encerrada; night at Tolkeyen Hotel.

November 8 – All day at Tierra del Fuego National Park; night at Tolkeyen Hotel.

November 9 – Tolkeyen Hotel area; mid-day departures.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 3 Tierra del Fuego Extension, 2018 KEY N = nest observed Y = dependent young observed

BIRDS

Ducks, Geese & Swans ( ) Upland Goose ( Chloephaga picta ) Y – Numerous around Ushuaia; these were of the “bar- breasted” form (compared to “white-breasted” form in the Falklands). Kelp Goose ( Chloephaga hybrida ) – Several at the hotel and elsewhere in Ushuaia. Ashy-headed Goose ( Chloephaga poliocephala ) – One at the Olivia River mouth and a pair at Tierra del Fuego NP. Flying Steamer-Duck ( Tachyeres patachonicus ) – Numerous on the Ushuaia waterfront.

Flying Steamer-Duck © Michael O’Brien

Flightless Steamer-Duck ( Tachyeres pteneres ) – Eight at Tierra del Fuego NP. Crested Duck ( Lophonetta specularioides ) – Numerous around Ushuaia. Spectacled Duck ( Speculanas specularis ) – Beautiful pair at Tierra del Fuego NP. ( Anas platalea ) – Numerous at Bahia Encerrada. Chiloe Wigeon ( Mareca sibilatrix ) – Pairs at the hotel and Bahia Encerrada. Yellow-billed Teal ( Anas flavirostris ) – Pairs at Bahia Encerrada and Tierra del Fuego NP.

Grebes ( Podicipedidae ) Great Grebe ( Podiceps major ) – One at Tierra del Fuego NP.

Oystercatchers (Haematopodidae ) Magellanic Oystercatcher ( Haematopus leucopodus ) – Seen at several locations.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 4 Tierra del Fuego Extension, 2018

Plovers & Lapwings ( Charadriidae ) Southern Lapwing ( Vanellus chilensis ) – Numerous in open areas around Ushuaia.

Sandpipers (Scolopacidae) Baird’s ( bairdii ) – Up to 22 on the shores of Beagle Channel by our hotel. White-rumped Sandpiper ( Calidris fuscicollis ) – Eight on the shores of Beagle Channel by our hotel. South American Snipe ( paraguaiae ) – Two seen well at Bahia Encerrada.

Skuas & Jaegers ( Stercorariidae ) Chilean Skua ( Stercorarius chilensis ) – Seen all around Beagle Channel, as well as at the landfill.

Gulls & Terns (Laridae) Dolphin Gull ( Leucophaeus scoresbii ) – Numerous around Ushuaia.

Dolphin Gull © Michael O’Brien

Kelp Gull ( Larus dominicanus ) – Abundant around Ushuaia. South American Tern ( Sterna hirundinacea ) – Numerous around Ushuaia.

Albatrosses ( Diomedeidae ) Black-browed Albatross ( Thalassarche melanophris ) – Numerous in Beagle Channel.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 5 Tierra del Fuego Extension, 2018 Shearwaters & Petrels ( Procellariidae ) Southern Giant-Petrel ( Macronectes giganteus ) – Numerous in Beagle Channel. Southern Fulmar ( Fulmarus glacialoides ) – Numerous in Beagle Channel.

Cormorants ( Phalacrocoracidae ) Neotropic Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax brasilianus ) – Two at Bahia Encerrada. Magellanic Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax magellanicus ) N – Numerous around Ushuaia; nesting on ship wreck. Imperial Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax atriceps ) – Abundant in Beagle Channel; most belonged to the Atlantic or “King” subspecies ( P. a. albiventer ), but we did see a few of the primarily Pacific “Blue-eyed” subspecies ( P. a. atriceps ), which has more extensive white cheeks.

Herons, Egrets & Bitterns ( Ardeidae ) Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax ) – One at the Olivia River mouth.

Ibises and Spoonbills ( Threskiornithidae ) Black-faced Ibis ( Theristicus melanopis ) – Several around our hotel and elsewhere in Ushuaia.

Black-faced Ibis © Michael O’Brien

New World Vultures ( Cathartidae ) Turkey Vulture ( Cathartes aura ) – A few at many locations.

Hawks, Eagles & Kites ( Accipitridae ) Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle ( Geranoaetus melanoleucus ) – One seen well at the landfill plus two brief flyovers at Tierra del Fuego NP.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 6 Tierra del Fuego Extension, 2018 Owls ( Strigidae ) Austral Pygmy-Owl ( Glaucidium nana ) – Heard at Tierra del Fuego NP.

Woodpeckers ( Picidae ) Magellanic Woodpecker ( Campephilus magellanicus ) – After considerable effort, we finally had excellent views of a male at Tierra del Fuego NP.

Falcons & Caracaras ( ) White-throated ( Phalcoboenus albogularis ) – Eight seen at the landfill. Southern Caracara ( Caracara plancus ) – Ten at the landfill, plus small numbers elsewhere. ( chimango ) – Seen at many locations, but more than a dozen at the landfill.

New World & African Parrots ( Psittacidae ) Austral Parakeet ( Enicognathus ferrugineus ) – Two flyby flocks at Tierra del Fuego NP.

Tapaculos ( Rhinocryptidae ) Magellanic Tapaculo ( Scytalopus magellanicus ) – Heard at Tierra del Fuego NP.

Ovenbirds & Woodcreepers ( Furnariidae ) White-throated Treerunner ( Pygarrhichas albogularis ) – Nice views at Tierra del Fuego NP. Dark-bellied Cinclodes ( Cinclodes patagonicus ) – One at Tierra del Fuego NP. Thorn-tailed Rayadito ( Aphrastura spinicauda ) – We saw quite a few of these spunky little birds at Tierra del Fuego NP.

Thorn-tailed Rayadito © Michael O’Brien

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 7 Tierra del Fuego Extension, 2018 Tyrant Flycatchers ( Tyrannidae ) Tufted Tit-Tyrant ( Anairetes parulus ) – A few seen well at Tierra del Fuego NP. White-crested Elaenia ( Elaenia albiceps ) – Numerous at Tierra del Fuego NP. Austral Negrito ( Lessonia rufa ) – Several very cooperative birds right by our hotel in Ushuaia.

Austral Negrito © Michael O’Brien

Dark-faced Ground-Tyrant ( Muscisaxicola maclovianus ) – Seen at our hotel and at Tierra del Fuego NP. Fire-eyed Diucon ( Xolmis pyrope ) – Several at Tierra del Fuego NP.

Swallows ( Hirundinidae ) Chilean Swallow ( Tachycineta meyeni ) – Numerous in Ushuaia and Tierra del Fuego NP. Barn Swallow ( Hirundo rustica ) – One at Tierra del Fuego NP.

Wrens ( Troglodytidae ) House Wren ( Troglodytes aedon ) – Quite numerous at Tierra del Fuego NP. These were part of the widespread “Southern House Wren” ( T. a. musculus ) group.

Thrushes & Allies ( Turdidae ) Austral Thrush ( Turdus falcklandii ) – Numerous in Ushuaia and particularly at Tierra del Fuego NP.

Finches, Euphonias & Allies ( Fringillidae ) Black-chinned Siskin ( Spinus barbatus ) – A few at Tierra del Fuego NP.

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 8 Tierra del Fuego Extension, 2018 Buntings & New World Sparrows ( Emberizidae ) Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis ) – Numerous in open areas around Ushuaia.

Blackbirds & Allies (Icteridae ) Long-tailed Meadowlark ( Sturnella loyca ) – One at the Olivia River mouth.

Tanagers & Allies ( Thraupidae ) Patagonian Sierra-Finch ( Phrygilus patagonicus ) – Several at Tierra del Fuego NP.

Old World Sparrows ( Passeridae ) House Sparrow ( Passer domesticus ) – Small numbers around Ushuaia.

Southern Lapwing © Michael O’Brien

Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 9 Tierra del Fuego Extension, 2018