Birding in Patagonia: Tierra del Fuego, the steppe and Torres del Paine

This morning we’ll have an early flight to the city of Punta Arenas in the very far south of Chile, on the Straits of Magellan. We’ll have a nice lunch in Punta Arenas and then head south birding along the coast, looking for Flying and Flightless Steamer-Ducks, Magellanic Oystercatcher, Imperial Cormorant, Upland Goose, Chilean Skua and the splendid Dolphin Gull. The tiny Austral Negrito is sure to be found as well. In the afternoon, we’ll drive to the Estancia San Juan, where the endangered Ruddy-headed Goose breeds. Along the coast we’ll also be looking for Kelp Goose, to complete the five Chilean geese collection, and head back towards Punta Arenas.

We’ll take the early morning ferry crossing (2 hrs) to Porvenir, which is the main town in the Chilean side of the mythical island at the end of the world, Tierra del Fuego. We should see scores of Southern Giant-Petrel, Magellanic Diving-Petrel, Chilean Skua, Black-browed Albatross and Peale’s Dolphins. We’ll spend the morning birding around Laguna Verde and Laguna Santa Maria. The bird species we‘ll be looking for in the next couple of days will be Ashy-Headed and Upland Goose, Two-banded Plover, Magellanic Plover, Chilean Skua, Short-billed Miner, Tawny-throated Dotterel, Flightless Steamer-Duck, and Crested Duck.

After lunch we’ll drive to Bahia Inútil (Useless Bay) to visit a colony of magnificent King Penguins. This colony is the most northerly colony of this species, and the only one outside Antarctic waters. On our way to our accommodation in Cerro Sombrero we’ll be looking for Rufous-chested Dotterel, Chocolate-vented Tyrant and Cinnamon-bellied Ground-Tyrant that breed in the Patagonian steppe. Night in Cerro Sombrero.

After breakfast we’ll continue birding the Patagonian Steppe on our way to the northern tip of Tierra del Fuego and hop on a short ferry  back to the continental mainland. This is a shorter ferry crossing (20 min) with good chances of seeing Commerson’s Dolphin, Magellanic Diving-Petrel, Wilson’s Storm-Petrel and White-chinned Petrel. Back on the mainland we will make a stop at a wetland in the steppe, Buque Quemado. A good spot for seeing a variety of waterfowl, including Silver Teal, Rosy-billed Pochard, Chiloe Wigeon, White-cheeked Pintail, Coscoroba Swan, and variety of shorebirds. In this area we’ll also try our luck and finding the elusive Patagonian Tinamou.

We’ll continue our trip towards Puerto Natales making our way across the vast steppe looking for Darwin’s Rhea, Austral Canastero, Chocolate-vented Tyrant, Band-tailed Earthcreeper, Common Miner, Patagonian Yellow-Finch and the stunning White-bridled Finch. We’ll spend the night in Puerto Natales.

This morning we’ll be heading north towards the most anticipated location of the trip, the incomparable and breathtaking Torres del Paine National Park. Of the entire trip, this will most likely be the most unforgettable scenic highlight. While the park is most famous for its astonishing scenery, it’s also rich in birds and mammals. Throughout the day Guanaco, Patagonian Hog Nosed Skunk and Gray Fox are among the mammals we are likely to encounter during our stay in this area. We’ll be birding in the eastern side of the park and its lakes looking for waterfowl, and on reed-fringed pools looking for the re-discovered Austral Rail. In the scrubby steppe we’ll be looking for Dark-faced Ground-Tyrant, Cinnamon-bellied Ground-Tyrant, White-throated Caracara and Patagonian Mockingbird. Cinereous Harriers are also fairly common. This is the best spot in Chile for Puma spotting, however, daytime sightings are rare.

After an early lunch we’ll leave the Park and drive to the scenic mountainous valley of Sierra Baguales. Here we’ll be looking for Band-tailed Earthcreeper, Patagonian Mockingbird, and the gorgeous Yellow-bridled Finch. On our drive up the valley the rocky cliffs surrounding us are a great place to watch Andean Condors soaring above us. The valleys in this area are also a breeding area for White-throated Caracara and the very rare Gray-bellied Shrike-Tyrant. Night in Puerto Natales.

Sadly this is the last day of our trip. After a relaxed breakfast we’ll make our way back to the airport in Punta Arenas where we’ll take our flight back to Santiago and connecting international flights.