Birds & Wine – Coastal birding and Casablanca Valley

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Leaving early from Santiago we will head towards the coastal city of San Antonio. Just south of the city we will visit a recently created reserve on the Maipo river estuary. This reserve protects one of the most important wetlands in central Chile. A great place to enjoy large groups of gulls, Black Skimmers, terns, pelicans and shorebirds.

The reedbeds at the reserve are also a great place to see the stunning Many-colored Rush-Tyrant. Alongside Wren-like Rushbird, as well as Yellow-winged Blackbird and Sedge Wren.

After scanning the masses of migrant shorebirds on the mudflats we will pay some more attention to the passerines. We’ll look for the rare Ticking Doradito (a recent split from the Warbling Doradito), Spectacled Tyrant, Correndera Pipit and the Chilean endemics Dusky Tapaculo and Dusky-tailed Canastero.

Driving north along the coast we’ll visit another reserve. Here we can find Spot-flanked Gallinule, Black-necked and Coscoroba Swan, Plumbeous Rail, Black-headed Duck, among many other waterfowl species. Before lunch we’ll make one more stop at a small wetlands that is fantastic for spotting the secretive Stripe-backed Bittern.

It will be midday by now, when we’ll drive inland towards the Casablanca valley, famous for its wines. We’ll have lunch at the lovely Veramonte Vineyard, followed by a great tour of the wine production and ending with a fabulous winetasting. After enjoying a selection of wines we’ll have time to relax and then make our way back to Santiago.

 

This tour can easily be combined with our other Birds & Wine tour to the Concha y Toro vineyard.

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  • Vacation Style Holiday Type
  • Activity Level Birds & Wine

Private trips can be organized on any day throughout the year.

 

Highlights

  • Large flocks of shorebirds and very birdy coastal wetlands
  • The stunning Many-colored Rush-Tyrant
  • The secretive Stipe-backed Bittern
  • A tasting of delicious Chilean wines in a picturesque vineyard

 

Pace

  • Relaxed pace; short easy walks

 

Ease of Birding

  • Most species show easily, with some trickier skulking species

 

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR?
  • Transport: SUV for 1-3 people, minivan for 4-6 people
  • Pick-up/drop-off at your hotel in Santiago
  • English speaking guide with birding equipment
  • Snacks (fruit, nuts, cereal bars, water)
  • Lunch and a 4-wine tasting at the Veramonte Vineyard
  • Park entrance fees
  • eBird checklists for the day’s stops
  1. COASTAL BIRDING AND CASABLANCA VALLEY

    Starting time: pick-up at your hotel in Santiago around 6:30 a.m. Note that starting may vary slightly depending on time of sunrise.

    See map insert for an overview of the route and main hotspots visited during the tour.

    Ending time: drop-off at your hotel in Santiago around 5:30 p.m.

MAP