Winter 2009 - Lima to Montevideo - Birding Trip Report - Part 11 of 11 - Iguazu and Montevideo (arrival) Home » Forums » Birding » Trip Reports

I had written about Iguazu and Montevideo in a previous trip report from 2008, so
will keep it short.

The Iguazu National Park in Argentina is now open one hour later,
until 6:00, and really you can probably stay until close to 7:00.
That last hour is super important for birding; one day close to a
dozen Toco Toucans and Chestnut-eared Toucanets popped out of hiding
after 5:00.

In the past I had always taked the Macuco trail in the morings at
8:00, but it is very hard to photograph birds in the thick brush, and
this trip turned up the same Planalto Woodcreeper, XXX spinetail, and
a Piculet. On one of three visits to the park I tried to be the first
person on the Upper Circuit, and was pleasantly suprised by three
Black-fronted Piping Guans feeding at the top of one of the
waterfalls. This species is now endangered and only found in a few
protected areas.

Guira Oga, the bird rehabilitation center, is still a wonderful place
to visit. There were new birds in the pre-release training cage, and
just one Bare-throated Bellbird (perhaps the others were released).
But apparently the stars of the show, such as the Solitary Eagle and
two Crested Eagles, are still being rehabilitated, or more likely are
not going to be released.

The hummingbird garden had two new species, the Glittering Emerald and
White-throated Hummingbird, both of which I had only seen in Uruguay
the previous year. And the feeders attract a few more species in the
winter. Alas my flash broke and there are too many shadows
to try and photograph without one. Or at least I didn't find the way.

So I sent my broken flash via DHL to Buenos Aires, and made my way to
Uruguay via Concordia and Salto, to meet my wife who had gone ahead.
I also wrote about Uruguay in my last trip report, but will add a few
notes here.

Uruguay seemed to be going through a good period; three years into a
socialist government and unemployment down, and everyone we spoke to
in the streets agreeded things were going better in the country. And
my wife talks with everyone. Even her father, a doctor who would be
one to criticize the new government, thought they were doing well.
Crime was up though, but this seemed to be a problem plauging the
entire continent, and I don't want to attribute that to the new
government just yet. Eight years of George Bush has forced
involuntary socialism on the US, and I am interested to see what will
happen.

A great place to go birding is in the city along the rocky parts of
the beach. Large groups of sea birds including the Kelp Gull,
Snowy-crested Tern, Neotropic Cormorant, White-tufted Grebe, Greater
Yellowlegs, and others can be found at the rocks furthest from the
reach of people. Along the coast you can see Kestrels and Caracara as
well. I picked up my best American Kestrel photo here.