CHILE 4
We continue with our birding trip to Chile in 2001. We are now driving to the mining town Putre. Coming up from the coastal area we decided to make a couple of stops to avoid altitude sickness.
We now drove away from the coast Arica up into the Andes towards the mining town of Putre at 9,000 feet. The scenery became extremely barren.
Approaching Putre with the snow top volcanoes in the Lauca
National Park showing at the top of the picture.
Arriving at the mining town of Putre
The valley behind Putre.
Top end of the valley.
Rocky gorge near Putre.
View taken looking from Putre.
Another view looking towards the National Park.
A pair of Variable Hawks were breeding in Putre valley.
Helped some local ringers to catch this Blue & Yellow Tanager, Thraupis bonaeriensis, just 2 were seen at Putre. They are locally common around highland towns and villages in pre-puna shrub.
We saw 10 Black-throated Flowerpiercers Diglossa brunneiventris in the valleys at Putre. Locally common in ravines in pre-puna shrub zone, perhaps most common near towns and villages.
Plain-breasted Earthcreeper Upucerthia jelskii The common earthcreeper in the altiplano. We found 12 Plain Breasted Earthcreepers at Putre.
Male Mourning Sierra-Finch - Phrygilus fruticeti Widespread but always in shrubby sites.
During our trip, good numbers of Mourning Sierra Finches were seen at various sites.
Male Greenish-Yellow Finch - Sicalis olivacens Common in semi-desert regions and altiplano. The common Yellow-Finch in highland towns and villages, and we found it to be common around Putre on our trip.
Male Giant Hummingbird - Patagonas gigas Highly migratory of arid sites, from beach to Andean foothills. Associated with tall blooming flowers. On our trip we saw 6 Giant Hummingbirds of the resident race peruviana at Putre.
Bar Winged Cinclodes - Cinclodes fuscus Two distinct races which are sometimes treated as distinct species. The race present around Putre is known as Buff-winged Cinclodes and is highly migratory fuscus fuscus. The second form is known as Cream-Winged Cinclodes fuscus albiventris and is non-migratory. During our trip we only recorded Buff-winged Cinclodes around Putre.
Black-Winged Ground Dove - Metriopelia melanoptera Widespread enjoying a variety of habitats. Mainly at height of 1000-4000 m but has been recorded at sea level. We saw 10 Black-Winged Ground Doves at Putre.
Bare-Faced Ground-Dove - Metriopelia ceciliae This attractive Ground-Dove nests on cliffs or walls, often near settlements at 2000 -4000 m. On our trip we saw up to 200 Bare Faced Ground Doves seen in the valleys at Putre.
Male Andean Hillstar - Oreotrochilus estella A high Andean Hillstar of the north. Resident in puna-ravines and in settlements and the Andean shrub zone at 3500-5000 m. We saw 40 Andean Hillstars in the valleys at Putre and we also saw 2 in the Lauca National Park.
White-throated Earthcreeper - Upucerthia albigula Restricted-range which is common at Putre and similar nearby areas. Inhabits dry-ravines at 3000-3800 m. We were delighted to find 3 White throated Earthcreepers at the lower end of Wet Gorge A, and they appeared distinctive from the more commoner Plain Breasted with a white supercillium, a white throat, rufous wings and tail.
Hooded Siskin - Carduelis magellanica It ranges from lowland deserts, oasis valleys to pre-puna shrub-zone. Dry areas with short trees or scrub from 0 -3700m. A poor record shot of a Hooded Siskin, and we saw 80 at Putre.
We had now spent sufficent time at Putre hopefully to avoid altutide sickness, so we shall make our way higher to the Lauca National Park situated at around 11,000 feet.
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