Argentina 9
Following on from our previous blogs
Two views of the Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve, Buenos Aires
Plush-crested Jay - Cyanocorax chrysops chrysops / tucumanus
Plush Crested Jay at Iguazu National Park
Four subspecies. Found in several coutries and regions in South America including N.E.Argentina. We found it to be quite common in the north-west, at Iguazu NP but not seen at the coast. Seen on 12 dates in forest areas with a daily maximum of 15 seen at Calilegua on the 17th.
Rufous-throated Dipper - Cinclus schulzi
Yala River and the overhanging tree which I laid on the bottom
branch to photograph the Dipper in order to get some clear views.
The Dipper River
Rufous Throated Dipper at the Yala River.
The rarest and best Dipper in the World.
E slope of the Andes in S. Boliva and N.W.Argentina. May be declining due to the development of mining and cattle overgrazing effecting many of the mountain streams and is now classified as vulnerable with only small populations. This was our only sighting during our trip, although we did spend around two hours watching it feeding, and certainly it was one of the main highlights of our trip.
Mountain Wren - Troglodytes solstitialis auricularis
Mountain Wren at the San Lorenzo Yungas Forest.
Five subspecies. found in the Andes of N.W.Argentina, Boliva, Colombia, Ecuador, Prtu and W. Venezuela. We recorded one in the forest below Tafi del Valle on the 21st with two there on the 22nd. Proved to be very common along the trail at San Lorenzo Yungas forest with a minimum of twenty seen on the 24th.
Chalk-browed Mockingbird - Mimus saturninus modulator
Chalk Browed Mockingbird near Yala.
Four subspecies. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Suriname and Uruguay. Its a bird of open woodland areas including urban and suburban gardens. We recorded it on four days along the coastal strip with two on the 11th, five on the 12th, ten on the 13th and four on the 4th. Very common in the cactus and scrub in the Andes between Yala and Humahuaca with at least 100 seen on the 14th. On the return journey a mere 16 were seen. Also seen near Cafayate with four on the 22nd and ten on the 23rd.
Creamy-bellied Thrush - Turdus amaurochalinus
Creamy Bellied Thrush at Iguazu National Park.
Occurs in a wide range of wooded habitats in a large area of Central and Eastern South America. On our trip it was seen in small numbers on six dates with a maximum of six seen on the 21st.
Masked Gnatcatcher - Polioptila dumicola dumicola
Masked Gnatcatcher in the chaco at J.V.G.
Three subspecies. Present in large areas in central South America, Common in scrub and woodland and very common in chaco habitat. We recorded it in small numbers at widespread locations on six dates with a daily maximum of 8 in the chaco at JVG on the 20th.
Rufous-browed Peppershrike - Cyclarhis gujanensis
Rufous Browed Pepper-shrike at Attalaya
Twentytwo subspecies. Widesprea and often common in woodland, forest edges from Mexico and Trinidad south to Argentina. We recorded with two seen at Attalaya on the 13th, two at Calilegua on the 18th and one at Palomites on the 19th.
Riverbank Warbler - Basileuterus rivularis rivularis
Riverbank Warbler on the Sendero Yararatia track in Iguazu National Park.
Fairly common along streams and rivers and in swampy areas in forested regions with quite a large range in South America including N.E.Argentina. We recorded one which walked ahead of us along the wet Sendero Yararatia track at Iguazu NP on the 28th with it being seen again briefly on the 3rd. Superb.
Black-goggled Tanager - Trichothraupis melanops
Male Black Goggled Tanager at Iguazu National Park.
It is found at low levels in forest and woodlands in South America and is present in a number of countries including N.E.Argentina. We recorded it on five dates in Iguazu NP with a maximum of twelve being seen on the 28th.
Fawn-breasted Tanager - Pipraeidea melanonota venezuelensis
Male Fawn Breasted Tanager at San Lorenzo.
Two subspecies It occurs in the Andes in a number of countries including N.W Argentina during our trip two were seen at Yala NP on the 14th and four at San Lorenzo on the 24th.
Golden-billed Saltator - Saltator aurantirostris aurantirostris
Adult Golden-billed Saltator in the Yala National Park.
Juvenile Golden-billed Saltator in the Yala National Park.
Six subspecies. Its natural habitat are tropical dry forests and dry shrubland. We recorded four were seen at Yala on the 14th with three seen at Palomites on the 19th and three on the 20th, two at JVG on the 23rd and two near Cafayate on the 23rd.
Black-backed Grosbeak - Pheucticus aureoventris aureoventris
Male Black Backed Grosbeak at Palomites
Five subspecies. Its present in five countries including Argentina. We recorded it along the Yala River one was seen on the 14th and at Calilegua one was seen on the 17th with three seen at Palomites on the 19th and two seen near Tafi del Valle on the 22nd.
Saffron-billed Sparrow - Arremon flavirostris
Saffron-billed Sparrow at Calilegua National Park.
Two Subspecies. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. We recorded them at Calilegua six were seen on the 17th and one on the 18th. In the chaco at JVG two were seen on the 20th and one at Iguazu on the 1st.
Yellow-striped Brush-Finch- Atlaptes citrinellus
Chiefly restricted to N.W.Argentina with its natural habitats are sub-tropical or tropical moist montane forests or shrubland. During our trip we only saw two below Tafi del Valle on the 21st and four on the 22nd.
Common Diuca-Finch - Diuca diuca
Common Diuca-Finch in the desert area at Cafayate
Four subspecies. Found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil,Chile and Uruguay. On our trip two were found in bushes on the sandy soil near Cafayate on the 23rd being unexpected and much better than expected.
Puna Yellow-Finch - Sicalis lutea
Puna Yellow-Finches above Humahuaca
A fairly small range in Argentina, Bolivia and Peru, with its main habitat are high altitude grasslands. We recorded forty seen above Humahuaca on the 15th and ten on the return drive on the 16th.
Greenish Yellow-Finch - Sicalis olivascens olivascens
Female/Immature Greenish Yellow-Finch near Humahuaca.
Found in the Central Andes of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. We recorded ten, seen on the drive to Humahuaca on the 14th with thirty towards Abra Pampa on the 15th and two seen on the 16th. Also, two were seen at Tafi del Valle on the 22nd and sis near Cafayate on the 23rd.
Band-tailed Sierra-Finch - Phrygilus alaudinus venturii
Male Band-tailed Sierra-Finch at Laguna Larga.
Natural habitats are tropical dry shrubland and high-altitude shrubland. We recorded three seen on the walk back from Laguna Larga on the 16th and one above Tafi del Valle on the 22nd.
