Argentina – Antarctica (34 days)
Just a brief text about the trip. Pls PM me for details
Part A. Buenos Aires (4 visits, 2 hrs each)
Reserva ecologica costanera sur
A wetland park in the city. Metro + 15 mins walk, or by taxi. Close on every Monday. A very good birding site: 35 bird species within 90 mins (even the park is closed). Birders can walk along the main road to see birds even it is closed
Reserva ecologica costanera norte:
Another city wetland park but smaller. Local birders said the security is fair (because some people living in the park). Take a taxi to Ciudad Universitaria de Buenos Aires first and then walk towards the sea (5-10 mins).
Part B. Iguazu (4D3N)
Iguazu Falls: Sub-tropical Forest. Three countries (argentina – Brazil – Paraguay) along the same river. Taxi drivers of the airport usually provide reasonable day packages of visiting the falls when you get on a taxi from the airport to the hotel.
Hummingbird Garden: A backyard garden of someone’s house in Puerto Iguazu. The owner places some nectar feeders and fruits in order to attract hummingbirds and other forest birds. The admission fee is cheap (40 peso).
La Cantera Jungle Lodge: I stayed at this jungle lodge on the argentine side. It is enclosed by forest. A pond is about 10 mins walk from the lodge. Birding is easy.
Part C. Tierra del Fuego (about 4 days) - The southern tip of South America. Capital town – Ushuaia. Very close to Antarctica
Tierra del Fuego National Park: Temperate Forest. 12km away from Ushuaia. Visited twice.
Ushuaia – Tolhuin – Rio Grande
A self-driving day trip (round trip - 400 km). Habitats include temperate forest, lake, upland areas and coastal mudflats.
Glacier Martial. Temperate Forest and upland open areas. 8 km away from Ushuaia
Part D. Falkland Islands/South Georgia Islands/Antarctic Peninsula
19 days on a vessel
Dip of the trip: Magellanic Woodpecker. Tried three times without success
Amazing bird of the trip: Toco Toucon. Suddenly showed up when I was having my lunch in al fresco café in Iguazu Falls (other trip reports said it is very common)
Beautiful bird of the trip: Blue Dacnis. Indeed very beautiful, esp when close up
Funny bird of the trip: penguins. Easy to slide down when walking …. Very funny
Bloody bird of the trip: southern giant petrel. Really a polar vulture
Remark
I met HK birders, J and J, at a B&B in Ushuaia. We were not only on the same vessel, but also stayed at the same hotel in Ushuaia after the voyage. Very amazing.
