So this is it, the last day. The last blog post from our epic cruise and believe me when I say that none of us wanted this to be over. It’s been that good! So what would today bring….? Well, we found ourselves driving across rolling green farm fields shortly after first light, spotting a family of Greater Rheas that were much closer than yesterday’s sighting and seeing our one and only Campo Flicker of the tour. New birds came thick and fast as we spent the entire morning walking along a kilometre stretch of road and we notched up some pretty decent looks at a few Glaucous-blue Grosbeaks feeding in roadside bushes and even feeding on seed right out in the open on the road itself.
Green Kingfisher
We took our time and birds kept appearing, including a confiding Green Kingfisher, another Rufous-capped Antshrike, Stripe-crowned Spinetail, Southern Yellowthroat, a skulking Bran-colored Flycatcher and a close Checkered Woodpecker.
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| Checkered Woodpecker |
I particularly enjoyed a rather tame White-barred Piculet that seemed oblivious to us, first picked up in a tangle of bare branches just above eye-level before flying across the road and perching on a fence post. Superb!
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| White-barred Piculet |
About half way along the road was an open, scrubby area and about 75m away a line of low bushes bordering an arable field played host to several groups of seedeaters. For the furthest birds a scope was necessary and we picked up closer Double-collared Seedeater, whilst a few Rufous-rumped Seedeaters were eventually seen by most of the group. But a very close Dark-throated Seedeater pretty much stole the show here as it fed very close and right in front of us.
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| Dark-throated Seedeater |
We also saw a few Grassland Sparrows and a Chotoy Spinetail as well. And by now it was late morning and the temperature was rising so we drove back to the lodge seeing another Spotted Nothura before stopping just before the last bridge and walking into the taller section of trees seeing Tufted Tit-Spinetail and White-winged Becard.
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| Our last lunch at Rio de las Aves Lodge |
After packing our luggage we enjoyed another fine feast at Rio de las Aves Lodge before setting out towards Buenos Aires. Along the way we birded along a track between pools and marshes and despite the hot conditions enjoyed cracking views of a very confiding Warbling Doradito right in front of us.
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| Warbling Doradito |
It took a while but eventually a Curve-billed Reedhaunter gave itself up and as we did battle with this skulker a superb Long-winged Harrier flew low over the marsh next to us, and we also had a Gilded Sapphire along with some other previously seen species.
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| Long-winged Harrier |
And that was it. The fat lady was singing and we drove to our hotel in downtown Buenos Aires and had our farewell dinner and time to reminisce over an epic Cape Horn trip.
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