Date: Wednesday 24 August 2022
Trajectory: Miramar – towards La Para – Altos de Chipión
Distance covered: ± 100 km (driving from place to place)
Today was my first day dedicated to birding, and an exhausting one. It started with breakfast at my friend Walter’s house. Walter keeps bees, so ‘home-made’ honey was on the menu, and some surprisingly good tea he had brought back from a trip to Sri Lanka.
Bellies full, we set off a birding for what would be a six-mile stroll through a variety of habitats.
It was quite hot, but for much of the time a fresh breeze was blowing.
It was also a bit wet underfoot, but hey, this is what birders do …
… and we left our tracks in the mud flats alongside those of the birds.
I took exactly 300 photos which will be processed later, probably much later as I want to enjoy my trip. However, I did have a quick look to choose my bird of the day, which turned out to be a tie for first place between a Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl …
… and a spot-backed Puffbird
My day took an unexpected turn after that, as Walter had arranged for me to be interviewed by a local TV station with him and the local ‘Intendente’ (mayor).
That was interesting, and I also participated in a municipal meeting to plan an upcoming birding festival in the area, recently awarded National Park status.
Being here was especially interesting for me as the project for National Park Status was greatly helped by funds collected at the 2018 British Bird Fair (in the region of $400,000 US). My friend Tim Appleton, who organised the British Bird Fair, had been here a few years ago and was remembered fondly.
The meeting ended as it should, this being Argentina, in copetín, followed by asado (barbecue).
At about 11.00 pm we broke up. Somebody had forgotten to book a room at the hotel in Altos de Chipión and I didn’t want to go back to Walter’s house in Miramar (45 kms in the wrong direction, and I had been drinking wine) so the local police arranged a bed for me in a building next to the police station.
It felt good to be under police protection (especially for the car and contents) and the accommodation was comfortable enough. With the wine and walking I went straight to sleep. I used my sleeping bag, but it was a bit hot – a reminder of what awaits me further north.
Tomorrow to Gobernador Crespo, luckily only about 250 km so it should be another leisurely drive.