Another Island ... this time in Patagonia

Tierra del Fuego came to the awareness of the European world in 1520 when Ferdinand Magellan visited.  He noticed camp fires along the beaches and named the island 'land of fire' - Tierra del Fuego.
Last month just arriving at a hotel in Ushuaia a familiar face appeared across the room - my good friend and virtual neighbour Roy who was leading a tour of Argentina !
So, off out birding !  There are some great birds on the island and Magellanic Woodpecker is one - the size of a Black Woodpecker and every bit as dramatic.

Overhead a Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle was mobbed by a Chimango Caracara, one of a strange group of falcons of which we encountered several species in the region.

Some areas of clear-fell provided feeding opportunities for passerines and also geese.  The Ochre-naped Ground-Tyrant was a delightful species to which the field guides do no justice.  The birds had been forced to lower altitude by snow and bad weather higher up.

The commonest goose species there was Upland Goose where the male is a striking bird.

....while the female is more cryptic and resembles another species we found later ( Ruddy-headed Goose ).

Also associating with the Upland Geese were a few Ashy-headed Geese typical of these wooded swamp areas.

In these same grassy areas of the riverine forest a few small groups of  Black-faced Ibis of the sub-species melanopsis were feeding.

Also in the open areas some Austral Blackbirds perched up confidently and called noisily.

Another caracara species, Southern Caracara strutted around.

The forest held more delights and Austral Thrushes sang in slow melodic style.

....while Austral Parakeets called in typical parakeet fashion.

This was South America and of course characterful species like Thorn-tailed Rayadito performed with great charisma.

...while others like this Austral Pygmy-Owl were more cryptic.

Down by the coast in Ushuaia a pair of Austral Negritos fed rather unexpectedly on the foreshore.

.... and some South American Terns patrolled the harbour.

Dolphin Gull must be one of the world's most attractive gulls.

... and a pair of Flying Steamer-Ducks posed nicely.

A search of an open grassy area by the harbour finally produced some displaying Correndera Pipits as they performed undulating song flights ending in a parachute glide.  These were lovely robust pipits and set the bench-mark for more pipits as we headed south.........