August has been a month of changes. My last days in Spain involved beach terns and waders. Moving to Argentina, both visiting the yungas and living in Patagonia brought a whole new set of birds.

A montane creek within the yungas cloud forest north of Salta is home to the mega rufous-throated dipper, which provided great views. Torrent ducks, Andean condors and endemic brushfinches also obliged.

My first time birding in the Neotropics involved a couple of hours walking the grasslands around Viru Viru Airport in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, featuring grasping looks at nothuras, tinamous and rheas.

Mythical locations around The Cape delivered memorable encounters with Cape rockjumpers, sugarbirds and griffons, Verreaux’s eagles, sunbirds and rock thrushes surrounded by flowering proteas and ericas.

Cape Town might be one of the most interesting urban birdwatching I have ever visited. Within few kms, the city area harbors pelicans, penguins, albatrosses and a set of smart endemics.