Patagonian waters are extremely productive, bringing thousands of penguins, sea lions, whales and other marine predators to breed very close to shore every year. Periodically, mass-mortality events decimate their populations: avian influenza kills thousands of pinnipeds and seabirds, carnivores prey on hundreds of penguins, or large numbers of cetaceans die en masse over short periods. […]

Three days watching birds in the Chaco woodlands produced well over 50 lifers including smart endemics: Salinas monjita, crested gallito, Dinelli’s doradito, crescentchest, xenopsaris, warbling finches or chaco sparrow.

The Sierras of central Argentina in Córdoba Province hold a couple of endemic cinclodes mixed among Andean birds and landscapes away from the Andes. Both endemics and other montane specialties obliged.

Coastal Buenos Aires Province produced several endemics and thousands of waders over a short trip marked by terrible weather: Hudson’s canastero, sulphur-bearded reedhaunter, Olrog’s gull and more.

Buenos Aires serves as a hub for travelling through Argentina, and also as a great location to connect with local specialties. Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur brings Paraná Delta avifauna into the city center.

A short visit to the cloud forests surrounding Salta offered my first-ever hummingbirds and guans, represented by attractive endemics. Yungas specialist Tucuman amazon, yungas sparrow and brushfinches followed.

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.