My research work brought me to the Patagonian coastline, where sea lions, Magellanic penguins, oystercatchers and melanistic herons meet monte specialties such as yellow cardinal, sandy gallito or Hudson’s black tyrant.

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.