The Peregrine Vol 18, No 2, March/April 2019
Additional Article
Argentina Birds and Scenery: Claire Staples' Trip - October 2018
Claire Staples' Tour of Northwest Argentina
The birds are arranged as the tour met them on its journey through Argentina. The photos of the birds were taken either by Claire's tour leader, Andrés Vásquez, and by a fellow traveler, John Turner. However, Claire did manage to get a very close bird with her phone camera!
Besides the wonderful birds found in Argentina, the countryside is filled with beautiful views created by nature. Like the bird photos, these pictures of the landscape, towns, and animals are arranged as the tour encountered them.
Enjoy!
Birds of Northwest Argentina
Rio Los Sosa Valley
by John Turner
Rio Los Sosa Valley
by John Turner
Argentine endemic
by John Turner
Infiernillo
by John Turner
Monte Desert
by John Turner
Monte Desert
by John Turner
Monte Desert
by John Turner
Tolombón
by Andrés Vásquez
Quebrada de las Conchas
by Andrés Vásquez
Los Cardones National Park
by John Turner
Los Cardones National Park
by Andrés Vásquez
Los Cardones National Park
by John Turner
Hotel Selva Montana
by Andrés Vásquez
Parque Provincial Lagunas de Yala
by Andrés Vásquez
Parque Provincial Lagunas de Yala
by Andrés Vásquez
Laguna Rontuyoc
by Andrés Vásquez
Laguna Rontuyoc
by John Turner
near Laguna de los Pozuelos
by Andrés Vásquez
Yavi
by Andrés Vásquez
Santa Victoria Mountains
by Andrés Vásquez
Garganta del Diablo
by Andrés Vásquez
Pumamarca
by Claire Staples
by John Turner
Scenic Beauty of Northwest Argentina
Claire's tour moved north from the arrival point at San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina in Tucumán Province through that province, Salta Province, and Jujuy Province up to Argentina's border with Bolivia and then back again. As they traveled in the Andes, the elevation rose up to 15,000 feet. They journeyed through various landscapes: puna, alpine region with short, coarse grass; yungas, rainforest along the eastern side of the Andes; and altiplano, high, windswept tableland of central South America.
Claire took an extension of the tour flying from Tucumán east to Puerto Iguazú on the border with Brazil to see the Cataratas del Iguazú (Iguazú Falls) on the Rio Iguazú.
Tucumán Province
Most any place during our Tour!
Salta Province
Salta Province
El Carril, Salta Province
El Carril, Salta Province
near Purmamarca, Jujuy Province
near Purmamarca, Jujuy Province
near Purmamarca, Jujuy Province
Humahuaca, Jujuy Province
Humahuaca, Jujuy Province
Jujuy Province
Jujuy Province
Abra Pampa, Jujuy Province
Cochinoca, Jujuy Province
Rinonada, Jujuy Province
(Llamas are domesticated guanacos)
Jujuy Province
Jujuy Province
"The highest I've been, and there were birds to see."
Jujuy Province
Jujuy Province
Yavi, Jujuy Province
Iguazu Falls
One of the awesome sights Claire enjoyed on her tour was the massive Iguazú Falls on the border of Argentina and Brazil, where she photographed it. The spectacle includes a large colony of Great Dusky Swifts which nest on ledges on a cliff behind and beside the rushing water. This bird photographed by Claire's tour leader Andrés Vásquez shows how the swifts don't hesitate to fly through thick mists. The species is a close genetic relative of our North American Black Swift, which also nests on cliffs behind waterfalls.
by Claire Staples
Iguazú Falls
by Andrés Vásquez
Iguazú Falls
by Gary Clark of Birdforum
Iguazú Falls
