Pumas and Birds of Patagonia |

We will leave the island in order to take a short ferry towards mainland; this brief crossing offers a good chance to see the local and stunning Commerson’s Dolphin. Once on mainland, we will check the interesting coastal scrub where both Elegant-Crested Tinamou and Patagonian Tinamou occur; these are very secretive well-camouflaged species although often patrol the roadsides, offering brief chances to spot them.

The windswept steppes of Patagonia hold a number of specialties including Least Seedsnipe, Tawny-throated Dotterel, Rufous-chested Dotterel, Chocolate-vented Tyrant and White-throated Finch. Chilean Flamingo, Coscoroba Swan, Silver Teal plus thousands of waders such as Wilson’s Phalarope, Baird’s and White-rumped Sandpipers will be common at the roadside wetlands while we explore and enjoy the beauty of this big sky country. On this fascinating drive, we should encounter Lesser Rhea, Cinereous Harrier, Cinnamon-bellied Ground-Tyrant and Patagonian Mockingbird. Large herds of camel-like Guanacos will be a common sight along the entire drive towards Puerto Natales and other possible mammals will include Southern Grey (Chilla) Fox, Patagonian Hairy Armadillo and Patagonian Hog-nosed Skunk.

Overnight Puerto Natales (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) (Guide)

Torres del Paine is one of the gems of Chile and certainly one of the most visited parks in Patagonia. We will have plenty of time to explore its diverse habitats, but above all, to appreciate the colossal magnitude and rugged beauty of the awe-inspiring granite peaks which name the park. The reed-fringed lagoons of the eastern side of the park will keep us busy during the whole morning. Here we will find a wealth of waterbirds including Great, Silvery and White-tufted Grebes, Andean and Spectacled Ducks, Speckled Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail, and with luck, the elusive and recently re-discovered Austral Rail. We also hope to see Andean Condors and Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle hovering in these turbulent skies. We will scan the fast-flowing rivers hoping to find the remarkable and colorful Torrent Duck.

We will also explore the impressive Sierra Baguales Range, located northeast of Torres del Paine. Along the road and in the scrubby gullies, we will look for more restricted-range songbirds in Chile such as Patagonian Mockingbird and Grey-bellied Shrike-Tyrant. As we continue exploring this montane habitat we might find the local White-throated Caracara, Grey-breasted Seedsnipe, Rufous-banded Miner, Austral Canastero, Band-tailed Earthcreeper, Cinnamon-bellied and Ochre-naped Ground Tyrants, Patagonian and Greater Yellow Finches and the stunning Yellow-bridled Finch.

Overnight Cerro Castillo (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) (Guide)

We have organized a busy schedule of outings for pumas in the area. We will inspect the puma hunting grounds located in the eastern flank of the park and throughout the property of Estancia Laguna Amarga, where we have special granted access and an excellent relationship with the owners. The area is comprised by the northern coast of Sarmiento Lake, Laguna Amarga and Laguna Azul is well known for holding one of the largest concentrations of pumas in the wild. We will have the support of a 4×4 vehicle to move inside the ranch but we can also have easy to moderate walks, so a minimum degree of fitness is required in order to be able to keep up with the group. Topography is usually not too demanding but there might be differences in altitude of around 50-250m / 160-1,000ft sometimes, although your group will walk at a slow and gentle pace. Maximum elevation during this trip will be 300m/1,000ft above sea level. Pumas are normally quite active at night, early in the mornings and late in the evenings. Our activities will gravitate around these preferred times by cats, when they are usually patrolling their territory, hunting guanacos and other prey, interacting with their offspring or commuting from their hunting grounds to their dens. We will have two sessions each day, a morning session and an evening session (app. 4 hours each). During the middle of the day, we will not be watching pumas in order to avoid disturbance at a critical time, when they are resting, sleeping after a long night hunting elusive guanacos.

We will have the opportunity to explore the Nothofagus or southern Beech forests to study its diversity of plants and animals; we will look for Magellanic Woodpecker, Austral Parakeet and, if we are lucky, the shy Andean Deer or Huemul. We will be marveled by the contrasting mosaic of towering mountains, glaciers, lakes and forests.

Overnight Cerro Castillo (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) (Guide)

We will drive south back to Punta Arenas. On the way we will bird at Laguna de los Palos, a quite productive alkaline lagoon. Our target here will be the local and odd-looking Magellanic Plover. This enigmatic wader looks more similar to a little dove rather than to any shorebird, and is often seen feeding ‘scratching’ the mud with its bright pink legs! Other birds of the area will include Two-banded Plover, Wilson’s Phalarope, the abundant White-rumped Sandpiper, Short-billed Miner and the ubiquitous Austral Negrito. Later on we will bird along the coast of the mythic Straits of Magellan looking for Flying Steamer and Crested Ducks, Kelp Goose, King and Rock Cormorant and Magellanic Oystercatcher. The coastal grasslands can produce other interesting sheldgeese including the ubiquitous Upland Goose, the smaller Ashy-headed Goose and the endangered Ruddy-headed Goose.

Overnight Punta Arenas (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) (Guide)

End of the trip (Breakfast). Patagonia pumas and birding