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A Report from birdtours.co.uk

Chile 29th October-14th November 2005,

David Van den Schoor

Other participant: Wim Heylen

For additional information, please contact :
David Van den Schoor
Vonckstraat 23 A
2270 Herenthout
Belgium
Tel. + Fax: ++32-14-51.13.95
e-mail: d.vdschoor@scarlet.be

INTRODUCTION

This trip covers a 15-day trip to Chile taken by Wim Heylen and David Van den Schoor. Our main aim was to see all the mainland endemics, all possible future-splits and a good variety of typical Andean birds. We didn’t make any plan to visit Patagonia because most specialities are much more easy to see on the Argentinean side.

I’m not going to write a true ‘trip report’, as good descriptions have been made in several reports (see references). We managed to see (or hear) 256 species, following strictly taxonomy names and sequence of James F. Clements 5th edition.

GEOGRAPHY

Situated south of Peru and west of Bolivia and Argentina, Chile fills a narrow 1800-mile (2897 km) strip between the Andes and the Pacific. One-third of Chile is covered by the towering ranges of the Andes. In the north is the driest place on Earth, the Atacama Desert, and in the centre is a 700-mile-long (1127 km) thickly populated valley with most of Chile's arable land.

At the southern tip of Chile's mainland is Punta Arenas, the southernmost city in the world, and beyond that lies the Strait of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego, an island divided between Chile and Argentina.

The southernmost point of South America is Cape Horn, a 1390-foot (424-m) rock on Horn Island in the Wollaston group, which belongs to Chile.

Chile also claims sovereignty over 482628 sq. mi. (1250000 sq. km) of Antarctic territory, the Juan Fernández Islands, about 400 miles (644 km) west of the mainland, and Easter Island, about 2000 miles (3219 km) west.

FLIGHT AND VISA

We flew from Brussels to Santiago de Chile via Frankfurt and São Paulo with Lufthansa for 1127,75 EUR return per person, taxes included. Be sure to reconfirm your flight at least 72 hours before departure. A departure tax of 20 USD was required.

We took also 2 domestic flights; Santiago de Chile - Puerto Montt + Santiago de Chile - Arica and paid respectively 185,44 USD and 172,44 USD per person for return-flights operated by LAN.

These flights are best booked in advance, see www.lan.com . A departure tax of 5 USD was required.

No visa is required for EU-citizens.

MONEY

The local currency is the Chilean Peso (CHP), although many businesses quote in US Dollars (USD).  The approximate exchange rates against the USD at the time of our visit were as follows:

USD 1 = CHP 535

You can also use the widely available ATM machines in large towns and cities if banks are closed. Credit cards were accepted in hotels, restaurants, shops, petrol stations etc, although not everywhere. 

PELAGIC INFORMATION

To book a pelagic off central Chile, we got in touch with Claudio Vidal of Fantastico Sur Birding. The trip usually leaves from either Quintero or Valparaiso – in our case it was the latter.

We paid 528 USD, divided by 3 that’s still a lot of money.

The skipper of the boat is called Franco Romo, if you are able to contact him directly, you can perhaps arrange a trip without the involvement of Fantastico Sur which is probably cheaper.

I have no contact information for Franco Romo, but here are Claudio Vidal’s coordinates:

Claudio F. Vidal
Fantastico Sur - Birding & Nature
José Menéndez #858, Dept. 4
PO Box 920, Punta Arenas, CHILE
Phone/Fax: +56 61 247194
Mobile: +56-9-099 62 66
cvidal@fantasticosur.com
www.fantasticosur.com

To book a pelagic off northern Chile, we contacted Raul Herrera Ancain, who is reachable on turismomarino@yahoo.es. The trip usually leaves from Arica or Iquique, we left from Arica. The departure point is to the right of the industrial port entrance, we guessed wrong and lost half an hour in the marina. The price here is 18000 Pesos per hour (with 535 CHP = 1 USD), we paid for seven hours, so the total was about 238 USD.

CAR RENTAL

We booked our cars in advance by Avis ( www.avis.com ) and paid including all taxes, assurances (Collision Damage Waiver) and unlimited mileage the following prices:

Santiago de Chile Airport – class B – 6 days : 207887 CHP.

Puerto Montt Airport – class B – 3 days : 99588 CHP.

Arica Airport – class D – 5 days : 206269 CHP.

Whether or not you need 4WD really depends on the areas you plan to visit.  We didn’t have 4WD and had no problems visiting all the areas – some of the roads are untarred but generally driveable in a 2WD without any real difficulty. Petrol was widely available throughout the area we visited, at a cost of c. CHP 440 per litre. 

There are no petrol stations between Arica and Lauca NP, and a standard tank may not hold enough petrol to get there and back and allow local driving. Car rental agencies in Arica are used to this and will, on request, provide you with a spare fuel tank – ask in advance. In you’re stuck it is possible to obtain petrol in Putre, at a building opposite the grocer’s in the middle of town, but it involves siphoning it from plastic containers into the tank of your car.

Drivers must be fully licensed and 21 or older. Cars drive on the right.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

There are no inoculations required for Chile, and no risk of malaria. We saw almost no mosquitos throughout the trip!  No stomach upsets either, despite drinking the tap water in some places, although I’m not sure if it’s really safe to drink.  We felt very safe throughout, although I’m sure that Santiago and other cities have their share of petty crime.
The biggest problem we encountered was with altitude sickness in the north, probably caused by the rapid ascent from Arica.  If time, I recommended 24 hours at Putre before ascending further.
The other main risk was of sunburn – the high altitude in the north and ozone layer problems in the south made this a genuine risk, and necessitated regular applications of a high factor sunblock.

FOOD AND DRINK

A wide variety of food to suit all tastes and budgets is available. All of the sites we visited had restaurants or cafes close by. Seafood and fish (e.g. King Crab, Conger Eel, Salmon,) are excellent in Chile for obvious reasons, as are the wines; 10 USD will buy you an excellent bottle in a restaurant. Supermarkets are to be found in all towns.

LANGUAGE

Most people in Chile speak little or no English, not even in the big cities. A short study of names of food in Spanish before departure will be of benefit to the traveller. At gas stations sign language for a fill-up, and reading the total on the pump works fine. Asking for directions may be a nightmare if you don't understand Spanish. Always carry a Spanish - English dictionary. With just a slight knowledge of the language you will make out with few problems.

WEATHER

The best time to go to Chile is between the end of September and half December as this coincides with the Austral Spring and more birds are calling. The weather was almost perfect throughout, with dry sunny days but not too hot. It was sometimes cool in the south, especially when the wind blew. However, the only time we got unbearably cold was during the morning ferry crossing between Paragua and Chiloé Island. It was comfortable in the central area, perhaps 20°C till 25°C during our time there. The north was also dry, with the high altitude making for cold nights and early mornings, but it warmed up very quickly once the sun came up. It was also very pleasant in Arica, dry and not too warm. We hit some rain at Termas de Chillan and temperatures drop down here under 15°C. Daylight hours were generally from 6:30 till 20:45 in the south and 19:45 in the north.

TIME ZONE

CET Time minus 5 hours during our winter time and minus 6 hours during our summer time.

ELECTRICITY

Electric appliances operate on an alternating current, the same as the United States - 110 volts, 60 cycles (Hertz) AC. So, American-styled two-pin plugs are most common. This means that European travellers need to bring an adapter for laptops, cameras, hair dryers, etc.

ACCOMMODATION

All towns and cities we have visited had a wide supply of reasonable accommodation. Hotels were in general very clean and good. Prices fluctuated between 10 USD and 60 USD for a double room.

ITINERARY

October 29th:

Flight LH 4587 Brussel - Frankfurt 18:50 - 19:50 (non-stop).

Flight LH 502 Frankfurt - Sao Paulo 21:45 - 05:30 (non-stop – arrival on 30/10).

October 30th:

Flight LH 526 Sao Paulo - Santiago 08:00 - 11:05 (non-stop).

After collecting our rental-car, we drove to Viña del Mar. First stop at Lago Peñuelas NP (C4.3). The birding there was disappointing, so we decided to drive to Laguna El Peral (c3.1) after all, which was much more productive. Some final birding in the El Tabo area, night at Valparaiso.

October 31th:

Pelagic off Valparaiso. In the late afternoon we birded the coastal area north of Valparaiso and the dunes just north of the mouth of the Rio Aconcagua. In the evening we drove a short distance into the coastal cordillera for an overnight near Olmué, close to the entrance to La Campana NP.

November 1st:

Birding at La Campana NP (C6). In the afternoon on the way back to  Santiago, we made a stop at Estero Lampa (C2) and also birded the nearby Batuco wetland. We then drove straight through Santiago and spent the night in a cabaña near the turnoff to Embalse El Yeso.

November 2nd:

Birding at Embalse El Yeso and surroundings (C1). The road was blocked by a landslide near the reservoir, so we were unable to reach the DSP site, oh my god ! In the afternoon, we drove the full 550 km or so south to Termas de Chillan. Night in a ski cabaña near km 69 along the road to the Termas.

November 3th:

Birding at Termas de Chillan until mid afternoon. We stopped at a few lakes just east of Talca on the way back. Night at Termas de Cauquenes east of Rancagua.

November 4th:

Visit to Rio de los Cipreses reserve until 11AM, no sign of Chilean Tinamou but lots of Burrowing Parrots eventually.

Drive to Farellones in the afternoon for better views of Condor, no luck with Creamy-rumped Miner though.

Evening flight LA 297 Santiago - Puerto Montt 19:00 - 20:40 (non-stop). Night at Puerto Montt.

November 5th:

Visit to Chiloé Island (S7) until mid afternoon, with seawatching from the boat and from a mainland viewpoint. In the afternoon we drove northwards to Puyehue NP (S4). Night at Antillancas ski lodge because all the bungalows were full.

November 6th:

Birding at Puyehue NP (S4), along the main road and on the Pionero Mirador trail. Return to Puerto Montt in the afternoon.

November 7th:

Early morning we birded the bay c8 km east of Puerto Montt.

Mid-morning flight LA 296 Puerto Montt - Santiago 10:20 - 11:55 (non-stop), where we connected with an onward flight LA 392 Santiago - Arica 14:45 - 18:15 (stop at Iquique). Quick visit to the Azapa valley upon arrival. Night at Arica.

November 8th:

Pelagic off Arica. Afternoon visit to the Chaca valley in search of Tamarugo Conebill, followed by a visit to the flower garden of señora Teresa in the Azapa valley in search of Chilean Woodstar. Night at Arica.

November 9th:

Return visit to the flower garden of señora Teresa in the Azapa valley, followed by a visit to the Lluta river mouth. We then worked our way up to Putre via the Lluta valley. In Putre, we birded the wet gorge in late afternoon. Night at Hotel Las Vicunas in Putre.

November 10th:

Morning visit to the wet gorge in Putre again, afternoon visit to Lauca NP. Night at Las Vicunas in Putre.

November 11th:

Morning visit to Lauca NP, return to Arica in the afternoon with a return visit to the Lluta river mouth.

November 12th:

Desperate and unsuccessful attempt to find Chilean Woodstar in the Chaca valley. 3rd and finally successful visit to the flower garden of señora Teresa in the Azapa valley.

Evening flight LA 393 Arica - Santiago 18:55 - 22:15 (stop at Iquique). Night at Santiago.

November 13th:

Flight LH 527 Santiago - Frankfurt 13:45 - 10:15 (one stop – arrival on 14/11).

November 14th:

Flight LH 4578 Frankfurt - Brussels 13:20 - 14:15 (non-stop).

GPS WAYPOINTS

I’ve recorded some GPS waypoints at interesting locations.

We used a Magellan GPS which may not be compatible with the more popular Garmin brand.

Here’s an overview of the different locations, you can manually input the coordinates.

NAME

LATITUDE

LONGITUDE

ALTITUDE

DESCRIPTION

WPT001

32°57'36.84''S

71°32'52.32''W

3

2 pairs of Chilean Seaside Cinclodes, just north of Renaca and south of Punta Concon.

WPT002

32°52'12.48''S

71°29'41.1''W

6

The spot where we parked our car by the dunes on the north side of the mouth of the Rio Aconcagua.

WPT003

32°59'18.83''S

71°13'25.5''W

220

The cabana where we stayed near La Campana.

WPT004

32°58'57.78''S

71°8'2.22''W

406

The entrance to La Campana, also the parking area.

WPT005

32°58'22.85''S

71°7'36''W

818

An obvious viewpoint on the Sendero Andinista trail, which starts behind the camping area (look on the information board at the parking). We saw Dusky-tailed Canastero, Austral Pygmy-Owl and White-throated Tapaculo here.

WPT006

33°16'41.16''S

70°48'53.64''W

483

Estero Lampa

WPT007

33°13'36.89''S

70°49'53.21''W

495

Pond with Rosy-billed Pochard at Batuco.

WPT008

33°14'34.74''S

70°49'24.42''W

484

Turnoff to the Batuco wetland area.

WPT009

33°46'21.48''S

70°10'9.18''W

1552

Birdy wet grassfield on the way up to El Yeso.

WPT010

33°44'48.47''S

70°9'15.3''W

1746

Another birdy wet grassfield on the way up to El Yeso.

WPT012

34°15'54.12''S

70°28'0.77''W

933

The Burrowing Parrot spot at Los Cipreses.

WPT013

18°31'1.91''S

70°11'16.92''W

248

This is where we saw Peruvian Pygmy-Owl in the Azapa valley.

WPT014

41°53'24.05''S

73°41'2.76''W

29

A flock of about 20 Slender-billed Parakeets was foraging in roadside shrub near the turnoff to Quemchi (along the road to Ancud).

WPT015

41°49'34.43''S

73°37'37.97''W

14

Cautin bay on Chiloe, with Snowy-crowned Tern, Flightless Steamerduck, Chilean Flamingo, Hudsonian Godwit, …

WPT016

41°47'56.99''S

73°28'47.16''W

4

Seawatch point in the Chiloe channel, c2 km east of the ferry departure point on the mainland.

WPT017

40°46'57.36''S

72°13'1.38''W

970

Open area in the higher reaches of Puyehue where we saw Dark-faced Ground-Tyrant. Also many Black-throated Huet-huets calling here.

WPT018

40°46'14.57''S

72°16'12.47''W

720

Lago El Toro in Puyehue, male Flying Steamerduck here.

WPT019

40°45'5.69''S

72°18'56.75''W

623

Lago El Encanto in Puyehue, with Black-throated Huet-huet, Magellanic Tapaculo, Des Murs’ Wiretail, Patagonian Tyrant, …

WPT021

18°46'29.16''S

70°15'12.77''W

128

Stakeout for Tamarugo Conebill, about 9km into the Chaca valley at an elevation of exactly 400 feet.

WPT022

18°47'51.06''S

70°10'28.5''W

290

Turnoff from the main Arica-Iquique road into the Chaca valley.

WPT023

18°31'42.83''S

70°9'46.38''W

308

Turnoff to the flower and hummingbird garden of señora Teresa, at km 14 in the Azapa valley

WPT024

18°31'55.38''S

70°10'0.17''W

293

Flower/hummingbird garden of señora Teresa

WPT025

18°24'12.77''S

70°15'44.33''W

120

Peruvian Thick-knee in a corn stalk field in the Lluta valley.

WPT026

18°11'44.94''S

69°33'14.87''W

3564

Hotel Las Vicunas in Putre

WPT027

18°10'14.88''S

69°25'44.82''W

4484

Start of the trail on the left side of the road leading to the Diademed Sandpiper-Plover bog. This is at the Las Cuevas building at km 146 in Lauca.

WPT028

18°13'15.05''S

69°18'57.96''W

4405

Walk into the Parinacota bofedal from this point, this is where we saw Puna Plover.

WPT029

18°10'48.71''S

69°31'0.23''W

4066

Others saw Torrent Duck near this bridge, approximately 7km above the main turnoff to Putre.

WPT030

18°12'56.81''S

69°18'17.22''W

4402

Walk into the Parinacota bofedal from this point, this is where we saw Puna Snipe, in the wet areas with long yellow grass.

WPT031

18°27'45.77''S

69°47'58.91''W

2222

Grayish Miner, somewhere between km 70 and 69 along the way down from Putre.

WPT032

18°30'13.08''S

70°13'31.85''W

64

Another Peruvian Thick-knee corn stalk field along the Azapa valley road.


REFERENCES

Trip Reports

Bird Steve & Couve Enrique – Chile : 2 till 19 October 2004.
Browne Peter and Spoel Han – Central Chile, 30 October – 20 November 1999.
Derks Philipp - Chile: Central and South, &  Tierra  Del Fuego, 02 February - 23 March 2000.
Dodd Gruff – Chile : 9 till 24 November 2002.
Field Guides – Chile : February 8th till February 28th, 2003.
Field Guides – Chile : January 24th till February 13th, 2004.
Field Guides – Chile : November 6th till November 24th, 2004.
Goodie Chris – Chile : 3 till 19 November 2001.
Hornbuckle Jon – Chile Tripreport, 20 0ctober – 18 November 2000.
Korol Burke – Chile : Santiago to Puenta Arenas, 08 _ 25 November 2001.
Linderström Svend Aage - Trip report Chile and Argentina 5/11 - 4/12 2004.
Nilsson Johan and Ahlman Roger – Argentina and Chile from November 11 till December 15, 2004.
Pearman Mark – Chile with Birdquest from 6th October till 22nd October 2006.
Penhallurick John – Chile : 19 November - 12 December 2001.
Travelling Naturalist – Argentina & Chile : 7 November – 22 November 2004.
Van Der Laan Jan – Chile : January 24th – February 14th.

General web sites

Bird Links to the World - http://www.bsc-eoc.org/links/links.jsp 
Surfbirds - http://www.surfbirds.com
Tropical Birding – http://www.tropicalbirding.com
Worldtwitch - http://www.worldtwitch.com

Books

BirdLife International -Threatened Birds of the World (2000).

James F. Clements - Birds of the World. A check list, (6th edition, August 2003).

Jaramillo Alvaro, Burke Peter and Beadle David – Field Guide to the Birds of Chile.

Lonely Planet – Chile & Easter Island.

Nigel Wheatley - Where to watch birds in South America

Pearman Mark – The Essential Guide to Birding in Chile.

Robert S. Ridgely and Guy Tudor - The Birds of South America, Volume I.  The Oscine Passerines.

Robert S. Ridgely and Guy Tudor - The Birds of South America, Volume II.  The Suboscine Passerines.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Many thanks to Mark Van Beirs and Peter Boesman for providing some good tapes and information.

Thanks are also due to Wim Heylen for his excellent company during this trip.

Full birdlist for trip (87K .pdf)

 

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