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The Ford at Kemkemtreu (aka Quemquemtreu). Fortunately — the water was low.
On Sunday 14 September 2014 I went with my good friend and birding guide Scarlett Eastman to the Vado Kemkemtreu (that’s the ford by the Estancia Kemkemtreu, high in the Patagonian Steppe in the Argentine Province of Neuquén). The picture above will give you some idea of the remoteness of the area.
A Hare is alert to our presence some 200 metres away.
We left San Martín de los Andes about 08.30, equipped with food and drink and a full tank for the Chero. It was a gorgeous day, and we made two stops: one at the Estancia Tipiliuke and one at the fording place above, At each place we walked around a bit; the birding was good, very good, but the photography a little disappointing: the fault of the photographer, who still has a lot to learn, and not the equipment nor the light.
Three French sons went off from here to fight in WW1; before leaving each erected a cross on top of this peak. Only one returned, and he incorporated the two crosses of his fallen brothers into a memory of them, which you see here (or at least a replica, I’m told). Full story elsewhere in this blog: search ‘Larminat’.
We passed the Larminat cross on Cerro de los Pinos at Tipiliuke (the name means ‘upside down heart’ in Mapuche).
Scarlett kept a list of the birds we saw, and where which I shall populate with a few of the pics that did come out. It is arranged not chronologically but in family order – that is the way she did it, and who am I to intervene? But it was not just birds we saw: at Tililiuke we were lucky to see a couple of Andean foxes whiling away a lazy Sunday morning, one stretched out like a hedonist on a sunny, stony bank, while the other prowled around sniffing and nibbling sundry offerings.
Andean fox #1 – the sleepyhead
Andean fox #2 – the prowler
We also saw a European Hare in the distance – an imported species now long established in Argentina. Neither the hare nor the foxes seemed the slightest bit disturbed by our presence.
But on with the birds; here is the list of what we saw (or in one case, heard). Pictures of some of these below.
FAMILIA PODICIPEDIDAE
Macá Grande Huala (Podiceps mayor) Eng. Great Grebe.
Macá Común (Rollandia rolland) Eng. White-tufted Grebe.
White-tufted Grebe at Tipiliuke
FAMILIA ARDEIDAE
Garza Blanca (Ardea alba) Eng. Great Egret.
FAMILIA THRESKIORNITHIDAE
Bandurria Austral (Theristicus melanopis) Eng. Black-faced Ibis
Black-faced Ibis – one of several we saw at Tipiliuke
FAMILIA CATHARTIDAE
Jote Cabeza Negra (Coragyps atratus) Eng. Black Vulture
Jote Cabeza Colorada (Cathartes aura) Eng. Turkey Vulture
FAMILIA ANATIDAE
Cauquén Común (Chloephaga picta) Eng. Upland or Magellan Goose
Upland or Magellan Goose
Cauquén Real (Chloephaga poliocephala) Eng. Ashy-headed Goose
Pato Overo (Anas sibilatrix) Eng. Chiloe (Southern) Wigeon
Pato Maicero (Anas geórgica) Eng. Yellow-billed (Brown) Pintail
Yellow-billed (Brown) Pintail
Pato Colorado (Anas cyanoptera) Eng. Cinnamon Teal
Pato Barcino (Anas flavirostris) Eng. Speckled Teal
Pato Zambullidor Chico (Oxyura vittata) Eng Lake Duck
FAMILIA ACCIPITRIDAE
Águila Mora (Geranoaetus melanoleucus) Eng. Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle
A pair of Black-chested Buzzard-Eagles (Aguilas Mora)
FAMILIA FALCONIDAE
Halconcito Colorado (Falco sparverius) Eng. American Kestrel
American kestrels were everywhere – small but very efficient killing machines
Carancho (Caracara plancus) Eng. Southern Caracara
Chimango (Milvago chimango) Eng. Chimango Caracara
Chimango Caracara soars over Tipiliuke valley
FAMILIA RALLIDAE Gallareta Chica (Fulica leucoptera) Eng. White winged coot
FAMILIA CHARADRIDAE
Tero Común (Vanellus chilensis) Eng. Southern Lapwing
FAMILIA FURNARIDAE
Junquero (Phleocryptes melanops) Eng. Wren-like Rushbird [escuchado]
Scarlett goes to take a closer look
FAMILIA COLUMBIDAE
Torcaza (Zenaida auriculata) Eng. Eared Dove
FAMILIA TYRANNIDAE
Sobrepuesto (Lessonia rufa) Eng. Rufous-backed Negrito
Gaucho Grande (Agriornis lividus) Eng. Great Shrike-Tyrant
Dormilona Cara Negra (Muscisaxicola maclovianus) Eng. Dark-faced Ground-Tyrant
Dormilona Fraile (Muscisaxicola flavinucha) Eng. Ochre-naped Ground-Tyrant
Pico de Plata (Hymenops perspicillatus) Eng. Spectacled Tyrant
Spectacled tyrant – the males were arriving up on the Steppe, but no females yet.
FAMILIA HIRUNDINIDAE
Golondrina Patagónica (Tachycineta leucopyga) Eng. Chilean Swallow
FAMILIA PSITTACIDAE
Loro Barranquero (Cyanoliseus patagonus) Eng. Burrowing Parakeet
Flocks of Burrowing Parakeets came and went all through the day
FAMILIA MIMIDAE
Calandria Mora (Mimus patagonicus) Eng. Patagonian Mockingbird
Patagonian Mocking Bird – one of four who hung around for a long time
FAMILIA ICTERIDAE
Tordo Patagónico (Curaeus curaeus) Eng. Austral Blackbird
Loica (Sturnella loyca) Eng. Long-tailed Meadowlark
The Long-tailed Meadowlark, with it’s distinctive red breast. Males only for now, females will be along later.
FAMILIA FRINGILLIDAE
Cabecita Negra común (Carduelis barbata) Eng. Hooded Siskin
The foxes are beautiful, thanks I put them in my files And the eagles are great! Next time we go I intend to climb nearer to the nest, maybe they’ll have a chick by then