South America and Caribbean

Here is a birding description of a fine hotel-estancia by the name "Las Vizcacheras" about 2.000 hectares (4,600 acres) big that is also a very good birding place something I have discovered going there on several times at different Seasons. This is a place particularly interesting to birders that may travel to the "Ibera Marshes" found at the northeast of the country in neighbouring Corrientes province. It also offers many birds seen in the drier part of the Chaco like the Cordoba Hills. Obviously the Andean Condor shall be missed but otherwise it is by far a very rewarding birding place quite different from the "Pampas".
I'll describe it from a birders point of view so you may have an idea about it and see the true advantage of birding there not only from what it offers as a lodge but also because its owner and managing staff are english speaking, something very important to travelling birders!
The "Las Vizcacheras" estancia-hotel has its own birds list too with over 150 different bird species listed there by me quite often actualized again by me (and/or by visiting birders).

"BIRDING IN THE SOUTHEASTERN CHACO REGION".

In Argentina, the northeastern and central boundaries of the Pampas limit with some typical Phytogeographical Provinces that belong to the Chaco Domain. In the latter, the “Thorny Province” has its northeastern limit quite close to La Paz and neighbouring Santa Elena towns belonging to the Entre Rios province.
Native vegetation shelters birds that are quite different from the ones found in the closeby wooded galleries of the Parana and Uruguay rivers as well as in the open marshes and grassland fields.
At the “Las Vizcacheras” Estancia-Hotel we found about half of the 4,600 acres estate used with cropfields and cattle grazing in the pastures while the rest of the land was covered by an open native bush, with small to medium sized trees many of them with thorns on their branches, a typical character that gives the scientific name to the whole area.
During a Summer season birdguiding trip, upon arrival we were greeted by a couple of White Woodpeckers that flew low and very close to our car. Now while driving along a mudroad leading to the estancia, in several adjacent fiels we heard Spotted Tinamous calling. Over us in the sky several Chimango Caracaras were circling while farther away we could see with the help of our binocs swarms of Grey-breasted Martins and White-rumped Swallows. Tropical Kingbirds and Fork-tailed Flycatchers were seen swooping up and down along the road chasing insects mostly invisible to us. Grassland Yellow Finches sitting on the wire fences along the road would fly when our car would come too close to them just to sit back some yards farther away as if inviting us to catch up with them so as to start the game over again. Now this was a fine start and we decided to do some birding in the afternoon following some trails in the bushes. After a restoring siesta (after lunch rest) we went out birding as planned. Following a trail in the bushes we arrived to a clearing from where I could hear some Brown Cacholotes calling in the distance. I decided to bring them in by playing back their call and the response was so good that in a matter of seconds we had several of these large birds almost crashing into our heads. They allowed us to look at them so close that binoculars simply were unnecessary. While walking along the trail, quite often we would make Rufous-collared Sparrows fly, a bird quite common all over the country. Later we arrived to a large tree where we discovered several birds resting in its shade. A very deep yellow coloured Saffron Finch was singing while its greyish female didn’t seem to be impressed sitting on a close branch. A Great Kiskadee was resting there too as well as a couple of Rufous Horneros. I first heard and then saw a Glaucus-blue Grosbeak, quite a common bird over here unfortunately very much sought after by trespassing birdtrappers as well as the Yellow Cardinal which has become a very rare bird in the area. A bit farther away we discovered several Eared Doves sitting very concealed yet in a ready to fly stance. This proved to be a fine tree, a truly rewarding stand! When the sun started to come down, we visited a small river flowing not far away. We discovered on its shores several Collared Plovers running along the water, quite tame so they allowed us to look at them very well. Some birders in the group decided to take a dip in the warm water while some others with me kept on looking for more birds. Now on the farthest shores we saw several Lesser Yellowlegs and Southern Lapwings and then a Double-collared Seedeater balancing while picking at the seeds on a panicle right at the end of a long grass stem. On the other bank, on top of a tree a small group of Neotropic Cormorants were sitting with their wings outstreched, drying them up before going back divefishing as they do. Back at the estancia, we discovered several Scimitar-billed Woodcreepers walking majestically under a tree turning over dead leaves apparently looking for some food on the ground. Once it became dark and before dinner, I heard a Ferrouginous Pigmy-Owl calling. We all went looking for it and finally found it sitting on a branch in a tree calling quite often ignoring the light from our flash bulbs thus showing very well.
The next morning after breakfast some visiting birders went out for a horse ride. Several other birders and me stayed back and then went into the fields along a road. While making a stop in the shade of a tree we saw several Spotted Tinamous that came out onto the road quite close to us. Another bird seen there was the Lark-like Brushrunner and then a White Monjita. Arriving to a large marsh several Brazilian Ducks flew away showing the deep blue-green coloured feathers on their wings while a couple of Whattled Jacanas chased away running very casually on top of some water vegetation. On top of a tree balancing nervously we spotted a couple of Rufescent Tiger-Herons. By midmorning we were back at the estancia and decided to do some birding before lunch.
While walking towards the bushy area, on an Eucalyptus tree we discovered a Checkered Woodpecker soon joined by another one. Very close to this tree, on another Eucalyptus we saw a freshly arrived Green-barred Woodpecker and soon a couple of White Woodpeckers came along too. It was a sort of a Woodpecker’s fly-in morning as when we went into the bushes we soon saw a couple of White-fronted Woodpeckers feeding right in front of us. Not far away, on a blossoming vine several hummingbirds were feeding and chasing one another. A closer look allowed us to identify them as being all Glittering-bellied Emeralds.
Playing the calls' records, I managed to bring in a very shy Dark-billed Cuckoo that on first instance didn’t show itself as it stayed very close to us but at our backs! One of us turned and discovered the bird just a few yards away! Hand signaling to the rest, we managed to have a very good look of it. Quite at a close distance inside the upper part of the bushes there were 2 birds that appeared to be almost following us. Carefully looking over the birds and trying to identify them in the Field Guides, we at last found them and then all agreed that the bird we were looking at was a Green-backed Becard. It proved to be a lifer for me too!
We had lunch served on a veranda close to the main house. The table was set in the shade of a huge native wild fig tree that was full of small ripe figs. While having lunch, we often would discover newcomers visiting the tree searching for the ripe fruit. Now we saw Sayaca Tanagers, Rufous-bellied and Creamy-bellied Thrushes and Golden-billed Saltators. Although it looked like food was plenty, often we could see some of these birds chasing one another away. Spot-winged Pigeons would come and feed on the fallen figs when nobody was around. Finally our attention was drawn by a loudly calling Field Flicker sitting on a fence post at the edge of the surrounding park.
On our final afternoon, we went out birding again. Now one of the birds we were trying to see was the Red-winged Tinamou that we heard calling in a field which had tall grasses and some brush at the edge of the bushes. Although the birds were whistling very close to us and one even seemed to be answering the recorded call, not a single bird showed nor came out into the open. A medium sized red-coloured bird called my attention, it showed very well allowing the rest to look at it. It was a Hepatic Tanager male soon joined by its yellow-coloured female. While driving back, we went past a wirefence where a very nice Grassland Sparrow was sitting. Its eyebrow was of an intense bright yellow colour while the rest of the body was very similar to the body of the ever present Rufous-collared Sparrow. While we were nearing a small corral, on its bare soil I noticed quite a large grey bird flattening itself against the ground. The typical short bill and big eyes with some white spots on its long folded wings, reminded me of a nighthawk. When we came closer to the bird, it flew away beating its large sickle-shaped wings to land a few yards away but again on the bare soil obviously trying to mimetize with it. It was a Nacunda Nighthawk, one of the largest of its species. Quite a sight as later, after sunset while travelling through the open fields, in the dimm light several of these nighthawks would fly around us chasing the insects that would fly away from our truck.
In the morning while driving out of the estancia and after travelling just several miles I saw a large Red-winged Tinamou crossing the pavement. I was very lucky as I stopped the car right at the place the Red-winged Tinamou stood as if waiting for us. Then the Tinamou decided to take off and flew over a wire fence landing into the tall grasses in a close by field. While flying it showed all the rest of its rufous Pheasant-sized body, with strong legs partially hanging at the end of its egg-shaped almost tailess body with outstanding red primaries on the wings. A great sighting indeed!"

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