The Andes

A deserted army camp just inside the Chilean border.

Our last day in The Andes before we headed back home tomorrow, another day surrounded by stunning scenery!  Here we are at the end of the road in Chile. The picture shows Simon, Rodrigo (our guide) and Carlos the driver. A good team that found some cracking birds! 

Diademed Sandpiper-Plover in The Andes

This was our number one, must see birds on this trip and we had to wait until the very last day to do so. Our guide knew exactly where to look, at 3000 metres up the Andes, he soon had one in his scope, then another and then a couple of chicks !  The end to a last perfect day of a perfect holiday.  

Torrent Duck

Another possible contender for bird of the trip. Just stunning. It's a pity that we didn't see it closer but we were happy with these distant views and this is the only one we saw.

Grey-breasted Seed-snipe in the Andes

One of the 'must see' birds of the Andes which we saw towards the end of our day. We had reached the end of the road in Chile and could see a path through the mountains that led to Argentina a day's walk away when we heard one call. Scanned the mountain thinking it was calling from high up....it was at our feet!  Once we had seen one we got our eye in and they were everywhere. Very subtle colouring that blended in with the scree until they were virtually invisible.

Birds of The Andes

Austral Blackbird

Bar-winged Cinclodes

 Common Diuca-Finch

Crag Chilea

Black-winged Ground Dove

Fire-eyed Diucon 

Giant Hummingbird

Greater Yellow Finch 

California Quail 

Rufous-banded Miner 

Yellow-rumped Siskin

Black-chested Buzzrd-Eagle (below)