Chile – Batuco Wetlands [1]

Santiago, 23 Apr 2012

Yesterday was my second outing with my two new Chilean birding pals. On the first trip with them we visited the El Yeso valley (trip report can be found here). This was an area for mid-altitude montane species, but yesterday’s area was deliberately chosen to be completely different, a wetland environment. Known as the Batuco-Lampa wetlands, they are situated just off the main R5 (Ruta cinco) highway heading north-west from Santiago, an easy 36 km drive. There is one main wetland area and a few smaller satellite ones. It was to one of the latter that we went (point 2 on map).

Despite not being the main wetland there was plenty of action, especially overhead, with large flocks of ducks and geese constantly on the move. Waterfowl, waders and other wetland specialists included Many-colored Rush Tyrant, Wren-like Rushbird, White-winged Coot, Plumbeous Rail, White-tufted Grebe, Andean Goose, Coscoroba Swan, Yellow-billed Pintail, Chiloe Wigeon, Red Shoveler, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, White-backed Stilt.

Other birds, not specifically tied to the wetland environment, included Correndera Pipit, Austral Negrito, Fire-eyed Diucon, Great Shrike-Tyrant, Southern Lapwing, Grassland Yellow Finch, Chimango Caracara, Chilean Swallow, Picui Ground Dove and my first hummingbird, the commonest and most widespread in Chile, the Green-backed Firecrown.

My Chile bird list now stands at 64 species.