Buenos Airies

 We flew out of South Africa very late on 24th February with Ethiopian Airways. Tried to sleep, but difficult! 

We are off!

Wandered around Addis Abba Airport until we found a café which was open. I must admit things had changed a bit since the last time I was here. The airport is new & modern with all the facilities one would expect. The flight was also pretty decent: Ethiopia you are doing well! 

White collared Pigeon 

(taken through dirty airport window with a phone)!

As it got light we spotted an endemic White collared Pigeon perched on an AC duct on the outside of the terminal. A new bird for Delana! A very dark African Peregrine powered across the runway. Otherwise it was quiet for birds, with just the Pied Crows being obvious. We boarded for the next leg, a mere sixteen hour flight! It was a full flight but a decent one. We would definitely fly Ethiopian Airways again.

Landed in Buenos Aries Airport in the evening. What a contrast to the last time we were here at the height of the covid pandemic! Three years ago only one terminal was open & it was a zombie like experience. Today it was a bustling, vibrant place & looked very nice with all the bars & cafes in full swing. 

We took a taxi to downtown BA to our hotel in the heart of the city both of us ready for our beds as we were exhausted!

Birding in Buenos Aries!

Costanera Sur Reserve

Considering how far we had flown we both slept well & were up early morning on 26th February. After breakfast ,we walked to the famous Costanera Sur Reserve in the heart of the city. What a place this is! Full of water birds, but unfortunately we were here on a Sunday & it was rammed with cyclists, joggers & basically half the population of this large city. We still managed to rack up at creditable 46 species & it was an enjoyable mornings birding.

Southern Horned Screamer 

(with Limpkin in the foreground).

Family party.

Cocoi Heron

This individual was sat in deep shade preening.

It paid no heed at all to all the people close by.

Southern Crested Caracara

This pair were enjoying the shade as well, 

close to the heron.

White tufted Grebe

Very common on the lagoons.

Black necked Swan

Rosy billed Pochard

Male.

Female

Lake Duck

Rufescent Tiger-Heron

Wattled (Chestnut-backed) Jacana

Monk Parakeet

Great Kisadee

Chalk-browed Mockingbird

Rufous-bellied Thrush

Masked Gnatcatcher

Rufous Hornero

This species is completely adapted to the city 

& is very common.

In the afternoon we walked back to our hotel through the city stopping off at a great little bar for lunch. This was followed by evening drinks at the nearby Intercontinental Hotel & an early night, which we thought was well earned!

We spent the morning of the 27th February working in our hotel room. Delana on her project in South Africa & me trying to download photos & get my blog up to date. Went out into the city in the afternoon & then had another early night, as we have to be up at 4 am to get to the airport for our internal flight to Posades, when the birding begins in earnest!