4th January 2008 - Ushuaia and The National Park
Time: 08:00, 54 degrees 48.63' South, 68 degrees 17.89' West, Air Temperature 8 0C, Water Temperature 9.0 oC, Wind West force 3-5, partly cloudy, showers at first clearing to sunny spells later.

Once again I got lucky with the magnificent Magellanic Woodpecker
(Pic by Sarah Clarke)


Thrift on the shore of the Beagle Channel, reminded me of home.

Unusual pavement-like arrangement of stone on the shore of the Beagle Channel

Dog Orchids are common in the forest in the National Park

Went back to the National Park and had another great day walking through the forest and along the seashore of the Beagle Channel. Tom Sharpe, expedition Geologist and Sarah Clarke, expedition Marine Biologist also came along.

I was delighted to see the Firebush which is a garden shrub/tree in some gardens where I live.

Male Upland Goose.

Once again we were very lucky to get very close views of a male Magellanic Woodpecker. As with my last encounter the bird completely ignored us and allowed very close views. The sound of it pecking at the dead wood was amazing and it extracted large grubs on a number of occasions. On the way back for the park we passed through the outskirts of Ushuaia. The lack of building planning was very evident with houses built in what appears to be in random order. The Fram, the ship that bumped into a glacier when it lost power on the Antarctic peninsula, was tied up next too the Marco Polo. Thankfully no one was injured and there was only minor damage to the ship. Bye for now.

The Fram which was damaged after hitting a glacier following a power failure in the Antarctic Peninsula.

Wildlife seen around Ushuaia and in the national park

Mammals
Rabbit (at park campsite)

Birds
Giant Petrel 3
Imperial Shag 40+
Upland Goose 4+
Flying Steamer Duck 2 (with chicks)
Crested Duck 4
Turkey Vulture 2
Chimango Caracara 20+
Southern Lapwing 1
Magellanic Oystercatcher 2
Brown/Chilean Skua 20+
Kelp Gull 50+
South American Tern 50+
Austral Parakeet 3+
Magellanic Woodpecker 1
Dark-bellied Cinclodes 2
Thorn-tailed Rayaditos 5+
Magellanic Tapaculo
White-crested Elaenia 4+
Tufted Tit-tyrant 7+
Chilean Swallow 10+
Southern House Wren 4
Austral Thrush 10+
Patagonian Sierra Finch 6+
Rufous-collared Sparrow 3
House Sparrow 12+
Black-chinned Siskin 10+


Note: A + sign after the counts indicates that we saw at least that number but more may have been present.