Cruise: Antarctic Peninsula and Tierra del Fuego

Day 1: The cruise begins with boarding our ship in Buenos Aires, where we’ll become acquainted with our new home for the next two weeks. Depending on the schedule of ship procedures (such as emergency drills) we’ll plan a group meeting on the bow at 6:00 p.m.

Day 2: We’ll spend the early morning birding at Costanera Sur Reserve, close to the harbor. Species that are possible to see in even a short visit include Southern Screamer, Rosy-billed Pochard, Gilded Sapphire, Checkered Woodpecker, Narrow-billed Woodcreeper, Masked Gnatcatcher, and Black-and-rufous Warbling-finch. It usually gets hot and humid by late morning, when we’ll head back to the ship for lunch and prepare for the coming days at sea.

Days 3–5: We’ll have three days moving south over Patagonian Shelf waters off the coast of Argentina, where we’ll find our first tubenoses, predominantly non-breeding Great Shearwaters (from Tristan da Cunha) and wintering Manx Shearwaters (from western Europe), among which we will look for Cory’s and Cape Verde Shearwaters, two other trans-hemispheric migrants from islands off northwest Africa. Other tubenose species here include Atlantic Yellow-nosed and Black-browed Albatrosses, White-chinned Petrel, Fuegian [Wilson’s] Storm-petrels, and perhaps Southern Royal Albatross, Spectacled Petrel, or Atlantic Petrel, plus wintering Long-tailed Jaegers from the Arctic tundra—it’s a real mixing ground of seabirds. Mammals may include several species of dolphin plus Southern Right Whale.

Day 6: We’ll have a day to explore the Patagonian steppe around Punta Arenas, where our main target will be the bubblegum-pink-legged Magellanic Plover, the lone species in its family. We’ll have a good chance of finding Darwin’s [Lesser] Rhea, Upland Goose, Two-banded Plover, Austral Negrito, and Black-faced Ibis, among many others. Lakes and wetlands are home to several waterfowl species including Crested Duck, Yellow-billed Pintail, Red Shoveler, and the odd Coscoroba Swan, as well as Chilean Flamingo and Silvery Grebe. We depart in the afternoon, out into the Magellan Strait and head for Ushuaia.

Day 7: We’ll arrive late morning in Ushuaia, the southernmost town in the world, where we’ll visit Tierra del Fuego National Park with its fantastic Nothofagus (‘false beech’) forest and scenic lakes. Birds here include Great Grebe, Flying and Flightless Steamer-Ducks, Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, Thorn-tailed Rayadito, Patagonian Sierra-finch, Austral Parakeet, and the impressive Magellanic Woodpecker— although we are by no means guaranteed to find this superb bird. In contrast to the stunning landscapes surrounding Ushuaia, we’ll also visit the garbage dump, looking for White-throated Caracara, and coastal areas that host Kelp Goose and Dolphin Gull. The ship departs Ushuaia in the evening, sailing into the Beagle Channel towards the Great White South.

Day 8: We’ll spend a full day at sea as we head towards the Antarctic Peninsula, crossing the Antarctic Convergence at some point during our crossing of the Drake Passage. Among the common Black-browed Albatrosses we should find the less numerous Grey-headed Albatross, plus a few Snowy Wandering and Southern Royal Albatrosses, and with luck the handsome Light-mantled Sooty Albatross. Smaller seabirds will also be interesting, including Slender-billed and Antarctic Prions, Pintado and Blue Petrels, Black-bellied Storm-Petrel, and perhaps Common Diving-Petrel. Fin Whale and Hourglass Dolphin are also distinct possibilities in these waters.

Days 9–12: We should reach the Antarctica Peninsula mid-late morning of Day 9 and head back northwards on Day 12. In between, the days are described in the Princess Cruises literature as “Antarctic Peninsula (Scenic Cruising)” and where we go and what we see will depend on ice and weather conditions, which are notoriously unpredictable. There will no opportunity to land on the Antarctic continent, and we suspect the ship’s captain will be wary of approaching too close to areas with too much ice. Nonetheless, we’ll experience some of the ‘Great White South’ at a fraction of the cost of other trips to this part of the world. There aren’t too many bird species this far south, but the ever-changing scenery can be mesmerizing, and stunning sights of glaciers and blue icebergs may keep you out on deck longer than you think!

Birding opportunities and birds around the Antarctic Peninsula are dependent on ice conditions, and the often-calm seas and absence of open ocean mean that few larger tubenoses are found here. We should see Chinstrap, Gentoo, and Adelie Penguins, South Polar and Subantarctic Brown Skuas, Antarctic Tern, Wilson’s Storm-Petrel, Antarctic Fulmar, and perhaps with luck the ethereal Snow Petrel. There is even a slim chance for Emperor Penguin and Antarctic Petrel, two sought-after icons of the region. We should see numerous Humpback and Antarctic Minke whales, and we’ll be on the lookout for pods of Killer whales, which roam these waters. The ice floes may also host some Weddell Seals and perhaps even a Leopard Seal or two.

Day 13: At sea heading northeast towards the Falklands we’ll watch the pelagic species switch from those of cold Antarctic waters to those of subantarctic waters. Leaving behind Pintado Petrels and Antarctic Fulmars we’ll encounter Slender-billed Prions and, with luck, the diminutive Gray-backed Storm-petrel among a variety of other tubenoses. This can also be a good stretch for mammals, including Sei Whale and perhaps even some beaked whales!

Day 14: We’ll arrive in the Falklands’ capital, Stanley, in early morning. Tenders (the ship’s lifeboats) will take us ashore, where we’ll meet our drivers and head to Volunteer Point. It is a longish drive, partly off-road across moorland, but we’ll be rewarded by a large mixed colony of King, Gentoo, and Magellanic Penguins. Other species seen here can include Upland and Ruddy-headed Geese, Two-banded Plover, Rufous-chested Dotterel, Falkland Steamer-Duck, Dark-faced Ground-Tyrant, and—with some more luck—even a few Falkland (White-bridled) Finches. After our return to Stanley, we should have enough time to enjoy some shopping or a beer in a truly British pub. Our ship will depart in the evening headed for points northward, and we may want to be on deck looking for albatrosses, petrels, whales, and dolphins as we leave this British Overseas Territory.

Days 15–16: We’ll have two full days at sea en route from the Falkland Islands to Uruguay, including some deeper offshore waters not visited on our southward route. Soft-plumaged Petrel and Atlantic Petrel are often the commonest species on this transect, along with thousands of shearwaters when we reach shallower waters. The supporting cast in this poorly known region includes Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross, Spectacled Petrel, and the enigmatic Gough [White-bellied/Black-bellied] Storm-petrel, along with a chance for Great-winged and Gray Petrels, and perhaps a Gough Wandering Albatross or Sooty Albatross.

Day 17: We’ll spend all day in Montevideo’s surroundings, where Monk Parakeet, Rufous Hornero, and Picazuro Pigeon are common. At nearby wetlands, we’ll scan for shorebirds and gulls we have not yet seen, and in the reedbeds and shrubs we’ll look for Rufous-sided Crake, Great Pampa-finch, Spectacled Tyrant, and Freckle-breasted Thornbird. In more shrubby habitat, we have good chance of finding Green-barred Woodpecker, White-crested Tyrannulet, Small-billed Elaenia, White-throated Hummingbird, and—with some luck—even a Rufous-capped Antshrike. In the evening we’ll set sail across the Rio de La Plata river for return to Buenos Aires.

Day 18: We’ll disembark this morning in Buenos Aires, in good time to catch international flights home.

2026 Narrative

IN BRIEF: Our 2026 Princess cruise to the Great White South exceeded expectations, and for many people the highlight was the whole ‘pinch-me-I’m-really-in-Antarctica’ voyage! While 7 species of penguins and 35 species of tubenoses (ranging from giant albatrosses to tiny storm petrels) topped the seabird bill, that male Magellanic Woodpecker we worked for wasn’t too shabby either! This trip is always notable for its variety, from sweeping clouds of Pintado Petrels and pods of feeding Humpback Whales to a nest-building Rufous Hornero and a juvenile Shiny Cowbird that came up and pecked us! Pelagic highlights ranged from the poorly known Cape Verde Shearwater on our first sea day to the sought-after Spectacled Petrel on our last sea day. But ultimately it was penguins that stole the bird show, from the colors and sounds of a King Penguin colony up close and personal, to groups of Chinstraps and Gentoos standing on icebergs. Then there was bumping across the Falkland moorland, truly off-road; Darwin’s Rheas watching their Patagonian steppe; and handsome Black-faced Ibis perched up in southern beech trees... And of course, the sheer scale and majesty of Antarctic scenery—fifty shades of white and counting—will forever be burned into our memories. But all too soon the time had flown by and our remarkable voyage concluded back in mid-summer Buenos Aires, a far cry from the ice. Thanks to all for making it such a wonderful experience. 

IN DETAIL: Day 1. Our Ceibas pre-tour excursion started early, leaving the hotel at 5 am! But it was worth it to beat the day’s heat as we appreciated the diversity of species found in thorny Chaco scrubland. The birding began as we stepped out of the vehicle, with a pair of Savana Hawks, dozens of Brown-chested Martins, several huge Monk Parakeet nests, and a Narrow-billed Woodcreeper. Birds then came thick and fast, from Stripe-crowned Spinetail and confiding Guira Cuckoos to a smart White-tipped Plantcutter and a showy Fulvous-crowned Scrub Tyrant. Our walk concluded with a couple of beautiful Chotoy Spinetails, a subtle Little Thornbird, an elusive Pale-breasted Spinetail, and a handsome Golden-billed Saltator. At nearby wet areas we found Southern Screamers, Maguari Storks, and enjoyed excellent views of Pantanal Snipe, after which we headed back to Buenos Aires, or tried to.... Our return was marred by an accident involving two trucks, which closed the highway for an hour, and also featured a sighting of President Milei’s motorcade speeding by as we entered the city. In the end, though, we managed to board the ship in good time, settle into our cabins before the introductory meeting, and enjoy the first dinner in our new home for the coming days.

­Day 2. This year’s Princess schedule allowed us a relaxed morning of birding at the nearby Costanura Sur Nature Reserve, a great park within the sprawling city of Buenos Aires. We started with a nice selection of austral waterbirds, including Coscoroba Swans, Rosy-billed Pochards with ducklings, the strikingly different southern form of Limpkin, and three species of rails: Giant Wood Rail, Gray-cowled Wood Rail, and Plumbeous Rail! The late summer woods inside the reserve were rather quiet, but we still enjoyed good views of Streaked Flycatchers (fueling up on berries prior to their northward fall migration), the handsome Black-and-rufous Warbling-finch, and a superb roosting Tropical Screech Owl (right), courtesy of a local young birder. Back to the ship in time for lunch and rest before heading out into the muddy brown waters of the Rio de la Plata estuary. 

Day 3. Our first day at sea, awakening to gray skies and rain, the lights of Montevideo still visible as we left the La Plata shipping channels, and straight into a 30-knot wind—but at least we saw no birds for the first 30 minutes! Things picked up quickly, however, as an Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross appeared (below, right), and then another, with increasing numbers of Cape Verde Shearwaters through the morning (below, left). The low diversity was expected for shallow waters of the continental shelf, but not being overwhelmed by birds all was actually a perfect way to break into southern seabirding. We soon added White-chinned Petrel, plus Great and Manx Shearwaters, and a few Long-tailed Jaegers, and were all able to practice finding birds on a raging sea while comfortably standing up. A subtle habitat shift could also be appreciated, as numbers of Cape Verde Shearwaters dropped off and a few Cory’s Shearwaters were seen, plus our first Black-browed Albatrosses. The wind dropped off into a remarkable near-glassy calm by the day’s end, and a beautiful sunset concluded a memorable day.

Day 4. Our second day of seabirding proved quite different, starting with a moderate following wind and sea but with thick FOG! At least with a following wind we were able to watch from the bow, and as the fog cleared by late morning we enjoyed good views of Black-browed Albatrosses and numerous White-chinned Petrels, plus our first great albatrosses—a couple of majestic Southern Royal Albatrosses (right). An Atlantic Petrel showed briefly in the morning, and our first Magellanic Penguin in the afternoon; other new species included Brown Skua and both Northern and Southern Giant Petrels. Exemplifying the capricious nature of ocean conditions, in mid-afternoon the wind quickly switched 180 degrees and viewing went from relaxed and pleasant on the bow to untenable, so we retreated down to Deck 7! A few Southern Right Whales and occasional groups of Peale’s Dolphins filled out another interesting day at sea, as we continued to appreciate different habitats and viewing conditions. 

Day 5. Day 3 at sea revealed more changes as we continued south across the Patagonian Shelf and into cooler waters. A following wind again meant we could watch from the bow, although it was decidedly cooler now. Our first Slender-billed Prions appeared, at times in swirling flocks of hundreds, along with hundreds of Sooty Shearwaters and more Black-browed Albatrosses. Checking the numerous Magellanic Penguins turned up a few Western Rockhopper Penguins, and the day ended with good numbers of Magellanic Diving Petrels and quite a few Fuegian Wilson’s Storm Petrels. Mammals included some showy Peale’s Dolphins, the handsome Commerson’s Dolphin, and a Sei Whale. Just another different day in the South Atlantic. In the evening, the mainland coast at the northern entrance to the Strait of Magellan became visible, along with some oil platforms dotting the horizon. 

Day 6. Punta Arenas. A gray and rainy early morning found us moving into position off the southern city of Punta Arenas, on time for our 7 am anchorage. We got ashore fairly quickly and met our drivers before heading north in pouring rain—an inauspicious start to the day. Fortunately, as we left the city behind we also left the rain, and a roadside stop for some close Darwin’s Rheas was a superb start to the birding. Next stop was a shallow roadside lake that was almost dry and did not hold the hoped-for Magellanic Plover. Still, the near calm and mild conditions (calm before the storm...) made for a very pleasant walk that produced a fine flurry of birds, from Austral Negrito and Common Miner to Austral Canastero and Correndera Pipit. Plan B was a second lake, or more accurately dry lake bed, where with some work—in an increasing wind—we eventually enjoyed good scope views of a pair of bubblegum-legged Magellanic Plovers, an enigmatic austral shorebird in its own family. Heading back to town we stopped at a wetland reserve on the edge of town, where two Chilean Flamingos seemed rather incongruous—although perhaps more memorable was the remarkably strong wind, at 50–60 knots we were virtually blown over! Last stop the cormorant colony—from the calm of the bus!—and then return to our home base on the ship. All in all a wonderful day in this remote corner of the world. 

Day 7. An atmospheric dawn found us cruising along a glassy calm Beagle Channel fronted by spectacular snow-capped peaks and glaciers, as we passed Magellanic Penguins and becalmed Black-browed Albatrosses. A majestic Andean Condor was seen briefly, but mainly it was the scenery that captured our attention. Arriving on schedule in Ushuaia, the southernmost town in the world, we met local and loquacious guide Marcelo and headed straight to the town’s main tourist attraction—the rubbish dump! Three species of caracara there included the very local White-throated Caracara, along with the impressive Black-chested Buzzard-Eagle, and then we headed to a forested area near town for a walk in the woods. Fortunately, the forecast rain held off and we enjoyed perky Thorn-tailed Rayaditos, a dapper White-throated Treerunner, cute little Tufted Tit-Tyrants, and stunning (arboreal!) Black-faced Ibis, all the while searching—and hoping—for a certain large woodpecker, the workings of which were evident on many trees. Finally, a call from Marcelo, and with a bit of cross-country clambering we all enjoyed superb views of a stunning male Magellanic Woodpecker below, right), seemingly unconcerned by our presence. A jubilant return to the van just preceded the rain—timing! A nearby river mouth held a good selection of waterbirds, including both Flying and Fuegian (Flightless) Steamer-Ducks, plus side-by-side White-rumped and Baird’s Sandpipers in their winter homes. Our last birding stop was a lagoon on the edge of town, where ducks included handsome Chiloe Wigeon and Red Shoveler before the persistent rain persuaded us to return to the ship for a well-deserved rest.

Day 8. At sea in the Drake Passage heading towards Antarctica, crossing the 60°S parallel in late afternoon. The day of the Blue Petrel—we awoke to wonder “What’s wrong with these prions?” as scads of silvery petrels dotted the ocean surface. These handsome small petrels were with us all day as we transited the Drake Passage in relatively pleasant conditions. Birds in these deep blue waters are relatively few, but by the day’s end we had enjoyed good views of the majestic Snowy Wandering Albatross, plus a couple of zippy Soft-plumaged Petrels, along with the by-now-standard Black-browed Albatrosses and White-chinned Petrels, and our first Black-bellied Storm Petrels. 

Day 9. Scenic cruising in Antarctica, but not before an early morning vigil at the shelf break exemplified the importance of marine habitats. The first hour was notably busy, with Blue Petrels at the edge of their range, plus a nice adult Gray-headed Albatross and a few Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses, and then a switch over to Pintado Petrels and Antarctic Fulmars as we moved over the shelf. Most of the day, though, was spent cruising slowly through majestic scenery under sunny blue skies—towering snow- and ice-capped peaks, glaciers, and icebergs of varying shapes and sizes, a veritable fifty shades of white. Gentoo Penguins (below, left) were numerous, and the keen-eyed also found a few Chinstrap Penguins and a single Adelie Penguin. A soaring Snow Petrel over a towering ice-capped peak put the speck into spectacular, but was nonetheless appreciated by those who saw it. Groups of Antarctic Fulmars and a steady scattering of Wilson’s Storm Petrels marked the afternoon, with the occasional pass by a South Polar Skua, Antarctic Tern, and Imperial (née Antarctic) Cormorant. In the mammal department we enjoyed up-close-and-personal views of both Leopard Seal and Weddell Seal, plus sundry Humpback Whales and a small group of Killer Whales. What a way to start our visit to the Great White South! 

Day 10. Most of the morning was taken up near Port Lockroy, whence base personnel came out to the ship to sell postcards and stamps—which should be picked up in March and reach the Northern Hemisphere in time for spring, a reality check and far cry from our modern world of instant texting! Diligent scope watching at the base produced Subantarctic Brown Skua and Snowy Sheathbill, along with Imperial Cormorants and Antarctic Terns. Around lunchtime, we headed out through the Neumayer Channel and along the iceberg-dotted Gerlache Strait, with a detour through Wilhelmina Bay. Words cannot do justice to the scenery—or obscenery?—which has to be experienced first-hand to be truly appreciated. Which we did, in a day of mile after mile of glacier-punctuated shorelines and dark cliffs topped with snow and ice cornices like giant chocolate cake. 

Layered with volcanic chocolate

Ice-capped with glacier meringue

Head reaching to Heaven

Feet sunk in ice-black waters

Pintado Cake – one mile thick

Numerous Gentoo and a few Chinstrap Penguins on icebergs, scattered South Polar Skuas, and numbers of Wilson’s Storm Petrels marked our leisurely transit through the snowy summer wonderland. Besides the birds, we found Weddell and Crabeater Seals lounging on ice, and enjoyed a close Antarctic Minke Whale, numerous Humpback Whales, and a dispersed pod of Killer Whales (left). We also lucked out on the weather front, with often sunny skies and no strong winds, although at down to –4o Celsius it was decidedly nice to be able to take breaks inside in the warm! 

Day 11. Following our nocturnal transit across the Bransfield Strait, we awoke to mostly cloudy skies as the volcanic cliffs of Deception Island loomed ahead. Approaching more closely, with a view through Neptune’s Bellows into the flooded caldera, the bleak gray volcanic slopes of the island looked a poor cousin to the snowy and sunny majesty of yesterday—until we realized that the slopes and beaches were swarming with Chinstrap Penguins, thousands and thousands of them! There were also good numbers of Southern Giant Petrels, a scattering of skuas, and  a few Antarctic Furseals. An enterprising Snowy Sheathbill (right) flew out to the ship to see how the other half lived, but departed as we continued north along the southern side of the South Shetland Islands.Reaching King George Island in mid-afternoon we made a leisurely circuit of Admiralty Bay, where we viewed Arctowski Station, the Polish base; plus the Brazilian, Peruvian, and single-building (!) Ecuadorian bases sited on open areas of shoreline in a land of impressive glaciers plus some surprisingly colorful slopes washed in pastel greens and yellows from various lichens and grasses, and some areas stained pink by krill poop from the abundant nesting penguins—which included Adelie Penguins (left), which also showed here and there on closer ice floes. South Polar Skuas and Antarctic Terns passed by, as groups of penguins shot like torpedoes through the icy waters, and Humpback Whales lolled all around . All in all, ‘just another amazing day’ in Antarctica.

Day 12. In early morning, Elephant Island hove into sight, its peaks shrouded under cloudy and rainy skies, which brightened slightly as we sailed along the southern coast. Chinstrap Penguins were abundant, in the water and on land, while Southern Giant Petrels circled around us (including a stunning white morph). Diligent searching finally produced two Macaroni Penguins before the captain made a small detour to a couple of icebergs and rounded Cape Valentine to cruise along the northern shore of this bleak, forbidding outpost of land. In late morning we approached remarkably close at Point Wild to view the monument to Captain Luis (Piloto) Pardo on the tiny low isthmus where Shackleton’s men overwintered (left), and whence Pardo’s Chilean ship finally rescued them in 1916. We were even close enough to hear the braying Chinstrap Penguins and watch Snowy Sheathbills roaming around the colony! Then it was back out into open ocean and onward, heading north towards the Falkland Islands. As expected, bird activity and diversity soon picked up as we crossed the shelf edge, with our first Antarctic Prions, plus superb Light-mantled Sooty and Gray-headed Albatrosses, Black-bellied Storm Petrels, Blue Petrels, and Soft-plumaged Petrels—but most striking to watch was the ballet of 200 or so Pintado Petrels that accompanied us, sweeping by at eye level as a spectacular send off from their Antarctic home.

Pintados flip

In swirling arcs

As albatrosses sail

Wing-tip to tip

Of lights and darks

The patterns of my grail

Day 13. At sea, heading north towards the Falkland Islands all day, with deep water (often >3 miles deep!), shallowing in mid-afternoon as we reached the Falkland shelf break. A good day to relax a little after the amazing Antarctica experience. The commonest bird today was Slender-billed Prion, at times with silvery flocks of thousands, but also with a single Antarctic Prion in early morning while still in colder waters, and amazingly a single Fairy Prion (right) in the afternoon—it needed to be the closest bird for us to pick it out, but it was! The importance of watching each prion paid off, for it is difficult to find a needle in a haystack, if you don’t know what a haystack looks like. At the other end of the spectrum were a few majestic Wandering Albatrosses and Southern Royal Albatrosses, making for that rare day when every single species seen was a tubenose! 

Day 14. Falklands. A magical day ashore at this remote British outpost, despite it starting under gloomy skies with steady rain! We boarded the first tender and after allocating to our four vehicles began the memorable drive to Volunteer Point, each vehicle driven by a local character with their own tales of island life and the war, which added to the whole experience. The rain blew through to leave us with glorious sunny weather, although still with a cool edge to the breeze. The sights and sounds and smells of hundreds of breeding King Penguins was simply amazing, plus the Gentoo Penguins now mostly in creches, and the Magellanic Penguins in and out of their burrows. Plus numerous geese, Two-banded Plovers, migrant White-rumped Sandpipers, and both Magellanic and Blackish Oystercatchers. The drive back to Stanley was punctuated by a flock of White-bridled Finches and various waterfowl including the flightless Falkland Steamer Duck, plus the endemic (sub)species of White-tufted Grebe. After birding, there was some time to wander a little in town before tender rides back to the mother ship. What a day!

Day 15. Our first day of seabirding north from the Falklands revealed yet another marine habitat, with birds quite different from what had come before. Today the commonest bird was Soft-plumaged Petrel (below, left), with smaller numbers of Atlantic Petrels, plus record numbers of storm petrels, with some “White-bellied” Gough Storm Petrels among the Black-bellied Storm Petrels, plus remarkable numbers of the diminutive Gray-backed Storm Petrel (right). Also notable were some rarely seen species such as Gray Petrel, MacGillivray’s Prion, and Subantarctic Shearwater, along with dashing groups of the striking Hourglass Dolphin. 

Day 16. Our last day of seabirding, and yet another different habitat—warmer waters along the shelf slope. Today, Atlantic Petrels were common—but no Soft-plumaged Petrels! Numbers of Great and Cory’s Shearwaters picked up as we crossed on to the shelf, and we also enjoyed numerous Spectacled Petrels among the commoner White-chinned Petrels. A briefly seen immature ‘Wandering Albatross’ was presumably a Gough (aka Tristan) Albatross, and among a dispersed group of Black-browed Albatrosses we found a few Shy (aka White-capped) Albatrosses. 

Day 17. A relaxed day of sunny summertime birding in varied farmland, wetland, and coastal habitats of Uruguay with local guide Agustina Medina. We started with a successful ‘twitch’ of the over-summering Olrog’s Gull before moving to a beach area where a flock of terns held several Snowy-crowned Terns amid the variable Sandwich (aka Cayenne) Terns. Despite being full of weekend beach-goers, our picnic lunch spot (with some rich brownies for dessert!) turned up quite a few birds, including a handsome Whistling Heron, the sought-after Screaming Cowbird, and a contrast between the understated Grassland Sparrow and the stunning Chestnut Seedeater. Our last stop featured another contrast, between the well-named Giant Wood Rail and the diminutive Rufous-sided Crake, plus a bonus Wrenlike Rushbird. A light breeze really helped the day’s birding, and we arrived back at the ship in good time to relax before the final bird list, trip reminiscences, and preparations for our homeward travel.

Day 18. Our early arrival back in Buenos Aires was followed by disembarkation and onward or homeward travel back to the ‘real world.’ Thanks to all for making it such a wonderful and memorable trip! 

- Steve Howell 

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