Day 3
January 4, 2008
Our first full day in Tierra del Fuego starts out with a walk out to the shoreline to scan for flocks of red knots. They tend to flock with Hudsonian godwits and historically have been seen in combined flocks of over 100,000. Recently, both knots and godwits have been in decline but we are hoping to find large flocks here on the wintering grounds. We do find our first group of knots and godwits but only 2 small flocks far down the shoreline of the Bay (Bahia Lomas). There is a lot of other bird life around us as well and we record all of our sightings since another purpose of the trip is to assess the status of the habitat for other bird life as well. This morning yields 2 banded plovers and white-rumped sandpipers.
Back at camp, we find that the winds have really increased and this is not unexpected since high winds are characteristic of the area. These winds are strong enough to break a pole on my tent but, fortunately, I have remembered to bring my repair kit and I replace the broken section. Not an easy task in these winds but not too difficult.
We need to run into the closest town, Cerro Sombrero, and pick up some supplies; mostly groceries and water for the camp. We also need to stop at the mayor´s office to greet the mayor and this is where we can get access to the internet to send the blogs. We are hoping to get here a few times before we leave but I may end up posting the blogs a little after the date so check back periodically. I do have problems with sending photos so they will have to wait until my return. I hope to post a slide show after my return to the zoo.
In the evening, we take another walk out to the mudflats through the salacornia which is all around us (a plant that thrives in areas that flood frequently, similar to a related plant found at the Jersey shore). We only see a small flock of shorebirds tonight. Tomorrow morning we plan to get up early to catch the high tide now that we have the tide charts. Hopefully, the birds will be closer since they tend to feed at the water´s edge.