At the beginning of January 2017, I arrived in Santiago, Chile, to start a new chapter in my life. I transfer to work in Santiago of the next 2.5 years. While it may be with the same organization, everything else is new - work area, colleagues, environment and living environment. While this is a challenge, it also presents many more opportunities. A new country to explore, new friends to be made, direct access to the whole of South America, and more specifically a completely new set of birds to explore and photograph.
While Chile may not have the largest bird list or most beautiful birds, it certainly makes up for in terms of variety and uniqueness. Santiago itself has numerous green areas and there are a number of good birding sites relatively close to the city. In the far northern there is the desert environment, while in the south Patagonia is waiting. All I need is time and money .....
Santiago
A modern and busy city (see Part 3), closely nestled in a bowl at the base of the Andes mountain range. Summer is warm and clear blue skies. Yet there are some locations with good birds if you want to make the effort. Parque Bicentenario (Vitacura) in the city is such an example. The lush green is most welcoming given the natural environment is hot, very dry and rather brown in the middle of summer. Not only are there a small number of captive bird (their enclosures are not big enough for them to take off) such as the Chilean Flamingo and Black-necked swan, but a number of other bird species. However, to some them all one needs to get there early to miss the maddening crowds, which over weekends can be large and noisy.
Once the city had been explore a little it was then time to venture out of the city! See Part 2 for a visit to Yerba Loca Nature Santuary.
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