TIERRA DEL FUEGO & ANTARCTIC PENINSULA CRUISE

Our new southern ocean cruise is going to be another epic adventure as we set sail for the Antarctic Peninsula. We begin our journey in Buenos Aires where we visit Costanera Sur, home to a surprisingly large selection of species despite being surrounded by this huge city. Waterbirds abound and we could see species such as Southern Screamer, Rosy-billed Pochard, Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Giant Woodrail & Wattled Jacana. Numerous trails through woodland and skirting large lagoons hold Dusky-legged Guan, Checkered & Green-barred Woodpeckers, Small-billed Elaenia, White-winged Becard and more. We follow this with 3 full days at sea and we will be in good areas for Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross, Atlantic Petrel, Spectacled Petrel and have an outside chance of Cape Verde Shearwater. By the end of the third day at sea we will be in touching distance of Cape Horn and the famous Magellan Straits, with our destination of Punta Arenas in our sights. Here a good day ashore can yield Chilean Flamingo, Lesser Rhea, Least Seedsnipe, Tawny-throated and Rufous-chested Dotterels, Two-banded Plover and the much-wanted Magellanic Plover. The following day we will be further along the Beagle Channel amidst towering mountains on either side, glaciers, and small islands teeming with South American Terns, Chilean Skuas, Imperial Cormorants and South American Sealions. The famous port of Ushuaia will be our base for the afternoon as we head into Tierra del Fuego National Park looking for Spectacled Duck, Austral Pygmy-Owl, Chilean Swallow, Thorn-tailed Rayadito, White-throated Treerunner, huge Magellanic Woodpeckers, Patagonian Sierra-Finch and others. A nearby beach as we return to town usually holds both Flying & Flightless Steamer-Ducks, Dolphin Gulls and an assortment of shorebirds and our final stop of the day is at the town landfill site where we hope to see White-throated Caracara.

We will wake up the next morning sailing across the truly rich seabird waters of the Drake Passage offering us chances of Wandering, Grey-headed, Southern Royal & Light-mantled Albatross, along with Southern Fulmar, Antarctic & Slender-billed Prions, Cape & Blue Petrels, and Grey-backed & Black-bellied Storm-Petrels as well. With 4 full days cruising amongst spectacular ice flows we should get to grips with superb Chinstrap & Adelie Penguins, as well as South Polar & Subantarctic Brown Skuas, Antarctic Tern, and hopefully the much-wanted Snow Petrel. We also have a chance of seeing the iconic Antarctic Petrel, but it would be like wining the lottery if we were to jam into an Emperor Penguin (so we won't hold our breath!). nevertheless the scenery is going to be absolutely stunning. There should also be a sprinkling of cetaceans and other sea mammals including Antarctic Minke & Humpback Whales, as well as Orcas, Weddell Seal and the magnificent Leopard Seal. Another day will be spent crossing the Drake Passage and another chance at some of the southern ocean's iconic seabirds before reaching the Falkland Islands. Here we will visit Volunteer Point and its awe-inspiring King Penguin colony that numbers at least 1,000 individuals. Smaller numbers of Magellanic and Gentoo Penguins are present, and we can also find White-bridled Finch somewhere along our route today. Another two days at sea will again take us back into good waters for Atlantic & Spectacled Petrels, Soft-plumaged Petrel numbers can be quite high, and if lucky there's a chance of Sooty Albatross as well. Even Great-winged Petrel has been recorded in these waters.

We will then have a full day in Montevideo birding marshes, lakes and the shoreline of the River Plate where we could see over 100 species ranging from Black-necked Swans, Rufous-sided Crake, Snowy-crowned Terns, Hudsonian Godwits and Black Skimmers to Gilded Emerald, Sooty Tyrannulet, Spix's Spinetail and Screaming Cowbirds. The cruise will end the following day back in Buenos Aires and we can look forward to an exciting few days in the pampas and marshes of Argentina on our extension.

So often we birders leave our loved ones or 'significant other' behind whilst we fly off to chase our dream birds and we get to experience many different countries our partners would tell us they would love to visit also but without the early mornings or strains of keeping up with us and our group whilst birding. This tour is the perfect excuse for all  non-birding partners to join us on our travels whilst we enjoy our birding and they can take advantage of the amenities of this fabulous cruise ship. There is no charge for non-birding partners to join this tour only the cost of the cabin which can be arranged through our dedicated group contact at Princess Cruises. A non-birding Zoothera representative will also be onboard to assist with any non-birding activities and enquiries.

For a chance to see these amazing birds from the comfort of a full working cruise ship, please register your interest with the Zoothera office.