Tierra Del Fuego

This most southerly point of South America is a mass of islands, the largest being Tierra Del Fuego (48,000 square km), half of which is in Argentina and the other half Chile. A National Park straddles the international boarder covering 630 square km but with only 25km of trails accessible to the public. We spent a beautiful sunny, crisp day exploring Lapatania Bay walking through high deciduous beech forest and traversing the rocky foreshore. We spotted a small pod of what were possibly Pygmy Right Whales (or dolphins) hunting near the shore, along with kelp geese bobbing for seaweed, flightless steamer ducks and pied and magellanic cormorants.

There are three species of beech in the forests and many of the smaller plants reminded us of home; dandelions, ragwort and enormous clovers. We heard and eventually spotted the Magellanic Woodpecker and small flocks of Thorn-Tailed Rayadito.

In 1946 the Argentinian government bought 50 North American Beavers from Canada releasing them in Tierra del Fuego to create a fur trade in the area and boost the economy. The plan was disputed by environmental groups and scientists at the time but the government persisted. The fur trade was not very successful, particularly as the popularity of furs dropped significantly during the 20^th century. In addition the beavers created significant environmental damage through the construction of their dams and felling of trees, flooding rivers, diverting streams and competing for vegetation with natural species. A control plan is now in place in the National Park but the damage is extensive, particularly evident when following the Castorera (Beaver Lodge) hike.

The beautiful and secluded Lapatania Bay

Rufous collared sparrow - small flocks of these sparrows chirped merrily in the bushes along the shoreline

A small pod of either dolphins or Pygmy Right Whales a few hundred metres from the shore

Flightless steamer ducks cruised the shallows bobbing for food in the falling tide

The peaks grew steadily in height towards the north west

Thorn-tailed Rayadito - found throughout the beech forests in small groups

Panoramic view of Lapatania Bay

A Caracara scavenging in the dense undergrowth

Searching for Sarah amongst the high deciduous beech forest

Evidence of beavers and their landscape architecture was everywhere - here an old dam

Signs of their teeth in action

Dead trees where land has previously been flooded by beaver dams

Clear teeth marks on this fallen tree

Magellanic Woodpecker