Córdoba Province has something that makes it very special —the great variety of environments that you can find within just a few kilometres. At the same time, this allows us to observe many different species of birds and kinds of animals and enjoy amazing landscapes without needing to travel very many hours. What I’ll do here, is offer you a journey through my province, Córdoba, by sharing experiences I’ve had doing wildlife photography.
I’m going to start at my favorite place —Pampa de Achala. This environment is located at 2000msnm (6,500 ft), west of the Capital City of Córdoba. The huge, humid ravines between high grasslands make it a magic place to enjoy peacefulness and fresh air. Also, the rock formations and the mountain streams are beautiful for composing images.
Among the birds of this area, the most remarkable is the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus). With 3 meters (almost 10 ft) of wingspread, it’s an incredible experience to watch it soar in the wind. Birds like the Meadowlark (Leistes loyca) or the Chiguanco Thrush (Turdus chiguanco) are also easy to find. There are several endemic species in this area. One of them is the Olrog’s Cinclodes (Cinclodes olrogi), a beautiful bird that feeds in the streams that run through the mountains. Another endemic species is the Achala Lizard (Pristidactylus achalensis). This amazing reptile can be seen all Summer and Spring, at midday, sunbathing on the rocks. The Red Fox (Licalopex culpaeus smithersi) is another characteristic species of the Achala Grasslands. And of course, I must mention the Puma (Puma concolor), the Ghost of the Mountains.
A beautiful place to visit in Pampa de Achala is the Quebrada del Condorito National Park. This park has a trail that guides us to a hugh gorge and the Condoritos River that runs between the high walls of rock. A nice opción is to camp on the grounds and photograph the starry sky and the Milky Way at night.
The next stop on our journey, is Laguna Mar Chiquita or Mar de Ansenuza, northeast of the province. Recently named National Park, this is the biggest salty lagoon of Argentina, and year after year it’s the resting place of thousands of migratory birds like Jame’s and Andean Flamingos (Phoenicoparrus jamesi and andinus) and many other shorebirds —Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor), Sandpipers (Calidris), etc. With more than 300 species of birds observed, I would consider this one of the best places of the country for nature photography. Herons, Flamingos, Blackbirds, Sandpipers, Black Skimmers, Swans and all kinds of passerines are common to sight. The photographic possibilities are practically infinite. No doubt, one of the best possible sunsets is to watch the sun hide behind the sea between the dead trees and the pink Flamingos that feed on the shore only a few feet away.
One of the best experiencies that I’ve had doing bird photography, was with the Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger). These amazing birds feed early in the morning and at sunset. They do so by skimming the surface of the wáter with their long bill, and when they find a fish, they close it quickly. To photograph them, I made a hidro-hide and got into the water with them. After a few hours, when they grew more confident, I was able to enjoy observing their behavior and took fantastic pictures from a distance of just a few feet, until the sun hid behind the horizon. Being in the water, I had the opportunity to photograph other birds like Flamingos, Herons and Black-Winged Stilts, from the unique point of view that the hidrohide offers.
Another very biodiverse environment that we can find at Mar de Ansenuza are the reed beds. These are the home of an incredible amount of birds —like Crakes, Blackbirds, Wren-like Rushbird, Many-colored Rush-tyrant and even the beautiful Scarlet-headed Blackbird. But shooting photos in the reed beds isn’t easy, because they are usually very thick and hard to walk through because of the mud or water, and the birds tend to hide deep inside. Even so, it’s fun to spend hours trying.
On the west side of Córdoba Province, there is a Reserve called Chancaní, that protects the beautiful ‘‘Monte Chaqueño’’. This environment refers to a dry climate forest characteristic of a large area of central South America. Here in Chancaní, we can find huge centenary species of trees that have been preserved from clearance. The Reserve is rough and wild, perfect if we want to totally disconnect from everyday life, and deeply connect with nature.
To reach the camping area, we must travel along a road that meanders between mountains, through the Taninga Tunnels. There, we can enjoy an incredible panoramic view of the sea of trees in the valley, with the Condors flying close to us. This road is special because it runs through several dark tunnels that go right through the mountain. Further on, it descends to the valley and plunges into the impressive forest and the Reserve. Walking among the gigantic Algarrobos and Quebrachos and contemplating their beauty surrounded by kilometres and kilometres of forest, is an uncomparable and delightful experience. On cold Winter mornings, the birds gather together in mixed flocks made up of many different species —Ringed Warbling Finch, Cinnamon Warbling Finch (Microspingus), Black-crested Finch (Lophospingus pusillus), Red-crested Finch (Coryphospingus cucullatus), Golden-billed Saltator (Saltator), Black-legged Seriema (Chunga burmeisteri), Scimitar-billed Woodcreeper (Drymornis) and Woodpeckers (Colaptes, Dryocopus, etc). The Reserve also protects a great diversity of mammals like Foxes, Skunks, Deers, Wild cats, Tuco-tucos, Pumas and many species of Snakes. At night, the sky is covered with stars and the sounds of the forest fill the silence. The mythical Chaco Owl (Strix chacoensis) hunts for roedents in the moonlight and the foxes watch us from the darkness.
Near the Reserve, Traslasierra National Park (Pinas) has been recently founded. Having a similar environment, it also protects a large area of natural wildlife for us to enjoy. Close by, we can visit a very small town called Chancaní. If necessary, we can buy supplies here for our stay at the camp.
In the afternoon, the sun slowly falls behind the trees, highlighting their silhouettes sharply against the orange sky, and we can start to feel the cool night air while making the fire before sleeping.
Córdoba is a wonderful province, full of unique places to enjoy and plunge into nature, and I feel fortunate to live here.
