Pelagic Birding trip in Argentina

 Our pelagic trip in the Atlantic Ocean departs from the port of Mar del Plata city (Buenos Aires province), only about 4 hours drive south of the Argentine capital, or 1:30 from San Clemente del Tuyu. This latitude matches that of subtropical convergence zone, at about 38 degrees south, an area of rich waters which attracts thousands of seabirds.

 

We navigate offshore around 20 nautical miles, usually sighting the pelagic species shortly after leaving the harbour. Depending on the seasons, we can see species either from the Northern Hemisphere, the south Atlantic Ocean or the Antarctic circle. We regularly spot Black-browed and Yellow-nosed Albatrosses, but we have also found Southern Royal and Shy on a few occasions. White-chinned and Southern Giant Petrels are quite common, and usually we see Greater, Sooty and Manx's Shearwaters. Wintertime brings Southern Fulmar and Cape Petrel, together with Wilson's Storm-Petrel, also present in springtime. It is not uncommon to find Magellanic Penguins. Parasitic Jaeger and Chilean Skua are other common sights. In summer, we expect Long-tailed Jaeger, Cory's Shearwater and Magnificent Frigatebird.

 

Some cetaceans are frequently seen, with Common Dolphin as the more expectable.