February 26, 2023
Laura and I left the hacienda behind and and headed southeast towards the coast. Our route was a meandering one and we took our time on the potholed roads. The countryside was birdy and we didn't mind the relaxed pace.
We had booked an AirBnB property in the coastal town of La Coronilla for two nights. My main priority in Uruguay was to put in the time to search for Saffron-cowled Blackbirds, and La Coronilla is perfectly situated near one of the more sizeable populations of that species.
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| Marsh Seedeater - Rocha, Uruguay |
The Saffron-cowled Blackbird is not doing well, having declined by as much as 80% over three generations. That’s….not good. The precise reasons for the decline are not fully fleshed-out, but habitat loss/degradation is the big one, considering that Saffron-cowled Blackbirds live in tall grasslands and marshes. Marshy valleys are dammed, grasslands are being replaced with pine and eucalyptus plantations, and cattle trample their nests. Pesticides are likely having an impact, and collection for the pet trade is also a contributing factor. This species has disappeared over much of its former range in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. It seems like extinction is inevitable.
Due to the sensitive nature of revealing exact locations for this species, the range map for Saffron-cowled Blackbird is obscured on eBird. However, with a little bit of internet sleuthing I was able to identify a large marshland that likely held a population. This particular spot isn't a closely-kept secret - rather, it is a go-to spot for many birders who visit Uruguay. The time of year was not ideal, however, as the blackbirds are done nesting and would be roaming around the countryside in flocks. We hoped that we would get lucky and stumble across a flock somewhere.
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| Scarlet-headed Blackbird - Rocha, Uruguay |
We broke up our drive to La Coronilla with a few roadside wetland stops. The Embalse Arrocera area was quite productive and we tallied many species. This Curve-billed Reedhaunter provided the best views I've ever had of this species, while we also saw Plumbeous Ibis, Marsh Seedeater, Scarlet-headed Blackbird, Giant Wood-Rail and more.
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| Curve-billed Reedhaunter - Embalse Arrocera, Rocha, Uruguay |
We hadn't yet reached the "best" area for the Saffron-cowled Blackbirds when we spotted a large, swirling blackbird and finch flock, a ways off of the roadside. Brown-and-yellow Marshbirds, Shiny Cowbirds and Grassland Yellow-Finches were the most common species. But a little further out in the field, a shimmering black and yellow flock caught our attention. They were all Saffron-cowled Blackbirds!
Luckily, a female was a little closer to the road and Laura and I soaked in the views of this rare species. We couldn't believe our luck.
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| Saffron-cowled Blackbird - Rocha, Uruguay |
I was pretty pumped to have found our main target so easily! That evening, we had some celebratory wine and pizza at our AirBnB, as we watched the sun set.
February 27, 2023
We had originally booked two nights in La Coronilla to maximize our chances of encountering a Saffron-cowled Blackbird. With that out of the way, we had no real priorities today and we could relax and get caught up on things - namely, trip planning for Brazil, our next destination following Uruguay.
I headed out on my own during the mid-morning, returning to the same area from yesterday in hopes of an encore performance with the Saffron-cowled Blackbirds.
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| Giant Sea Holly (Eryngium pandanifolium) - Rocha, Uruguay |
The sun was high in the sky and a steady breeze was blowing across the open landscape, stifling bird activity. That being said, I enjoyed slowly making my way along, stopping at suitable looking wetlands and discovering species here and there.
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| Black-and-white Monjita - Rocha, Uruguay |
Sulphur-bearded Reedhaunters were rather abundant. I finally managed a good look at an adult, and you see the namesake beard in this image.
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| Sulphur-bearded Reedhaunter - Rocha, Uruguay |
Apart from another crack at the Saffron-cowled Blackbirds, the other bird that I was hoping to find was the Warbling Doradito. Laura and I had finally found our first in Argentina a week earlier, but I hadn't managed a photo that time. In the last number of years I have really focused on photographing every bird on my life list and so far, about 85% of the species now have photos. The Warbling Doradito was one of the few remaining possibilities of birds I "needed" photos of in Uruguay.
My doradito search was put on the back-burner when a flock of birds appeared in the distance, their black and yellow plumage twinkling in the sunshine. It was the Saffron-cowled Blackbirds!
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| Saffron-cowled Blackbirds - Rocha, Uruguay |
And wow, luck was on my side this morning. Not only did the blackbirds land nearby, but they eventually moved to some reedbeds directly beside the road, only a few meters from me!
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| Saffron-cowled Blackbirds - Rocha, Uruguay |
For the next 15 minutes I was in heaven. The 53 Saffron-cowled Blackbirds did not seem bothered by my presence and remained in the area. I captured a number of photos as well as audio recordings of their quiet interactions. Considering that they could have been anywhere in this vast wetland complex, I felt rather lucky that they happened to pick the roadside near my position.
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| Saffron-cowled Blackbird - Rocha, Uruguay |
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| Saffron-cowled Blackbird - Rocha, Uruguay |
Some call notes in the reeds directed my attention to a Warbling Doradito, my other target! I had Saffron-cowled Blackbirds on one side of me, and a cooperative Warbling Doradito on the other.
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| Warbling Doradito - Rocha, Uruguay |
It was an experience that I hopefully won't forget for many years. Incredible!
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| Saffron-cowled Blackbird - Rocha, Uruguay |
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