2010.07.13 20:47:44

Claudio F. Vidal

Last Sunday 11 July 2010 we had the incredible priviledge to witness and photograph the spectacular total solar eclipse in the skies of Puerto Natales, Chilean Patagonia. In a splendid meeting organized by our friends of HOTEL REMOTA, a great gathering of nearly 30 eclipse enthusiasts learned about this overwhelming phenomenon from world-class Chilean astronomer José Gallardo.

We really want to thank once again to Pablo Negri (Managing Director of Remota), Claudio Molina (Operations Manager) and all the staff of Remota for allowing us to enjoy of this lifetime experience with the comfort, taste and sofistication only delivered by this remarkable and unique hotel.

 

See more images here.

2010.07.09 19:12:32

Claudio F. Vidal

The mythic Tierra del Fuego always offers exciting wildlife news. Enrique Couve and Claudio F. Vidal, founding partners of our company, together with farm owner Ivo Robertson, are currently working together in the conservation of a small colony of King Penguin, which resides during most of the year at the Marassi rivermouth, located in the central portion of Useless Bay, Isla Grande of Tierra del Fuego, Chile. The colony is located approximately 120 kilometres east from the Chilean town of Porvenir and is fullly accessible through the international road towards San Sebastian, and then connecting south to the settlement of Cameron.

The Penguin King is the second largest species of the family Spheniscidae (after the Emperor Penguin) and for many people is the most charismatic and attractive species of the group. Variable numbers (10-40 individuals) of Penguin King have established at this place for at least 15 years, being the most numerous congregations during the period between November and March. During this period, the site has ramained without any environmental protection and has suffered the pressure of continuous disturbances from visitors; some people has extract individuals with commercial purposes (i.e. sale to overseas zoos). More limited groups of penguins (8-10 individuals) remain in the same zone during the whole winter, taking advantage of the excellent feeding conditions occurring in the surrounding waters. At  the moment, we do not know if the individuals of this one small colony have realized breeding attempts at this location. If this can be verified it would be the first reported breeding colony of the species in South America.

Pictures by Claudio F. Vidal, Fantastico Sur Expeditions | More images here.

Check more details on our tours to visit the 'King Penguins of Tierra del Fuego'.

 

2010.04.30 18:08:42

Claudio F. Vidal

Naturalist guide Roberto Donoso has just returned from another of our sucessful trips 'Pumas of Torres del Paine'. Roberto and his guests had an intense week searching for pumas in Patagonia; eventually they were rewarded by superb views of a male puma near Laguna Amarga entrance for nearly 4 hours! This incredible national park of southern Chile holds one of the most important concentrations of these magnificent and inspiring cats. Well done Roberto!

Do you want to join one of our Puma tours? Check the details...

 

2009.12.02 23:54:54

Claudio F. Vidal

Trip led by Enrique Couve | Fantastico Sur Expeditions, Chile

Ornitholidays 'Birds & Wine' trip co-led by Mike Witherick

November 20, 2009 | Pelagic trip off Quintero 06:00am | Windy, heavy swell

 

Penguins | Spheniscidae

Humboldt Penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) 20 ind.

 

Albatrosses | Diomedeidae

Northem Royal Albatross (Diomedea sanfordi) 5 ind.

Southern Royal Albatross (Diomedea epomophora) 1 ind.

Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophris) 10 ind.

Buller's Albatross (Diomedea sanfordi) 1 ind.

Salvin's Albatross (Thalassarche salvini) 30 ind.

 

Shearwaters & Petrels | Procellariidae

Cape Petrel (Daption capense) 10 ind.

Defilippi's Petrel (Pterodroma defilippiana) 6 ind.            

White-chinned Petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis) 30 ind.

Westland Petrel (Procellaria westlandica) 20 ind.             

Pink-footed Shearwater (Puffinus creatopus) 50 ind.

Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) 50 ind.

 

Storm-Petrels | Hydrobatidae

Wilson's Storm-Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) 10 ind.

 

Diving-Petrels | Pelecanoididae

Peruvian Diving-Petrel (Pelecanoides garnotii) 6 ind.

 

Pelicans | Pelecanidae

Peruvian Pelican (Pelecanus thagus) 50 ind.

 

Gannets & Boobies | Sulidae

Peruvian Booby (Sula variegata) 50 ind.

 

Cormorants | Phalacrocoracidae             

Guanay Cormorant (Phalacrocorax bougainvillii) 20 ind.

             

Sandpipers & Allies | Scolopacidae             

Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) 10 ind.

 

Gulls | Laridae             

Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) 100 ind.

Brown-hooded Gull (Larus maculipennis) 10 ind.

Franklin's Gull (Larus pipixcan) 20 ind.

Elegant Tern (Sterna elegans) 10 ind.

South American Tern (Sterna hirundinacea) 100 ind.

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) 20 ind.            

 

Mammals

South American Sea Lion (Otaria flavescens) 5 ind.

Risso's Dolphin (Grampus griseus) 1 ind. offshore

Bottle-nosed Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) 10 ind. inside the Bay of Quintero

 

Have a look on Enrique's pictures taken on this trip

Soon!

2009.11.11 19:02:11

Claudio F. Vidal

The Southern Right-Whale Dolphin is a circumpolar cetacean only found in the cold waters of the Southern Ocean, ocassionally reaching more temperate latitudes in areas affected by the cold and productive Humboldt Current, off Chile. This splendid set of pictures were taken by Enrique Couve who joined a pelagic trip off Valparaiso on Sun Nov 8 2009. Cetaceans like Sperm Whales and even Orcas are more often seen than this rare and highly oceanic dolphin. A pod of 60+ Dusky Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obscurus) were seen associated together a smaller pod  of approximately 30 individuals of Lissodelphis peronii. The feeding frenzy was produced by the presence of an anchovy swarm, apparently the main prey for these dolphins at these latitudes. © 2009 Enrique Couve, Fantastico Sur Expeditions, Chile.