The Tears of a Clown - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles

Still dire out in the field with no new Moths or Birds but plenty of rain,

but then of course we always have the trusty archive to rely upon!
(The first in a series of a possible 3)

Travelling the World brings with it an element of danger and it would be foolhardy to say otherwise, but rule one is “watch your back”!

For me going on from that was “travel alone” which on occasions was broken and just as importantly, “travel light” just a maximum of 2 each of the essentials as you can always purchase more en-route or turn them socks inside out. On my second of 5 adventures in South America my then boss Mike Hughes invited himself along (not really but I didn't want the sack) and proved to be the very best of travel companions, but it was not to become a habit. However both he, and one or 2 others were made aware of my insistence that the final rule on the list was never broken. On any given day you do exactly what YOU want to do without redress to “I don’t want to go fishing”, or “I don’t want to go bird watching” - just simply do your own thing!

However, on the 4^th of these visits, which like the 2^nd was to include

The Galapagos Islands

was followed by a backdoor invader!

During the final week of that tour I had arrived in the town of

La Plata

some 60 miles south of the capital Buenos Aires with a quandary, should I venture the 1000 miles further south to Trelew or just resign myself to the delights of the capital.

Trelew had only come onto the radar as a result of some of the best wildlife footage ever seen, where the Killer Whales were forcing almost their full body length out of the sea to catch the gigantic Sealions huddled up on the beach. A hell of a long shot and a long way to go but opening the trust laptop that evening found the conundrum resolved for me.

An e-mail from Jim the Medic asked simply “are you anywhere close to BA and if so can we meet up” and there was me just starting to enjoy myself.

A rendezvous was arranged and before continuing a word about the city itself!

It is a place of culture, fine architecture, even finer food, Malbec and people who take great pride in their chosen professions and know how to please, everyone should pay at least one visit to one of the best, and probably overlooked, capital cities in the World!  We will present the story punctuated with some of the Birdlife found across the whole of the trip from

Bogotá, Colombia to Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

PALE-MANTLED ARICARI

 Having arrived in La Plata and finding yet another 'cheap' Guest House it wasthen imperative to soak up the ambiance of the town with a day long stroll.

The harbour presented, not unsurprisingly, much interest but couldn't pull my thoughts away from The Falklands War

 as the Warships particularly looked so puny and ineffectual

NAZCA BOOBY

 compared with out own craft and particularly the

EMPRESS BRILLIANT

(male)

 SUBMARINES

a service I had been part of during my time in the

Royal Navy  

 GIANT ANTPITTA

 and the backup logistics and surface warships looking a little weak.

I still ask myself the same question!

GOLDEN TANAGER

The following day it was the entertainment that came to me as befriended by a

 Group of Young Lads who where as curious about Me

as I was of Them

It could not have been choreogrphed as they invited me to join them at their auditions.

 SICKLE- WINGED GUAN

 That invitation was extended to the full show the following evening

 BLACK VULTURE

 which was the 

Southern Argentina Elimination Rounds

(jubilation here for some of those who qualified)

PACIFIC PARROTLET

 for the countries

CLOWN TROUP of the YEAR COMPETITION

 Yes, there was a langugae barrier, my only Spannish runs to

"dos servaser por favor"
The following evening we all got together to enjoy a few pints and the

 SAN CLEMENTE

MARDI GRAS

 I had only been in the town for 3 nights and already it was hoped it could be

FOREVER

"Viva la Gente de Argentina"!

Now, Where's Me Bus Pass?