In my recent post about my trip to Chile, I included the following statement:
Pearman's book says Rock Earthcreeper is fairly common around Socaire,
but though both of us searched the rocky slopes around the village for
several hours we found none.
I am embarrased to admit that I was quite wrong on this point. It is the
Straight-billed Earthcreeper that Pearman says is fairly common around
Socaire. How I got my idee fixe about Rock Earthcreepers I have no idea.
I found Pearman's book useful, of course, but there are several problems.
The map showing roads around Ancud on Chiloe bears no relationship to the
actual roads in the area. The manager at the hotel in Ancud gave me a local
road map which demonstarted that Mark's map is downright misleading.
As I pointed out in the report, the only locations Pearman gives for
Chestnut-throated Huethuet is at Laguna Los Lajas. The three tracks appear
to be extremely marginal habitat for the Huethuet, and despite searching
all three for some time, we neither saw nor heard any trace. If you want
Chestnut-throated Huethuet, try the road from Chillan to Las Thermas/Las
Truncas. We heard three in the vicinity of our cabana, but typically they
would only respond once to the Black-throated Huethuet tape, and then shut
up. So we were very lucky to find one standing by the edge of the road as
we drove out.
Another problem I found with the book is the site given for the
Rufous-flanked Tapaculo at Puyehue. Mark says there is a pull-off to the
left 2 km past the turnoff to Aguas Calientes. I drove for 7 Km and found
no sign of any pull-off.
John
John Penhallurick
Associate Professor John M. Penhallurick<>
Canberra, Australia
Phone BH( 61 2) 6201 2346 AH (61 2) 62585428
FAX (61 2) 6258 0426 Mobile 0408 585 428
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