San Javier

September 25, 2022 to September 26, 2022

When we opened the cabana door in the morning we found a gift from Alajandra on the doorstep.

The ride to San Javier was once again pleasantly traffic free. The wind was mostly from the east but turned southerly as the day wore on so it was only the last two hours that it started to slow us down. Early on in the ride we took time off to bird a few of the marshy patches alongside the road but towards the end we just wanted to get to San Javier.

Guira Cuckoos (Guira guira) are quite different to most other cuckoos and large, noisy flocks of them have been ever present from the start of this tour.

We came upon the most impressive shrine to Guachito Gil that we have ever seen. Although the photos don't show them, this one even had a picnic table, barbecue and toilet.

After a bit of searching we found the Hotel San Javier which looked far smarter than we were expecting to find in the town. We quickly decided to spend two nights here because the next leg to Cayasta is going to be another long one. The decision was helped by getting a discount on the going rate. To make it even better, the lady holding the fort on this Sunday afternoon volunteered to do our laundry for us.

The rest day was spent doing a bird of birding along the town's rather messy waterfront. There was too much water for any waders so we had to entertain ourselves with whatever birds we could find.

Red-crested Cardinal (Paroaria coronata)

White-rumped Swallow (Tachycineta leucorrhoa) showing its rump.

Southern Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus), the trash raptor of the Argentinian plains. They are all over the place, hassling all the other birds or feeding on insects in ploughed fields.

The rest of the rest day was spent resting. A hard seventy five kilometers into a headwind awaits us but after that we will turn westward again (at last).

Today's ride: 91 km (57 miles)
Total: 1,185 km (736 miles)

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