Yellow-billed Teal (Anas flavirostris)
A common duck, but this was my first close encounter, as most of the previous ones were in lagoons sometimes 100 metres away or more. Altitude: 4228 metres. It sounds like this:
A common duck, but this was my first close encounter, as most of the previous ones were in lagoons sometimes 100 metres away or more. Altitude: 4228 metres. It sounds like this:
My time here started with low clouds, sleet and no sight of the beautiful peaks of Condoriri. I was grateful that the clouds lifted enough to see the peaks before I went back to La Paz and my next journey to Madidi and the Amazonas. I will gladly come back to see more of the […]
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Altitude: 4503 metres. It is found in Ecuador to northwestern Argentina.
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Altitude: 4509 metres. It’s found in western South America to northern Argentina.
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Altitude: 4509 metres. It’s found in western South America to northern Argentina.
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Altitude: 4553 metres. Native range is Bolivia to Argentina.
Altitude: 4553 metres. Native range is Bolivia to Argentina. The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here.
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Altitude: 4553 metres. Native range is Venezuela to Argentina. Mexico Central America .
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Altitude: 4595 metres. Native range is Peru to southernmost South America.
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Altitude: 4595 metres. Native range is Peru to southernmost South America.
Altitude: 4608 metres. Native range is Venezuela to Bolivia.
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Altitude: 4608 metres. Native range is Venezuela to Bolivia. Central America and Mexico..
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. This species is very variable, so pattern varies. Altitude: 4608 metres. Native range is Venezuela to Bolivia. Central America and […]
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Some plants, including this one was so close to being in bloom – I wish I had some more time […]
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Altitude: 4605 metres. Native range is Ecuador to the southern tip of South America.
This is perhaps the most abundant and eye-catching grass on the Altiplano. Even outside the flowering season they are incredibly decorative, and in particular those growing in solitude are really amazing. Even though the grass is incredibly tough, pointy and to me very dry, it’s food for many of the grass-eaters including the llamas. Here […]
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. This is a semi parasitic plant. Altitude: 4623 metres. Native range is Venezuela to Bolivia.
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Altitude: 4611 metres. Native range is Chile to Venezuela. This was previously Werneria pygmaea: A new genus, Rockhausenia (Compositae: Senecioneae: […]
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. This is a semi parasitic plant. Altitude: 4623 metres. Native range is Venezuela to Bolivia.
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Altitude: 4638 metres. Native range is Bolivia and Ecuador.
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Altitude: 4632 metres. Native range is Venezuela to Argentina. Mexico Central America .
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Altitude: 4632 metres. Native range is Venezuela to Argentina. Mexico Central America .
I had many hours in La Paz before my plain to Rurrenabaque, and chose to get out of the city to see Condoriri. I only had a few hours, and it takes about 2 hours by car each way, so I had very little time on my hand and had to make the most of […]
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Please help me identify it – leave a comment. Altitude: 4558 metres.
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Altitude: 4558 metres. Native Range is Peru to Argentina.
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. The two strangely doubled, greyish leaves on the left side are from Lachemilla diplophylla (Rosaceae). Altitude: 4550 metres. Native range […]
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Altitude: 4605 metres. Native range is Ecuador to the southern tip of South America.
The Condoriri park was a treasure trove of plant species, and I wish I had several days here, as my few hours was far from enough to explore all the incredible miniature plants growing here. Altitude: 4553 metres. Native range is Ecuador to the southern tip of South America.
Grows on the salty portions of the rim of the Salar de Uyuni that receives fresh water sporadically. Altitude: 3669 metres. Native range is Peru to Argentina.
Grows on the salty portions of the rim of the Salar de Uyuni that receives fresh water sporadically. Altitude: 3669 metres. Native range is Chile and Argentina. Read more about living in extreme environments: Distribution of Lycium humile (Solanaceae), an endemic halophyte from the Altiplano-Puna region, South America.
Grows on the salty portions of the rim of the Salar de Uyuni that receives fresh water sporadically. Altitude: 3669 metres. Native range is Chile and Argentina. Read more about living in extreme environments: Distribution of Lycium humile (Solanaceae), an endemic halophyte from the Altiplano-Puna region, South America.
This was the second species of butterfly I saw during my few dayes here. Please help me identify it – leave a comment 🙂 Altitude: 3669 metres.
The much lusher and higher vegetation reveals a constant source of fresh water from one of the many springs. Even though it flows most of the year it’s not flowing over the banks, so the salts are washed away only a very short distance from the stream. I met one of the local farmers by […]
Grows on the salty portions of the rim of the Salar de Uyuni that receives fresh water sporadically. Altitude: 3669 metres. Native range is Bolivia to Argentina.
Grows on the salty portions of the rim of the Salar de Uyuni that receives fresh water sporadically. Here it’s popping out of a cushion of Sarcocornia pulvinata. Altitude: 3669 metres. Native range is Bolivia, Argentina and Chile.
Grows on the salty portions of the rim of the Salar de Uyuni that receives fresh water sporadically. Here it’s growing out of a cushion of Sarcocornia pulvinata. Altitude: 3669 metres. Native range is Bolivia, Argentina and Chile.
Grows on the salty portions of the rim of the Salar de Uyuni that receives fresh water sporadically. Please help me identify it – leave a comment! Altitude: 3669 metres.
Grows on the salty portions of the rim of the Salar de Uyuni that receives fresh water sporadically. Please help me identify it – leave a comment! Altitude: 3669 metres.
Grows on the slopes of the Cerro Tunupa. Altitude: 3989 metres. Native range is Chile and Argentina.
Grows on the slopes of the Cerro Tunupa. Altitude: 3989 metres. Native range is Chile and Argentina.
Grows on the slopes of the Cerro Tunupa. Full of sticky resin. Altitude: 3989 metres. Native range is Bolivia and Chile.
Grows on the slopes of the Cerro Tunupa. Altitude: 3989 metres. Native range is Bolivia and Chile.
Grows on the slopes of the Cerro Tunupa. Altitude: 3989 metres. Native range is Bolivia and Chile.
One of many species of lizard found at the very high altitudes of the Bolivian Altiplano. Altitude: 3989 metres.
A few weeks earlier and I would have seen all this as flowers – a beautiful sight I imagine. This species seems abundant here, and is undoubtedly able to spread far and wide with the wind. The amount of seeds per plant is staggering, and sometimes so many are released that it looks like smoke […]
One of countless volcanic peaks on the Altiplano. If you’re up to it you can easily trek to the top, as there are no sheer cliffs to climb. I didn’t have the desire to go any higher than 4000 metres that day (just a few hundred metres up the slopes), but if I had more […]
My first sight of this group was a couple lying in the dirt road! Completely chilled and did not bother to get up before the car was quite close. Even then they just leisurely moved on into the vast landscape. A hunted herd would be extremely stressed and run far away! The northern and southern […]
Grows between the shores of the lagoon and the desert. Here they are about 2 metres tall. Altitude: 4135 metres. Native range is Peru to Brazil and Argentina.
A bush that grows between the shores of the lagoon and the desert. Here they are about 2 metres tall. Altitude: 4135 metres. Native range is Peru to Brazil and Argentina.
The flowers were less torn here at this small lagoon compared to Laguna Colorada. Altitude: 4139 metres.
There are countless lagoons in this desert, and each of them unique in shape and color! No matter how close or wide your view is, this desert provides immense beauty as far as colors are concerned. When you take the altitude into account, it’s quite astonishing that many of the lagoons are brimming with life […]
My time here coincided with chick-time for the Puna Tinamous, and I was lucky enough to encounter this litter. Without chicks the adult would fly off long before I could come this close, but even earth-bound it was incredibly cunning and fast and very hard to track in the landscape dotted with vegetation. The chicks […]
This salt and mineral tolerant plant thrives here and has generated large mats close to the water. Further down there is only naked shores which every odd years will be flooded. The last time was a couple of years ago when the desert got about 2 metres of snow in a couple of days. Altitude: […]
This hardy plant grows where the high watermark is, and is thus very salt and mineral tolerant. You can see the salt and mineral deposits to the bottom right. Altitude: 4300 metres. Native range is Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. Was previously Xenophyllum incisum.
This lagoon seemed without any flamingos, and it’s probably due to the extensive extraction of the white mineral borax (Sodium tetraborate decahydrate) seen here. Altitude: 4561 metres.
When the flower is gone, the remaining part is well protected from being reached, so what species is the fruit aimed at? Only insects and small rodents will reach the fruit unharmed, so perhaps that’s it? Altitude: 4004 metres. Native range is Bolivia and Argentina.
I found two variations of this species, this one has the longer and denser spines. Native range is Bolivia and Argentina.
I found two variations of this species, this one has the shorter and less dense spines. Altitude: 4004 metres. Native range is Bolivia and Argentina.
My first and only sighting the this species, and I was in luck as this species is hunted to such an extent that it’s now red listed as vulnerable by IUCN. How much so became clear as my driver ran up to the animal and looked at it more as a food item than an […]
This dust devil came so close to the car that the driver simply stopped and seemed a bit scared of what was going to happen. I on the other hand was very excited and hoped it was getting even closer, as I knew the worst that would happen would be a huge amount of volcanic […]
At midday the heat of the sun has created a turbulent atmosphere, and here resulted in a beautiful dust devil. One of many during my few days here, but in fact only 3 grew to such well defined tornado-like “suckers” like this one. This is beautiful to watch but is really just an indication of […]
This enormous and partially dying specimen is growing by one of many incredibly beautiful rock outcrops here called Valle de las Rocas, or Rock Valley. Even in this photo an artistic face with a huge eye appears. The living Yareta only adds to the wonder as its shape and age seems to blend in with […]
In a garden of rock formations resembling many different animals I was baffled to suddenly stand in front of this Viscacha monitoring my movements. It’s like I met the only living guardian of that day, and it was checking me out. Apparently I was an acceptable visitor that had recognized what is here, as it […]
One of the many “sculptures” in this amazing place, that seemed without any kind of face or specific form. Still I think there is a wolf-like head on the top looking to the right. You can sit here for hours and see new appearances in the rock formations around you, and all are changing throughout […]
Yet another animal, and to me perhaps a dolphin’s face. Later in the day or even under the starry sky it might look like another creature. A different angle and it is simply a rock. Hundreds of years on it will be gone forever. This garden of sculptures is like nothing I’ve ever seen, and […]
Most are unable to see nature’s never ending miracles – from the smallest of scales to the large. They stand amidst it all but are filled with thoughts of the future or the past and simply do not see. Some places are just powerful to the senses of the human body, but also way beyond […]
Many kilometres before I got to here, I noticed a very unusual rock formation in the landscape. Like a fissure from which Earth has had time to have fun and be creative. True it was once a fissure and volcanic, but at some point it cooled and the erosion set in. Ever since this place […]
This large duck is unmistakable and very conspicuous, and I saw several of them here at River Alota. A haven in the middle of the dusty desert! Altitude: 3836 metres. It sounds like this:
The huge, dry Altiplano is not without water. Several springs feed lagoons and rivers – even in the deepest of the dry season. This is River Alota, shallow and crystal clear, and surprisingly has a large amount of fish! Not a place I would expect to find flamingos, but this location has sufficient life for […]
This shallow river is teaming with life and fish – in the middle of the desert. I wonder how the fish could end up here – are they remnants of the time when the Altiplano was part of the Pacific? In any case they make up a good portion of the Heron’s diet, and they […]
One of very few butterflies I saw on the Altiplano. In the Amazon there’s a lack of salt and they sometimes swarm aound sweat or urine stains in the landscape. Here it’s plenty of salt, but perhaps not so much pollen. Please help my identify it – leave a comment. Altitude: 3838 metres.
This South American version of the African Ostrich seems out of place here almost 4000 metres high on the Altiplano, but this is it’s environment! Even in this park it’s wary of humans, so it seems it’s still hunted, or at least this generation has been hunted (they live to around 11 years). Also called […]