JPM Myers 1973 Journal Farmhouse to Tower Llanos, Estancia Medeland, 35 km S of Juanabo by road, Pcia de Buenos Aires, Argentina 10 December (cont'd) At 1430 it became apparent that another storm was going to hit from the S, so I packed up and began walking back. Rain caught me about 200 m N of the road; because of the lightning, and any lightning rod of a backpack, I settled down in a hollow cornfield to wait it out. I had oposited Pectoralis, WR, Buffs, and Goldens just before the rain started. When it hit, huge flocks of Goldens began appearing, several hundred birds visible in the air at once. During the peak of the storm few were flying (although there appeared to be another burst of birds when the hail (up to 1 cm diameter) began). It rained for 35 minutes, after which the strong S wind continued but the clouds were much lighter. As soon as it stopped raining, more flocks of shorebirds - especially WR, Golden, and Buffy. These were the largest flocks of shorebirds I had seen since arriving on Medeland; certainly the largest for several months. Flocks were always visible in the air, several at a time, most of them headed S away from the storm. The birds were not as spooky as they had been earlier in the day (certainly they were not the same individuals) - a small group of WR allowed me to approach within 10 feet. After this rain (I do not know the quantity), the land is more soaked than ever. Grid I (which I passed on the way back) is almost entirely in water. The area D on the SE corner, which had been dry green, is now shallowly submerged - the tips of the grass are sticking out. Lyeep were in their foraging. Several of the stakes - which after the 3" storm were just barely out of the water, are now lost from site. These recent rains have had a pronounced effect upon the shorebirds in Medeland. I hope that the coast will be dry enough to allow me to see a repeat of the patterns through which they pass upon arriving here in August, when the land is equally (or more) covered with water. We shall see. Grid 3, 500m N of Farmhouse, Estancia Medeland, Pcia de B.A., Argentina 12 December Walked from camp to Grid 3, arriving just before 0700. Slight wind from N with mostly clear sky. Temp ~60°F. Camp path leading from farmhouse