Shipman's field notes, Aug 2004

Route 1330 leave Socorro via NM-1 and County A-101; Bosque del Apache NWR main loop including seasonal road plus two visits to location NWP hoping for the reported White Ibis (no such luck), left around 1700.

Weather Sunny and/or thundershowers, often windy. Some rainfall. Mosquitoes at industrial densities. Generally a thin day for birds. It's important for casual birders like me to go out and have these lackluster days on the refuge in order to make the super-birder's days stand out in sharp relief. You can always tell the real omniscient super-birders: they're the ones who most loudly deny being omniscient super-birders.

Missed No shorebirds except Killdeer and Spotted Sandpiper. None of the large numbers of White Pelicans recently reported. None of the unwary young Soras and Virginia Rails I usually see at this time of year on the seasonal road; that area is now too heavily overgrown and doesn't look wet enough.

Film Finished a roll of EL-400 slide film, started Portra VC-400 print film, shot 14 frames.