Return of the Meme: 1485 (stakeout)

Let's get this bread, I guess.

I wrap up this post while on a takeout for a bird that has no business being in the artificial wetlands complex outside Sedona: a gull from the far Arctic, hopelessly lost.

Kind of how i'm feeling, overall, really.

It's a juvenile Sabine's Gull. I saw one once before, in college on a lake near Flagstaff, back when life was so much easier, and back when the world seemed less fucked up.

23 years later, with my life mostly in shambles, I seek it to try and find some semblance of order and symmetry,some sort of sign that everything will become okay again and that I won't have to worry about losing everything.

It was seen here yesterday, along with some Caspian Terns.

While fall has definitely arrived here today, with the first of season White-crowned Sparrows returning here from their sojourn from either Utah mountains or Canadian Rockies....

The only whiteish-grey bird I'm seeing today right now is the first of season Eared Grebe thar keeps fucking with me out on the horizon. Well, and occasionally Mallard butts as they dip down into the water.

Once again, I proved that I rarely, if ever, make the right decisions.

Yesterday's bird omens on the mountain were Hella strange too: a flock of five Mexican Jays were flying south, calling. I've never seen them on Mingus Mountain before, and to the best of my knowledge, nobody else has either.

@bearstrap asked yesterday if I was a cryptid after a lore-dropping comment in another post-yeah, basically.

Where's my little lost gull to help me feel whole again, universe?

ANYWAY I also saw three Lewis's Woodpeckers at another part of the mountain yesterday which was equally strange.

They're also very handsome woodpeckers: pink and dark iridescent green. Look that shit up. They're wild.

I don't know how to interpret these as omens, but it felt like yesterday everything was going to be beautiful and okay,and then i saw the posts on eBird about the Sabine's Gull and got even more excited. I'd love to see one again. They're such fabulous birds. So i decided I'd make a go of it today.

But then I woke up feeling this incredible, overwhelming, oppressive sense of doom. DOOM. with all capital letters.

Doom doom doom went the drums in the deep of my mind. I almost didn't come here.

Ah well. Rare bird stakeouts are always a crap shoot, but i could have used the morale boost. If I can't find a job or figure out this disability stuff, Pippin and I will be on the street in about 3 months.

This damned Eared Grebe is also frustrating me because it keeps diving when I try to get a photo. Bitch, sit still.

I know exactly where this sign is. I've been here. This is East of Sedona. Got some great photos of Common Black-hawks there.

There's a corner of the pond i cant see, but no trespassing behind the fence. Im not so sure it would be there, either.

These killdeer are also a bit bothery, I see them flying and think for a split second they're the terns or the gull. But no dice.

Anyway. Enough rambling. My battery is almost dead on my phone, ive gotta post this now.

Pippin tax

Today's message from Pippin (asked before i left at dawn): "I don't know"

______
1) Are you on the run to a safe place and passing through Arizona on your way to safer grounds? My apartment is open to you to crash at, and it is a safe space. Pippin and I will make you a meal and gladly share tea, wine, or mead with you.

2) Hey! Take your meds with a full glass of water, please. Do it for Pippin, or Space Mom, or better yet, do it for yourself.

3) Ĝefeloað wē. We will carry on.

4) all funds from the sales of items at these two links will be sent to support charities aiding to fight for Trans rights in the US (not just T-shirts!)

https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/74812801-all-conures-are-anarchists

https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/74811778-whiptail-pride

5) Since multiple people have requested this over the last two weeks or so, my ko-fi is: https://ko-fi.com/codyandpippin