A Simple Little Town With A Monster In The Woods

This is a Blue-winged Teal nest. I think Mama Teal picked a good location.

North Dakota's birds are relentless. They are awesome, and keep showing themselves to me. I don't even have to ask. I'm quite grateful for this, as that is why I'm here. North Dakota may not be the Heart of the Revolution (more like the Heart of Darkness), but their birds are really good.

For example, I got my lifer White-rumped Sandpipers today. Yup. Two. Breeding plumage. So, so sick. Was on the clock when I saw them as well, which makes it all that much sweeter. Things may never be the same. I don't really know what they are doing here, in the middle of June, (they were hanging out with a small flock of Sanderlings, whom were no doubt busy thinking about oceans), or what direction they were going, but I am grateful all the same. I am now looking forward to a can of Schlitz (thats right...SCHLITZ) to wash those sandpipers down with.

The white-rumped ones made me realize something. North Dakota? Land of the Lost. The sandpipers. Did they know where they were? Probably not. North Dakota is not the Canadian Arctic. That Connecticut Warbler? Fiending to be migrating past The Great Lakes, not over some shitty shelter belts and aspen patches. How about yours truly? I came here under my own power, but lord knows why. To cap it all off, this state is legendary in the amount of Christianity that oozes out of its pores. Clearly, even the people who live here are truly lost.

This is a Sedge Wren. Before North Dakota, the only one I had seen was in the Everglades (which was a cathartic experience in its own right). But now? We are friends.

Thompson Lake, which my trailer overlooks. Typically this lake can produce more Piping Plover nests than any other lake on the refuge, but as you can see there is a lot of water. Entonces, no habitat, so no plovers. The ducks are happy though.

Everyone loves Cedar Waxwings. Their Bohemian counterparts may be cooler, but I haven't been introduced yet.

In other news, I am missing approximately a shitload of awesome bands back in San Francisco this week, who are coming together for Asian Man Records' 15th Anniversary. My body may be here at Lostwood, but my spirit is staggering back and forth between Thee Parkside and Bottom Of The Hill, stumbling under the heavy weight of the sweat of a hundred different drunkards, some of the best punk rock bands out there and about a million PBRs. I miss you SF!

Here is a Northern Shoveler nest. It does not look as good as the Blue-winged Teal nest. As you can see, it's been shat on.