July 21st
A Curlew Sandpiper Report came through - a first state record for Mississippi! I took a look at flights. $800. Oooof. Drive time: 14.5 hours. Not enough to confirm it's continuance tomorrow and still get to the bird same day. I'd have to do some risk taking.
July 22
The bird was reported again, by multiple observers, at the same location. If I left today, I'd get there after sundown. I decided I'd leave in the middle of the night, and drive straight through. My alarm was set for 2:00 am.
July 23
I was on the road by 2:15; I figured this would be child's play after a 22 hour drive last week! How wrong I was. I had trouble sleeping the handful of hours I tried to - it seemed the pressing stress of "have to sleep NOW" was counterproductive and resulted in tossing and turning for the four hours I laid in bed.
Exhausted, and without any stops beyond gas and restroom - I travel with tons of snacks in my car, both non-perishables and fruit and veggies in my small cooler - I arrived at the location at 4:45 pm. My tiny car was unable to make it down the final half mile stretch, and a woman leaving in a truck, having had no luck with the bird, offered to drive me down. Scope in tow, I obliged. I started scanning, sweat pouring down me immediately in the full sun and ridiculous humidity.
An hour into scanning, my heart was sinking. The bird had enough breeding plumage feathers, that it would be fairly obvious if it was here. All there was to do was wait, on the chance that the bird would fly in from an adjacent, non-visible field.
No such luck. I waited until the remaining good light was gone from the sky, and headed over to camp at Enid Lake, where I slept a solid ten hours.
July 24
I took my time in the morning; my tactic was a lazy one....stick around for a bit, and see if anyone else reported the bird.
I showered at the campground, dawdled at the lake a bit, and made homemade apple & cinnamon oatmeal at my campsite.
I packed up camp, and was on the road around 10 am. Still no word of the bird. There certainly were people looking, as it was Saturday morning. I decided to check out Martin Dies Jr. State Park in east Texas. There was no way I was willingly making a 15 hour drive back in one day. I'd get home on Sunday.
Working on fixing my sour attitude, I reminded myself how privileged I am to be able to sporadically leave town for three days for this bird - not to mention the whole year! I decided to turn the return trip home into its own separate adventure - I'd appreciate the next two days as their own little vacation, enjoying them for what they were, instead of staying in the mindset of it being a slogging trip back from a failed bird chase.
Martin Dies Jr. State Park didn't disappoint, and I had a beautiful campsite right by the lake.
Finally, there was no rain forecasted, which meant I could sleep under the stars, with the rain fly off.
July 25
I slept yet another ten hours, packed up camp, and did a little birding before driving seven hours southwest to home.
“No matter where you go, there you are.”
Year List: Stilllll 657
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