Arizona is a famous producer of cognitive dissonance.
Woke up this morning and had to brush fresh snow off my windshield so I could go get cat food for my little yowling girl. Sullen clouds obscured the hilltops all day until I finished my errands and meetings and could scamper out to the Sedona Wastewater ponds.
It's been bitter at higher elevations and I reasoned that since the lakes and ponds are reported to be frozen over, the cool waterfowl would be wintering here in the valley.
Approaching the first large pond, I saw a new bird for the patch, Canada Goose, believe it or not. But then a large, slumbering lump among the usual suspects caught my attention.
And there I was, squinting through the freezing drizzle at a Common Loon and for a split second I thought, "How the hell'd I get to Minnesota?" It's an excellent bird for the valley. The local guidebook says the last observation was '96, though there may well be other records.
I last saw one back in March of 2002 (I think. There may have been an intervening sighting at Ashurst in between) but it was roundly ignored because we had driven 3 hours to Lake Havasu to witness the stunning sight of a Yellow-billed Loon diving within 20 feet of the dock where we stood.
I don't even know how to process this, but it looks I'll be going on an extensive journey next year, to include Mongolia, Eastern Tibet and South India, perhaps followed by an extended stay in Mongolia. The trip is a pilgrimage of sorts, but you know I'll have my bins!
Departure would likely be May or June, starting in Ulan Bator and working west. I'd like to correspond with anyone who has experience birding these areas. I'd also appreciate up-to-date info on the best guidebooks, etc.
And fear not. I'll take my pooter and blog from the wilds!