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Who: Kimball Corson. Text and Photos not disclaimed or that are obviously not mine are copyright (c) Kimball Corson 2004-2016
Port: Lake Pleasant, AZ
09 April 2018 | Pago Pago, American Samoa
10 March 2018 | Pago Pago, American Samoa
10 March 2018 | Pago Pago, American Samoa
22 August 2017 | Pago Pago, American Samoa
22 August 2017 | Pago Pago, American Samoa
22 August 2017 | Pago Pago, American Samoa
22 August 2017 | Pago Pago, American Samoa
22 August 2017 | Pago Pago, American Samoa
22 August 2017 | Pago Pago, American Samoa
22 August 2017 | Pago Pago, American Samoa
22 August 2017 | Pago Pago, American Samoa
09 August 2017 | Pago Pago, American Samoa

My Missing Friend, Ms. Plover

05 May 2015 | Pago Pago, American Samoa
Kimball Corson
My friend, a nameless, female South Pacific Plover, has disappeared. I am accustomed to seeing her daily at one of her usual two contiguous places, but she has been missing since April 5th.

I think she may have started her migratory trip home. She will fly almost 6,000 miles back to the Summer highlands of Alaska to breed in the tundra with her life-long mate who does not accompany her on vacation.

Obviously, she doesn't fly straight through, but will take rest stops along the way. She probably targets to get there by mid-June. We don't know whether she can rest or sleep on open water.

Still, it is a hell of a feat for a small bird. And she does it twice a year -- up and back. I wonder how she navigates. She always comes back to her same winter residence, American Samoa, which is a tiny dot in a huge ocean. That is 12,000 miles a year of flying. Her expected life span is 15 years. So she probably does that for about 12 years or so or pushing 150,000 miles.

I'd like to see that yellow assed Big Bird on Sesame Street try that. She said he is an insult to birds everywhere.
My hat is off to this little bird. Here is an actual photograph of her I took. I am sorry I won't see her again.
_______

I miss seeing her each day and wonder how her great trip home is going. She left without even packing her bags or eating up for the trip.
Comments
Vessel Name: Altaira
Vessel Make/Model: A Fair Weather Mariner 39 is a fast (PHRF 132), heavily ballasted (43%), high-aspect (6:1), stiff, comfortable, offshore performance cruiser by Bob Perry that goes to wind well (30 deg w/ good headway) and is also good up and down the Beaufort scale.
Hailing Port: Lake Pleasant, AZ
Crew: Kimball Corson. Text and Photos not disclaimed or that are obviously not mine are copyright (c) Kimball Corson 2004-2016
About:
Kimball Corson: I am a 75 year old solo sailor, by choice. However, I did take on a personable, but high maintenance female kitten, now a full grown cat, named KiKiPoo when she is sweet, or KatKatPo after she has just killed something like a bird or bat. [...]
Extra:
Although I was a lawyer and practiced law with good success for thirty years, creating significant new law, I never really believed in the law, the politics of law or in the over reaching self-interest of most lawyers I met. Too much exposure to Nietzsche and other good and seriously thoughtful [...]
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Profile

Who: Kimball Corson. Text and Photos not disclaimed or that are obviously not mine are copyright (c) Kimball Corson 2004-2016
Port: Lake Pleasant, AZ