#the making of martin sparrow

[twpsyn-who]

I was daydreaming while walking towards work and my mind went "brrrr Stiles doing the fancy jump through time Five does that gets him stuck in an Apocalyptic Future" and yk my mind went straight to Teen Wolf but is TUA. And obvious Stiles is Five because yk

× Too defiant to listen to adults

× No one listens to his shits and/or blames him for everything when all he wants is to fix shit

× Could see him become some serial killer to protect his loved ones so yk it does check.

And after that my mind went like… what next? Scott. 100% Scott. I don't know what number is he, but he's dating the handler daughter at some point aka Allison (and the handler is Kate because fuck that bitch. Rip the rest of the Argents tho). And Lydia. And yeah number 3 Lydia? Heard a Rumor Lydia? Yeah, yeah, I can see it. BUT number 7 Lydia???? A work of art. Wonderful. Splendid. But she doesn't use her violin, she screams- because she's an opera singer. I could also see her trashing everyone in a book cuz she's that petty. But also Number 5 & Viktor friendship 🤝🏻 Stiles & Lydia friendship

AND KIRA. She's number 2, but likes using that katana of hers God knows why. Or she finds that katana in the 60'. I don't know. But that makes Scott number 1, which also checks out.

While thinking of number 3, I came to the conclusion that it would be Jackson only because his character is rich coded enough to make it work. Also he totally says "I heard a rumor you punched yourself in the face" during an argument with someone, then proceeds to laugh his ass off. He's a jerk.

With no question my mind assigned Danny as number 6, because if they can kill the Asian guy then I can kill the Hawaiian guy and not get canceled. But that leaves me with no number 4. Who's number 4?

It can't be the Hales, because I'm making them all members of season 3 Sparrow team. Yeah, that's right bitches. Laura and Cora and Derek and Peter (because he's their brother here ups.) and Malia. Peter is number 1, only because he gives the vibes & I wanna see him get threatened by Lydia then find the thingy in the basement and go poof. No hate on the guy tho. But it would be funny.

At first I wanted Liam to be number 4, team him up with Cora (number 6) but, like, keep his power the wolf shift cuz I don't like Alphonso's power in the show (is not even about how he looks, I just find it stupid) BUT that would make Derek the floating cube with anger issues- and while it would work, I came to the conclusion that Liam should be the floating cube and hit people in the head when he's angry. Which is a lot. We love a King with Anger Issues. So Derek's number 4, his power is the wolf shift, and he's besties with Cora aka number 6. Wonderful. 

Laura is number 5 because she deserves nice things. Malia is number 3 because she's a badass and can kick your ass without seeing. Which is cool. But also if anyone wanna keep the whole Sparrow/Umbrella ship going on, they can do it with Stiles and any other goddamn Hale. You're welcome.

So, conclusion : Number 1 Scott / Peter

Number 2 Kira / Danny

Number 3 Jackson / Malia

Number 4 ?? / Derek

Number 5 Stiles / Laura

Number 6 Danny / Cora

Number 7 Lydia / Liam

And while writing this my mind remembered Issac existed SO. My boy is number 4 by the process of elimination (but it works, so #strughs)

[lonelywretchjervistetch]

The State Birds Initiative: Georgia (#4)

Welcome to the fourth official poll of the State Birds Initiative! Before the poll, though, one thing real quick. My suggestion is that you read the post below before voting in the poll below. That's especially important if you're lacking any context about the birds being presented as the new (or old) State Bird of the Peach State, Georgia. This is to be fully informed as to why these are being presented, and to make your choices appropriately. Lastly, some of these birds, you will notice, may go against some of the rules listed in the introduction post. All is explained after the jump where the explanations are, I promise you that. But with that...OK! Here's the poll!

With that...time to put Georgia on our minds!

Georgia! State of peaches, Coca-Cola, pecans, and civil rights! Home of Ray Charles, Jimmy Carter, Jackie Robinson, and the great Martin Luther King, Jr.! Location of the only whale shark in captivity in the country, the historic Forsyth Park of Savannah, the majestic Stone Mountain, and the first Chick-fil-A! And for our purposes here in the State Bird Initiative, it's also the first state we're looking at with a tropical climate! Well, a humid subtropical climate, actually, but it counts! If you've ever been to Georgia (which I haven't as of yet, but I'm working on that), you probably know that Georgia is a bit sweaty and temperate most of the year, with long humid summers and high water levels.

In terms of the ecology of the state, we're looking at swamps, cedar-dominated, as well as having a decent proportion of pine trees. Actually, to be specific, we're looking at forests of Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris), an large endangered pine tree species endemic to the southeastern United States. Now, to be clear, this species isn't specific to Georgia, and it's actually the state tree of Alabama. However, now that we've hit the southern USA, we have to address it, as the tree is a symbol of the region. The actual state tree of Georgia is another iconic tree to the southeastern USA, the Southern Live Oak (Quercus virginiana), another big tree evolved to be resistant to forest fires, saltwater, and hurricane-force winds common in the area. Famously, the Southern Live Oak trees of St. Simons Island, Georgia was harvested for the density of their wood, which made them particularly strong against cannonballs. Said wood was used to construct the famous U.S.S. Constitution, AKA "Old Ironsides", which was said to have cannonballs actually bounce off of it throughout the War of 1812. Said ship is still in Boston Harbor to this day, making the 227-year old ship the oldest still floating naval warship in the world! And that's all thanks to the natural environment of Georgia.

What about Georgia's culture? Historically, of course, Georgia is complicated as hell. A former seat of the Civil War and the Confederacy, the state has seen heavy reconstruction in the last century and a half, eventually becoming associated with many civil rights heroes, and currently having a few prominent bastions of the Democratic Party, such as Atlanta. On a contemporary level, the state is famous for its music, its accents, and its food! The state has at least four foods as state symbols - peaches, peanuts, grits, and the Vidalia onion, and has other iconic food and drink like sweet tea, cornbread, peach cobbler, and fried catfish.

As for its people, they're a highly religious bunch on average, known for their hospitality and, according to some accounts online, "polite sarcasm". Y'know, "bless your heart" and all that. Conservative historically with an increasing population of Black Democrats in metropolitan centers, it's a growing state in terms of diversity, and changing rapidly. So...a culturally diverse bird that lives in oak trees? Yeah, that's a target we're gonna hit for sure. I mean, the oak or pine tree part is pretty easy, but the other thing? Well..a songbird would make some sense. I mean, the state is famous for its musicians, ranging from OutKast to Gladys Knight to 2 Chainz to Luke Bryan, and more. So, something that sings is a solid choice. There are a couple of other qualities we can go for, but that's enough for now, I think.

With that, let's move onto the choices. Got some interesting ones this time, but I have...a hunch about this one. We'll see how this goes, but I have a feeling it's gonna go the way of New Jersey's poll, which has been...decisive. But OK, with that...birds after the jump!!!

Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)

Not gonna lie - this one could be hard to beat, surprisingly. Which is too bad for a number of reasons, but the Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) isn't really a horrible choice for Georgia's State Bird. It breeds in the state, even though it's found all over the eastern and central USA. It's an iconic bird in sight and sound, which is pretty important for a state that's produced a lot of human singers. I even mentioned up above that a songbird wouldn't be a bad choice, and what better songbird than one who can memorize, mimic, and remix multiple sounds for its own use? Plus, it was chosen by school kids, meaning it was elected by the public. Of course, to be fair, it was also chosen by governor at the time, Eugene Talmadge, a famous white supremacist who enforced segregation in Georgia schools and universities, openly supported Adolf Hitler, and was a genuinely extremely racist PIECE OF SHIT...but I digress? Although, it is extremely ironic that Talmadge ratified the Brown Thrasher as the State Bird of Georgia, so there's that.

OK, Talmadge doesn't really have anything to do with this, I just needed to get some anti-racist anger out for a second there, sorry; dude was a bastard in a lot of ways. But in terms of the Brown Thrasher, it's honestly not a bad choice for Georgia. Thing is...I'm not entirely sure I can say it's the best choice, or even a really good choice, frankly. It's...a choice. It does eat peaches, though, so maybe throw that into the pros pile for the species. Oh, and one more thing: it's defeated an attempt to depose it before. The frankly kinda ridiculous attempt to change the State Bird of Georgia to the Cornish Chicken in 2010 was not received well for the chicken. Georgians liked their Thrasher too much! Also, one of the arguments against the Brown Thrasher that the Flip the Bird movement put forth was that it "has no contribution to the state of Georgia economy". Of all the stupid goddamn arguments...

Northern Bobwhite (Colnius virginianus)

Well, if we're talking about the incumbent State Bird, we should bring up the incumbent State Game Bird as well! Yeah, this'll be a regular thing going forward. Any ornithological state symbols are up for bid and re-election, although this is a slightly different process. If a State Game Bird is elected as State Bird, it will ascend to that post, and a new State Game Bird will be proposed, possibly with a new poll. However, if it is not the chosen State Bird, it'll remain as the State Game Bird. So, really, the Northern Bobwhite gets to stay where it is...for now. This may change as we get overlapping game birds across the USA. And we will, believe me. With that said, let's talk about the Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus).

A member of the New World quails (Odontophoridae) the bobwhite is named after its iconic whistling call, and not a random dude named Robert White. The Northern Bobwhite isn't the only species of bobwhite quail by any means, but it's the only major native representative in the USA. It's a grassland and open forest-loving quail whose range extends from Texas to Massachusetts...kind of. Here's the problem with the bobwhite: its population is rapidly decreasing. In the past 60 years or so, the population's decreased by at least 85% in its native range, which is...A LOT. It's partially for that reason that the species is on my priorities for my Life List, because I've never seen them, and they're rapidly vanishing.

That, alongside the normal ecological concerns and links, and its relatively new status as a threatened species due to land use and forest fires, makes it a good candidate for recognition on its own. But is it a good bird for Georgia? Well, only 4% of its breeding population is found in the state year-round, making the state a poor reservoir for the species. There's also a point that the bobwhite is, surprisingly, an invasive species in some countries, specifically New Zealand and Italy. They're also a common bird in captivity, even though any aviary should have them be the only ground-dwelling bird, since they can be aggressive to competitors. That said, they're not a completely doomed species.

More importantly, though, the fact that Georgia doesn't have a lot of these guys immediately makes them a less-than-ideal candidate for State Bird. State Game Bird, though? That might actually be worse. Remember, this is an endangered species, meaning it may not be a bird we should glorify as a food source. In fact, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has conservation measures in place to protect bobwhite and their habitat, also seeking to restore it and add new potential habitats for the species. And they aren't eliminating hunting of the species, but are strictly managing and monitoring populations. And there is merit to managed hunting, for the record, but that's a separate conversation to be had. So, not a horrible choice to remain as Game Bird. But who knows? Maybe I'll make a separate poll to ask this question after all. If that's something that interests you, let me know! For now, let's move on.

Bachman's Sparrow (Peuacea aestivalis)

On to the eBird suggestion! And this one is...ooooooooh...yikes. OK, yeah, you may remember my issue with the Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacutus) as a potential State Bird for New Jersey, mostly revolving around the idea that it wouldn't be easily recognizable by the public, unaffiliated with sparrows and their subtle or major differences. This? This is worse. Once again, don't get me wrong, Bachman's Sparrow (Peuacea aestivalis) would be a dream for me as a birder, as a southern exclusive species and a lifer for me personally. But for the average layman? This is a bird difficult to identify for birders! Not sure the average non-bird person has a chance, to be honest.

But just to be completely comprehensive, why the Bachman's Sparrow? Well, the eBird article quotes the species as having a large breeding population in Georgia. However, to be completely fair, the species mostly breeds in Florida, not Georgia (48% vs. 30%, by recent calculations). That said, the number of Bachman's Sparrows breeding in Georgia isn't a number to sneeze at. As for its ecology, it specializes in pine forests, including those composed of longleaf and loblolly pine, which have Georgia as a major habitat. Oh, and on a historical note (not that this matters too much), John Bachman was an opponent of segregation and racist eugenics beliefs, so a lot better than other historical figures with birds named after them. Granted, that bar is buried seven feet beneath the Earth, but still, it's cleared in this case. So, not the worst set of reasons for Bachman's Sparrow to make the cut.

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)

Whoa whoa whoa, hold on, hold on. Two more sparrows? What is this, karma? Well, yeah, maybe. Of course, these two are chosen based on their names, as both specimens used in the descriptions for the species were collected in Georgia. But does this truly matter in this case? Neither the Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), nor the Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana), breed in Georgia, although both are still found in the state. If I had to argue one over the other personally, it'd be the Swamp Sparrow, both to represent a dominant habitat in the state, and because they're possibly more recognizable...even though they're pretty close to the Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) to the untrained eye, I suppose.

Brown-headed Nuthatch (Silla pusilla)

See, here's the real question about the eBird choices. Why choose the Bachman's Sparrow, when the adorably charismatic Brown-headed Nuthatch (Silla pusilla) was right there? The largest breeding population of this bird's global range is in Georgia, with a full 26% of the species depending on Georgia for its propagation. Yeah. This is definitely a Georgia breeder, but since the Bachman's Sparrow is a bit more endangered, has different living conditions, and is a bit more dependent on its Georgia population than the nuthatch here, that's likely why it was given the crown.

And yet...AND YET...in my opinion, this is the better state-dependent representative for Georgia. Sure, less of its breeding population is found in Georgia, but one-quarter of its global population isn't exactly something to sneeze at. And, importantly, this is where the majority of its population is housed, making Georgia more important for the Brown-headed Nuthatch than it is for the Bachman's Sparrow. But is it a better representative outside of that point? Well, it's recognizable, it's not terribly difficult to find, and it's certainly charismatic. I mean, look at that thing, it's cute as hell! Not that the sparrows aren't cute in their way, but the nuthatch? I wanna squeeze that thing, and apparently, they actually sound like rubber duckies. And no, charisma doesn't always mater, and it can be damaging for noncharismatic species conservation. But it can help.

Anything else? Well, using the same logic I have with other birds, it's an important representative of its habitat. The pine forests of the Southeastern USA are, unsurprisingly, in trouble. In fact, longleaf pine forests are kind of a massive deal from a conservation standpoint, and they're in a massive amount of trouble due to development and climate change. Some figures calculate a 95% loss of these forests by 2080, which is...bad, it's real bad, obviously. That kind of potential danger to their habitat, combined with their role within it, makes the nuthatch a good option. And apparently, Birds Georgia agrees with me.

Birds Georgia, for the record, is formerly known as the Georgia chapter of the National Audubon Society. And, while they still have affiliation to the organization, they've separated themselves from the legacy of its namesake. Credit where credit's due! Anyway, why bring them up? Birds Georgia has a number of species they highlight for conservation focus, with the Brown-headed Nuthatch being a major example. Their nestbox program focuses on building more nestboxes for a declining species across the state, and it's very much worked! 450 nest boxes have been installed across the state since 2015, and hopefully that doesn't stop! So, cute potential representative! But that's not the only conservation focus from Birds Georgia.

Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)

From 2019 to 2020, Birds Georgia named the Chimney Swift their Conservation Focus for the year, and began an initiative to have nestboxes put out for the species across the state. Multiple towers were erected throughout the state by multiple conservation initiatives working with Birds Georgia, giving the birds more habitats outside of direct human settlements to breed and thrive in. But, why the Chimney Swift? They're sort of all over the place.

If you're from the eastern USA and walked outside in the morning or late afternoon, you've probably heard random chittering high above you, especially if you're in a city or town with chimneys on their buildings. If you look up, you've probably seen silhouettes of these guys flying at high speeds in the sky, mouths open to gather flying insects in the dawn and dusk. These are common birds all over the eastern US, as well as recognizable and easy to find and hear. So, why suggest them for Georgia? Because Georgia is tied with three other states for having the largest proportion of the breeding population for the species, at 6% of the species. Not a high number, but a significant proportion nonetheless. That makes it an intriguing choice for Georgia...and a few other places. So, this is probably not the last time we see this species on the polls.

Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)

But hey, if we're going for birds elevated by Birds Georgia, then we should probably highlight their actual mascot: the Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpe erythrocephalus). We've already talked about the importance of woodpeckers as keystone species in forested environments, and the Red-headed Woodpecker is definitely an example of that ecological role. In truth, the Pielated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus), which was up for the Pennsylvania poll, actually widens holes made by the Red-headed Woodpecker for its own nest-cavities, meaning a keystone depends on a keystone.

Now, in terms of Georgia's population, the breeding population in the state is definitely not the bulwark for the species (that trophy belongs to Kansas with 11%), but the live oak forests the state is seeking to protect definitely houses the species in significant numbers state-wide. The reason Birds Georgia uses it in their logo is because, in 2014, the species was considered high-risk and on the decline in its range. As of 2022, the species is also suffering its highest region-wide decline in Georgia, tied with a few other states on that front well. Combine these facts with an iconic appearance, and the Red-headed Woodpecker is also a decent choice for State Bird from a conservation standpoint.

OK...one more. And this one's...a stretch.

Red-Shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

OK, it's not actually a stretch; I just wanted to say that because it's a tall image, and I thought it'd be funny. So, OK! The Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus). Now, this is yet another species you can find in various places in the eastern USA, but its second largest breeding population in the country can be found in the Peach State, which is beat out by Florida. Trust me, though, Florida is one of the big three states in the South in terms of breeding bird populations. I try to get a raptor for each state, you'll notice, but why this raptor for Georgia, outside of the breeding population thing?

Well, firstly, there's the association of the species with swamps and woodlands, both of which are prominent Georgia habitats. They've got an extremely varied diet, going for most small prey items in their ranges, even weird ones like roadkill deer, crayfish, and screech owls. And while they're most common in Georgia, they're also most certainly seen in Georgia fairly commonly, especially after their recovery from DDT. But even then...why? Why have a hawk for the state of Georgia at...OK, some of you probably figured it out, I might as well just say it now.

Yup, Georgia's basketball team is the Atlanta Hawks. And yes, OBviously I could've gone for the Atlanta Falcons, but falcons make far less sense to highlight for the state, ironically. There are only three commonly seen species in the state, and none of them have Georgia as a major highlight of their breeding ranges. So, with that in mind, the Hawks seem like the team to highlight, and the best hawk for the state of Georgia is the Red-shouldered Hawk. With that said, is this really the best choice for Georgia's state bird? I mean...that's up to Georgians (and Tumblrites) to decide in the end.

So! An odd post, this one was. Some interesting choices in the end, but is this the most solid roster? Not sure. I have my guess as to the winner for this one, and honestly...it's not a bad choice if I'm right. But with that, it's time to leave it to you - the people! And the next time we have one of these posts, we'll be heading to a region and a state near and dear to me, personally. Time for the Nutmeg State, and the first state with a frequent flyer for a state bird!

See you next time, and happy birding!

[saltyr3mix]

Tumblr is getting the Newlife rant i info dumped to friends about earlier.

Big point to make: SPARROW IS ACTUALLY LOST IT.

I mean we knew this when he killed a man last time but the skulk is spreading and now hes doing arson on....slightly innocent people? he attacked first.

and it is SO PARALLELED with the copper phase of not daring to do anything remotely dangerous and having very strict cut lines of this is ok and this is not and basically put sparrows mind into a box. The skulk seemed to remove anything keeping it contained and so hes just became extremely arrogant and a bit narcissistic and also an arsonist.

And i think hes one of the few people still playing on the server? Martin lost his first life recently and said he might call the story off there because it gives it a satisfying arc. Sausage lost all his life recently and everyone else only has one or two left and are busy with other series. SO my prediction is i think the series is going to end with Sparrow taking over the world.

imagine that ending, the server left empty and covered in spreading skulk, Sparrow complete over taken by it in the center. hanging on to very thin strands of humanity. He came here to learn and learn he did, now he has spread over every nook and cranny he can reach harvesting all the life and memories out of everything he has everything he came here searching for. but at what cost?

hes taken it away from anyone else that might have been looking for it. He has nothing else to study or to find. Hes alone, aside from teh millions of voices from the skulk that is. they drive him even further into madness.

Either that or he realizes thats the path hes on and builds another death machine. but then he still has the question of what for? why not take over and infest the world the same will be true no matter what hybrid he ends up as hes never going to be stable and free again. There is no one left to protect from himself.

I THINK ABOUT THIS CHARACTER FAR TO MUCH SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME-

[a-thought-daughter]

Vivi-Design EAH Fancast 2.0 (Pt.3)

I'm back from the dead. Sorry for being MIA for a while but I'm back now. I'm doing Pt.3 of my @vivi-designs EAH Recast.

Part 1: https://www.tumblr.com/childofmattel/735536666910015488/vivi-design-eah-fancast-20-pt-1

Part 2: https://www.tumblr.com/childofmattel/735638317217021952/vivi-design-eah-fancast-20-pt2

Part 4: https://www.tumblr.com/childofmattel/739542620483747840/vivi-design-eah-fancast-20-pt4

Part 5: https://www.tumblr.com/childofmattel/739611898471923712/vivi-design-eah-fancast-20-pt5

Anyways let's get to it.

Adara Lael as Holly O'Hair

I know her from this Christmas movie I was forced to watch. (I forgot the name) I think that she'd make an amazing Holly O'Hair but idk. I just really like this fancast even if the actress is a little underrated.

Loren Janae Poppy O'Hair

I'm glad I found actresses that were actually twins. I think she and her sister really match with Vivi's idea with them.

Siena Agudong as Cerise Hood

I was debating changing Cerise's FC but I feel like Siena Agudong is honestly the perfect fit. Idk if she's tall like Cerise is described to me but I don't think her height is the most pivotal role of her character.

Queenie Mae Villaluz as Ramona Badwolf

If you guys don't listen to Boys World (and you like Pop) you totally should, they're so good. I think Olivia Rodrigo matched vivi's Pinterest aesthetic of Ramona but I feel like overall Queenie fits as Rosabella Badwolf. Although she's not an actress I feel like she fits as Ramona.

Jack Pililaau as Tucker

I'm keeping the same fc for Tucker cuz why not.

Adrian Lyles as Sparrow Hood

I wanted to cast someone a little younger for Vivi-design's EAH because even though Bryant Barnes is a good FC I think he's a little too old to be playing a teenager even if it is just a fancast. If this were to actually be a live-action show I think Adrian Lyles would fit as Sparrow.

Hanni Pham as Duchess Swan

There needs to be more Vietnamese representation in Hollywood because it was not easy finding one. Hanni Pham is also a dancer like Duchess and even though she's not an actress I think look-wise she can portray Duchess.

Sean Kaufman as Hopper Croakington II

I think he looks a lot like the Hopper in vivi's art, although he doesn't have red hair which really doesn't matter.

Brianna Reed as C.A. Cupid

While scrolling through Cupid's pinterest I saw this picture and was like "automatically yes." Look at this picture and tell me this isn't a perfect Cupid.

Marsai Martin as Blondie Lockes

I saw on fancast on Tiktok and I haven't been able to get it out of mind. I just love the idea of Marsai as Blondie Lockes. And this picture with the blonde braids is stunning. She'd be a great Blondie.

Shahadi Wright Joseph as Cedar Wood

No changes. Shahadi Wright Joseph forever.

Maripaz Romero as Rosabella Beauty

Like vivi's Rosabella she has a prosthetic leg. Speaking of I just want to take a moment to appreciate all the rep Vivi-design's EAH has. I do love EAH but come to think of it -- it was really white so all this rep makes me happy.

Anyways that's part 3, again sorry for the long hiatus. For my Re-Cast I'm planning to do more parts, including one with the EAH character's parents.

[vinnieswife]

A pirates love

Henry Turner x reader

words: 462

warnings: none

In the bustling port town of San Martin, a young and energetic pirate sailed aboard the notorious ship "Black Pearl." As the salty winds whipped through his hair, Henry's heart was captured not by the treasures of the sea, but by the enchanting daughter of the Captain, y/n. Her eyes were as deep and mysterious as the ocean itself, and her laughter could rival the songs of the sirens.

Days turned into weeks, and Henry found himself stealing glances at you whenever he could, his heart beating like the waves against the ship's hull. Despite the danger that came with being a pirate, he longed for an opportunity to speak with you beyond the stolen smiles and exchanged words during your adventures.

One moonlit night, as the ship anchored near a secluded cove, Henry gathered the courage to share his feelings. He nervously approached you, who were gazing at the stars from the ship's deck. "y/n," he began, his voice shaky yet determined, "there's something I've been wanting to tell you for quite some time."

You turned to him, your eyes curious but cautious. "Hmm? You know you can tell me anything, Hen." That nickname made the cannonballs in Henry's stomach make even more noise.

With the moon casting a silvery glow over both of you, Henry confessed, "I've sailed the seas and faced countless dangers, but none have stirred my heart as you have. Your laughter is a melody that resonates in my mind, and your beauty shines brighter than any treasure. Y/n, I... I've fallen in love with you."

A soft smile played on your lips as you reached out to touch his cheek. "Tell Gibbs never to give you advice again." Henry's face softened, laughing at your little joke. "What I mean is, I love you, y/n." Your cheeks flushed a rosy hue, your hands caressing his cheeks. "I love you too, Henry," the boy sighed, laughing, "a Sparrow's child, huh?" "The one and only."

His fingers brushed a loose strand of hair behind your ear. Your heart raced, and your breath caught as Henry leaned in, his eyes fixed on your lips. His lips met yours—a collision of longing, tenderness, and a fire that had been burning between you both for far too long.

Your kiss was a symphony of emotions, a dance of intertwined souls. It was a kiss that spoke of unspoken promises, of dreams and desires finally finding a voice.

As you finally pulled away, your foreheads resting gently against each other, you shared a smile that conveyed more than words ever could. The ocean, the stars, and the Black Pearl—all bore witness to the passion that had ignited between you, a flame that would continue to burn brightly.

[usafphantom2]

How F-14 and F-15 pilots trained to take down the legendary Blackbird

Image created by Alex Hollings using U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin graphics.

Despite flying into the sunset nearly a quarter-century ago, Lockheed’s legendary SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance plane was so far ahead of its time that even today, some 59 years since its first flight, there has yet to be a single aircraft to challenge its position atop the podium of fastest crewed jets in history. Throughout its three decades of service, the Blackbird famously had over 4,000 missiles of all sorts fired at it, and managed to outrun every single one.

But no aircraft is invincible and the Blackbird was no exception. With looming concerns about high-speed Soviet fighters closing the capability gap that insulated the SR-71 from intercept, the Air Force decided to pit its Mach 3+ Blackbird against America’s own best fighters, both of which have also become legends in their own right: the U.S. Navy’s Grumman F-14 Tomcat and the U.S. Air Force’s McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle.

And while no Soviet fighter or missile ever managed to catch up to the sky-storming Habu (a name pilots gave the Blackbird due to its aesthetic similarities to the pit viper of the same name), the same can’t be said for the simulated AIM-54 Phoenix and AIM-7 Sparrow missiles notionally lobbed its way by America’s top fighter pilots. Like any prizefighter with an undefeated record, the SR-71’s official tally may show only victories, but its unofficial training record is actually littered with defeats at the hands of its slower-moving (but highly capable) American fighter siblings.

But don’t let those simulated defeats fool you… because taking on the Blackbird and winning required a fair bit of meddling that stacked the deck in the fighter’s favor.

Related: How hypersonic drones could defeat missiles the same way the SR-71 did

The truth about air combat exercises (and what we can learn from their outcomes)

As Sandboxx News has covered at great length in the past, training exercises are rarely organized in a way that allows the superior platform to flex its distinct advantages to their fullest extent. Those sorts of exercises do occur in the form of platform and system testing, but the rules of engagement in complex combat training operations usually aim to level the playing field to some extent in order to give all pilots and crews involved some experience working from a tactical deficit.

In other words, commanders intentionally set the rules to give pilots experience fighting or surviving in uncomfortable circumstances, even if their aircraft are so capable that uncomfortable situations are unlikely. F-22 Raptor pilots, for instance, are regularly disallowed from beyond-visual-range engagements during training exercises against other fighters and are sometimes even required to keep their heavy drop tanks underwing when scrapping in close quarters – both conditions set by operational planners in order to nerf (or diminish) the Raptor’s greatest combat advantages.

(FLIR image from an F-16 of an SR-71 flying alongside an F/A-18)

But if you think the F-22 is often forced to fight with one wing tied behind its back, you’ll be downright shocked at the lengths SR-71 pilots would go to just to make themselves a viable target for America’s premier fighters. And when the fastest pilots in the sky got tired of losing and started breaking those training rules, not even the F-15 Eagle – the fastest fighter in American history with an unmatched modern air combat record of 104 wins and zero losses – could touch the legendary Blackbird.

Related: The King is dead: Why would America want to retire the F-22

Pitting the SR-71 against the Air Force’s F-15 Eagle

An F-15 Eagle from the 142nd Fighter Wing takes off from Portland Air National Guard Base in Oregon. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman John Hughel)

The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle program might be described as an American overreaction to alarming assumptions made by the Defense and Intelligence communities about the Soviet MiG-25. When the first images of this high-speed new fighter reached the Pentagon in 1967, its massive turbojet nozzles, vast wing area, and broad, gulping intakes led many to believe it was the most capable fighter ever seen to that point. In response, the U.S. redoubled its development efforts for a new air superiority fighter that might be capable of standing toe-to-toe with what certainly seemed to be a new Soviet juggernaut.

Of course, the MiG-25 was nothing close to the high-performer the United States feared it to be, but by the time American officials found that out in 1976 (when Soviet pilot Victor Belenko defected with one), the monster they built to take it on – by then known officially as the F-15 Eagle – had already entered service eight months prior.

Victor Belenko’s MiG-25 (DoD Image)

However, as dominant as the F-15 would prove to be in air-to-air combat, even it struggled against the Habu’s elusive combination of speed, stealth, and electronic countermeasures.

In the books, The Complete Book of the SR-71 Blackbird: The Illustrated Profile of Every Aircraft, Crew, and Breakthrough of the World’s Fastest Stealth Jet, and, SR-71 Revealed: The Inside Story, former Blackbird driver and retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Richard H. Graham discussed his time flying high-speed sorties against the legendary F-15 over the Nellis Air Force Base training range, not far from the clandestine installation many of us know today as Area 51.

The intent of these exercises, which the pilots took to calling Eagle Bait sorties, was to give F-15 pilots valuable practice intercepting high-altitude and fast-moving targets that only the Blackbird could simulate.

“To maximize scare, high-altitude/high-speed intercept practice for the fighters against the SR-71,” Graham wrote. “We stacked the deck in their favor to avoid a multitude of missed intercepts, and consequently, wasted time.”

But as powerful as the F-15 was, it faced all the same challenges as the Soviet MiGs. In fact, in order to give the Eagle a shot at scoring a kill against the Habu using the longest-range air-to-air missile available to it at the time, the AIM-7 Sparrow, the Eagle drivers had to be given special permission to exceed the jet��s safety envelope.

“In order to get high enough to take a reasonable shot at us, F-15 crews were given special permission to do a zoom-climb to 50,000 to 55,000 feet before a simulated AIM-7 launch against the SR-71,” Graham recalled. Flying to these altitudes in an F-15 wasn’t just a question of power, however. It also raised concerns about pilot safety inside the cockpit. “They had permission to be above 50,000 feet for a maximum time of 90 seconds without wearing a pressure suit.”

As they’d soon learn, the Eagle also struggled with approaching the Habu from head-on because its targeting systems weren’t designed to be able to see something closing with them so quickly. As former SR-71 pilot Dave Peters would later recall, the speed gate (a filter set to narrow down radar returns to only legitimate threats) had been set to 1,500 miles per hour.

“We were casually warping along from 1,850 to 2,000. So, for them, we didn’t exist,” Peters said. Yet, even once that issue was sorted out, the F-15s still had a steep hill to climb.

As part of “stacking the deck” in the Eagle’s favor, the SR-71 crews were instructed to fly along a specific flight path at altitudes no higher than 70,000 feet and speeds no greater than Mach 2.8. They even began executing fuel dumps, leaving a massive streak of jet fuel in the sky to help the F-15s find them overhead.

Similar to the F-22’s dogfighting conundrum, these rules rounded off the sharper edges of the Habu’s capability set, giving the Eagle a fighting chance.

When that proved not to be enough, Blackbirds were instructed to fly over a designated point in space (called the intercept point) and even call out their approach to it over open radio frequencies at one-minute intervals starting five minutes out. This approach, however unrealistic, gave the Eagle drivers the window of opportunity they needed, rapidly scoring simulated kill after kill against the SR-71 as it zoomed by.

“After each mission, we would debrief by phone, and the F-15 drivers would report ‘four AIM-7s launched, four kills on the HABU,'” Former SR-71 pilot, Capt. Steve “Griz” Grzebiniak later recalled.

Related: Project Oxcart: Why you had to be married to fly the CIA’s fastest jet

Teaching the air-to-air champ a lesson

(Lockheed Martin)

Even with all of the allowances the Blackbird drivers made for their competition, just shaking one of the notional AIM-7 Sparrows launched by the F-15s was simple. The now-dated AIM-7 carried only a semi-active radar guidance system onboard, meaning it needed target information to be relayed from the launching aircraft all the way until impact.

The SR-71 carried an advanced electronic countermeasures system onboard that, among other things, has been said to be able to discern between radar transmission and even broadcast phantom returns that would force the engaging fighter to re-acquire the real target. Because of the Sparrow’s semi-active homing guidance system, the Blackbird could dismiss an inbound Sparrow with the flip of a switch.

F-15A “Eagle” of the 110th Fighter Squadron, 131st Fighter Wing, Air National Guard, Lambert-St. Louis IAP, Mo., launches an AIM-7 “Sparrow” missile, during a Weapons System Evaluation Program. (U.S. Air Force photo)

But as the F-15s racked up victories, the competitive spirit of the Habu drivers began to take hold… and finally, they decided to break a few rules to inject a bit of humility back into the fighter pilots below.

This time, they didn’t execute a fuel dump at five minutes out like usual… mostly because they were flying 16,000 feet higher (now at 86,000 feet) and much faster than before… now cruising at Mach 3.2. The F-15s never had a chance.

“In the phone debrief after the mission, the F-15 flight lead reported ‘four shots and four kills’ on the first pass and mumbled something about radar problems and no kills on the second pass,” Grzebiniak said. “Even with the world’s best planes, pilots, and missiles, it would take a golden BB [a lucky blind shot by the enemy] to bring down a Habu.”

Related: Sea Eagle: America’s plan to put the F-15 on aircraft carriers

The F-14’s AIM-54 Phoenix Missile may have been the real Top Gun

F-14 flying alongside SR-71 during refueling (Image via Haburats SR-71 on X/Twitter)

The F-15 wasn’t the only top-tier fighter in the U.S. arsenal at the time, and the truth is, the Navy’s famed F-14 Tomcat of Top Gun fame was actually better equipped for these sorts of high-speed intercepts.

While the Eagle’s AN/APG-63 was a highly capable radar, it fell well short of the massive power output and multi-targeting capability of the Tomcat’s AN/AWG-9 radar and fire control system. With around double the detection range of the Eagle’s radar and the ability to track 24 targets simultaneously, the F-14 could guide six separate missiles into six separate targets at the same time. Despite being based on a fairly dated design, there wouldn’t be a more powerful radar installed in a fighter until the F-22 Raptor entered service.

But perhaps even more important was the Tomcat’s armament, because the F-14 came equipped with the now-legendary AIM-54 Phoenix missile – the longest-ranged air-to-air missile on the planet at the time that flew with a combination of a semi-active seeker to take cues from the F-14’s radar and an active radar-homing seeker for terminal guidance. In other words, once the Phoenix was close enough to a target, it could rely on its own onboard radar to close in, rather than needing the launching pilot to maintain a lock until impact.

AIM-54 hits a QF-4 target drone during testing. (U.S. Navy photos)

Training intercepts that pitted the F-14 against the SR-71 were known by insiders as Tomcat Chase sorties, and were usually carried out over the Pacific, rather than the Nevada desert, thanks to the presence of F-14-hauling aircraft carriers at sea. As with the F-15, Habu drivers did their best to give the F-14 a fighting chance, flying along straight, predetermined flight paths at lower altitudes and speeds than they would normally do. They also maintained open radio communications, allowing the SR-71 pilots to guide the F-14s into their relative positions so they’d have a chance to fire their notional AIM-54s.

The Blackbird flew with its transponder on, and again, without its defensive electronic countermeasures engaged. But, again, even in these very favorable conditions, Tomcats struggled to find their mark.

“The 14s could find us but they couldn’t do anything until we modified and gave them times, route of flight, speed, and altitude beforehand so they could have a pre-planned setup,” Pilot Dave Peters recalled. “The 15s didn’t do that well for quite some time.”

A Fighter Squadron 211 (VF-211) F-14A Tomcat aircraft banks into a turn during a flight out of Naval Air Station, Miramar while carrying six AIM-54 Phoenix missiles. (U.S. Navy photo)

Tough as it was to spot the Blackbird zooming past, once the Tomcats did, the Phoenix missile was capable enough to pose some real problems for the Blackbird. With a top speed in excess of Mach 4 (except when put into a ballistic flight path into the ground, where it could exceed Mach 5), the AIM-54 had the speed and the range required to close with an airborne Habu, and thanks to its onboard radar seeker, it would be tougher to shake than the Eagle’s Sparrows.

However, there remains some debate about whether or not even the Phoenix could have found its mark in the Blackbird’s high-altitude domain.

“Another factor in our favor was the small guidance fins on their missiles,” Graham wrote. “They are optimized in size for guiding a missile to its target in the thicker air from the ground up and around forty thousand feet. At eighty thousand feet the air is so thin that full deflection of the missile’s guidance fins can barely turn it.”

Related: The best fighters America *almost* put on aircraft carriers

Tomcats, Eagles, and Habus… Oh my!

This picture of an SR-71 flying alongside F-4s and F-14s was too cool not to include, so just pretend those F-4s are F-15s! (DoD image)

At the end of the day, the Tomcat Chase and Eagle Bait sorties flown throughout the late 1970s and into the 1980s were about far more than the pilots’ pride. These exercises were about identifying technical limits (like the Eagle’s speed gate), assessing aircraft capabilities in circumstances outside the norm, and helping pilots gain the experience they need to exercise complex problem-solving in the heat of a high-stakes situation.

These exercises, like a great deal of military training, weren’t about finding winners and losers, they were about making everyone involved, from the ground crews, to command and control, to the pilots better at some of the most difficult, arduous, and complex jobs in warfare.

But that doesn’t mean fighter pilots didn’t take their chance to down a Habu seriously… and as you might expect, they took losing just as seriously.

“There was some animosity at first with both the Eagles and the Tomcats because they kept accusing us of not showing up,” Peters recalled about the times the fighters couldn’t find his fast-moving Blackbird. Listening in on the open radio lines, Peters couldn’t help but enjoy their frustration a bit. “They got a little huffy because nobody told them we weren’t coming.”

[revnah1406]

HANNAH "SPARROW" CLAYTON🐦🏔️🛠️

Name: Hannah Clayton

Nationality: British🇬🇧/Swiss🇨🇭

Age: 30

Date of birth: January 23 1994 - Hull (UK)

Residence: Zermatt (Switzerland)

Affiliation: Swiss Armed Forces/Taskforce 141

Rank: Sergeant Major

Call sign(s): Sparrow / Bravo 7-2 / Kilo 4

Occupation: mechanical engineer and demolitions expert

Faceclaim: Fury (Ghost Recon break point)

Height: 1'85m/ 6.1ft

Weight: 90kg/198.4lb

Blood Type: O-

Pronouns: She/her

Sexuality: Lesbian

Languages: Italian🇮🇹 (native), English🇬🇧 (Native) German🇩🇪 (native), Arabic🇲🇦, Russian 🇷🇺, Nepalese🇳🇵.

BODY REFERENCE:

DESIGN REFERENCES:

MILITARY PERSONNEL FILE:

FAMILY:

James Clayton (Father) *alive*

Monika Müller (Mother) *alive*

Nathan Clayton (big brother) *alive*

Connor Clayton (little brother) *alive*

Elisabeth Clayton (little sister) *alive*

Dorian Clayton (nephew - Nathan) *alive*

Eric Clayton (nephew - Nathan) *alive*

Anna Clayton (niece - Nathan) *alive*

Amara Thompson (Girlfriend) *alive*

AFFILIATIONS:

Kommando Spezialkräfte (Swiss Armed Forces):

Captain Elijah Bubber

Lieutenant Hans Widmer

Staff Sergeant Urs Zimmerman

Lieutenant Ruth Fischer

Private Martin Gruber

141 members:

Captain John Price (Bravo 0-6)

Kate Laswell

Lieutenant Simon "Ghost" Riley (Bravo 0-7)

John "Soap" MacTavish (Bravo 7-1)

Kyle "Gaz" Garrick (Bravo 6-2)

Annabelle "kit" Pham (Shadow company later) (@applbottmjeens )

Charlotte "Jade" Le Jardin (@sleepyconfusedpotato )

Los Vaqueros (Mexican Special Forces):

Alejandro Vargas

Rodolfo Parra

Alyssa Martinez (@alypink )

Second Commando Regiment (@kaitaiga):

Captain Lachlan Jones

Sergeant Damien Whitlock

Para Special Forces (@welldonekhushi):

Captain Arjun Dhingra

Lieutenant Yurvaj

LIeutenant Aditya

Warriors Task Force ( @islandtarochips):

General Alan Kalani

Captain Kanoa Toa

First Sergeant Tiala "Shark" Toa

Sergeant Nigel "Squirrel" Harrison

Sergeant Agnes "Blast" Falagi

Shadow Company:

Annabelle "kit" Pham (@applbottmjeens )

PERSONALITY:

Sparrow is a woman who at first glance can be intimidating when she is alone. But under that shell you find a person full of smiles and laughter. Her good humor and optimism can lighten the most difficult situations. There will always be a small comment or joke on her part, always with the intention of encouraging her teammates.

Sparrow is loyal to her teammates and friends, she is capable of risking her own life in order to protect them, sometimes she will even disobey orders for the good of the team. It's not uncommon to see Sparrow put her loved ones ahead of herself in many situations.

Although Hannah is a person who can light up a dark room with her smile, she can become very suspicious of strangers. She usually leans a lot on her intuition that almost never fails.

Sparrow is hard to anger, yet she can become very temperamental when she sees something that isn't fair. When her anger fills her veins she can become aggressive and strike with all her might without warning. Not caring who she may be hitting.

BIOGRAPHY:

Born in Kingston Upon Hull in England but raised in Zermatt, a small town located in the Swiss Alps. She comes from a large family, raised by a British father and a Swiss mother, being the second oldest of four siblings. Her father was a tank mechanic when he served in the army, so Hannah learned a lot about how to fix all kinds of engines and vehicles. She grew up climbing the Alps with her father and older brother, creating a great passion for high altitude and extreme climbing. Sparrow climbed the fourteen highest peaks in the world together with her brother. Unfortunately Sparrow didn't make it, because on the last mountain (K2) she suffered an accident, saving her brother from falling while climbing, the ice broke due to an avalanche, and she was lost on the mountain for days until a rescue team found her full of cuts and wounds from the ice and stones. When she was transferred to the nearest hospital, she made her brother swear that he would finish climbing that damn mountain for her.

SKILLS:

Expert in all types of engines and ground vehicles.

Expert in demolitions and electrical systems.

Expert in extreme high-altitude climbing.

Sparrow can adapt to any situation but there is no better assault soldier than her.

COMBAT:

Sparrow's close combat style is aggressive yet agile. Her style focuses on boxing and Mixed Martial Arts. Her strength is concentrated in her fists, so it is not surprising that her knife of choice is a pair of Punch Knives.

TRIVIA:

Sparrow along with her brother Nathan, they hold the historical record of climbing the fourteen highest mountains in the world in less than six months. Although sadly Sparrow did not manage to complete the last mountain.

Although Sparrow denies it, since the accident she has a certain fear of returning to K2. A cold sweat runs down her back just thinking about it. But it's a fear she's determined to face.

Sparrow is especially fond of her motorcycle, which she bought with money saved from her first job at age 18. This is a Kawasaki ninja zx-10r.

Sparrow's father gave her his prized car, a 1970s HEMI Cuda. Sparrow continues to fight to make that car work again as well as it did fifty years ago. In fact, she made a bet with her brother Connor, he thinks she won't get it fixed.

When Sparrow is out of service, she has a small car workshop in Zermatt, where she is dedicated to fixing the vehicles of the neighbors.

Sparrow's nickname comes from her incredible ability to whistle. She's capable of imitating almost all bird songs. More than once Sparrow has managed to get a bird to perch on her hand just by whistling.

MOODBOARD:

[lilithdahobbit]

Fuck it, The Magnus Archives fancast

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Riz Ahmed as Jonathan Simms

Look at him. You're gonna tell me that's NOT Jon? Yes he's a lil older than Jon but it's fine he doesn't look much older.

Harvey Guillen as Martin Blackwood

Everytime you fuckers cast a skinny guy as Martin a puppy dies. He is quite literally described as "comfortable" and "not the smallest". Plus Guillermo is pretty similar to Martin already. Anyway I better not see another skinny Martin on here.

Justin Min as Tim Stoker

Listen Tim is supposed to hot and broody. Justin is hot and his sparrow version of Ben is broody.

Bryce Dallas Howard as Sasha James

Listen, she'd need heels and glasses but I have faith.

Jessica Chastain as Not-Sasha

I think in a visual medium Not-Sasha needs to look enough like Sasha so the writers can gaslight the audience. They can't be identical, the audience still needs a moment of "are we supposed to think that's Sasha?" It's Sasha but...not. and Bryce has been compared to Jessica for years. Plus Jessica can play a really good antagonist/villain. She plays the character that makes you go "something ain't right" well.

Sophia Nomvete as Basira Hussain

I just have a good feeling about her ngl

Mackenzie Davis as Daisy Tonner

Tall lady with muscles 😩

Susan Wokoma as Georgie Barker

Honestly I just scrolled thru other people's Georgie fancasts and she just....stood out to me as Georgie

Hannah Marks as Melanie King

Look I just think her acting in Dirk Gently proves she's the gal to play Melanie.

Con O'Neill as Elias Bouchard

I'm putting this at the bottom because this feels the most controversial. Listen I have a vision ok? Mads definitely could be Elias but I just...I think Con has such a unique voice and I think it'd be really neat. Plus he's like "too young for the job he has" without looking the same age as Jon. He's only in his 50s, it could work.

[dansnaturepictures]

Our wild adventure in Yorkshire 1st-8th June 2024 

Over the past week we have had another fantastic, packed, relaxing and breathtaking wild holiday this year, this time returning to the Yorkshire coast for a trip based around visiting the incredible RSPB Bempton Cliffs. It was an amazing week. 

The main highlights came on the visits to Bempton on Monday and Friday, going on a boat trip underneath there and Flamborough Head on Wednesday and visits to Flamborough Head and North Landing and Thornwick Bay where we were mesmerised to be immersed in bustling seabird colonies. It was magical especially to be ensconced in the elegant world of Gannets, seeing these remarkable and bold sea kings and queens in huge numbers was an honour getting views of ones with vegetation in their bills, scuffles and many flying and still views. The enchanting Puffins with their parrot beaks were also stars of the trip, I can never tire of these birds which awaken by heart. As do Guillemots and Razorbills, more awesome auks treasured at close quarters this week. Another of my favourites the Fulmars meandered in the wind and brought me much joy. Also making Bempton and Flamborough stand out are true seagulls, the angelic Kittiwakes whose onomatopoeic calls provide the colonies’ main soundtrack, precious to witness seeing the quirky sight of the ones nesting on buildings in urban Bridlington too. The sight, sound and smell of seabird colonies enriched my soul. Also seen this week were Herring Gulls well including young, Shag, Sandwich Tern and loads of Little Terns on a first visit to places I had always wanted to go the peculiar and almost otherworldly Spurn and Kilnsea Wetlands.  

At Kilnsea Wetlands we saw a surprise bird of the trip with exhilarating views of our first Yellow Wagtails of the year, part of a rich farmland double of bird year ticks for me this trip alongside thrilling views of a grand pair of Grey Partridges on a walk from Bempton. We were spellbound to watch two owls, brilliant Barn Owl views at Bempton and epic views of stunning Short-eared Owl at Flamborough North Landing just before setting off for home today. Also standing out throughout the week were a scattering of other pretty passerines; luxurious views of Bempton’s gorgeous Tree Sparrows birds I love seeing, strong Sedge Warbler views, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Stonechat including young, Reed Buntings, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Starling, Goldfinch, Song Thrush, lots of views of hirundines Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin including on nests and Swifts. It was good to see Pheasants and Stock Dove too. Beautiful Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Avocet, Grey Plover, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Teal and Wigeon mostly at Kilnsea Wetlands and Spurn were nice wader and waterfowl sightings with a Cuckoo’s call heard in a third area of the country for us this year alongside Hampshire and Scotland reverberating over the North York Moors landscape at Fen Bog Nature Reserve. 

Lepidoptera played a big part in the week with my treasured first sighting of a Small Copper this year a butterfly I needed to see at Fen Bog Nature Reserve and it was also good to see some of my last Orange Tips of the year I shall imagine with them coming to their end especially at home with lovely Painted Lady at Bempton Cliffs, Red Admiral, Dingy Skipper, Speckled Wood and Green-veined White other butterflies enjoyed. Silver Y and Mother Shipton were good to see too as was Brown House moth where we stayed. We also saw some nice caterpillars, burnet moth, Garden Tiger moth and Brown-tail moth. 

Onto other wildlife and mammals starred in the week with astonishing sightings of Weasel and Field Voles at Bempton Cliffs providing me some of my moments of the year, making my mammal year list my joint highest ever alongside last year’s total. It was breathtaking to watch iconic Grey Seals from land and from the boat at Flamborough Head with some powerful intimate experiences. Brown Hare on another holiday this year, Rabbit and Grey Squirrel were nice to see too. Fen Bog brought more marvellous moments with my first giant Golden-ringed Dragonfly and thrilling Common Lizard of the year, with bees, lots of snails and slugs including Black Slugs, flies, a Green Tiger beetle at Fen Bog also seen in Scotland, at home and Yorkshire for me this year and Long-bodied Cellar Spider at where we stayed other highlights. 

There were some fabulous flowers seen with hogweed and red campion painting swathes of colour on Bempton’s seaside meadows. Common butterwort and heath bedstraw at Fen Bog Nature Reserve and many marsh orchids adorning the coast were other key species seen. Other key flowers enjoyed across the week were meadow crane’s-bill, herb-Robert, yellow rattle, plantain, white and red clover, groundsel, oxeye daisy, daisy, chamomile, hawksbeard, sow thistle, milkwort, comfrey, poppies, mouse-ear chickweed, green alkanet, roses, buttercups, cuckooflower, vetch and seas of kidney vetch painting cliffs.

Thursday brought something slightly different for us with a look at nearby to where we stayed Sewerby Hall and Gardens; feeling inspired to see the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition and enjoying gladiolus, roses and forget-me-not in the gardens and Humboldt Penguins, Racoon Dogs and Rheas in the Zoo among others. Quite something to see Penguins which I love then see the auks Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffin on a look at Thornwick Bay later in the day; my early childhood obsession with Penguins meaning I was drawn to these northern hemisphere counterparts when I first got into birdwatching in my mid-late childhood sowing the seeds for my hobby and passion something I reflected on a lot this week in this big seabird experiences. Finally particularly centring on rugged and stunning coast but also including meadows, moor and marsh and hints of woodland with picture postcard seaside at Bridlington too I have taken in some breathtaking views this week and nice sky scenes too. An unforgettable and extraordinary week. 

The photos I took in this photoset from the week are of; Tree Sparrow, Yellow Wagtail, carrot type flowers at Flamborough North Landing, hawksbit type flowers with a fly and beetle on at Fen Bog Nature Reserve, view at Spurn and snail at Flamborough Head, view at Thornwick Bay, Kittiwake at Flamborough Head and views at Flamborough North Landing and Sewerby Gardens.

[andromerot]

Once upon a time, there was a place called the wilderness. It was beautiful and full of life, but it was also lonely, and violent, and misunderstood. So, one day, the wilderness built a house. It waited. Summers came. Winters came–

yellowjackets 2.09, storytelling

Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a house. No, let me go earlier: once upon a time there was land, green and black and arched over the ocean, and on the land there were foxes, deer, martens, rabbits, bird-of-paradise, magnolia trees and black walnut trees and yew and fir and juniper, and in the air above the land there were crows and gulls and sparrows and fruit bats and falcons, and below, in the cold of the underearth, there was – well. Some man came and claimed the land as his own, as men tend to do, and he built on the hill a great grey house. To build on any land is imposition of the worst kind, but there are ways to mitigate that – offerings to be made, bargains to be negotiated. You know how it is. This man did none of those things, and so the house dug its nails into the land like a claw, and the land resented it. Tried to steal itself back from the roof-beams and foundations. Sent out spies, green invaders, sneaking tendrils of vine and root and lichen. It wasn’t the house’s fault. Just like it wasn’t Luna’s fault that she was stolen and kept in a cage, just like it wasn’t your fault you were born into the Martin family. The house wanted what all good houses want: to guard, to withstand, to be the strong exoskeleton to the soft red meat of the family within. But so much infiltration would make anyone wary. All those years and years and years of punishment, always needled at, always battered by winds and soaked by rains and ruined by ivy – how could anyone live through that without becoming bitter? So the house said, stay. The house said, mine. The house said, no more; I am staking my claim; this is my family and I have a right to them, and if they leave me they will leave bereft, for I am the house on the hill and this is my final testament. And under the house, in the land below the land, the king said –

mabel, episode twenty three: bull in the maze

[zilabee]

Yoko: I'm trying without the marmalade today, you know.

The breakfasting genuinely makes me so happy. And the lunchtime conversation today is stellar. It's the quality content I'm here for, more than the music or the interpersonal dramas.

What do you want for lunch? --- Sparrow On Toast. --- Boiled Testicle. --- Whatever The Veg-etables Are.

My menu when I open a fancy london dinery.

- When George is talking again about releasing Get Back as a single, and Paul says he's really just rehearsing at the moment sldkjfowije. They're still trying to do different projects at the same time.

- I am starting to feel a low drag from watching get back so constantly, now. While the small amounts a day is definitely easier for me than the whole thing was, it's also very constant, with all the pain and the frustration spreading out endlessly, heartbreaking and blue.

- John deciding he wants Billy to be a permanent Beatle, and not just deciding that but deciding to talk about it, and then George wanting to drag in Bob fucking Dylan too. Exhaustion. I love Paul just openly acknowledging that he can only just cope with the Beatles they already have. (I know there are pros and cons and maybe it makes sense to turn the Beatles into a concept instead of a group, but also it doesn't at all not really.)

- I do just love Ringo having a little art gallery. The only thing keeping him sane.

It's a bit of a drag, bass, isn't it?

It is not a drag Paul, it is your soul. (Is it John that then claims he's never heard a song without bass, and Paul has to go 'well we've done a few...')

Paul: ha aha ha, it's so weird, it's like we wrote songs that mean something lol John: yeah, mad. it makes it sound as if we love each other or whatever roflmao!

- MLH doesn't know what story he is telling any more, and I'm trying to have a bit of sympathy for him. I think he could just call someone with a bit of imagination, and a bit of push and put them in charge. But at the same time... he thought it was going to be about everyone working hard, it all fitting together, and creating a huge Beatles concert to light up the world. So he's allowed to be sad that all they do is sit in a room and talk in circles.

> At the moment we've got a movie about smokers, nose pickers, and nail biters. > We are rather uncouth. We're not your elite you know.

- I suppose he didn't know who they were. I suppose we have a lot of hindsight about them. I suppose he thought he was going in to do a film about really successful people doing something successfully and he just didn't know he'd have to organise it and shape it at all. I suppose he thought they were magical and was surprised that they were weird terrified children.

George: It sounds lovely that, now. After all the anguish we went through with it. John: Well, it's part of the, the pudding... It's a Henry Moore sculpture, that. George Martin: And the fact that you're working so well together: you're looking at each other, you're seeing each other, you're... just happening.

- All my heart to George Martin for saying perfect things to them.

- The bit in Polythene Pam where John is frowning, and confused at what his chords are doing, as though he has nothing to do with it, and he is so beautiful when puzzled that is all.

- I love that they only bought George the cheapest Hawaiian but if he's any good he can have a better one. Mimi would be proud.

- I love how much Paul and John use each others names the moment they're in an accent or a character or a bit.

[badnewlifesmpideas]

Hey! Since you enjoyed my silly little coma head cannon i thought i would share few more!

Once you lose your 6th life you fully despawn. the difference is that despawning means you fade away pixel by pixel starting from where every your wound is, under the span of a minute until you were nothing but the consequences you left behind.

Some personalized coma headcannons. (I have not whatched every POV).

I believe Jimmy died in Martin's base. This likely meant that after the fall martin carried up his body from where it fell back to Jimmy's doll house, and probably did daily check ins to see if he was awake or not. and maybe even feels like its his fault. not overwhelmingly. but he knows hes partly to blame but after jimmy wakes up, some apologies and pranks are shared. the two bounce back into being friends like nothing happened.

Sparrows machine left him in a coma. Scott found out about this the hard way and brought the man to his own home because it was raining and storming and Sparrows tents weren't going to hold well against the weather. From there Scott anxiously awaits for Sparrows awakening. But also fears it a little because when Sparrow inevitably does awake he'll have some new hybrid features that will surely startle and confuse the once human. But Scott's prepared every kind of meal set and has made a promise to himself to help sparrow through whatever troubles come.

(Hey? can i tell you a secret about that head cannon right above this?....I wrote a fic about it. im not sure if im allowed to self promote or anything here. This ask is already super long but, if you like the idea look up 'Sacrificing Storms' on Ao3.)

Ahem. Sorry. Don't know what that was about. Anyway i still have more i could share but will save for another day.

-Star anon :D

(Thank you for the explanation by the way. made a lot of things make sense)

Ooh, this is really interesting! And kinda creepy lol. Imagine how horrifying it would be to watch someone lose their 6th life. All of a sudden they aren't laughing and joking, but they aren't just passed out while their anatomy changes like before. No, no matter how much they joked about these comas being "death", there is no comparison to watching someone well and truly die. They're just frozen in horror as their friend's body vanishes before their eyes. Within seconds, all that is left is whatever they had on them at the time and a whisper on the wind.

The server feels a lot more empty in the coming days.

-Raven

[stranger-chichka]

Tina's stupid party (season 2 & 3 parallel)

TINA is an acronym for the phrase "there is no alternative."  The idea that only one course of action is possible. (a slogan often attributed to Margaret Thatcher)

Uncle Jack is  is Jack Sparrow's uncle in the film "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales." He is a pirate who is recently imprisoned in Saint Martin's prison. And if Karen happens to be Alice Creel, Henry/001/Vecna will be Nancy's, Mike's and Holly's uncle. Jack is also a playing card bearing a representation of a soldier, page, or knave, normally ranking next below a queen -> "I will be king, you will be queen" = Byler, which makes Vecna less powerful then each of them.

[kiwi-tmntfan]

Hi these are the animals I've named because I Am Definitely Martin Kratt (they are all just birds currently but I do need to try to name the moose and the bear and all the deer at some point)

A small mountain chickadee named Hill. Because a small mountain is a hill wow I'm so good at this. Based on behaviour, I believe Hill is a female, but I'm definitely not really sure

Rufous hummingbirds. The male is Fire and the female is Ash. Mostly because when I looked up shades of orange, the one that is most like the colour of a male rufous hummingbird was called fire, and when I looked up shades of brown, the one that is most like the brown of a female was called ash. Plus they go together so bonus (that was all I was looking for originally)

A white-crowned sparrow named Iced Capp because uh idk it just makes sense for some reason. also wow Tim Hortons drink who would've guessed that from a Canadian. I believe Iced Capp is male, but again I do not really know and I am just guessing based on a few things I've seen of behaviour

[spacefinch]

Bird names that also make good people names: a list

Feel free to use the names in this list for yourselves, for your OCs, for whatever you want!

Anhinga

Ani

Apalis

Aracari

Astrapia

Avocet

Barbet

Reedling

Bittern

Brambling

Canary

Condor

Cotinga

Coua

Crow

Dacnis

Darter

Dove

Dovekie

Dunlin

Egret

Eider

Elaenia

Emu

Falcon

Finch (that's me!)

Francolin

Fulmar

Galah

Goshawk

Grandala

Harrier

Hawk

Heron

Hobby

Hoopoe

Iora

Jabiru

Jacana

Jackdaw

Jaegar

Jay

Junco

Kea

Kestrel

Kinglet

Kite

Kittiwake

Kiwi

Lark

Lory

Macaw

Magpie

Mallard

Manakin

Martin

Merlin

Monal

Murre

Myna

Nene

Nighthawk

Nightingale

Oriole

Osprey

Ostrich

Owl

Parotia

Parula

Petrel

Phoebe

Pigeon

Piper (as in "sandpiper")

Pipit

Pitta

Plover

Prinia

Quail

Quelea

Quetzal

Rail

Raven

Reedling

Rhea

Robin

Roller

Rook

Rosefinch

Rosella

Sanderling

Seriema

Serin

Shrike

Siskin

Sitella

Skua

Skylark

Sora

Sparrow

Starling

Swift

Tanager

Teal

Tern

Tinamou

Tityra

Thrush

Tody

Trogon

Troupial

Tui

Turaco

Vanga

Veery

Verdin

Vireo

Weaver

Whimbrel

Wigeon

Wren

[saltyr3mix]

Fic updates!!!!

We've got a long list in store for you all tonight!!! So lets get started!

Starting off with Chapter 2 of that new fic, "When this house don't feel like home":

Rat scotts in the traffic series and is not having a great time. He comes across martin and his day becomes both better and worse simultaneously.

Next up is Chapter 2 of, "Played My Game (Hell Now Your In It):

Sparrow searches fruitlessly for his identity and makes a few new friends. While slowly gettign introduced to the concept and world of heros.

Now! A very, VERY Interesting occurence of a brand new fic with two chapters already out! Its a fic of a fic, so i'd recommend reading tales from robert aeor high by m0ther_of_p3arl before hand so you know what's going on! (And also because its a really good fic! <3) Or just jump right in to the retelling of its ending in, "A look for the lonely":

After Several of Owens friends get pulled of the streets he gathers a rag tag group of Outsiders to help look for them. Unfortunately hes unaware that someone within the group is also being manipulated by the woman behind it all and is tasked with leading them to their doom. but with high stakes on the line and a bit of determination it might just be possible to escape all of these death traps and find a way back to a normal life for everyone!

And now. For the moment many of you have waited for....like genuinely waited for, for like 2 months (i am so sorry about that). we have the 20th chapter of "To learn From the tragedies" :

Featuring the long awaited Morning Glory Reunion!!! A little bot of backstory, a Little bit of crime, and a lot of found family as Mike, the triplets, and alyssa discuss their current situation and even come up with a temporary solution and plan.

Woo! that is.....a lot! I hope you all enjoy my writing and i will be back next time! hopefully!.....i might need another break if im honest.....

Anyway I love everyone who interacts with me and my fics! hoping you all have the best of the day!