Cabin fever continued

We're entering our fourth day of being house-bound. Although the snow has been minimal, the temperatures have caused it to melt each afternoon, leaving the prairie extremely wet and difficult to traverse. Walking across the ground in this condition could cause permanent damage to the grassland, so we need to keep off as much as possible. And since our vehicles (4-wheelers, also known as quads) have yet to arrive, we have no way of getting around regardless.

Yesterday we spent some time just outside the field house, practicing with compasses and GPS units. Some of us then practiced some plant identification, while others of us practiced IDing some bird songs. It was great to hear some of the birds I haven't heard since last summer: Sprague's Pipit, Chestnut-collared Longspur, Horned Lark, and Savannah Sparrow.

Meanwhile we've been entertaining ourselves as best we might inside the house. Between the 7 of us currently here, we have (with some overlap of course) 3 violinists, 3 singers, 3 guitarists, and 1 accordionist. Since last summer, we've joked about our "Blue Grama Grassland Band." Impromptu jam sessions spring up fairly often, and we practice for open-mic nights that, last summer, occurred every 2 weeks in the next town over, Val Marie.

Meanwhile, birds have continued to visit our house. If you look closely above, you can see this female Sharp-tailed Grouse peeking her head out of the grass.

Occasionally a Common Grackle will show up amongst the dozens of Brewer's Blackbirds that hang around the house. Several Black-billed Magpies have been carousing around as well, possibly looking to use our shelter belt as a nesting spot.

Hopefully the snow hasn't affected the early-blooming plants, like this Moss Phlox (Phlox hoodii), that have begun their yearly efforts of procreation. With insects being few and far between in this environment, most prarie plants depend upon wind for pollination. And we definitely have that in spades out here! I'm also hoping the snow hasn't harmed any birds that may have begun nesting already. As I'm studying nesting success out here, I'm always rooting for my little guys.

With Adrienne home and Maggi and Tonya gone to Winnipeg to pick up an RV, the house is definitely quiet today. I think we'll enjoy the solitude, as come Sunday, this 4-bedroom house will be packed with 10 people. Although with half the crew gone, the phones still not working, the internet only working intermittenly, and no vehicles besides my van, it's definitely feeling a little isolated. I'm definitely looking forward to the field season beginning in earnest.