Let the point counts begin...

So due to some unforeseen personnel difficulties, Matt and I are splitting the responsibilities of our three nest searching plots, and the role of one point counter this season. Matt went for the first half of the first round of point counts, and today began my first day with a rather cold (and still wet) trip to Catnip. Adam, Ben (the other point counters) and I left Badger yesterday to make the trip to Bald, before the trek back to Catnip for Ben and I for the night. It was almost like I had never stopped point counting in Sheldon. It was surprisingly comfortable just jumping back into it again. I almost feel like I never left Bald on July 26th last year at all… Although, the running water was pretty amazing to me after being at Badger for nearly a month now without it. I’m looking forward to my first “real,” non-propane heated, spring fed shower in a month tomorrow. There is something to be said for standing in that shower stall behind the cabin in your nakedness, the breeze blowing and the sun shining, alternately chilling and warming you, while gazing up at the cliffs and blue sky as you clean up… very relaxing. I wouldn’t trade that shower, the Poorwills calling from the spring, and the bats swooping around as the sun sets over the hill beside Badger Cabin for the running water at Bald any day.



We had most of the nests fail that we had found before the horrible weather we’ve been having. My Sage Thrasher nestlings were dead and cold when I last went to check them. The Western Scrub Jay nest on another plot failed with 3 eggs, as well as multiple Brewer’s Sparrow nests. I think my Vesper’s Nest may have survived though. And I found a different Western Scrub Jay nest on plot yesterday. I understand the Scrub Jays better then the Brewers, Vespers, Green Tailed Towhees and Sage Thrashers still at this point. I’m sure that as time goes on, and I spend more time nest searching in the sagebrush that will equal out a bit. Here’s a picture taken looking up across one of my plots… yes, that is still snow. (My plot goes all the way up the hill in the background)



Due to the (seemingly) ridiculous amounts of rain we’ve been getting, we’ve been doing a lot of reading in the cabin by the wood stove. One day we had a discussion after lunch about how there really wasn’t some place comfortable to sit in the cabin for long periods of time while reading… So we brainstormed… and remedied the situation. Keith, Berti, Jan and I cleared off the kitchen table, pushed it against the wall, and carried two mattresses out of the bunkroom office, making a couch. This was the result –



We manage to keep ourselves entertained most of the time when not working. Whether that be with talking bread cutouts and hot sauce, Pass the Pigs, chopping random vegetables left in the oven that have turned to charcoal in half with an ax, Badger Cabin beer bottle bowling, or just exploring around the cabin.