Windy bird work in North Dakota

I am working on a grassland bird study in North Dakota. It's purpose is to see the effect of wind turbines on grassland birds. I have been here for a month. The wind turbines are very noisy when they are going full speed and I am standing right under them. It is fun seeing the wildflowers start blooming one-by-one. This is definitely sparrow country: clay-colored, grasshopper, savannah, Baird's, song - they are all here, claiming territories.
I am still figuring out how to upload pictures here. Next time...

Antelope Island

Here is Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake, as viewed from the causeway. In the 1980s the lake was so high that the causeway was covered in water.

Lots of American avocets in winter plumage feed by the causeway.

Here's me at sunrise on Buffalo Point.

Yellowstone Snow Surprise

This is Electric Peak during our backpacking trip.

On our last night of camping in Yellowstone it snowed all night. The next morning, as we hiked out, the landscape was beautiful and surreal.

Welcome!

I am spending this summer in Nome, Alaska, banding songbirds. Above is an arctic warbler. We are collecting samples from them to be tested for bird flu.
Above is a bluethroat. He is gorgeous. He spends the winter in Asia.

Here, Dave DeSante holds a yellow wagtail, another species that we are really interested in.