Delta Dude, Dakota Ducks: Just Another Day in Paradise

An obvious question to ask me, after living in North Dakota for over a week now, might be,"How are you adjusting and what's it like living there compared to the Mississippi Delta?". Well, fortunately for you, I am about to tell you. :)

I live in a four bedroom, two bath, house in the countryside of Douglas, ND. I am a part of a three man crew working on a study for nesting success of ducks in winter wheat. My job is composed of four major parts: nest searching (or dragging), nest checks, vegetation sampling, and data entry at the end of the day.

The weather is quite different here than it is this time of year in Mississippi. So far, the temperatures have ranged anywhere from 37-84 degrees Fahrenheit. I have discovered the true importance of layering clothing! The wind has become my greatest enemy. Out here on the open prairies, trees are few and far between,(unless an intentional wind break has been planted) so the wind has no one to answer to as it rolls ferociously across the open space. Windy days are a two-punch sort of deal; first, an unrelenting 36 mph wind is just plain annoying to work in, second, a wind like that blows enough fine dirt particles in to my eye to make the Sandman work overtime. Oh, and I must not forget the absolute importance of chapstick. Wind loves to dry lips out, so one must fight back with the all powerful Blistex. Now I'm not talking about the plain ole Blistex that comes in a drab green casing. No, out here one must kick it up a notch, (as Emeril Lagasse would say) and use Blistex Complete Moisture. A few swipes of BCM and your lips feel like they are submerged beneath Niagara Falls!

This past week we have been awaking up at 5:30 A.M. in order to be working on our northern sites by 7 A.M. Our mornings begin with nest searching because we want to locate as many nests as possible before early afternoon when the females leave their nests to feed. We search for nests in two different types of habitat, winter wheat fields and perennial cover. Perennial cover is a broad term for categorizing CRP land (Conservation Reserve Program), pastures, and hay fields. I spend all morning dragging a rope similar to what you would find on a barge through one of these types of habitat. The rope is connected to two four wheelers and together they are able to drag the rope across the ground until a bird is flushed from her nest. After a bird reveals the location of her nest, we quickly run to the spot and begin gathering data.

I have taken a good number of photos over the time I've been here so I'm going to take this opportunity to publish some of my favorites. Hope you enjoy them!