I have been in Glasgow, MT for two months now, and they have just flown by. My co-workers are a great group of people, which is good since we spend hours driving out to field sites and working side by side. So far our main projects have been mountain plover surveys, grassland bird surveys, and habitat assessments. Although I have prior birding experience, plants have never been on my radar. I was very surprised how quickly I was able to learn the different plants, and how I have already latched on to a few favorites (pussytoes and scarlet globemallow, anyone?) It has been so amazing to be out on the endless prairie, sighting antelope, deer, badgers, snakes, foxes, coyotes, and many different birds, including the beautiful golden eagle. Although I grew up in Edmonton and so have a soft spot for the prairies already, I’ve never been so immersed in it.
Aside from the field work, I’ve loved experiencing the cowboy culture here. I’ve been to my first rodeo, my first mud bog, my first barn dance, met my first real life cowboys, and listened to hours and hours of country music. I’ve loved being able to travel around a bit and see more of the vast state of Montana. I want to take everything I can from this experience of living and working in a different country (even though Canada is only about an hour from me).

Lauren Wiebe
BLM Field Office, Glasgow, MT