Grasslands National Park - Bugs 'n Wind R Us

     We saw Burrowing Owls as soon as we crossed the border into Grasslands National Park! Turns out they live in Prairie Dog colonies like barely tolerated house guests. I don't think they do any "burrowing" at all. You have to look at each brown animal to make out if it's a Prairie Dog or an Owl.

This picture cost three mosquito bites.

When we pulled into our campsite it was evening, a time of day when mosquitos are at their most fierce. Josh set up the bug tent right away. Usually it is a peaceful oasis in our campsite, this time it was somehow full of more bugs than out of it. Elsa was in there like a whirling dervish - slap! clap! whap! She had doused herself in bug spray and was screeching frantically - "They're immune! They're immune!" 

    The 'Mosquito Massacre of 26' continued until the front line retreated to the van. Yes, ironically we gave up the bug tent to the bugs. We discovered a big cloud of mosquitos in the van! Our home turf! The theory is they came in on Josh, he has a perpetual cloud around him, probably due to his more "manly" aroma. The second line was called in (me) and eventually every last one was killed. We put After-Bite on our wounds and tried to calm down enough to sleep.

In the morning the wind had picked up and the mosquitos had retreated. We drove the 'EcoTour' road stopping at the little historical and natural view points along it. 

    Things I love about the prairie landscape:

• The wind rippling through the tall grass, I could watch it all day, it's similar to watching a campfire, mesmerizing. 
• The smell - there is Silver Sagebrush everywhere, and its scent floats in the air.
• An amazing variety of small plants and grasses.

Cone flowers were everywhere

This is the last area with "true" prairie left in the province, everywhere else has been cultivated. This area narrowly escaped development because a ranching family was successful enough to hold onto it until the 80's. They are trying to reclaim an old hay field to turn it back into native prairie, this is surprisingly difficult and will take years. 

One of the hikes was called "Two Trees", and we did, indeed, pass two trees to get to the area. They can be seen from all over the park, landmarks in the empty landscape.

One of the trees

I just finished cleaning Elsa's "bug shirt". It had dead mosquitos and some blood on it from "MM26". It is actually a 'business casual' blouse made of polyester I got at the thrift store aka the "Blouse Barn". It washed up nicely.

Tomorrow we head out to Grand Beach, we might stop in Regina first for a stay at a hotel.

Unfortunately the Bison are calving in the far reaches of the park and we didn't get to see any. I'll have to come back to see them. We also didn't see any Rattlesnakes, which is less disappointing.

Elsa's bird count is at 102! 

Notable birds:

• Burrowing Owl
• Lark Bunting
• Brown Thrasher
• Common Nighthawk: these are snoozing on the fences around our campsite. Their faces are cute, all squidgy. I've never seen them not flying. When they land they don't put their feet out the just fold up like the picture below and drop onto the fence.
• Loggerhead Shrike: at Two Tree

Squidgy faced Nighthawk

Another tree