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A little blue sky and some stars at evening. Moved yearlings to SBW9 heading to corrals to be worked and shipped to Wolf Point on May 2. Pipits (4 males at least) are singing in the south end of NBW3 and 4, and the center of NBW5. Vesper sparrows, who came in with the storm are actively singing.  Vesper Sparrow
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Storm system breaking up yet still cool and cloudy. Opened up SG1 to cows while keeping open the paddocks 2 and 7. This is one time of year, during the height of calving, we open up space and slow down, particularly if the weather is challenging to young calves.
More snow and rain at home. I was in Bozeman for a morning meeting with Cliff Montagne, John Heyneman, Jim Scott, and Curtis Curtin exploring the ‘how’ of managing large landscapes by focusing on the Padlock Ranch and the Crow reservation.
More snow and less rain. It was too wet to check yearlings with the truck. I walked for 6 hours gathering yearlings and moved everything to WL2. We have lost a few calves to stormy weather. I heard my first Sprague Pipit in old CRP in NBW3-very exciting.  Sprague Pipit More snow and rain. I spent most of the day facilitating the Musselshell Watershed Coalition. No moves with the unsettled cool and damp weather setting in. Plants were ready to shift to next flowering plant phase of spring, but cool weather holds all in place.
Woke to 3” of wet snow. Due to mud, I barely got around to the bulls and yearlings. Yearlings broke into WL5. With the rain, I chose to let them stay and provide more space during the storm. Ryan is covering the cows and new calves. I drove by a number of vesper sparrow flocks, apparently arriving with the storm.  Rain arrives turning to snow in the evening. I had planned to document with photographs the next phase of spring flowers, but I may need to let the storm pass. No moves today. Before it cooled the dandelion bloom was extensive-is this something to worry about?
Much cooler today. Possible front is moving in from the west. I began mixing safeguard with mineral for worm control with all the livestock groups. The wonderful explosion of flowering blossoms of the fruit trees is as special as it is short. The first falling white petals mix with the green grass below. Cows are sharing both SG7 and 2. Down covered owlets in NBW16 are upright and half their parent’s size.
Warmer. Earth day and full moon! Another water break (same as before) requires us to adapt the grazing plan, and move into SG7, allowing the cows to water at WG cell center. I moved calves into WL4. Reservoir today Three cranes, one heron, geese Together in grass
The sound of bees at sundown. ‘Dragging’ cows through SG1 and 7, hopefully out by tomorrow. New calves are coming more steadily.
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Bill Milton
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