A meadowlark was singing on territory in neighbor's hayfield at least
by April 28th this year. I heard him regularly, early in the day, for
over a month and then my schedule changed so I do't really know if he
still is singing there mornings or not.
To my surprise, our neighbor just asked me if 'those birds of yours have
finished with their nests' because he has been waiting to mow (!), but
he says he can't wait much longer or his machinery will jam. A little
research suggests that from first egg to fledging is under 30 days - so
would it be safe to say that the meadowlarks should be finished nesting
and it's OK to mow there now?
BTW, I'm pretty sure there aren't any bobolinks are in that field - the
only male we had this year seems to have left after the field across the
road was mowed late last month. :-( The sad thing is that even just
ten years ago we had scores of bobolinks and maybe a dozen male
meadowlarks, as well as grasshopper & more common grassland sparrows,
and usually harriers, nesting on this one half mile stretch of road, but
agricultural uses of the land have changed and now there is only this
tiny remnant holding on ...
So would really like to make sure this last meadowlark male & his harem
have had the chance to finish nesting, but not prolong it to the point
where my neighbor doesn't want to do this in future years. Is it safe
to tell him to go ahead and mow?
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