Let me clarify a bit. We do not want to stop hay mowing. The Nov/Dec 2009
issue of Audubon magazine ran an article about research in Vermont that
showed that hayfields that were mowed on the typical schedule produced 0.0
fledged Bobolinks per female, whereas fields mowed on a modified schedule
produced 2.8 fledged Bobolinks per female. On the basis of this research,
the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Vermont, an arm of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, offered farmers payments to compensate for loss
of income from the lower value of their hay crop. The modified mowing
schedule in Vermont was: mow before the first of June, then don't mow for
at least 65 days (rather than the typical 35 to 40 days). The first mowing
will destroy some nests, but the delayed second mowing gives the birds a
chance to (re-)nest and fledge their young. The Vermont NRCS has
discontinued the program because rules do not allow compensating farmers for
"foregone income." There is some hope that the rule may be changed or
interpreted in a way to allow the program to resume in the future.
The Audubon article is at http://mag.audubon.org/articles/birds/buying-time.
The brochure describing the Vermont NRCS compensation program is at
ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/VT/Programs/WHIP/G-Bird%20brochure.pdf. I
have a seven-page .pdf document describing the study of nest productivity in
Vermont, which I would be happy to email to anyone who would like to have
it.
We in Audubon MN would like to see a program like this get started in
Minnesota. We think a good first step might be to get the University of
Minnesota to adopt the modified mowing schedule on its hayfields, and we
could study the results. I have been disheartened in about the second week
of June every year to watch the tractor mowing a large hayfield at the U of
M's Research and Outreach center in Waseca. A few meadowlarks, Bobolinks,
Savannah Sparrows, and perhaps other birds, are always attracted to the
lovely expanse of grass, but their young have no chance of survival. The U
of M ag department has six research and outreach centers around the state.
I don't know if the other centers also have hayfields.
It would be good if we had some data on nesting dates of grassland species
in different parts of Minnesota.
Julian
-----Original Message-----
From: Judy Chucker
Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2012 9:56 AM
To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU
Subject: [mou-net] Question about grassland birds
I was at yesterday's Audubon EIC meeting where Julian Sellars is
spearheading an effort to stop the mowing of hay at U of M stations around
the state, which leads to the slaughter of our grassland birds during
nesting season.
We were wondering if there is any data on the approximate nesting times
around the state. We realize that there will be much variation--not just
from region to region, but from year to year within the same region.
Nevertheless, it would be helpful to have some data as a starting point.
If you have any information you could share, it would be most appreciated by
us and the birds.
Thanks!
Judy Chucker
St. Louis Park
----
Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
----
Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net
Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
