Courtship display by male Bobolink at Moore State Park, Paxton, June 2018 by Bill Platenik. Our Grassland Bird Initiative volunteer teams monitored several central MA locations this summer. Bill & Carol Platenik made dedicated weekly visits to Moore State Park in Paxton, where a bird-friendly mowing regime has been established. Todd& Alice Livdahl and Wendy Howes observed at Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area in Hubbardston which used to (and may still) designate one field for mowing after July 4th. At DCR Ware River Watershed Prison Camp fields in Rutland, with a current mowing contract stipulating mowing after August 1st, Doug Wipf and Linda Mueller made regular visits throughout the nesting season. We are still looking for volunteers to monitor High Ridge WMA in Gardner/Westminster. Bobolinks nested there successfully this year, but no one was able to formally monitor. The WMA has established late mowing--after August 1st--regimes for all the fields, so prospects for grassland bird species are very good there.
Volunteer Ted Purcell observed a town-owned field at Glenwood School in Rutland and found many Bobolinks early in the season, but the fields are part of the Town's mowing contract and are not currently being managed for wildlife and grassland birds.
Photographer Anne Greene of Rutland found Bobolinks at fields owned by Alta Vista Farm in Rutland and gave the owners information about grassland birds available through Mass Audubon: https://www.massaudubon.org/our-conservation-work/wildlife-research-conservation/grassland-bird-program
Overall it was a good year for Bobolinks in both protected and non-protected areas. High amount of rainfall caused some haying delays which benefited birds. Heat and humidity helped insect populations and therefore boosted Bobolinks' food supply. The highest number of Bobolinks were encountered at Moore State Park, where a huge flock of over 130 birds--including adults and this season's fledglings--was seen in mid-August.
Thanks to all who pitched in on behalf of grassland birds!
Volunteer Ted Purcell observed a town-owned field at Glenwood School in Rutland and found many Bobolinks early in the season, but the fields are part of the Town's mowing contract and are not currently being managed for wildlife and grassland birds.
Photographer Anne Greene of Rutland found Bobolinks at fields owned by Alta Vista Farm in Rutland and gave the owners information about grassland birds available through Mass Audubon: https://www.massaudubon.org/our-conservation-work/wildlife-research-conservation/grassland-bird-program
Overall it was a good year for Bobolinks in both protected and non-protected areas. High amount of rainfall caused some haying delays which benefited birds. Heat and humidity helped insect populations and therefore boosted Bobolinks' food supply. The highest number of Bobolinks were encountered at Moore State Park, where a huge flock of over 130 birds--including adults and this season's fledglings--was seen in mid-August.
Thanks to all who pitched in on behalf of grassland birds!
 Female Bobolink at Moore State Park, Paxton, June 2018, by Bill Platenik. |  Male Bobolink at Moore State Park, Paxton, June 2018 by Bill Platenik. |
 Bobolink at Alta Vista Farm, Rutland, by Anne Greene.  Photo by Bill Platenik. |  Singing Bobolink at Alta Vista Farm, Rutland, by Anne Greene. |
Alta Vista Farm, Rutland. Photo by Anne Greene.
Bobolink pair 8 June 2018 at DCR Ware River Watershed Prison Camp fields, Rutland. Photo by Doug Wipf.
 Photo by volunteer Bill Platenik.
DCR's Moore State Park in Paxton has adopted field management guidelines that allow mowing of pathways of the perimeters of all fields along the walls and a single mower width path through the center of the largest fields. Agricultural mowing of the hay/tall grass will take place after the nesting season, in August or September.
One of the center paths, which is maintained starting in April and therefore not attractive to Bobolinks, is shown here. It also provides good access for bird monitoring. 
Two female Bobolinks at DCR Ware River Watershed Prison Camp fields, Rutalnd, 8 June 2018 by Doug Wipf.
Bobolink pair at Prison camp fields, Rutland, 8 June 2018 by Dough Wipf.
Tree Swallows checking out a nestbox at Moore State Park, Paxton, June 2018. Photo by Bill Platenik.
Although it wasn't officially part of his grassland bird monitoring job, Bill Platenik documented this young porcupine at Moore State Park, Paxton on 23 August 2018.
|
Female Bobolink at DCR Ware River Watershed Prison Camp fields, Rutland 8 June 2018 by Doug Wipf.
Male Bobolink at Prison Camp fields 18 June 2018. Photo by Doug Wipf.
Female Bobolink carrying food--which confirms nesting--at Moore State Park, Paxton, 16 June 2018 by bill Platenik.
A couple of molting Male Bobolinks at Moore State Park, Paxton, in August. Photo by Bill Platenik.
Two more male Bobolinks losing their alternate (breeding) plumage August 2018, Moore State Park. Photo by Bill Platenik.
On 18 August 2018 at Moore State Park, Paxton, photographer Bill Platenik counted more than 60 Bobolinks flying about the fields. Males were starting to molt into basic (non-breeding) plumage, which resembles female/juvenile plumage.
Savannah Sparrow, a species that prefers tall grass for nesting, at Moore StatePark, Paxton, June 2018. Photo by Bill Platenik.
|