FRIENDS OF
GRASSLAND BIRDS INITIATIVE
2013-2017
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GRASSLAND BIRD ADVOCACY IN HUBBARDSTON: A HISTORY
Bobolinks have nested in fields that are part of Hubbardston’s Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area for many years and were present when the land was acquired in 2000. Anecdotal information suggests that Eastern Meadowlarks occasionally nested or attempted nesting in the low, wet edges. The last known sighting of Eastern Meadowlark here was a single individual in fall, 2005. Savannah Sparrows nest here in some years.
Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area, which includes 40 acres of open fields, is managed by the town’s Open Space Committee (OSC). During her tenure on this committee (2005-2007) birder and wildlife advocate Wendy Howes joined other Committee members to ask that certain sections of the fields be mowed after the Bobolinks are finished nesting. The fields are leased for hay; most years, mowing is taking place while young birds are still in the nest, resulting in high mortality. The OSC Chair stated that “nothing”could be done to help the birds.
In 2012, due to myriad factors, Bobolink numbers had grown to nearly two dozen pairs. After witnessing the mowing of the Mt. Jefferson fields in mid-June before the Bobolinks were able to fledge their young, Ms. Howes again asked the OSC to adopt a bird-friendly management plan for the area. At the request of the Chair a written proposal was submitted. Ultimately all suggestions in the proposal were rejected by the Committee, including the idea of allowing Bobolink supporters to raise/donate the $1,078 that the leasing farmer paid the Town annually.
The Hubbardston Board of Selectmen is responsible for the care and control of all town-owned property. In November 2012, Ms. Howes attended a Selectboard meeting and submitted a detailed written request for a change in the land use/hay management plan of the Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area property. Selectboard members indicated support but stated they wanted more information from MassAudubon and/or other knowledgeable sources before making a decision. A December follow-up meeting date was set. That meeting was then postponed to January 28, 2013 in order to accommodate the OSC’s vigorous opposition to making bird-friendly changes. Under pressure from a large, vocal group of attendees who made arguments such as: “Bobolinks are shot and poisoned in South America anyway,” and “the fields will revert to forest if they aren’t hayed according to the current plan” the Selectboard voted to adopt the OSC’s “compromise” whereby Field # 5 [ Note: at various meetings Field # 7 was sometimes mentioned along with Field #5 ] would be mowed after July 1st. This affords no real protection, and Ms.Howes later submitted a letter to the Selectboard opposing this “non-compromise.” A letter of support from U.S. Fish & Wildlife was sent to the Selectboard in March.
A warrant item seeking to incorporate delayed mowing at the conservation area was placed on the June 4, 2013 annual town meeting agenda. An educational brochure and fact sheet were developed and made available.
Arguments against late mowing to protect birds were presented by the OSC Chair, who told voters that “Bobolinks are thriving on Mt. Jeff” and “Bobolinks are non-native birds.” Bobolink advocates told voters that they had located three farmers who would be willing to mow the conservation property after the birds had fledged. Voting came at the end of the meeting, after many of the 149 voters had departed, and the warrant item was defeated.
Interestingly, the OSC Chair’s response to the option of engaging a bird-friendly farmer to mow the property was: “let them bid on it,” although there was no indication that the hay lease on the property had ever been put out to competitive bid in the past.
Only three, or possibly fewer, Bobolink pairs were found at Mt. Jefferson during the 2013 nesting season. Following a wet June, haying commenced July 2nd. Two male Bobolinks were noted on that date, indicating the presence of nests. The number and fate of the 2013 Bobolink nests is unknown.
In September, 2013, Ms. Howes arranged a meeting between a representative of MassAudubon’s Ecological Extension Service and the Town Administrator.
The purpose of the meeting was to encourage the Town to support a science-based, fact-gathering study of nesting grassland birds at Mt. Jefferson. A study could provide accurate information for updating the Open Space & Recreation Plan and help guide the Selectboard, which had indicated lack of knowledge of the issue. Since the Town had no budget for such an endeavor, a no-cost study with less intense methodology was proposed. The TA presented the idea to the OSC Chair, who contacted MassAudubon, rejected the opportunity for a free study, and later presented this information to the rest of the OS Committee. There is no indication that the Selectboard was told about the study option.
A Letter to the Editor was submitted to and published by The Barre Gazette and The Gardner News.
In fall 2013, the Town Administrator and town counsel decided that the haying agreement for the Mt. Jefferson property would be a 5-year “license to use” agreement, which can be revoked by the Town or farmer with 60 days notice. This decision provided the OSC with the opportunity to award the license to a bird-friendly farmer. But the OSC favored awarding the haying to the same farmer who had mowed the fields for the past 13+ years, and wanted him to be awarded a 5-year license.
Although this type of agreement doesn’t have to go out to bid, the Selectboard decided to advertise for competitive bids. Ms. Howes requested that bid options include an option to mow late to protect grassland birds, in order to "level the playing field" for bird-friendly farmers. This request was not honored, perhaps partly due to some legal language technicality.
The highest bid, an unprecedented $43 per acre, per cut, was made by the farmer who had been awarded the lease since the property was acquired by the town.
A Letter the the Editor was submitted to and published by The Barre Gazette and The Gardner News.
In response to a Letter to the Editor from the OSC defending the decisions of the OSC and Selectboard, Bobolink advocates submitted a Letter to the Editor which was published by The Barre Gazette, The Gardner News, and Worcester Telegram & Gazette.
MEETINGS AND PUBLIC RECORDS
Bobolink supporters attended several meetings of the Open Space Committee and Conservation Commission from 2012-2014. After several experiences of being subjected to what was perceived as verbal bullying and intimidation, supporters became very reluctant and selective about attending meetings.
Supporters questioned significant gaps and omissions in the meeting minutes of both Committees. From February-April 2014, supporters sought clarification about these gaps, in one case sending a letter to the OSC. In response, the OSC Chair suggested filing Open Meeting Law complaints with the Attorney General’s Office, a disingenuous suggestion since the Chair knows that complaints must be filed within 30 days of perceived violations.
Massachusetts Open Meeting Law requires that “Minutes should contain enough detail and accuracy so that a member of the public who did not attend the meeting could read the minutes and have a clear understanding of what occurred.” Bobolink supporters found many instances in which pro-Bobolink protection issues which were discussed at meetings of both the OSC and Conservation Commission were left out of minutes or grossly minimized. They attended a meeting of the ConComm in May 2014 to address at least one past blatant omission, but for the most part any member of the public viewing the on-line minutes of these Committees would not know that there has been controversy about managing for birds at Mt Jefferson Conservation Area.
In another attempt to get the OSC to explain its opposition to bird-friendly management of the Mt. Jefferson property, a Bobolink advocate attended a meeting in April, 2014 with a list of questions and educational materials, having been led to believe that an in-person appearance would lead to explanations. Instead, the advocate’s concerns were not addressed, with the OSC Chair stating that there was no need to furnish explanations because Bobolink supporters did not attend all past meetings. The meeting minutes posted on the Town web-site focus on past attendance issues which had nothing to do with the questions brought in by the advocate. (This meeting was videotaped and is available for viewing.)
Unfortunately, there is no accountability mechanism in place in order to assure accuracy and transparency in meeting records.
The OSC voted in October 2012 “to post future official correspondence information on [the] Open Space [Committee] website.” In spite of this, the Committee refuses to post the half-dozen or so pages of educational materials, comments, and concerns about Bobolinks protection at Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area which have been submitted. The reason given by the OSC Chair is: “We are not legally required to do so.” These materials are filed in the Town Clerk’s office and are also now available on this web-site via the links in this report.
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GRASSLAND BIRD ADVOCACY IN HUBBARDSTON: A HISTORY
Bobolinks have nested in fields that are part of Hubbardston’s Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area for many years and were present when the land was acquired in 2000. Anecdotal information suggests that Eastern Meadowlarks occasionally nested or attempted nesting in the low, wet edges. The last known sighting of Eastern Meadowlark here was a single individual in fall, 2005. Savannah Sparrows nest here in some years.
Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area, which includes 40 acres of open fields, is managed by the town’s Open Space Committee (OSC). During her tenure on this committee (2005-2007) birder and wildlife advocate Wendy Howes joined other Committee members to ask that certain sections of the fields be mowed after the Bobolinks are finished nesting. The fields are leased for hay; most years, mowing is taking place while young birds are still in the nest, resulting in high mortality. The OSC Chair stated that “nothing”could be done to help the birds.
In 2012, due to myriad factors, Bobolink numbers had grown to nearly two dozen pairs. After witnessing the mowing of the Mt. Jefferson fields in mid-June before the Bobolinks were able to fledge their young, Ms. Howes again asked the OSC to adopt a bird-friendly management plan for the area. At the request of the Chair a written proposal was submitted. Ultimately all suggestions in the proposal were rejected by the Committee, including the idea of allowing Bobolink supporters to raise/donate the $1,078 that the leasing farmer paid the Town annually.
The Hubbardston Board of Selectmen is responsible for the care and control of all town-owned property. In November 2012, Ms. Howes attended a Selectboard meeting and submitted a detailed written request for a change in the land use/hay management plan of the Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area property. Selectboard members indicated support but stated they wanted more information from MassAudubon and/or other knowledgeable sources before making a decision. A December follow-up meeting date was set. That meeting was then postponed to January 28, 2013 in order to accommodate the OSC’s vigorous opposition to making bird-friendly changes. Under pressure from a large, vocal group of attendees who made arguments such as: “Bobolinks are shot and poisoned in South America anyway,” and “the fields will revert to forest if they aren’t hayed according to the current plan” the Selectboard voted to adopt the OSC’s “compromise” whereby Field # 5 [ Note: at various meetings Field # 7 was sometimes mentioned along with Field #5 ] would be mowed after July 1st. This affords no real protection, and Ms.Howes later submitted a letter to the Selectboard opposing this “non-compromise.” A letter of support from U.S. Fish & Wildlife was sent to the Selectboard in March.
A warrant item seeking to incorporate delayed mowing at the conservation area was placed on the June 4, 2013 annual town meeting agenda. An educational brochure and fact sheet were developed and made available.
Arguments against late mowing to protect birds were presented by the OSC Chair, who told voters that “Bobolinks are thriving on Mt. Jeff” and “Bobolinks are non-native birds.” Bobolink advocates told voters that they had located three farmers who would be willing to mow the conservation property after the birds had fledged. Voting came at the end of the meeting, after many of the 149 voters had departed, and the warrant item was defeated.
Interestingly, the OSC Chair’s response to the option of engaging a bird-friendly farmer to mow the property was: “let them bid on it,” although there was no indication that the hay lease on the property had ever been put out to competitive bid in the past.
Only three, or possibly fewer, Bobolink pairs were found at Mt. Jefferson during the 2013 nesting season. Following a wet June, haying commenced July 2nd. Two male Bobolinks were noted on that date, indicating the presence of nests. The number and fate of the 2013 Bobolink nests is unknown.
In September, 2013, Ms. Howes arranged a meeting between a representative of MassAudubon’s Ecological Extension Service and the Town Administrator.
The purpose of the meeting was to encourage the Town to support a science-based, fact-gathering study of nesting grassland birds at Mt. Jefferson. A study could provide accurate information for updating the Open Space & Recreation Plan and help guide the Selectboard, which had indicated lack of knowledge of the issue. Since the Town had no budget for such an endeavor, a no-cost study with less intense methodology was proposed. The TA presented the idea to the OSC Chair, who contacted MassAudubon, rejected the opportunity for a free study, and later presented this information to the rest of the OS Committee. There is no indication that the Selectboard was told about the study option.
A Letter to the Editor was submitted to and published by The Barre Gazette and The Gardner News.
In fall 2013, the Town Administrator and town counsel decided that the haying agreement for the Mt. Jefferson property would be a 5-year “license to use” agreement, which can be revoked by the Town or farmer with 60 days notice. This decision provided the OSC with the opportunity to award the license to a bird-friendly farmer. But the OSC favored awarding the haying to the same farmer who had mowed the fields for the past 13+ years, and wanted him to be awarded a 5-year license.
Although this type of agreement doesn’t have to go out to bid, the Selectboard decided to advertise for competitive bids. Ms. Howes requested that bid options include an option to mow late to protect grassland birds, in order to "level the playing field" for bird-friendly farmers. This request was not honored, perhaps partly due to some legal language technicality.
The highest bid, an unprecedented $43 per acre, per cut, was made by the farmer who had been awarded the lease since the property was acquired by the town.
A Letter the the Editor was submitted to and published by The Barre Gazette and The Gardner News.
In response to a Letter to the Editor from the OSC defending the decisions of the OSC and Selectboard, Bobolink advocates submitted a Letter to the Editor which was published by The Barre Gazette, The Gardner News, and Worcester Telegram & Gazette.
MEETINGS AND PUBLIC RECORDS
Bobolink supporters attended several meetings of the Open Space Committee and Conservation Commission from 2012-2014. After several experiences of being subjected to what was perceived as verbal bullying and intimidation, supporters became very reluctant and selective about attending meetings.
Supporters questioned significant gaps and omissions in the meeting minutes of both Committees. From February-April 2014, supporters sought clarification about these gaps, in one case sending a letter to the OSC. In response, the OSC Chair suggested filing Open Meeting Law complaints with the Attorney General’s Office, a disingenuous suggestion since the Chair knows that complaints must be filed within 30 days of perceived violations.
Massachusetts Open Meeting Law requires that “Minutes should contain enough detail and accuracy so that a member of the public who did not attend the meeting could read the minutes and have a clear understanding of what occurred.” Bobolink supporters found many instances in which pro-Bobolink protection issues which were discussed at meetings of both the OSC and Conservation Commission were left out of minutes or grossly minimized. They attended a meeting of the ConComm in May 2014 to address at least one past blatant omission, but for the most part any member of the public viewing the on-line minutes of these Committees would not know that there has been controversy about managing for birds at Mt Jefferson Conservation Area.
In another attempt to get the OSC to explain its opposition to bird-friendly management of the Mt. Jefferson property, a Bobolink advocate attended a meeting in April, 2014 with a list of questions and educational materials, having been led to believe that an in-person appearance would lead to explanations. Instead, the advocate’s concerns were not addressed, with the OSC Chair stating that there was no need to furnish explanations because Bobolink supporters did not attend all past meetings. The meeting minutes posted on the Town web-site focus on past attendance issues which had nothing to do with the questions brought in by the advocate. (This meeting was videotaped and is available for viewing.)
Unfortunately, there is no accountability mechanism in place in order to assure accuracy and transparency in meeting records.
The OSC voted in October 2012 “to post future official correspondence information on [the] Open Space [Committee] website.” In spite of this, the Committee refuses to post the half-dozen or so pages of educational materials, comments, and concerns about Bobolinks protection at Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area which have been submitted. The reason given by the OSC Chair is: “We are not legally required to do so.” These materials are filed in the Town Clerk’s office and are also now available on this web-site via the links in this report.
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2014 HUBBARDSTON BOBOLINK REPORT
MT. JEFFERSON CONSERVATION AREA
Bobolinks have particular nesting requirements. They need large fields.
At Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area, the Bobolinks primarily use the two south fields—on both sides of the road—and the large southeast field.
2012 About two dozen pairs of Bobolinks nested here in 2012. However, early mowing took place while young were still in the nest, and nestling mortality was 90-100%.
2013 Only 4 or 5 pairs nested in 2013. The only reason Bobolinks nested successfully here in 2013 was because of the very wet season, which caused mowing to be delayed. There is no protective management plan in place.
2014 This year’s population increased slightly but was still low. About 9 or 10 pairs of Bobolinks nested, and most of the nests were successful. One or two nests were likely lost due to mowing in June. The other nests succeeded because one field is designated for mowing after July 1st (which is still too early), and wet weather caused mowing to be delayed until later in July. Again, the only reason for high nesting success was Mother Nature. Without the delay caused by wet weather, there would have been nearly 100% loss again this year.
CAN’T THE BOBOLINKS SUCCEED AT NESTING SOMEWHERE ELSE IN HUBBARDSTON IF THEY
CAN’T NEST AT MT. JEFF? *
Here is what happened at the other hayfields of significant acreage in Hubbardston in 2014. Thank you to Felicia MacNicol of Worcester State University and other volunteers who helped with observations at these sites.
HALE ROAD Estimates of Bobolinks nesting here are difficult because of terrain. At least 12 pairs nested here; more were likely present. All fields were cut in mid- to late June while young birds were still in the nest and being fed by parent birds. There was 100% loss of nests and young.
WILLIAMSVILLE ROAD The presence of Bobolinks in approximately 12 acres of hayfield set far back from the road is uncertain, but the birds likely occur here because the land fits their requirements. These fields were mowed in June; if any Bobolink nests were present, they would not have produced any young.
ROOT ROAD Bobolinks occur at two separate fields. Numbers could not be ascertained in one field because mowing took place in June. One or two pairs nested in the second (north) field, which remained uncut through mid-July. At least one pair with fledged young was observed in late July. Any other nests were lost.
GEORGE HOWARD ROAD Bobolinks occurred here in past years in high numbers. Numbers of pairs have dropped; an accurate count was not obtained this year. All fields were mowed in June, resulting in 100% loss of any nests and young that were present.
*NO! BOBOLINKS WILL NOT FIND BIRD-FRIENDLY PRIVATE HAYFIELDS IN HUBBARDSTON.
Very few private landowners throughout New England protect grassland birds on their properties.
Bobolinks have particular nesting requirements. They need large fields.
At Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area, the Bobolinks primarily use the two south fields—on both sides of the road—and the large southeast field.
2012 About two dozen pairs of Bobolinks nested here in 2012. However, early mowing took place while young were still in the nest, and nestling mortality was 90-100%.
2013 Only 4 or 5 pairs nested in 2013. The only reason Bobolinks nested successfully here in 2013 was because of the very wet season, which caused mowing to be delayed. There is no protective management plan in place.
2014 This year’s population increased slightly but was still low. About 9 or 10 pairs of Bobolinks nested, and most of the nests were successful. One or two nests were likely lost due to mowing in June. The other nests succeeded because one field is designated for mowing after July 1st (which is still too early), and wet weather caused mowing to be delayed until later in July. Again, the only reason for high nesting success was Mother Nature. Without the delay caused by wet weather, there would have been nearly 100% loss again this year.
CAN’T THE BOBOLINKS SUCCEED AT NESTING SOMEWHERE ELSE IN HUBBARDSTON IF THEY
CAN’T NEST AT MT. JEFF? *
Here is what happened at the other hayfields of significant acreage in Hubbardston in 2014. Thank you to Felicia MacNicol of Worcester State University and other volunteers who helped with observations at these sites.
HALE ROAD Estimates of Bobolinks nesting here are difficult because of terrain. At least 12 pairs nested here; more were likely present. All fields were cut in mid- to late June while young birds were still in the nest and being fed by parent birds. There was 100% loss of nests and young.
WILLIAMSVILLE ROAD The presence of Bobolinks in approximately 12 acres of hayfield set far back from the road is uncertain, but the birds likely occur here because the land fits their requirements. These fields were mowed in June; if any Bobolink nests were present, they would not have produced any young.
ROOT ROAD Bobolinks occur at two separate fields. Numbers could not be ascertained in one field because mowing took place in June. One or two pairs nested in the second (north) field, which remained uncut through mid-July. At least one pair with fledged young was observed in late July. Any other nests were lost.
GEORGE HOWARD ROAD Bobolinks occurred here in past years in high numbers. Numbers of pairs have dropped; an accurate count was not obtained this year. All fields were mowed in June, resulting in 100% loss of any nests and young that were present.
*NO! BOBOLINKS WILL NOT FIND BIRD-FRIENDLY PRIVATE HAYFIELDS IN HUBBARDSTON.
Very few private landowners throughout New England protect grassland birds on their properties.
2015 GRASSLAND BIRD REPORT
During the 2015 season volunteer observers monitored Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area in Hubbardston and the Prison Camp fields on DCR property in Rutland.
After a winter of record-setting snowfall, much of New England, including central MA, was approaching drought conditions as early as the end of May. The drier-than-usual weather was due to a combination of evaporating snowmelt and very little precipitation. Consequently the growth of field grasses and forbs was slowed down. Abnormally dry conditions persisted throughout the summer.
MT. JEFFERSON CONSERVATION AREA, HUBBARDSTON
Bobolinks started to arrive at Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area in mid-May. By 26 May there were 16-20 males present and courtship-singing over the fields. It was a challenge to estimate numbers due to the density of males and the timing with regard to (females already on the nest.) One female was seen but males were seen dropping into grass at likely nest sites in at least a dozen locations. About 6-8 nests are in Field #5, the field that represents the Open Space Committee’s “compromise.” Mowing after July 1st as stipulated would still result in the loss of these nests.
With renewed concerns about untimely mowing, the Club on May 29th submitted a letter, in hard copy, to each member of the Hubbardston Board of Selectmen, as well as an electronic copy to the Board secretary. In the letter we appealed to the Board to “ exercise its authority and delay the mowing of hay at our conservation area until after July 10th, 2015, which should allow most, if not all, of the Bobolink chicks to survive and fledge.” A copy of the letter was also submitted as a Letter to the Editor to The Barre Gazette.
From mid-June through early July, much-needed rain came to the region, and there were no obvious long stretches of dry weather to support haying, which was good news for Bobolink nestling survival. As monitoring progressed throughout July and mowing still did not take place, the Bobolinks were able to continue to feed fledglings on-site, adding to the probability of increased fledgling survival. It was later learned that the leasing farmer passed away in July. Mowing commenced soon after.
Meanwhile, as of mid-July there was still no response or discussion at a meeting by the Selectboard. The Club sent an inquiry about the outcome of the May letter to the office on 7/15 and received no response. A follow-up inquiry was sent on July 28th. The response from the secretary was: “Your letter has been copied to the Board of Selectmen’s correspondence file for review. Unfortunately, they have not had an opportunity to discuss it but plan to in a future meeting." WRNC responded with thanks, but also pointed out that, “given the time-sensitive nature of the letter, as well as our efforts to provide adequate hard and electronic copies and educational information, this response is extremely tardy, irrelevant, patronizing, and disrespectful.”
As the season came to a close, the Selectboard on August 24th reviewed the Club’s letter, and a dismissive response referring back to the 2013 town meeting was received. A combined Club/personal letter critical of the Selectboard’s failure to adequately address the issue was sent in late September. The letter stated that WRNC would stop asking the Selectboard to “take positive steps to help protect the birds that nest at Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area.”
An unexpected result of this ongoing debate was that the interest of a reporter from The Gardner News was piqued when she attended the August Selectboard meeting and sensed that Selectboard members weren’t speaking openly and freely about the topic. She initiated a follow-up series of interviews and a front-page article was published on October 12th.
While the political arguments were going on, Bobolink families were growing. On 7 August 2015, a flock of ~75 Bobolinks were found in what remained of the tall grass in Field #5; about one third of the field was mowed. It included family groups with many immatures. The males had already molted or were in the process, so no bright males were noted. These birds likely resulted from nestings in the surrounding fields at the conservation area; the number reflects the estimated numbers of adults/pairs noted earlier in the season. The flock was detected when flushed from a distance of about 60 yards. It’s possible that more birds were present but didn’t flush during the observation period.
The outcome here this year reflects the potential for this area to support both grassland birds nesting success and an acceptable hay crop.
Savannah Sparrows have attempted nesting here in past years but were not present in 2015.
DCR WARE RIVER WATERSHED -- PRISON CAMP/INTERVALE ROAD FIELDS--RUTLAND
Although the hay lease for this property allowed cutting after July 1st, the fields were cut late in the 2014 season for a variety of reasons. The 5-year lease was over and went out for bid late in 2014, this time with a stipulation requiring mowing after August 1st. The Department awarded the new 5-year lease to a local farmer who did the mowing in 2013 and 2014 and planned to use the hay for bedding. The farmer acknowledged that the fields had become less productive for food value partly due to late mowing—sometimes as late as September—and lack of nutrient replenishing (there are certain restrictions because of watershed protection concerns).
It was 17 June 2015--later than optimal because the birds are actively nesting by then-- when the first monitoring visit was made. Some males were still singing and patrolling territories, some were not. One very silent male was spotted carrying food and then stealthily dropping in to a presumable nest. Other males appeared to still be asserting territories, likely indicating that young had not yet hatched in many nests.
Females can be just about invisible at this time of year if they are still incubating, which some still were on 17 June. Two females were observed carrying food and dropping into the grass to feed hatchlings. This indicated that several nests could be empty of young by July 4th. Without more frequent monitoring, it’s difficult to predict hatching times, but it was thought that hatching was imminent for the other nesting pairs.
Bobolinks are often polygynous, and also polyandrous, so each male may have more than one mate, and each clutch of eggs laid by a single female may have multiple fathers. This makes censusing even more complex.
Bobolinks were scattered throughout all the fields rather than concentrated in one or two. The birds didn't seem to avoid the less-than-ideal quality of the fields due to last season’s late mowing. This observation would seem to strengthen the argument that Bobolinks don’t "need" hayfields that are harvested at peak season in the previous year. On the other hand, some observers have noted that too much thatch buildup over a number of years could discourage Bobolinks from nesting, so a mowing regime is important. But the hay doesn't have to be harvested at the peak of nesting season.
Refer to the map above for the following notes. Observations were made from 11:30 a.m. -2:30 p.m. Detectability would probably have been higher if surveying took place earlier in the day; the numbers of birds noted was conservative. Note: detectability doesn't necessarily become easier after eggs have hatched--look away for a few seconds and miss the birds as they furtively fly in with a food delivery!
After a winter of record-setting snowfall, much of New England, including central MA, was approaching drought conditions as early as the end of May. The drier-than-usual weather was due to a combination of evaporating snowmelt and very little precipitation. Consequently the growth of field grasses and forbs was slowed down. Abnormally dry conditions persisted throughout the summer.
MT. JEFFERSON CONSERVATION AREA, HUBBARDSTON
Bobolinks started to arrive at Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area in mid-May. By 26 May there were 16-20 males present and courtship-singing over the fields. It was a challenge to estimate numbers due to the density of males and the timing with regard to (females already on the nest.) One female was seen but males were seen dropping into grass at likely nest sites in at least a dozen locations. About 6-8 nests are in Field #5, the field that represents the Open Space Committee’s “compromise.” Mowing after July 1st as stipulated would still result in the loss of these nests.
With renewed concerns about untimely mowing, the Club on May 29th submitted a letter, in hard copy, to each member of the Hubbardston Board of Selectmen, as well as an electronic copy to the Board secretary. In the letter we appealed to the Board to “ exercise its authority and delay the mowing of hay at our conservation area until after July 10th, 2015, which should allow most, if not all, of the Bobolink chicks to survive and fledge.” A copy of the letter was also submitted as a Letter to the Editor to The Barre Gazette.
From mid-June through early July, much-needed rain came to the region, and there were no obvious long stretches of dry weather to support haying, which was good news for Bobolink nestling survival. As monitoring progressed throughout July and mowing still did not take place, the Bobolinks were able to continue to feed fledglings on-site, adding to the probability of increased fledgling survival. It was later learned that the leasing farmer passed away in July. Mowing commenced soon after.
Meanwhile, as of mid-July there was still no response or discussion at a meeting by the Selectboard. The Club sent an inquiry about the outcome of the May letter to the office on 7/15 and received no response. A follow-up inquiry was sent on July 28th. The response from the secretary was: “Your letter has been copied to the Board of Selectmen’s correspondence file for review. Unfortunately, they have not had an opportunity to discuss it but plan to in a future meeting." WRNC responded with thanks, but also pointed out that, “given the time-sensitive nature of the letter, as well as our efforts to provide adequate hard and electronic copies and educational information, this response is extremely tardy, irrelevant, patronizing, and disrespectful.”
As the season came to a close, the Selectboard on August 24th reviewed the Club’s letter, and a dismissive response referring back to the 2013 town meeting was received. A combined Club/personal letter critical of the Selectboard’s failure to adequately address the issue was sent in late September. The letter stated that WRNC would stop asking the Selectboard to “take positive steps to help protect the birds that nest at Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area.”
An unexpected result of this ongoing debate was that the interest of a reporter from The Gardner News was piqued when she attended the August Selectboard meeting and sensed that Selectboard members weren’t speaking openly and freely about the topic. She initiated a follow-up series of interviews and a front-page article was published on October 12th.
While the political arguments were going on, Bobolink families were growing. On 7 August 2015, a flock of ~75 Bobolinks were found in what remained of the tall grass in Field #5; about one third of the field was mowed. It included family groups with many immatures. The males had already molted or were in the process, so no bright males were noted. These birds likely resulted from nestings in the surrounding fields at the conservation area; the number reflects the estimated numbers of adults/pairs noted earlier in the season. The flock was detected when flushed from a distance of about 60 yards. It’s possible that more birds were present but didn’t flush during the observation period.
The outcome here this year reflects the potential for this area to support both grassland birds nesting success and an acceptable hay crop.
Savannah Sparrows have attempted nesting here in past years but were not present in 2015.
DCR WARE RIVER WATERSHED -- PRISON CAMP/INTERVALE ROAD FIELDS--RUTLAND
Although the hay lease for this property allowed cutting after July 1st, the fields were cut late in the 2014 season for a variety of reasons. The 5-year lease was over and went out for bid late in 2014, this time with a stipulation requiring mowing after August 1st. The Department awarded the new 5-year lease to a local farmer who did the mowing in 2013 and 2014 and planned to use the hay for bedding. The farmer acknowledged that the fields had become less productive for food value partly due to late mowing—sometimes as late as September—and lack of nutrient replenishing (there are certain restrictions because of watershed protection concerns).
It was 17 June 2015--later than optimal because the birds are actively nesting by then-- when the first monitoring visit was made. Some males were still singing and patrolling territories, some were not. One very silent male was spotted carrying food and then stealthily dropping in to a presumable nest. Other males appeared to still be asserting territories, likely indicating that young had not yet hatched in many nests.
Females can be just about invisible at this time of year if they are still incubating, which some still were on 17 June. Two females were observed carrying food and dropping into the grass to feed hatchlings. This indicated that several nests could be empty of young by July 4th. Without more frequent monitoring, it’s difficult to predict hatching times, but it was thought that hatching was imminent for the other nesting pairs.
Bobolinks are often polygynous, and also polyandrous, so each male may have more than one mate, and each clutch of eggs laid by a single female may have multiple fathers. This makes censusing even more complex.
Bobolinks were scattered throughout all the fields rather than concentrated in one or two. The birds didn't seem to avoid the less-than-ideal quality of the fields due to last season’s late mowing. This observation would seem to strengthen the argument that Bobolinks don’t "need" hayfields that are harvested at peak season in the previous year. On the other hand, some observers have noted that too much thatch buildup over a number of years could discourage Bobolinks from nesting, so a mowing regime is important. But the hay doesn't have to be harvested at the peak of nesting season.
Refer to the map above for the following notes. Observations were made from 11:30 a.m. -2:30 p.m. Detectability would probably have been higher if surveying took place earlier in the day; the numbers of birds noted was conservative. Note: detectability doesn't necessarily become easier after eggs have hatched--look away for a few seconds and miss the birds as they furtively fly in with a food delivery!
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Field A Field not visited; too small to attract Bobolinks.
Field B One male holding territory & singing. Field not thoroughly inspected; suspect there is more than one nest. Field C One male holding territory and visiting presumed nest site. In past years more birds have been present here. Some disturbance to field by user(s) of bicycle(s) or “dirt bike(s).” Field D No Bobolinks here and none encountered here in past. Probably too small. Field E This field is labeled separately from Field F because the birds seem to perceive it as a separate location (although acreage-wise they probably wouldn't find it suitable if it wasn't attached to Field F.) One male seen carrying food and dropping into nest site. (In 2014 4-5 pairs were nesting here.) Field F Two territorial & singing male Bobolinks seen chasing Baltimore Oriole that came into the area. One female carrying food into nest site. Nest site quite close (south) to virtual path leading from boulder entry spot to two nestboxes; if nestboxes are monitored or hikers walk in from road, it’s hoped that care will be taken to look down while walking in the grass. To avoid possible disturbance, observer didn’t venture into the field; there may have been another nest further down the slope. Field G This was predictably, due to acreage, the most active site, although the field appeared to be unused by Bobolinks in 2014. There were 6 or 7 males singing and patrolling. At least one male could have been straddling the two fields that are bisected by the road. A female in one location was very vigilant in one location and was later seen carrying food and dropping into the presumed nest site. |
Male Bobolink by Barry Van Dusen
Total number of confirmed nests: 4 Other nests likely present: 5-6 Additional nests possible/unknown: 4-6 Not high numbers, but encouraging in light of early mowing and other population challenges that these birds face! Neither Savannah Sparrows nor Eastern Meadowlarks were present at this site. They have not been detected in the past few years, but there is potential for either species to occur here. |
2016 GRASSLAND BIRD REPORT
During the 2016 nesting season, grassland bird monitoring continued at Mt. Jefferson Conservation Area, Hubbardston and the Ware River Watershed Prison Camp fields. Additionally volunteers expanded their efforts to include Moore State Park in Paxton and, in a preliminary overview, High Ridge Wildlife Management Area in Gardner/Westminster. Bobolinks were found at all the sites. A couple of adult Bobolinks and several young were seen at a new site, DCR’s Riis Hill property in Barre, in July. It’s possible one or more pairs of Bobolinks nested there following DCR’s reinstatement of a single late-season annual mowing regime which began in 2015.
MT.JEFFERSON CONSERVATION AREA, HUBBARDSTON
Good numbers of Bobolinks were expected here as a result of increased nesting success in 2015, and the birds met observers’ expectations. By mid-June, 8-10 males were still performing courtship displays and chasing females over preferred territory in fields #5 and 7. The Bobolinks also seem to perceive the five acres of field #2 a part of that expanse of territory, in spite of the road bisecting the field. At least 4 territorial males were singing and displaying over fields #1 and #3 on both sides of Mt. Jefferson Road. As there are trees and shrubs alongside the roadway, it appears that the birds perceive of fields # 1 and 3 as representing different nesting territories. Males were using roadside trees as launching points for courtship singing and display, and it appears that individual males begin the season patrolling both fields, not surprising since these two fields are so close and the species is known to be polyandrous.
A visit to the conservation area on 24 June, a date after which eggs should have hatched and nestlings were likely being fed, found that Fields # 1, 2, 6 & 7 had been mowed, likely representing the destruction of 5-7 Bobolink nests, translating to a loss of approximately 25-35 (or more) nestlings.
On one of the few overcast and somewhat rainy days in July, on the 9th, a drive-by monitoring visit was made. According to the usual mowing pattern for these fields, Field # 3 would have been the next field slated for mowing. As of this date a wide swath around the entire perimeter of the field had been cut and a center strip of ~50-75 yards remained. The fate of nests that were in the lower level, furthest from the road, is uncertain.
Field # 5, which appeared to hold the most nests this season, was not mowed. No birds were seen on this date, a function of the weather and timing (birds lay low to protect vulnerable young).
There may have been some positive nesting outcomes here this season, but further monitoring visits didn’t occur.
DCR Ware River Watershed Prison Camp Fields
On 30 May 2016, 5 male and 3 female Bobolinks were observed here. Since the monitoring visit was late in the afternoon, it's likely more birds were present but undetected.
Moore State Park, Paxton
Report pending.
High Ridge Wildlife Management Area, Gardner/Westminster
General overview pending.
MT.JEFFERSON CONSERVATION AREA, HUBBARDSTON
Good numbers of Bobolinks were expected here as a result of increased nesting success in 2015, and the birds met observers’ expectations. By mid-June, 8-10 males were still performing courtship displays and chasing females over preferred territory in fields #5 and 7. The Bobolinks also seem to perceive the five acres of field #2 a part of that expanse of territory, in spite of the road bisecting the field. At least 4 territorial males were singing and displaying over fields #1 and #3 on both sides of Mt. Jefferson Road. As there are trees and shrubs alongside the roadway, it appears that the birds perceive of fields # 1 and 3 as representing different nesting territories. Males were using roadside trees as launching points for courtship singing and display, and it appears that individual males begin the season patrolling both fields, not surprising since these two fields are so close and the species is known to be polyandrous.
A visit to the conservation area on 24 June, a date after which eggs should have hatched and nestlings were likely being fed, found that Fields # 1, 2, 6 & 7 had been mowed, likely representing the destruction of 5-7 Bobolink nests, translating to a loss of approximately 25-35 (or more) nestlings.
On one of the few overcast and somewhat rainy days in July, on the 9th, a drive-by monitoring visit was made. According to the usual mowing pattern for these fields, Field # 3 would have been the next field slated for mowing. As of this date a wide swath around the entire perimeter of the field had been cut and a center strip of ~50-75 yards remained. The fate of nests that were in the lower level, furthest from the road, is uncertain.
Field # 5, which appeared to hold the most nests this season, was not mowed. No birds were seen on this date, a function of the weather and timing (birds lay low to protect vulnerable young).
There may have been some positive nesting outcomes here this season, but further monitoring visits didn’t occur.
DCR Ware River Watershed Prison Camp Fields
On 30 May 2016, 5 male and 3 female Bobolinks were observed here. Since the monitoring visit was late in the afternoon, it's likely more birds were present but undetected.
Moore State Park, Paxton
Report pending.
High Ridge Wildlife Management Area, Gardner/Westminster
General overview pending.