Home Commentary NATURE WATCH: Bobolinks Lose Homes to Haying

NATURE WATCH: Bobolinks Lose Homes to Haying

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by Nona Estrin

The bobolink. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
The bobolink. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Now, the sad side of our wonderfully vibrant farming community: It’s haying weather and crop lands here are under a great deal of pressure. Haying starts earlier and it’s not unusual to take four cuttings off a field in a year. The sad part is the bobolinks. This extraordinary bird, with it’s otherworldly looks and song is in very serious decline. They nest in tall grass, our hayfields, large groups in one field.  They have recently returned from winter habitat in southern South America and their young fragile broods are just beginning to grow. A few weeks now would make all the difference, but in most fields it is not to be. Contact the Bobolink Project for more information.

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