Hey everyone, I am excited by the passion and energy that folks are demonstrating through this discussion.
As chair of the Cayuga Bird Club's Conservation Action Committee, I am calling for volunteers who want to help out to please send me an email at jodye...@gmail.com and we'll continue this discussion and chart actions off of the main listserv. Initial tasks include sleuthing online to identify existing resources (some of which already have been linked on the listserv), and identifying additional key players in Cornell's sustainability initiatives who we can ioop in. Further, as many of you know, the Cayuga Bird Club is working hard to engage local youth groups to establish connections with communities in Latin America with who share (and try to protect) some of the same migratory species that use the forested areas we are improving. We can do the same with communities who share these grassland bird species of interest. Please let me know if you want to be involved in that. Thanks Jody Enck Jody W. Enck, PhD Conservation Social Scientist, and Founder of the Sister Bird Club Network 607-379-5940 On Tue, Jun 15, 2021 at 11:33 PM Kenneth V. Rosenberg <k...@cornell.edu> wrote: > Hi everyone, > > > > Having fueled some of the passion about hay-cutting and grassland bird > conservation, I wanted to clarify a few points. Thanks to the many who > provided resources and links to additional information. I am not an expert > on farming or legal issues, but I can provide a bit more perspective on the > grassland bird issues. What is happening today has happened for decades and > is standard agricultural practice over most of the eastern U.S. The > challenges are complex, both for the farmers and those interested in > conservation. > > > > Most importantly, it is not fair or correct to blame the local farmers, or > even those at Cornell trying to manage the hayfields along Freese and > Hanshaw Roads – these are indeed hayfields, grown for the horses at the > Equine Research Lab, and the growers are under the same constraints > regarding timing and nutritional value of the hay (the horses won’t eat it > if it’s mowed too late). Individual farmers trying to eek out a living and > keep their farms in production cannot be expected to sacrifice economically > for the sake of birds or other wildlife – a common resource for us all. > This is the fundamental problem. > > > > The solutions, therefore, need to come at the societal and policy levels. > If more of society puts greater value on birds and other nature, then this > can become part of the economic structure that supports both agriculture > and biodiversity conservation. Much easier said than done! There is a > complicated array of Farm Bill and other incentive programs that encourage > farmers to create or set aside wildlife habitat, but these programs are > obscure to most farmers – including the program managers at Cornell we met > with last year. Here is a link to a guide that was just released about the > latest Farm Bill programs: > https://nabci-us.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2018-2023-Farm-Bill-Guide-FINAL-LOW-RES-052621.pdf > > > > As Geo and others point out, the bird part is pretty well known and > several good resources exist – the timing of breeding, safe dates for > mowing, field size requirements for each species, preferred grass types, > etc. The economic side is much more difficult, with pressures to produce > on every acre and less and less room for nature in the agricultural matrix. > And as Geo stated, without viable farming there would be no “grassland” or > grassland birds in the Northeast. (the lost potential for managing > state-owned lands for these disappearing species has also been noted). > > > > As for our local situation with the Cornell University fields, I was not > quite correct to say earlier that the managers of these particular fields > were not interested in conservation options – but they did not have the > option to make those decisions and could not afford to make short-term > changes in their management. This is where our local bird community can > help – both in terms of providing specific information on the birds and > guidelines for mowing, etc., but more importantly, to let the university > and town leaders know that we value the birds and the habitats on these > lands. As a land-grant university, and with the lead by-line on the > *Science* article documenting the loss of 3 billion birds, it is not > unreasonable to ask Cornell to be part of the solution -- finding ways that > ensure agricultural productivity while helping to stem the plummeting > populations of grassland birds. And it would be great for Cornell to model > these solutions on its own extensive farmland. > > > > I hope some of the passion expressed today will have a positive impact. > > > > KEN > > > > > > > > > > Ken Rosenberg (he/him/his) > > Applied Conservation Scientist > > Cornell Lab of Ornithology > > American Bird Conservancy > > Fellow, Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future > > k...@cornell.edu > > Wk: 607-254-2412 > > Cell: 607-342-4594 > > > > > > *From: *bounce-125714597-3493...@list.cornell.edu < > bounce-125714597-3493...@list.cornell.edu> on behalf of Geo Kloppel < > geoklop...@gmail.com> > *Date: *Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at 9:53 PM > *To: *CAYUGABIRDS-L <cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu> > *Subject: *Re: [cayugabirds-l] Fields being mowed. > > I was about to say that anyone who wants to discuss the matter cogently > with actual farmers and hayfield managers would do well to consult the > Resources page on the Cayuga Bird Club website, where this link lives: > > - Cornell Cooperative Extension has published a very helpful document > on Hayfield Management and Grassland Bird Conservation > > <http://www.nysenvirothon.net/Referencesandother/Hayfields_Grassland_Birds.pdf> > . > > > > Alas! That link is broken. But here’s one that still works: > > > > > https://www.nyfoa.org/application/files/6314/7948/6092/HayfieldsGrassland_Birds_3MB.pdf > > > > More generally, let’s remember that without field culture and haymaking, > most of what we call grassland in this part of the country would revert to > forest cover, where Bobolinks and Meadowlarks would not be found. > > > > -Geo > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > > > On Jun 15, 2021, at 6:07 PM, Sandy Podulka <s...@cornell.edu> wrote: > > Ken and all, > > Thank you so much for this clear, concise summary of this issue. I have > some friends I am trying to convince to not mow too soon, so will use your > words there, too. > > Can anyone tell me what is a "safe" date for mowing? Until when should I > ask them to delay? > > Thanks, > Sandy Podulka > > At 04:07 PM 6/15/2021, Kenneth V. Rosenberg wrote: > > > Linda, thanks for bringing this mowing to everyone’s attention. In a > nutshell, what is happening today in those fields, repeated over the entire > U.S., is the primary cause of continued steep declines in Bobolink and > other grassland bird populations. > > > > Last year, because of the delays in mowing due to Covid, the fields along > Freeze and Hanshaw Roads were full of nesting birds, including many nesting > Bobolinks that were actively feeding young in the nests at the end of June. > In the first week of July, Cornell decided to mow all the fields. Jody Enck > and I wrote letters and met with several folks at Cornell in the various > departments in charge of managing those fields (Veterinary College, > University Farm Services) – although they listened politely to our concerns > for the birds, they went ahead and mowed that week as dozens of female > bobolinks and other birds hovered helplessly over the tractors with bills > filled food for their almost-fledged young. > > > > The same just happened over the past couple of days this year, only at an > earlier stage in the nesting cycle – most birds probably have (had) > recently hatched young in the nest. While mowing is occurring across the > entire region as part of “normal” agricultural practices (with continued > devastating consequences for field-nesting birds), the question is whether > Cornell University needs to be contributing to this demise, while > ostensibly supporting biodiversity conservation through other unrelated > programs. Jody and I presented an alternative vision, where the > considerable acres of fields owned by the university across Tompkins County > could serve as a model for conserving populations of grassland birds, > pollinators, and other biodiversity, but the people in charge of this > management were not very interested in these options. > > > > And there we have it, a microcosm of the continental demise of grassland > birds playing out in our own backyard, illustrating the extreme challenges > of modern Ag practices that are totally incompatible with healthy bird > populations. I urge CayugaBirders to make as much noise as possible, and > maybe someone will listen. > > > > KEN > > > > Ken Rosenberg (he/him/his) > > Applied Conservation Scientist > > Cornell Lab of Ornithology > > American Bird Conservancy > > Fellow, Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future > > k...@cornell.edu > > Wk: 607-254-2412 > > Cell: 607-342-4594 > > > > > > *From: *bounce-125714085-3493...@list.cornell.edu < > bounce-125714085-3493...@list.cornell.edu> on behalf of Linda Orkin < > wingmagi...@gmail.com> > *Date: *Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at 3:02 PM > *To: *CAYUGABIRDS-L <cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu> > *Subject: *[cayugabirds-l] Fields being mowed. > > After a couple year hiatus in which the Freese Road fields across from the > gardens have been mowed late in the season allowing at least Bobolinks to > be done with their nesting and for grassland birds to be lured into a false > feeling of security so they have returned and I’ve counted three singing > meadowlarks for the first time in years, Cornell has returned to early > mowing there as of today. And so the mayhem ensues. How many more > multitudes of birds will die before we believe our own eyes and ears. Mow > the grass while it’s still nutritious but are we paying attention to who is > being fed. Grass taken from the land to pass through animals and in that > inefficient process turning to food for humans. > > Linda Orkin > Ithaca NY > -- > > Cayugabirds-L List Info: > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm > > ARCHIVES: > 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html > 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds > 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html > > Please submit your observations to eBird: > http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > > -- > -- > > *Cayugabirds-L List Info: *Welcome and Basics > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > > *Archives: *The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > > *Please submit your observations to eBird > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! *-- > > -- > > *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* > > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > > *Archives:* > > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > > *Please submit your observations to eBird > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>!* > > -- > > -- > > *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* > > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > > *Archives:* > > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > > *Please submit your observations to eBird > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>!* > > -- > -- > *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > *Archives:* > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > *Please submit your observations to eBird > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>!* > -- > -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
