First brood is probably fledged, but Eastern Meadowlarks may raise two broods, and in New York State Meadowlark eggs have been seen as late as August 1st (BBA). So there's no magic date by which
-Geo On Jun 26, 2013, at 9:38 PM, Alicia Plotkin <t...@zoom-dsl.com> wrote: > A meadowlark was singing on territory in neighbor's hayfield at least by > April 28th this year. I heard him regularly, early in the day, for over a > month and then my schedule changed so I do't really know if he still is > singing there mornings or not. > > To my surprise, our neighbor just asked me if 'those birds of yours have > finished with their nests' because he has been waiting to mow (!), but he > says he can't wait much longer or his machinery will jam. A little research > suggests that from first egg to fledging is under 30 days - so would it be > safe to say that the meadowlarks should be finished nesting and it's OK to > mow there now? > > BTW, I'm pretty sure there aren't any bobolinks are in that field - the only > male we had this year seems to have left after the field across the road was > mowed late last month. :-( The sad thing is that even just ten years ago > we had scores of bobolinks and maybe a dozen male meadowlarks, as well as > grasshopper & more common grassland sparrows, and usually harriers, nesting > on this one half mile stretch of road, but agricultural uses of the land have > changed and now there is only this tiny remnant holding on ... > > So would really like to make sure this last meadowlark male & his harem have > had the chance to finish nesting, but not prolong it to the point where my > neighbor doesn't want to do this in future years. Is it safe to tell him to > go ahead and mow? > > -- > > 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/ > > -- -- 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/ --
