Most farmers start mowing in June as soon as the ground is dry and expect to get at least 2 cuttings off a field. Hay palatabiity and potentially nutrition goes down if left all summer. There is a tax break program for farmers/landowners who wait to mow until august - has to be over a certain acreage. Those who allow fields to go fallow or who make big bales at the end of the summer are most likely to take advantage of this. Some leave a strip of tall hay/brush along field edges to help out the birds - this only works of course if the birds manage to nest there.
Sarah
Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2012 18:58:59 -0400
Subject: [Maine-birds] Small grasslands-when to mow?
From: wnbirder@gmail.com
To: maine-birds@googlegroups.com
While on bicycle rides around my area, I have been enjoying the grassland birds that nest in the hay fields around Frankfort and Prospect.
This has got me thinking; how early do most of those landowners mow/cut their fields, and what impact may that have on the productivity of the nesting birds?
I wouldn't be surprised if the first cutting is in July, and according to Mass Audubon, fields should be left as they are until after August 1st: Grassland Birds | Mass Audubon
Does this same date apply to Maine? I wonder what can be done (if anything) to delay the cutting of hay fields.
Good birding,
William
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Maine birds mailing list
maine-birds@googlegroups.com
http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds
https://sites.google.com/site/birding207
Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2012 18:58:59 -0400
Subject: [Maine-birds] Small grasslands-when to mow?
From: wnbirder@gmail.com
To: maine-birds@googlegroups.com
While on bicycle rides around my area, I have been enjoying the grassland birds that nest in the hay fields around Frankfort and Prospect.
This has got me thinking; how early do most of those landowners mow/cut their fields, and what impact may that have on the productivity of the nesting birds?
I wouldn't be surprised if the first cutting is in July, and according to Mass Audubon, fields should be left as they are until after August 1st: Grassland Birds | Mass Audubon
Does this same date apply to Maine? I wonder what can be done (if anything) to delay the cutting of hay fields.
Good birding,
William
--
Maine birds mailing list
maine-birds@googlegroups.com
http://groups.google.com/group/maine-birds
https://sites.google.com/site/birding207
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