[bsg] Re: Grasshopper Sparrow, drought and grass.

  • From: jrstwrtj@xxxxxxxxxx
  • To: bsg@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Wed, 20 May 2015 11:46:03 -0500

BIRD STUDY GROUP
Terry, I'm hanging in here; don't know how much longer chemo will help.
The airport produced some very good wintering birds as well, particularly
in the lower more moist areas: Amercan Bittern in ditches; Leconte's,
Grasshopper & Henslow's Sparrows; performing Woodcock At east 70th street
gate. I only got singing Grasshoppers directly from 70th. Also in spring
Bell's Vireo along willow lined ditch exiting airport near east 70th gate
(one pair on fence and one fully inside airport); also up in woody tract
north along railroad (inside railroad property).

Hi Jim, Good to hear from you. It's been quite awhile and hope you are
doing well! I've always thought that the grass situation at the airport
was
good for Grasshopper Sparrow. However, we've mainly done winter surveys in
search of Smith's Longspur since I've been doing it. I've mentioned trying
to get on the grounds in spring but thus far I haven't followed up with
those plans. I've tried the perimeter, including W 70th are that you
mentioned, during several past springs and came up empty-handed for
singing
birds or migrants. It was quite a few years ago since I tried last,
though.
Glad to hear that you've had them there.

Terry

On Mon, May 18, 2015 at 10:38 AM, <jrstwrtj@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

BIRD STUDY GROUP
Hi all, On a few occaisions I had multiple singing Grasshopper Sparrows
on the Greater Municipal Airport along 70th Street extension - obviously
migrants as they disappeared shortly. James Stewart
Hi all, I just threw this together real quick. Comments
appreciated....

It sure seems that Grasshopper Sparrow reports have been falling way
off
in the past few years, especially this spring season and last. This
past
winter failed to produce a single bird- at least for my efforts. Last
I
checked (correct me if I'm missing records/ reports), there hasn't
been a
single report this spring season of migrants or possible breeders- as
of
yet- and the season is nearly over. We used to think that the first
migrants and breeders arrived later in May but that old notion had
been
somewhat thrown to the side over the past ten or so years, when birds
showed up singing here in n-w La by around the 3rd week or slightly
later
in April. However, numbers still seemed to increase later in May
during
most of those years as well.

If one looks back, it seems the most frequent and notable sightings
were
either during years of drought or years when drought, at the very
least,
closely preceded the period when higher numbers were found. During
years
before and after drought, the preferred grass types, especially those
in
breeding areas, grow notably sparser than in other years. Clumping
type
grasses will clump either way, but aside from the Hill Farm in Homer
(not
familiar with grass situ there except somewhat in winter), many
previously
established breeding locations have been located within agricultural
and
pasture areas along the Red River valley, where native clumping-type
grasses have become quite rare to absent. In years of drought,
however,
even many of the non-native and non-clumping grasses take on more of a
clumping or patchy form- and are therefore more/less usable by the
birds.
The birds prefer this grass form, so that they can run like mice
between
the clumps without having to fly. Any birder familiar with breeding
Grasshopper Sparrow will tell you that the only birds that somewhat
frequently visible are singing males. One has to work hard and do
loads
of
walking for any others. One might use the food availability argument
but
again, the birds are more often seen in years when the supply should
be
lower, rather than burgeoning- such as years when there's lots of
seeds,
insects and lush bushy grass, yet hardly a Grasshopper Sparrow in
sight.
Then again, many insects are known to respond to drought with rapid
increases in number, which also leaves that path full of potholes. My
personal opinion is that the answer lies within the density and
patchiness
of grass. I had been searching for some years before finding the first
breeders that had been found in several decades in Wardview in
northern
Bossier Parish, quite a few years ago- when suddenly, after many, many
strike-outs, there they were......

I've only looked for them on a few occasions thus far this spring but
have
struck out every time. John Dillon mentioned that he hasn't been able
to
search of them much at Hill Farm, either. However, Charlie Lyon has
checked
for them on quite a few occasions recently at several of the known
breeding
locations during his big year quest and has reported no success thus
far.
I
think it's more likely that we are not missing the birds....They're
just
simply not there.

Good birding,

Terry Davis









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