Old Mat Fields Lake Co. Cates, TN Lauderdale Waterfowl Refuge Lauderdale Co. TN Mike, This past weekend, I visited the Smith's Field at Cates and walked over the area. Unfortunately, the very late mowing of a very limited area was too little, too late. Thanks to Nancy Moore for her persistency in talking to the county officials and finally getting the high grass mowed but as always bureaucracy runs slow. The Aristida had grown longer than usual in trying to get its head above the taller grasses as they grew through late summer. In the good years the area was hayed and this was done earlier in the year rather than just a bush hogging. Because of the Aristida's taller growth, this late mowing destroyed most of the seeds, which are sparse to began with anyway. I had talked to Nancy through the late summer and early fall about the field and it was a great effort on her part. I do appreciate her effort and also appreciate the people that took the time to do the limited but late bush hogging. I might expect a few Smith's to drop in and spend a little time but probably not any numbers would be expected to stay for any period as before. Last year a couple of birds spent a few days in the area even though the grass was not mown at all and that let the taller grasses get a better foothold in this poor soil. Birds come back expecting to find the same habitat just as moths to a candle. Aristida likes poor soil and shorter competition. Smith's like Aristida and shorter habitat so there are fewer surprises from predators. They don't like to feed surrounded by taller grass, just like most shorebirds, open is better. I had watched this field develop for quite a few years before there was enough habitat and grass to support wintering Smith's Longspurs. In Memphis, after finding the birds after many years absence here in TN, that habitat was destroyed by progress a couple of years later, but a few birds returned for a short period and then one bird for a couple of years and then none. I am watching a few more fields in west TN that show potential. Some where around here there are Smith's looking for a home. We just have to do a lot more searching. Hopefully, before they develop the old Mat Field at Cates Landing, maybe they will go back to just a regular and timely haying of the area and we can enjoy the Smith's experience again. I did find a few Lapland Longspurs in three different areas in Lake Co. on Sunday. Also there were 16 species of waterfowl at the Lauderdale Waterfowl Refuge in Lauderdale Co. Good Birding!!! Jeff R. Wilson OL'COOT / TLBA Bartlett, TN =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation. ----------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, simply send email to: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send email to: tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ========================================================