The ‘return’ of the Bobolinks of North Salem

Written by Jack Sanders
Thursday, 10 June 2010 13:23

The Bedford Audubon Society began collaboration last year with landowners in North Salem to delay mowing of their hay fields, where Bobolinks, a threatened grasslands bird species, nest. These fields are said to be the only Bobolink nesting areas remaining in Westchester County

Helle Raheem of Bedford Audubon has offered the following thoughts about “the Return of the Bobolinks.”

• • •

As soon as I step on to the field, I see the first one. The bird rises from the vast meadow in front of me bringing to mind the Skylark of my childhood and youth in Europe. Although Bobolinks belong to the same family as Eastern Meadowlarks (Icteridae), they are a distinct species (Dolichonyx oryzivorous), but, like larks, they sing at this time of year, incessantly, melodiously, while flying, while resting on fence posts, while hiding in the grass.

The first glimpse of this attractive, seven-inch bird reveals the black and white pattern on the body and wings and the coal-black head. When it turns and the sun hits it, the unmistakable ‘straw-colored nape’ (Sibley) is clearly visible. This, of course, is the male Bobolink, much more colorful than the female, which is brownish, with a yellowish breast, overall drabber and more inconspicuous, crucial for birds that incubate their eggs in open grassland exposed to hawks and other predators.

For the past 50 years, the Bobolink — which breeds in southern Canada and northern United States and winters in Argentina — has declined by an estimated 50% (Sauer 2005), one of the reasons being loss of habitat and early mowing of large grasslands which the bird needs to nest successfully. Last year, the Bedford Audubon Society convinced a number of landowners to delay their hay mowing until after the Bobolinks had fledged in mid-July, and the population almost tripled.

I continue my walk up the narrow, mowed path through the meadow. All around me Bobolinks sing, fly about, and perch on the wooden fence to my left, some close enough for me to have an exhaustive look at this lovely bird while it tilts back its head and sings its heart out.

It would seem that another successful breeding season is at hand provided the birds can nest peacefully and raise their young in this expansive grassland.

I think of my seventh-month-old granddaughter. Will I be able to share with her the joy of seeing “the rowdy of the meadow” (as Emily Dickinson called the Bobolink) and hearing its lovely song fill the air, right here in North Salem ? In this case, I truly believe “it takes a village....” or a town full of caring, concerned people and organizations such as Bedford Audubon working together to protect and preserve the Bobolink.

I trust they will.

• • •

An amazing thing about Bobolinks is the fact that they winter so far away — Argentina. Many of our songbirds head south for the winter, but I doubt many others fly more than 5,000 miles to reach southern South America. That’s farther than from New York to Moscow or Athens.

On Saturday, June 19, Bedford Audubon will have a bird watching trip to see the North Salem Bobolinks — check out “Coming Up” below.

Boblinks have some other nearby “refuges.” As our photographer Kevin Doyle has discovered, they may be found at Tarrywile, a park owned by the City of Danbury. And in Redding, there are at least two large, open, ridge-top fields that are home to nesting Bobolinks.

Incidentally, Kevin, who supplies us with many photos of birds, has been spending a lot of time the past two years photographing Ospreys. Connecticut Audubon Society’s website has a section on Ospreys nesting on their property, and it features some wonderful photos by Kevin. Visit ctaudubon.org/action/osprey.htm to check them out.

Coming up

Annual Summer Bird Count, a two-day survey to help determine what birds are living and nesting in this area at this time of the year; June 12 and 13, free for young and old, sign up with Ted at 203-869-5272 ext. 230, by June 11, Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich.audubon.org.

Field Trip to Sterling Forest State Park, with naturalist Tait Johansson, Friday, June 11, 8 to 2, Bedford Audubon, carpool from Bylane Farm, 35 Todd Road, Goldens Bridge at 6:30, 914-232-4806, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , BedfordAudubon.org

Manakins and Their Amazing Audible Courtship Displays, with Kimberly S. Bostwick, Ph.D., Wednesday, June 16, 7:30 p.m., Bedford Audubon, at Katonah Memorial House, 71 Bedford Road, Katonah, bedfordaudubon.org.

Bird Walk at the Angle Fly Preserve, Somers, with Bedford Audubon Naturalist Tait Johansson, Thursday, June 17, 7:30 to 10 a.m. Carpool from Bylane Farm, 35 Todd Road, Goldens Bridge at 7:15, 914-232-4806, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , BedfordAudubon.org.

Trip to North Salem to Watch Bobolinks, sponsored by the Bedford Audubon Society and the North Salem Open Land Foundation, Saturday, June 19, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., carpool from Bylane Farm, 35 Todd Road, Goldens Bridge, 914-232-4806, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , BedfordAudubon.org.

Bird Observation Hike, with Milan Bull of Connecticut Audubon, Saturday, June 26, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., Aspetuck Land Trust at Stonebridge Preserve parking lot, Newtown Turnpike, near Stonebridge Road, Weston (on Wilton line), reserve via David Brant, dbrant @ aspetucklandtrust.org.

Hummingbirds: Feathered Gems, Gina Nichol, former Audubon staff member, illustrates the amazing adaptations of these birds and describes their fascinating life histories, Saturday, July 17, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., $5, Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, Greenwich.audubon.org.

Saturday Morning Bird Walks with Luke Tiller; to register, sunrisebirding.com/walks.htm; 203-453-6724, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

First Sundays, birding at Greenwich Point with Meredith Sampson of Wild Wings, and other guides, 203-637-9822.

Copyright 2010 by Jack Sanders. Send sightings or comments to: jackfsanders [at sign] yahoo.com, or to Bird Notes, Box 1019, Ridgefield, CT 06877; or call 203-438-1183, extension BIRD (2473), and leave a message with your report, spelling your first and last names and telling us your town. If you need help identifying a bird, try your local nature center. If you find an injured bird, call wildlife rehabilitator Darlene Wimbrow of Redding, 203-438-0618, Wildlife in Crisis of Weston, 203-544-9913, or Wild Wings of Greenwich, 203-637-9822. The columnist’s Web site is sandersbooks. com.