broods, broods, broods

[UGUIDE]

Just back from a trip to the farm in SD this last week. Main event was to finish spraying for weeds and also meet with local PF biologist to discuss future CRP plans. He said he hadn't been seeing many chicks. Feared the rains may have done some in.

We were out in ATV and when we were on out return to the building we flushed two chicks that I would guess to be about 4 weeks old (large birds in 6-8 inch long range).

The next day I was mowing a 4 acre patch of weeds that were about 4 ' tall and flushed several hens out of that. The weeds would have been to tall to see little chicks running through but I could see adult size birds and rabbits move the grass.

Next day I went to down to check out a new tree planting that I have mowed in rows a week or two before. Was planted to tall wheatgrass, alfalfa and sweet clover. I didn't get in the first row more than a few feet and flushed a brood of small flyers. Went a few feet more and could see grass moving up ahead so I slow down and see some day old chicks trying to get through that stuff so I backed out carefully. Did not expect to see that much activity in there since I had just mowed it. This was a 10 row planting and only afew hundred yeard long.

Next day I was walking around shelterbelt by building spraying thistles on the edge and got back around one side and flushed a brood of 1-2 week old flyers. 8 of them (that I saw). Nice brood.

So I am encouraged what I saw considering how wet everything was. The cover is outstaning and there is sweet clover everywhere. Even pasture with cows grazing it is thick and would serve as nesting cover.

Even if broods were lost there would be plenty of time for a hen to renest. The roosters seem to be hanging out close to heavy cover looking for hens. Not nearly as much crowing going on as early in June.

 

[quail hound]

That's good news, glad to hear the hens are having success. Our early broods are already about 2 months old. I wish I could get out to the hunting grounds more often to see the success and progress but its about an hour away.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Traveled from Wagner to Artesian yesterday and saw a fair number of birds, but no chicks. Did not get out of the car much tho. One rooster was chasing a hen and I saw a number of hens that flew. I do not know what that means but I presume they did not have broods. May be some renesting going on.
Water, water, water everywhere. All the creeks and Rivers going full bore and then some. Tons of ducks and the goose hatch phenomenal.

 

[Prairie Drifter]

U, I don't understand your timing on spraying and mowing weeds. If they aren't noxious, they are your brood rearing cover. Mowing especially when the chicks are this small is counter productive. If it needed done, it should have been done prior to nesting.

 

[UGUIDE]

U, I don't understand your timing on spraying and mowing weeds. If they aren't noxious, they are your brood rearing cover. Mowing especially when the chicks are this small is counter productive. If it needed done, it should have been done prior to nesting.

PD, everything treated was noxious weeds. I assume Mid may would be pre nesting seaosn and you can see any noxious weeds to know where they are and there is nothing worth clipping at that time.

??