Tom Reichner wrote in post #19065093
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With respect, I think you are speaking without an understanding of the situation.
The Blackbirds use the tops of the cattails to perch on, but they use the understory of the cattails for nesting. . They choose the thickest parts of the understory for nest locations.
Cattails stalks/seedheads naturally break off sometime in their 2nd year, and fall down into the understory. . By early April, when the first females start looking for nest sites, about 1/4 of last season's cattails have already broken down on their own. . Over the next two months, about 90% of the remaining seedhead stalks will break down on their own, as well. . The spots in the understory that have broken-down seedhead stalks are favored for nesting locations, because they are thicker and offer more cover for the nests.
When I break down the seedhead stalks in late February and early March, I am just doing what nature would do on its own, but I am doing it a month or three early. . Breaking down the seedhead stalks actually provides more favorable nesting habitat, because it creates more cover down in the cattail understory where the females build the nests.
What I am doing is not "destroying habitat", as you accuse me of doing. . If you had an understand of the Red-winged Blackbird, and an understanding of the cattail's annual lifecycle, then I doin't think you would have made such an accusation. . It is usually best to reserve judgement unless you are really familiar with the species and its nesting habitat preferences.
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With respect, I think you are speaking without an understanding of the situation.
The Blackbirds use the tops of the cattails to perch on, but they use the understory of the cattails for nesting. . They choose the thickest parts of the understory for nest locations.
Cattails stalks/seedheads naturally break off sometime in their 2nd year, and fall down into the understory. . By early April, when the first females start looking for nest sites, about 1/4 of last season's cattails have already broken down on their own. . Over the next two months, about 90% of the remaining seedhead stalks will break down on their own, as well. . The spots in the understory that have broken-down seedhead stalks are favored for nesting locations, because they are thicker and offer more cover for the nests.
When I break down the seedhead stalks in late February and early March, I am just doing what nature would do on its own, but I am doing it a month or three early. . Breaking down the seedhead stalks actually provides more favorable nesting habitat, because it creates more cover down in the cattail understory where the females build the nests.
What I am doing is not "destroying habitat", as you accuse me of doing. . If you had an understand of the Red-winged Blackbird, and an understanding of the cattail's annual lifecycle, then I doin't think you would have made such an accusation. . It is usually best to reserve judgement unless you are really familiar with the species and its nesting habitat preferences.
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Since I had the rental for the weekend I decided to go again yesterday. I had to crop this quite a bit. I posted shot shots of the day. From here https://photography-on-the.net …showthread.php?p=19065681 to thread 7607.
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