FARMINGTON — Birds or Hay: Which Comes First? On Wednesday, March 14, Franklin County Farm Bureau and the Western Maine Audubon Society will cosponsor a presentation on grassland birds at 7 p.m. in the Thomas Auditorium, UMF.

The mowing of hay fields is a common rhythm of summer life in this area and, for many, an essential economic activity. Making hay while the sun shines is a priority for area farmers, but grassland birds have their own ‘hay‘ to make in a short growing season: their precious clutches of eggs. Too often those eggs are laid in the path of haying equipment. How can we coexist with these birds while maximizing grassland production?

Dr. Noah Perlut, professor of ornithology at the University of New England, has studied this question for years. He will lead a discussion on the life cycles of grassland birds and how this knowledge can be used in the management and use of grasslands to better meet the needs of birds and the farmers trying to make a living off of those grasslands.

For more information about this presentation, contact Pam Harnden at 645-2568 or pharnden@myfairpoint.net, or Burton Knapp, bknapp@beeline-online.net.