I live north of Delaplane and drive down Route 724 every day, where I
usually see a lot of birds -- mockers, mourning dove, cardinals, etc. --
criss-crossing the road in front of me between Scuffleburg Road and Route
17. There have been fewer lately, though it's happened before and their
numbers will, I hope, bounce back again.
But a week ago, a helicopter did low-level aerial spraying over all the corn
fields around here. The fuel and/or pesticide tanks are buried underground
right along that stretch of 724, and the helicopter came in to refuel often,
so I know the spraying was covering a wide area around here. The fields on
724 are separated by tree lines; I don't know how the trees could help but
be sprayed.
The corn fields operated by this company, and presumably sprayed last week,
include those on Carr Lane, a favorite birding spot to many, and home to
eagle nests.
I was concerned about the dramatic change in the bird ecosystem when so many
cattle fields changed to corn fields in one year, but the use of herbicides
and now pesticides is a more immediate concern. What changes have birders
in this area seen?
Barbara Tourtelot
Delaplane
