purple martins – Nature Along the El Camino Real

Purple Martin 2023 Update

February 22, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) Kendall2 Comments

by Donna Lewis

Hello, everyone who loves Purple Martins. As of today, February 21, 2023, I have five Martins. They arrive one at a time.

I have opened up all of the gourds now on the rack today. The apartment house is still vacant, so all the northern compartments are still blocked.

When we get straight line rains those compartments get wet sometimes, and I have to remove all the wet pine-needles and replace them.

Last year I only had three pairs in the apartment house. I do not know why since in years past all twenty-seven cavities were occupied. It may be because trees in the vicinity have grown taller and it is harder to gain entrance to the house?

Anyway, it is so nice to have some happy little friends singing to me.

Since our place suffered from the recent ice storm, and trees and limbs are down, it shows us that life goes on. There is always something to sing about.

I also placed the oyster shells out that the birds use for grit. Many other birds visit the platforms I put it on besides the Martins. The Bluebirds and Cardinals really like the shells also.

So, if you have Martin houses, the birds are on their way to you now!! Yay!

Remember which birds you are trying to attract and put out what they need.

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
Unknown

The First Martin Arrived January 31

February 2, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

January 31: My first Purple Martin to arrive at my site. It was an adult male. Oh, I was excited…

The scouts are first to arrive. They are normally the older birds. They are really not scouting anything. Who gave them that name?

So, my little friend first sat on top of the gourd rack until the bluebirds ran him off. After many more Martins arrive, the Bluebirds give up and mind their own business.

He then flew to the front pasture, where the apartment house is. He stayed there an hour.

I watched him with my binoculars until I remembered to go and get my camera. In the few minutes I was away from the window he left and has not returned.

The picture was for the blog only, not for me. After over 50 years I know what they look like pretty good!

So today, February 1st, we had an ice storm…no wonder he left. I might like to leave too. I hate cold weather!

So, what happens if the Martins cannot find food for five days or so? It’s not a good thing. They usually do not survive. They are picky eaters, only using live flying insects as their food.

And when it is bad weather, especially ice, the bugs don’t fly. Just like airplanes. They are grounded.

So sad. Yes, I have tried dried meal worms and throwing up live crickets to them. No success. By the way, the crickets that went up in the air and back down on my face now reside here with me in the pasture. I can hear them singing in the summer months.

I stepped just outside for a few minutes and took these photos of the ice on the Martin housing. All I can say is burrrrrrr.

I may not pass through this world but once.
Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature,
let me do it now.
Let me not defer or neglect it, for I may not pass this way again.
Stephen Grellet

The Martins Are Close Now

January 21, 2023January 20, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Donna Lewis

It is now time to have your Martin Housing ready to open. If you noticed, I said ready, NOT open yet. You do not want to open the cavities till you hear the Martins at your site.

If you do, you will have a House Sparrow hotel. You cannot allow the House Sparrows to live in the Martin housing. They will kill the Martins for the nest.

So, when you see or most likely hear your first Martins arrive, roll down your gourds or apartments and open only a few of the entrances. Open more as more Martins arrive.

It’s a delicate dance for sure. The more you do it, the better you get.

Putting everything back after the Martins have been gone for six months is hard on us senior folk. So, I was lucky this year to have some wonderful volunteers from our Master Naturalist Chapter come over and install the gourds and the Owl Guards for me. Cindy and Gene Rek came last week and did this for me.

*The photo of my gourd rack shows the Reks installing the gourds.*

As of 1-20-2023 the updated scout report has Martins arriving in Louisiana and Florida. So, they could arrive here in three to four weeks.

*The rack is in its down position for now.*

I get asked why I would go to so much trouble for these birds. Once you hear their beautiful songs, you will know why. It’s truly a wonder you will not forget.

I will run the houses up the first week in February and I will let everyone know when my first Martin arrives. Martins depend on human-supplied housing now, almost exclusively.

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world”
–Anne Frank

Soon the Purple Martins Will Arrive

January 9, 2023 Sue Ann (Suna) Kendall2 Comments

by Donna Lewis

OK, very soon our beautiful Martins will be sending out scouts to look for their summer homes. They are in Brazil right now. The Martins in Central Texas will be showing up around Valentine’s Day (February 14th). Is it too cold then? Yes, it is.

The climate has moved our seasons a little, but our friends have not changed their timetables. Not a good thing for them.

This is one of the hazards of climate change. The weather is changing faster than many birds or animals can adapt. If you watch the birds or keep records of your vegetable gardens you will know what I mean.

Observations are especially important to know what is going on in our world.

This is the time when you need to get your housing ready for them. You do NOT want to open the houses, just get them installed, cleaned or however you prepare your houses. You will open the entrances after you see them arrive. You also want to have any housing you hope to attract Martins to up before they arrive. Their arrivals are different across the US.

Repairs or cleaning should be done now if you have not already done it. Old nesting material should be removed, and the house cleaned. You can add some pine-needles to the house (or gourd) if you like.

Plugging the entrances to any housing is critical to keep unwanted visitors out.

The Martins will let you know when they arrive. You will be able to hear them calling you. It is the song all Martin landlords cannot wait to hear again.

No matter how often I hear them sing the “dawn song” to call for mates I never mistake it. It is wonderful and reminds us why nature is so important to the world. It is unlike any other bird’s song.

Here are the pictures of both of my houses right now. Within the next couple of weeks, they will be open for business.

So, get ready for PURPLE to arrive.

Mike McCormick Explains Purple Martins

June 23, 2022 Sue Ann (Suna) KendallLeave a comment

by Carolyn Henderson

Mike McCormick, considered the largest houser of Purple Martins in the area, shared his wealth of knowledge with the El Camino Real chapter of Texas Master Naturalist on Saturday, June 18. McCormick lives south of Buckholts in Milam County with thousands of Purple Martins and a few family members. He has been housing the birds for more than 40 years and has grown the number of seasonal residents steadily every year.

Purple martin house with adults waiting for fledglings to fly

There are approximately 65 Purple Martin houses at his place – all made by him. He’s also helped many others get started with some extra houses.

Up close of the three fledglings that haven’t decided to fly, yet.

ECRTMN visited at the optimum time. All the babies are starting to fledge. Members learned how to house them and keep them coming back. McCormick also clarified some untrue facts about the migrating birds. For example, a 6-foot-tall martin house works as well as a 12-foot-tall house.