by Carolyn Henderson
The skies over Mike McCormick’s ranch were awash in Purple Martins on Saturday, June 24. He estimates that he has 800 adults that have laid 3 to 8 eggs per pair – most of which have hatched. When the babies are air born, they may black out the blue above.
A small, but resolute group of El Camino Real Texas Master Naturalist braved the heat to get an annual report on the expansive Purple Martin breeding grounds a few miles outside Buckholts. Thankfully, there was a nice breeze and shade up on the hill where the birds take up residence in the specially made houses on the McCormick place.
McCormick made all the houses in his workshop. He also created an impressive trap house for English Starlings and sparrows. Starlings are notorious for taking over Purple Martin houses. Sparrows are known to do it, too. Apparently, starlings and sparrows are just too curious for their own good when they see others of their kind. The trap is somewhat large and made to let them in but not out. He keeps a few as “pets” so the newcomers will see them eating and join them in the cage.
McCormick told the group about Meteorologist Andy Anderson, formerly of KCEN, telling him that two years in the 2008 to 2010 range, the Purple Martins were “seen” on his radar because of how thick and black they looked when they do their daily hunting circles. The radar picked it up as a moving dark cloud.
He did state that he would be making some more to be sold soon.
Nature Along the El Camino Real 