10 May 2008...5:45 pm
Finding Purple Martins
While heading to Crane Creek from Presque Isle State Park . . . . Young Naturalist J and I decided to take an alternative route to the thruway. I felt at one point that we were lost but I am glad we continued the adventure because we found this wonderful series of Purple Martin houses (my brakes screeched and I yelled “Purple Martin” (CHECK). Since the business that had these Martin houses were closed . . . we decided to take a few pictures of their birds!!
So many Purple Martins together!
The Purple Martin calls were music to our ears and the only way I can describe the calls would be plucking a tight wire and make that doingggggggggggg sound. Ok, that’s not perfect but it is how I remember the calls being!!
We continued watching to the Purple Martin condos for about 20 more minutes and it was very interesting watching the birds interact together. We only had the group fly away on two occasions but then quickly circled back to each bird returning to their favorite sitting spot.
There were many more houses that I didn’t photograph.
We still had 3 hours of driving to Crane Creek and finally pulled ourselves from watching these amazing insect eating birds. As we were leaving the driveway, we realized that the business that was closed was selling “Purple Martin Products”! Too bad they were not open . . . . they convinced me to get these guys nesting in my yard!
Purple Martin Products
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22 Comments
10 May 2008 at 6:16 pm
Those look like pretty cool birdies
Another wonder I haven’t seen… yet!!
10 May 2008 at 6:20 pm
Wow… high-rise condo living for birds
love the idea and great shots, as always.
I missed your other posts and just looked through them… jumping from shot to shot - I’m just amazed at the amount of beauty there is all around us… thanks for all the wonderful photos.
10 May 2008 at 7:32 pm
That is so cool. They are such lovely birds!
10 May 2008 at 8:14 pm
@ Mel - Thanks and they are fun to watch!
@ Pinar - for sure and the high class condo’s!
@ Liza - Thanks and they sure are!
10 May 2008 at 8:26 pm
It looks like a hole purple martin city!
10 May 2008 at 9:28 pm
Ok now that I see the sign I know exactly where you were. Before they had purple martins they sold rubber stamps.
To bad Emily wasn’t at the banding station today she works for the Purple Martin Conservation Center. It has been a great couple of days. Seeing you and ‘J’ and if all goes well we will see you in a couple of weeks.
11 May 2008 at 6:12 am
We pass that place once in a while and marvel at all the Purple Martin houses. They are fun to watch.
11 May 2008 at 6:15 am
Wow, I would be so excited to see something like that. I have only ever seen a martin colony in Canada years ago.
11 May 2008 at 8:05 am
My sister would be salivating!!! She and her neighbor have been trying to attract a colony. But, check out my post from Saturday to see what DID come to the martin house. Best laid plans… :c)
11 May 2008 at 10:32 am
I’ve been by there many a time but I’ve never been lucky enough to see the purple martins there. I’ll have to take a drive by there this week. Great photos again.
11 May 2008 at 11:00 am
Very cool condo design. I hadn’t seen the plastic gourd approach before. Of course, you’ll be posting pictures when a colony moves into your yard, right?
11 May 2008 at 11:22 am
@ Lynne – Thanks and kind of was!
@ Toni – I knew you would and they sold Rubber Stamps? Glad they switched over to PM houses!
@ Linda – Thanks and they sure are fun birds! Wish we had more of them in this area!
@ threecollie – it was and normally I just happen to hear or see some pass overhead! It was great seeing up close like this!
@ Jayne – will check out and I guess once they move in they do good! Wish her luck!
@ Amy – thanks and this was a neat place! Do drive by and take some pictures!
@ Wren – thanks and guess they love those plastic gourds! I really am not the best PM habitat! But if they do, count on it!
11 May 2008 at 1:02 pm
Purple Martins are such cool birds! I like your description of their sounds
11 May 2008 at 5:33 pm
Wow! My uncle made purple martin houses, big wood mansions with a hundred holes, in the 1950s. We would watch the Martins fill the house he had atop his pole and they entertained us all summer. It’s probably been 40 years since I’ve seen such a lovely sight.
And they’ve gone all modern in the housing design - certainly easier to keep clean.
11 May 2008 at 5:59 pm
I like those purple martin houses–look almost like the Jetsons. My mother (who just passed away a couple of months ago) had a really nice purple martin house. It was fun to watch and hear them come in for the night–they seemed to make the biggest racket before they settled in. She lived on a lake so I was wondering if that helped.
11 May 2008 at 7:09 pm
I have found all the Ontario swallows except this one. I will be looking out for Martin houses. They are good looking birds!
11 May 2008 at 9:32 pm
This is great. I wish some Martins would take up residence in our boxes. Maybe next year. For the time being I will have to evict the house sparrows. sigh…
11 May 2008 at 10:08 pm
@ Marg – thanks and had heard it from someone else before!
@ Bo – thanks and they are such a lovely sight for sure! Thanks
@ Joan – thanks and hope they had many of them visiting after she left!
@ Ruth – really . . . what a shame because they really do a great job with the bugs!
@ Lisa – thanks and I do also! House sparrows . . . ugg!
11 May 2008 at 10:29 pm
What a set-up!
12 May 2008 at 2:21 am
All I can say is WOW! I’ve been looking for purple martins in my area for almost three years now.. there is a rumor they exist. I’m glad to see you and Nat J hit pay dirt. Sweet! I am so amazingly happy for you.
12 May 2008 at 2:15 pm
We unfortunately don’t have the habitat for bluebirds, tree sparrows or purple martins - 3 of the easiest ones to get to nest in a premade box. But you should go for it - I look forward to your summer pictures of the young.
15 May 2008 at 8:24 pm
That is one bird that is definitely on my list of must see.-I have never seen one myself.-Seeing them in those colony houses must be fun to see!
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