Welcome-back breakfast for purple martins

Welcome-back breakfast for purple martins
John C. Lorson

A pair of purple martins (male on right) appear to discuss the pros and cons of the prospective “apartment” as they perch in a farmyard complex in Southern Wayne County. The birds have recently winged their way back from a winter spent in rain forests and farmlands of South America.

                        

On a recent late afternoon “photo safari” in Southern Wayne County with my daughter, Sylvia, one of the most interesting things we found was a small grouping of purple martins — the first I’d seen this year — busily winging around an impressive “apartment complex” built specifically for them near an Amish home and shop.

We clicked a couple of shots in the fading light of evening and resolved to come back when the conditions were better for capturing some more photos. When I returned a few days later, I was fortunate to catch the homestead’s owner, Irvin, just as he was preparing to feed the birds.

Irvin explained this year the earliest “scout” arrived on March 13, and the balance of around 20 of these “oldest and wisest” of the colony that has successfully nested at this very spot for nearly 20 years had arrived by March 20. By mid-June there may be as many as 80 pairs nesting at the complex.

Purple martins depend entirely on flying insects for their diet, and because insect production can vary widely from day to day at this time of year (from plenty on warm afternoons to nothing at all on frost-covered mornings), it’s important to give the birds a protein alternative. Without fuel, the birds, which have just expended an enormous amount of energy winging their way northward from South America over the course of four to six weeks, would quickly succumb.

The three most common supplements offered by purple martin “landlords” are crickets, mealworms and scrambled eggs. Irvin goes with the scrambled eggs. It’s tough to beat them on price and availability, but they do, however, take time to prepare, and with any of the three choices, the birds must first be trained to eat these “flying-bug alternatives” by tossing them into the air until finally leading the birds to a feeding platform where larger amounts can be laid out.

In talking to Irvin, it became quickly apparent the benefits of having the birds about — reducing the number of flying insects around the home and shop and the simple joy of watching the birds as they dive, loop and chatter — far outweigh the chore of caring for them. I’m thankful for the folks who take on the task. Without them it’s likely the species would no longer exist. Nearly every purple martin in Eastern North America is fledged from a man-made home in a colony like the one at Irvin’s place.

I’m a “glass half-full” kind of guy, and while it may be really difficult to see anything positive coming out of the present state of affairs in the world, I will share this simple, admittedly unscientific and purely anecdotal observation: I’m seeing a whole lot more people on the trail these days.

I know spring is finally beginning to pop and folks always head to the outdoors once the weather finally breaks, but I have been up and down the Holmes County Trail nearly every weekday for a decade, and that includes at least 10 separate springtimes. Aside from the single Saturday in early June when the annual Trail Benefit Auction is held, I’ve never seen more people out walking, biking, hiking, horseback riding or traveling by buggy on the trail than I did one day last week when the sun came out and the temperature eclipsed 65 F for the first time this year.

It was a weekday, and mid-day at that, so I am fairly certain a good portion of the folks I encountered — all at a “socially safe” distance, mind you — were out there breaking the cycle of stay-at-home boredom. My hope, beyond the continued good health of all, is those who are new to such pursuits might discover something in the outdoors that has been missing in their lives.

We all loved being outside as children, but a lot of people drift away from that joy when other distractions begin to occupy their lives. The outdoors is a bit like church in the regard that it’s never too late to make your way back and your life may be much better for that renewal.

The trail is there 365 days a year, and nearly every one of those days is a good one to get out and discover. I’ll hope to see you out there!

Write with comments or questions about the natural world to The Rail Trail Naturalist, P.O. Box 170, Fredericksburg, OH 44627, or email jlorson@alonovus.com.


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