Travis Audubon hosted a Purple Martin Colony visit this past Saturday next to the historic home of Laura Joseph. Laura started the colony 25 years ago, the product of a lifelong love of the little birds. The colony is tended, and carefully documented with daily data, by a group of dedicated volunteers called "landlords". Steve, the "head honcho" of this effort, was in attendance to answer our questions and give us a peek at these interesting birds. In February, the birds begin to arrive. The mating pairs will produce around 500 babies by mid-May, teach them to fly in the safety of the colony, then guide them to the larger migrating flock that draws thousands of sightseers each night to see them roost near Highland Mall. Here in the colony, the landlords will first provide pine straw for nesting material. Then the houses are lowered daily so that every single nest can be cleaned, eggs and birds counted, and houses carefully tende...
If you're particularly interested in rainwater harvesting, see these posts: "900 and Counting" on 4/28/08, "First Crop" on 4/10/08, "Ongoing Saga of the Rain Tank" on 3/2/08, and "The Debate" on 2/7/08. Vermiculture was covered 8/12/08. Pond construction was covered in "The Heart of Our Garden" on January 22, 2008.