Wednesday, August 31, 2011

August Day on Plum Island (2) -- Purple Martins





This is going to be a short post because this weekend we were all hung up about securing the house and shop and lawn furniture for the passage of Hurricane Irene. Then we sat and waited, kept checking the storm tracking websites. The eye was getting closer and closer but nothing happened, I mean no wind, no fallen trees, no power outage, just lots and lots of rain. We only realized on Monday morning how fortunate we had been: there was major flooding in downtown Brattleboro, Vermont, and surrounding towns, and many roads and bridges were washed out...

To get back to Plum Island:



At Lot # 1 I stopped to look for Purple Martins. It seemed almost all of them had already left on their migration south. There was just one pair - two females - and a chick peeking out its nest in the wooden box.



One of the adults checked the nest and then turned back carrying a glistening white package in its beak, a neat way of removing the chick's feces..


I am going to be back in May next year when the colony is in full swing.

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16 comments:

  1. Julie G.August 31, 2011 at 10:56 AM

    So glad you made it through the storm unscathed. Fantastic close-up images of the Purple Martins! Love the little fuzzy one. A joy to visit your wonderful blog!

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  2. theconstantwalkerAugust 31, 2011 at 2:32 PM

    Lovely images of your beautiful Martins... thanks for sharing.

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  3. UnknownAugust 31, 2011 at 3:25 PM

    Great shots Hilke. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  4. mickAugust 31, 2011 at 6:33 PM

    The first photo is especially beautiful. The bird really is a purple color!

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  5. eileenAugust 31, 2011 at 7:37 PM

    Great series of Purple Martin photos. They are beautiful birds.

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  6. jeanlivingsimpleAugust 31, 2011 at 8:56 PM

    Hilke, I am so dang happy that y'all are safe. I was concerned.
    It is interesting to learn that Purple Martins haven't migrated yet.
    Good pics and good info!

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  7. SpringmanAugust 31, 2011 at 10:47 PM

    I'm very glad all is well with you Hilke! My martin house has remained vacant for years yet still I persist. You pictures are wonderful close ups of martin house keeping. I can only imagine!

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  8. GuyAugust 31, 2011 at 10:52 PM

    Hi Hilke

    A nice post. Purple Martins are birds I really enjoy seeing and I am quite glad to hear you got thru the storm okay.

    Regards
    Guy

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  9. Kathie BrownSeptember 1, 2011 at 12:58 PM

    Hikle, so glad that you are safe! The shots of the destruction and flooding on the news are just shocking!

    I did not know there were purple martins out at Plum Island. I cannot believe I live this close and have not had one opportunity to get there this summer! Perhaps I will soon.

    The eastern female purple martins are darker than the ones I saw out west when I lived there. In the Sonoran desert they set up housekeeping in saguaros! I love purple martins. Nice shots.

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  10. Jen SanfordSeptember 2, 2011 at 9:44 PM

    Awesome! I have only visited Plum Island in the winter, and there were certainly no Purple Martins there at that time! Glad you escaped hurricane damage!

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  11. Robin R RobinsonSeptember 3, 2011 at 9:42 AM

    Nice PM series, Hilke. I used to have Martin houses which were only ever occupied by Tree swallows.

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  12. Adam TiltSeptember 3, 2011 at 11:45 AM

    Great capture on that last photo Hilke. Adam @ My Life Outside

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  13. PatSeptember 3, 2011 at 5:09 PM

    These are great captures of these wonderful birds! The first shot really shows the color in their feathers.

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  14. UnknownSeptember 4, 2011 at 9:30 AM

    Glad that you were spared by the hurricane. Nice shots, especially the first one and the frontal shot of the bird:)

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  15. NatureFootstepSeptember 7, 2011 at 5:20 PM

    lovely, great shots of those nice birds. I have not seen this one but maybe one day.

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  16. CarlettaSeptember 8, 2011 at 9:51 PM

    Love the peeking out of the birdhouse one!

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