Best Year Ever

[John Balga]

Have you ever had that special feeling that this year is the best you have ever had with purple martins?

After the last nest check ( June 4) I was exuberant and overwhelmed. .....61 pairs of martins, 264 eggs and 43 chicks! This has to be the best that I have ever experienced in over 12 years of hosting martins in the Essex area. Not only do I see this as an improvement over last year but there are still several more eggs to be laid and several more nests to be completed by the newly arrived martins.

Several other landlords are also indicating an overwhelming growth in their colonies with others hosting martins for the first time. There are more subadults visiting sites for the first time. Could this be the beginning of a resurgence of martins in our area?

Our satellite colony at Holiday Beach Conservation area now has 5-12 nests with eggs or leaves. This site never had any martins previously.

Let's hope that Mother Nature will not be cruel but bless these martins with abundant insects and continued good weather conditions!

Let me know how your martins are doing.