Not exactly something we can build and fly ourselves, but indeed, the Purple Martin is a flyer we enjoy attracting to our backyard. Their flight patterns alone are majestic, if you enjoy that kind of thing. Of course, we love everything about flying, so this hobby just naturally fits in our bucket!
We have been attracting Purple Martins to our backyard now for 10 years. Unfortuantly, we did not document the journey, but certainly wished we had. So, for 2021, we will create a diary of sorts and document the entire year of events. Typically for us, the year begins in late February or early March, and lasts through the heat of the Texas Summer in August. Lets see what this year brings.
First, we decided to upgrade our Purple Martin housing after last year a bit. The pods were completely filled up, so we added two more at the same time we cleaned them up. Visit the main Purple Martin Page to see and read up.
Early in March, 2021 on the 6th to be exact, the first of the early arrivals have made their presence known. They are a welcome sight indeed for the North Texas area because it signifies warmer weather is almost here. This, after the worst cold snap in decades where all of Texas lost power and went on rolling blackouts, is a welcome thought! In truth, they were heard long before they were seen. With their familiar chirp sounds being heard, a quick glance up and there they were, circling above, two of them, almost asking permission to swoop down and check on their space. Seconds later, they had landed. Just awesome! Here is a great picture of the two, settled in, relaxing.
What do we expect next for the Purple Martin Invasion? Over the next two weeks, we expect a lot of fly by activity along with many of the pods getting claimed. There won’t be any nesting activity, just the claiming of the space. Do not be surprised to see the next photos having 10-12 birds in and on these gourds! The fun is just beginning!
As a Reminder, here are a few resources:
- The main website for everything purple martin related!
- Amazon Search Window for everything purple martin related!
