15 people joined Ray Marr at Tillinghast Farm on Sunday July 5 to learn about Purple Martins.  We had a wonderful time with Ray, who is passionate and exuberant about his 21 years work and experiences building the Purple Martin colonies in RI.  He shared his extensive knowledge about Purple Martin behaviors, nesting preferences, habitats, predator protection and much more while we watched adult Martins feeding chicks at the nesting boxes.  While Ray had hoped to be able to lower the box so we could observe the chicks inside, the timing was not right.  The chicks were too mature and he was concerned if the box was lower the chicks might jump out and the adults would be very distressed.  Egg laying and hatching happened a little earlier this year than expected.  Timing is not totally  predictable.  We also visited the gourd nesting colony on Barrington Land Trust property on Washington Ave for observation and more explanation from Ray about why gourds (natural and manufactured) are preferable to the “houses” that have been used for many years.  Then we walked out through the phragmites marsh to a single nesting house Ray had moved there being occupied by a single pair of yearlings since, because they had nested a bit later than others, he was able to lower the box to look inside.  The single nest inside, beautifully made and lined with green leaves (which Martins habitually use for nesting) held three eggs and sadly the expired female.

 Pictures have been posted on the new OSBC facebook page.

 A trip will be scheduled for next year with Ray for  the end of June.  Anyone wishing to communicated with him about Purple Martins, nesting boxes, etc is free to contact him at rmarr2@cox.net  

 Here’s Ray’s report from 7/5 on Martin Colony's in Barrington: …. are doing just excellent. There was over 100 pairs but some have just expired and So the numbers have dropped to 96 pairs total for Barrington.  The town can support up to 136 pairs.

The weather just perfect for bug supply for many of the chicks that will take flight within the next month. Its all balance with weather conditions for this species to much rain chicks fail not enough rain chicks go hungry no bugs.    The young and old return at dusk to roost so it will be a great show to see many of them return before they leave for South America. 

These are not totals this is where we stand to date.   Totals fledged in September:  

Tillingahst Farm, RISD                  14 pairs   units  16     
Nayatt Avenue

Barrington Landtrust,                     32 pairs    units   56
Washington  St

Rhode Island Country Club            27 pairs   units   28   
Nayatt Avenue

Dr John Moakler                            23 pairs    units    36 
(private residence)       
County road        

Steve Reinert’s talk on North American passerine migration last night was wonderful.  We had 26 attendees, a good turnout I thought.   He focused on the over water spring migration (primarily gulf but also the Blackpoll warbler’s non-stop (!) migration over the Atlantic).  His explanation for why  almost all the spring passerine migrants we see along our coast and on Block Island are first year birds (based on years of banding reports), was sobering. He also presented data on the staggering number of birds migrating (though numbers likely smaller now than his data from 10 years ago).  

Thanks to Sue Dunn for making the arrangements with the library, and to Sue and Suzanne French for helping with refreshments.  

Jana Hesser