Not the Outer Banks beaches, but out here in Tyrrell County. You know...the Inner Banks.
My family and I have a little "secret spot" along the northern shores of Albemarle Sound near the Alligator River; we like to spend lazy days adventuring along the sound's narrow stumpy beaches. It has been apparent to me during past visits to the Sound in the late summer, that martins must travel the sound from west to east as a sort of navigational corridor. Now, I can't say that this is absolutely true for all martins traveling to the bridge but it's my theory. And today, sure as the sky is blue, right at around 5:30 PM martins start getting pretty thick, traveling to the east along the shores and open skies of this waterway. They are high up in swirls of 50 or more, or flying in small slow-moving bird-tornadoes, picking off high flying insects as their aerial gatherings push eastward. Some seem to be traveling alone, or loosely along with others who are just gliding along the shore in a more focused no-nonsense way. Others still, in groups of 10-20 come whizzing past low to the surface of the sound, chattering loudly, flitting off-course to grab a belly-full, or dipping thier breast feathers in water for a cooling off. I was swimming at this time and was paying a lot of attention to the martins behavior, grouping and flight, feeling a funny sort of kinship with them, and a wonderment at knowing full well what was on thier avian minds, understanding what thier feathered plan of action was.
I watched as a group of them stopped to rest on a familiar snag which we call "the eagle tree" because we have watched this tree serve as a sturdy and high lookout for eagles and ospreys on the hunt for jumping mullet. Tonight, it was loaded full of purple martins. As I approached to take a few photos, more and more quietly sailed in, alighting for a quick social and wing stretch before traveling onward--40 or so miles more--to their bridge before nightfall. 
The Albemarle Sound is all a-chatter in the evening hours as purple martins travels it's shores to reach thier roost.
The Albemarle Sound and martin rest-stop tree: full of wing-stretching martins en route to Old Manns Harbor Bridge on August 9.
Its always interesting watching purple martins in action. Where we live outside Philadelphia, I can see them trailing me as I mow the lawn, kicking up assorted bugs for their next meal.
ReplyDelete-- Dan
Outer Banks Revealed
How is the trout and flounder fishing down there during the time of the year when the martins are active, or have they migrated south again before the cool weather bite is on.
ReplyDeleteI love to fish and love watching purple martins, i could not think of anything better than sittin on the water in the boat with my wife, catching fish and watching these neat creatures.
If the fishing is good this time of year down there in that part of the sound, i might have to " mosy down there" as the baby boomers would say. (laughing out loud again)
Chris
Eastern NC