Coastal Carolina Purple Martin Society

WRAL's Tarheel Traveler Features OUR ROOST!

2009-08-23T20:18:00.000-07:00

To see WRAL's Scott Mason (CBS affiliate in Raliegh, NC) covering our wonderful roost during his 5 minute segment of Tarheel Traveler coverage copy the following into your browser window:

http://www.wral.com/lifestyles/travel/video/5834985/

Birds Have Flown....Migration begins!

2009-08-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

Tonight my family and some friends went out on canoes and kayaks to see the 130,000 birds roosting, one last time before the end of August. Normally this peak population of birds encompasses 70+ spans of the bridge. Tonight, while we did see one large impressive swarm (that wowed us all), we were surprised to find just 14 spans of bridge filled up! Thats a mere 28,000 birds present at this time! And they all roosted very quickly, all the way near the center rise, which seems to be a pattern when fewer and fewer birds are present--this also made for a very long boat-paddling excursion. I imagine most people from shore saw nothing much at all.

There are still great numbers flying in which are in danger of being hit by passing vehicles, so please do continue driving slowly across the bridge until NCDOT takes down the signs and flashing lights, but if you are planning to see the birds this year, your opportunity may have passed.

This must have been a banner year for insect production, because these pre-migratory bird's mission-in-life is to fatten up for the long journey ahead. Mission apparently accomplished! The nesting adults have come here, to North America, for a reason: to raise thier broods successfully and fill the skies with the future generation. Now with thier work done, and their bellies full, they are on thier way south again, to thier home country of Brazil.

Thank you to all who visited the birds this year! Lets all wish for them a safe flight, a gentle overwintering, and another safe return to us in 2010.

All's Quiet...

2009-08-08T21:19:00.000-07:00

I crossed over the bridge at 11:45 PM Friday night, August 8, 2009. It's Manns Harbor, a sleepy little community, and everyone's sleeping (no motorists about!) so I can safely stop my vehicle on the bridge. The martins are quiet so I can't find them by ear, but I knew which area along the bridge they roosted because I watched them fly in on a kayak trip. I exit my van, camera firmly strapped to my wrist, go to the concrete railing and lean -- but not to far!-- over the edge for a quick shutter-flash.

Here's what my camera collected for your viewing pleasure:

Martins perched along the green outermost exposed I-beam.
Underneath is a row of birds snoozing along a cable.

Look at them with their little beaks tucked away under thier wings for the night.

ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz..............

A Day at the Beach

2009-08-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

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.

Second Chance for Injured Martin!

2009-08-08T20:16:00.000-07:00

After paddling with OBX Paddlers on August 7, I crossed the bridge on my search for the fallen. As our organization is charged with protecting this roost, it is our responsibility whenever possible to assess mortality after roost events. The upside: we did not find 40 dead birds as would have been common before the speed change. The downside, we did find 3 dead....Oh, another upside: one bird was found injured, which means he had potential for a second chance at life.

Collected off the bridge surface, he reacted as if stunned, and attempted to flee, but was unable to fly. Now off the roadway, he would be safe inside a box, kept warm, quiet and dark to rest and recuperate (something he would be used to, considering he was a mere fledgling and probably hadn't spent more than a couple of weeks outside his nest compartment). Tucked away softly on a towel, he spent the night, undisturbed, and the next morning I checked him for damages. Thankfully, no broken bones and a healthy sounding scolding cry as well as a feisty little snap to his beak. I suspected he was well enough to fly, as he flapped his wings easily, so I called my husband to give me a hand; we closed the door to our bedroom, turned off the fan, and held him open-palmed. Poor bird had obviously never been inside a person's bedroom before and looked around rather confusedly. Eventually, realizing he could attempt flight, he lifted off my hand and fluttered around the room. Thank goodness! He could be released.

My family and I had a day at the beach planned, on the Albemarle Sound, so we took him along. We frequently see purple martins overhead while at this beach (they use this waterway to travel to the bridge), so my plan was to set him free when we heard the first martin chattering overhead.

It wasn't long before we heard one of his roost-mates. Quickly, we removed him from his box, held him open palmed so he'd feel unrestrained and able to lift at his own will. He sat a minute, surveying his surroundings, a glint in his eye at the sight of bright sky overhead.....and up he went, traveling off with others of his kind who knew the way, and went off together, foraging the air for insects, before darkness fell on another day.

Flying off again....

PADDLER REPORT: Aug 7, 2009

2009-08-08T19:54:00.000-07:00

I joined OBX Paddlers Club on Friday for an "almost full moon" paddle to see the roost. We had such a lovely time! We put in at the old marina, rounded the bend to a nice beach, stopped for a snack (at which time I shared what I know about the birds behavior, migration, roost, in a short Q&A presentation). Then, all eleven of us got back into our kayaks and paddled out together, staying in a loose sort of raft watching in awe of these birds so gracefully gliding in, in multi-layers, and all around, and talking to each other and seemingly to us...just absolutely breath-taking. I have to say, having been on all kinds of boats to see the birds from the water--canoes, speed boats, 65-foot headboat--the best way to do it is paddling (provided it's a calm night). So peaceful and gentle, just magical...

A report from fellow paddler, Barbara Springfield:

Last night with others from the OBX Paddle Club we put in at the old Mann's Harbour Marina. The water was very choppy and since this was my second time in the sound, I felt a little apprehensive. We paddled under the Mann's Harbour bridge to a slice of beach to have a snack. We munched on our snacks, and listened to Alisa Esposito give us a quick overview of purple martins and their habits. We boarded our kayaks when the sun was starting to set and purple martins were lining up in the hedgerows waiting to descend on the bridge for the night. We paddled out and suddenly the sky was filled with purple martins. We paddled with the martins as they flew towards the bridge. What an amazing sight! By this time I was enjoying the dip of the waves and the slap of the water against my kayak. I leaned back in my boat and enjoyed the show. We waited until we could see little rows of purple martins lining up on the bridge,(and what a chatter they made) and then we switched on our lights and paddled back to our put out.
The glorious night and the expectation of the full moon's arrival made me want to just be rocked to sleep in my little boat.

OBX paddlers, happy...full of the bliss-bird experience...

The Dead and the Injured

2009-08-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

After a full-moon boat trip to see the roost on August 5, I got into my car and crossed the bridge, as I always do after a roosting event, to assess how many birds might have been hit by vehicles that evening (or morning). I found 2 dead, and one injured. The injured bird I picked up (making sure no other vehicles were present during my stop & exit), placed into my travel bag nestled into a towel, and took him home, hopeful that he may have been only stunned and after a few days rest, would possibly be able to fly again in time to be released for migration.
Tucked safely away while en route from the bridge.

He had no bone fractures, and I have had a number of birds with bad bruising which, after recieving a few days force feeding and gentle handling, have been able to be released to join the roost flock again. I thought, "if he survives the night, it will be a good sign he will have the strength to make it through." I woke the next morning and checked on him. He was kept warm, quiet and dark, stress-free, all night, and he did survive til daybreak. Sadly, a few hours passed and he died, apparently from internal injuries no amount of cage rest could have repaired. I feel positive that at least he did not suffer in the pouring rain which fell that night, cars whizzing coldly by him. At least he felt safe in the end.

Although I have found in previous years, an average of 40 birds killed in one evening, I still can't help but feeling sad when I find even one dead bird these days. As I cross the bridge, blinkers flashing, I am ever hopeful that we will find not a single body to report. (I did make one blog entry so far heralding such a success! Thank you again Manns Harbor motorists!) Typically, nowadays in the "post-speed zone reduction" era, we typically find about 3-8 birds perished. I can almost point out the vehicle(s) responsible, because again, all it takes is one motorist choosing to drive along at 50 mph to kill 20-30 birds at once. Really, just one. As one Manns Harbor resident pointed out to me, "what's the hurry, where do you have to get so fast in Manns Harbor?" It's a sleepy little community, right? It's always nice to slow down and take it easy.....

Sadly, this one did not make it.

Martin Roost featured on "Tarheel Traveler," WRAL (CBS) -Raliegh

2009-08-08T18:43:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday night, August 5, CCPMS board members met with Scott Mason of the "Tarheel Traveler." This description of the show was taken from WRAL's website:

The Tar Heel Traveler takes us to fascinating places across the state and into the lives of memorable characters.
At times, the Traveler will even tread onto controversial turf, putting a human face to heartfelt issues.
Look for thoughtful stories that are poignant, witty, interesting and inspiring, crafted with photography that is beautiful and compelling.
WRAL's Tar Heel Traveler is reporter Scott Mason.

Watch the Tar Heel Traveler Mondays through Thursdays at 5:55 p.m. on WRAL News.

Scott Mason and a camera man met with CCPMS chair, Alisa Esposito, for an interview at the bridge, kiosk and martin house. He then interviewed a few visitors who shared their enthusiasm for the birds and the roost. We then hurried over to the public access waterfront across the highway and jumped on a boat captained by the Manns, CCPMS board member and owners of Paul Mann Custom Boats. We boarded at 8:00 and got the the bridge in time to see the first birds come in and the sun went down. The full moon made for gorgeous footage of the bridge, birds and Croatan sound. They got some amazing footage and sound of the birds as they came in to roost. It should be some wonderful coverage...it was a gorgeous night and the birds put on a spectaular show for the camera.

We will keep you posted with a time when this program will air, and we will post a link to the coverage here at our blog and on our website.

Scott Mason of the Tarheel Traveler interviews

martin enthusiasts at the bridge in Manns Harbor.

Stay tuned for full moon photos of our night aboard the Mann's boat on a future blog entry.

WELL DONE MANNS HARBOR MOTORISTS!

2009-08-06T20:52:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all motorists who have slowed down and/or avoided the bridge during roosting times (when the speed zone reduction lights are flashing).

In years past, before the reduced speed limit, we would have easily found between 30-50 dead birds, even 100 dead birds in one evening. Tonight, we had our weekly educational talk at the bridge, and afterward, I drove across the bridge to count dead bodies and search for injured birds as I always do.

I am very happy to report NO BIRDS WERE HARMED tonight! That is amazing. There are roughly 130,000 martins coming in to roost each evening and not one was killed by passing traffic, which is just a huge testement to each and every motorist caring and doing his or her part. So, thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU!

For our birds,
Alisa~

OBX Paddlers Club: "Greatest OBX Show on Earth!"

2009-08-05T09:54:00.000-07:00

I am glad to post this report from the Outer Banks Paddlers Club www.obxpaddlers.org:

On Thursday, July 30th, Ann and John White, Ann Pierce, Dave and Sue Huff, and myself met in Manns Harbor for the Purple Martin Extravaganza Paddle. Dave and Sue were waiting for us on one side of the street and we were waiting for them on the other side of the street. We finally hooked up when Dave spotted some kayakers and realized it was us!

Dave and Sue caught up with the rest of the group as we sat on a deserted beach having a bite to eat and watching the fish jump with the sun gently closing it's eyes.

Summertime...and the living is easy...fish are jumpin...and the marsh grass is high.............

You could hear that song playing over in your head. It was such a beautiful night. I was a bit worried with the heat of the day. There was just enough gentle breeze as we sat on that beach taking in the delights of the day.

We headed back towards the bridge at dusk just as we saw the first flicker or two of Purple Martins coming off the marsh. We paddle back easy and the chatter was just as easy. As we approached the bridge, Sue was trying to catch a glimpse of Alfred Hitchcock and Tippi Hedren in the crowd. Surely they had to be close somewhere. The birds came from all over and were swirling and swooping. It was magnificent! We paddled along the bridge towards the highrise of the bridge. We didn't get down that far because from where we were, there were thousands of birds jockeying into position for a spot for the night. Thousands of birds swirling like a cloud of dust in the horizon. At one point, the cars on the bridge had to stop because their cars were covered in birds. Unbelievable! There was such a cachophony of sound! They were so LOUD even over the sound of the water. Celloman would have been in his heart's delight.

The waves were rolling and just gently rocked us as we were caught up in the show. Finally after taking it all in, we turned around and rode a moonbeam back into the put in. We knew then that we had to do it again. A full moon would just be a bonus.

Dust off those kayaks and come to the greatest Outer Banks Show On Earth!

Outer Banks Paddlers Club: www.obxpaddlers.org

Come say hi to me...Weds night 7:15 (Aug 5)

2009-08-03T15:03:00.000-07:00

I will be at the bridge on Wednesday night (7:15 PM) in case anyone would like to meet with me for question & answer discussion. I'll be at the bridge starting at 7 PM to meet with WRAL news (out of Raliegh) for an interview. The newscaster, Scott Mason, may be interested in talking with visitors about their thoughts and experiences with purple martins and our roost. After our meeting at the bridge on the Manns Harbor side (NW side bridge landfall) CCPMS board members will take the filmcrew out on a boat so they can get footage of the birds coming in to roost from the water. Join us at the bridge to share your enthusism for our birds!

Thanks,
Alisa~

Rain rain go away! August 1 cruise cancelled...

2009-08-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

So sorry to everyone who looked forward, as we all did, to the August 1 cruise, that we had to cancel because of all the rain. Outer Banks weather being unpredictable as it is, there was no way to know until nearly 5:30 how bad it was really going to be, or if it would clear out and turn for the better. Sadly it just got worse and worse and would have been no fun aboard the boat for anyone.

Unfortunately we have no rain date available in order to reschedule this tour so we will be refunding everyone's payments in the coming days. Please note that if you paid by Paypal you will be refunded back through your Paypal account, so watch for a notice in your email inbox alerting you that funds have been remitted back to you.

If you paid by check, your check is in our hands and has not been deposited. We will be sending your checks back to you at the address listed on your check or the address you provided us when you signed up for the cruise.

Please check out this blog and our website for further roost updates. We do have 2 more free educational programs at the foot of the bridge (NW side / Manns Harbor side) the next Thursday nights (Aug 6 and 13) starting at 7:15. Join us for discussion and observing the roost from the shore.

We will be scheduling two cruises again next year so we can all try again. Cruises next year will be set for the last week of July and first 1-2 weeks of August. Save the dates and check us out here for ticket availablility.

Thank you!
Alisa~

ROOST REPORT: 7/24/09

2009-07-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

Roost report from CCPMS Board member:

Michael, Linda and I met the NC Museum tour bus from Raleigh
tonight at the roost. In total about 35 - 40 folks were
observing in what turned out to be semi-clear weather with
some high clouds. A light breeze from the south/south-west
kept some of the bugs at bay. Great conditions and another
great show from the martins. They did roost a good ways out
tonight but we had good numbers of scopes so everyone got to
see them.

There was a boat that kept going under the bridge and taking
a lot of flash photography. It appeared to me that the boat
has been specially rigged to do just that. There was a temporary
roof (2X4's and plywood)covering the whole boat.

The folks from the museum discovered something new (at least to me)
about the area. While most everyone was oooing and ahhing at the
martins one fellow was watching the harbor area. He called our
attention to a barn swallow roost on the reeds in the marsh. The
swallows come to roost just before dark just like their cousins.

Linda and I surveyed the bridge on the way home. We saw three bodies
and one little bird just sitting on the road. We stopped with blinkers
on and waited for traffic to go around us. As I reached for the bird
it took flight without obvious distress. A nice way to end the evening.

Spreading Purple Love: ROOST REPORT 7/23/2009

2009-07-24T06:26:00.000-07:00

I love the drive to Manns Harbor from points west along HWY 64, right at around 7 pm. Martins glide across the sky in eastward flight making thier way to their roost and gather at places such as Alligator River Marina, filling the trees and swarming along the small house which sits at the mouth of the canal on the river. I have seen them gathering at this particular "staging area" for many years. Very inspiring, and beautiful, to drive along with the birds to reach our common destination at the bridge.

I met with about 25-30 really lovely people for our weekly Purple Martin Madness educational program. We had a great time discussing the birds and sharing enthusiasm for the roost. The birds started arriving even as we were in discussion, right at about 8:15 they were beginning to swarm, so we left the kiosk area and headed to the bridge landing where we shared the view with about 6 fisherpeople. Everyone was thoroughly enjoying the show, including the people fishing who clearly shared the martin-love. We all stood pointing and smiling with lots of oohs and aahs, while 100,000 martins showed us thier amazing display of dipping and diving in graceful gathering and descending on the bridge right as darkness was falling in at about 8:30 PM. The sky was in beautiful shades of purple and orange and lightning sparked through heavy rain clouds in the distance. The birds chose to roost near the shore, so for those of us who waited til darkness nearly closed in, martins swirled and danced in right front of our eyes.

It seemed most motorists slowed down, and we even saw some cars clearly stopped on the bridge in the areas of great swarms coming in, probably to avoid hitting birds, but also possibly to enjoy the spectacle. The many birdwatchers present were equally disheartened by the few vehicles who blazed through the roosting birds without slowing at all.

I drove over the bridge after everyone left hoping to make a report that no martins had been killed.

I counted 13 dead.

All it takes is one vehicle to kill that many birds.

Please avoid driving over the bridge while the speed-reduction lights are flashing, and if you must drive through the roosting area, please slow down. Each and every bird at this roost is there because somebody put up a martin house for the birds to nest in. Each and every bird at this roost was loved by a person who cared enough to provide for them and they look forward to thier return each year.

It may seem like too much trouble at the time, but it really doesn't take too much time to slow down, enjoy the presence and wonder of the birds, and save a few small lives.

Thank you to all the Purple Martin Madness participants from last night (and all CCPMS members, cruisers, supporters). Your smiling faces, enthusiasm, caring hearts and love of these tiny, wonderous birds keep this organization going and make it all worthwhile.

Best,
Alisa~

July 25 Crystal Dawn Eco-Cruise SOLD OUT!

2009-07-21T14:53:00.000-07:00

Today we reached our maximum for the July 25th cruise! Thank you so much for all the enthusism and support, we love sharing these birds with everyone and are very much looking forward to meeting all of you on board the Crystal Dawn!

We still have seats available for the August 1 cruise, but the seats are filling up fast! Give me a call today to reserve your spot!

Don't forget we have 4 educational programs (free!) going on at the foot of the bridge (NW side) starting every Thursday for 4 consecutive Thursdays, beginning this July 23. Bring your bug spray and binoculars and come listen to me talk about what these little purple birds are all about and why they spend so much time with us here in the Outer Banks.

ROOST REPORT 7/11 thru 7/14

2009-07-19T18:54:00.000-07:00

This entry was sent to me by a visitor to the roost, with photos. Beautiful morning shots of the birds leaving the roost in early light...The description is wonderful, and true that the birds take a very long time to leave in the mornings, which is why 75% of the dead birds we have found in the past have been killed in the early morning hours, by an average of just 22 vehicles! Please take care morning drivers!

Thank you to Richard Senn for the beautiful photos and roost report:

START REPORT:

I'd been out on the evening of the 11th with

my girlfriend, but didn't get any pictures I really

liked. That was a really good time though as there
were 12-15 people out there just for the martins.

Everyone was friendly and the old hands met the

first timers with great enthusiasm in sharing this
event and how good it has been over the last few

days.

We came back the morning of the 12th to try again.

That morning we had clouds with intermittent showers,

so pictures were not really an option. The ones I have

sent you were taken on the morning of the 14th. It was

a clear morning with the only clouds being far out to the

east, which worked well so I wasn't shooting directly into

the sun, but there was a lot more indirect
illumination early on.

I expected all the birds to take to the sky within minutes

of each other, so I was really amazed by the length of

time that the flock spends coming and going. I noticed

the first birds in the sky a little after 4:00 am and most
all had left their roost by 6:30 am. I imagine rainy or

dark overcast days make it longer too as opposed to

clear ones.

I'm really glad that this goes on over such a long

period of time as I plan on keeping an eye on the

weather to find the perfect conditions to improve
the pictures I have. I would love to do one of the

cruises. In fact we had inquired about the cruises

this particular weekend, but it didn't work out.
We'll keep these in mind as we go further into the

season and hope that it all works out.

Credit: Richard Senn

ROOST REPORT July 14, 2009

2009-07-16T07:43:00.000-07:00

This blog posting is a cut&paste email message sent by a CCPMS member. I have entered the message in it's entirety:

START
"I went over to the roost tonight and observed:

Arrived at 8:10, sun still up a little,
few clouds/mostly clear, very few martins,
wind 5-10 from NE, fishermen out number
bird watchers.

Sunset at 8:20, martins start arriving.

At 8:30 there are martins in good numbers,
it's disappointing to see that the speed
limit is observed by only half the vehicles
crossing the bridge.

The sky is full of martins at 8:35,
one boat is observing.

At 8:40 the martins begin the process of
roosting, flying under the bridge
and this continues as darkness closes in.

At 8:50 one of the fishermen gets on his
soapbox to tell everyone (all of three of
us...myself and two more fishermen) that
the martins should be roosting in trees,
the bridge should be wired up so they could
not roost here and then be blasted with
shotguns to get them to leave. He has some
other opinions about birds and beach access
then he then cranks up his loud pickup and
speeds across the bridge. I apologized to
the other two fishermen (they had been using
my binoculars and were amazed at the show)
letting them know that fellow was not a
good representative of local opinion
on the martins.

At 9:00 I drove back to Roanoke Island and
counted 3 dead martins on the road.

Purple Martin Madness 2009 - Free Educational Programs

2009-07-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

I am looking forward to meeting many of you this year when we resume our free Purple Martin Madness educational programming at the roost.

Mark your calendars:
July 23 and 30th at 7:30 PM, and
August 6th and 13th at 7:15 PM.

Bring binoculars, spotting scopes and bug repellant (none of this is necessary but will enhance your experience). We will cancel if it rains. Last year we welcomed a church group tailgate party complete with wine, cheese, crackers, fruit, tablecloths, the whole bit! It's a lovely way to spend the evening. This program is also great for kids.

We'll meet at the new signage kiosk and martin house at the NW end of the Old Manns Harbor bridge and start with a 45 minute question/answer discussion led by CCPMS chair and biologist, Alisa Esposito. We'll then stroll over to the foot of the bridge to view the martins flying in to roost as the sun sets over the Croatan Sound.

Visit http://www.purplemartinroost.com/programs.htm for more info, including directions.

See you there!

Gearing up for the 2009 roost season!

2009-07-12T19:48:00.000-07:00

Our first CCPMS blog entry!
I sit here looking out onto our martin yard at night, knowing that there are just a few birds sleeping in the houses and gourds out there. How blessed we have been to have had their company and song cheer up our days since early March. My family's colony of 106 pairs of martins has successfully raised almost 400 fledglings and 90% of them are now spending their nights at Old Manns Harbor bridge, gone from our houses, but hopefully safe at their roost.

Like most martin "landlords" throughout NC's coastal plain, I have enjoyed the company of my birds immensely and will muster a bittersweet goodbye to them until next year, but not without first partaking of the amazing opportunity we have here to witness their fantastic gathering in Manns Harbor! I'd like to make a happy report that our speed zone signs and lights are now flashing (thank you NC DOT!), alerting drivers to be safe and please slow down to avoid collision with our feathered friends. Past roost seasons have ended with thousands of dead martins littering the bridge surface, but with the addition of speed zone reduction signs and lights, we have the opportunity to show caring concern for Creation by taking it just a little bit slower....

Thank you so much for all the concern , care and support you have shown for the 100,000+ martins at this bridge! They have been loved all summer long by thier human caretakers and will be sorely missed until they return to us next year to nest again. Let's keep them safe until then!

More ramblings and observations to come in future days, as the 2009 roost season gets rolling!

For our birds,

Alisa~
Chair, CCPMS

Purple Martins taking flight from a tree roost staging area. Martins in Manns Harbor come from 150 miles around and form staging groups in dead trees along the coastline. Just before sunset they lift off the branches, filling the sky by the tens of thousands, swarming in great clouds, before settling in to roost under the bridge for a quiet night's sleep.
photo credit: Joe Dellinger