Birders,

On Friday evening, July 10th, I conducted a round of nest checks and
discovered that one of the replacement nests I prepared in early July
had fresh green leaves added to it. The green leaves are the final step
prior to egg laying. Another nest cavity revealed a fresh nest with a
few green leaves as well. The martins are attempting to renest! I
watched several martins in a cherry tree, rubbing the green leaves on
themselves to aid in reducing the mites. Other martins were on the guide
wires, sitting in the sun preening. Nearly all of the June nests were
heavily infested with nest fauna due to the environmental conditions.
Blackflies, blowflies, nest mites and fleas overrun martin nests, and
the birds become weakened. Those infested nests were disposed of, and
the nest cavities were disinfected.

Thank you to all the people who have contacted me expressing interest in
the Adopt-a-Gourd program for the 2010 nesting season!! The gourds are
more weather-proof; the nests in gourds are cleaner and freer of nest
fauna, and the clutches are larger than those in the 6 inch, square,
wooden, T-8 boxes. If you would like to adopt one of the Purple Martin
gourds for the 2010 season or learn more about the program, please
contact me off line.

Best wishes,
Sue

Sue McGrath
Newburyport, MA 01950 USA
978-462-4785
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