Soon they will leave North Central Pennsylvania and head for a roosting area in North Western Pennsylvania to roost and further strengthen their numbers for the long flight home. At this moment we count twenty five in the air while one late nester is still feeding young in the nest. The colony may wait for this mother to fledge her young.
I can see the anticipation (of the birds) in your shot docgipe...nice capture!
I can hardly wait for my cookie jar to fill up to Canon 70 X 200 2.8 IS. LOL I am shooting with kit quality Canon lens 300 and post management with Photoshop CS4. Little better sky all natural in this one.
Edit to change one important number.
This message was edited Aug 16, 2010 8:33 AM
Nice ones doc!
They sure are fun to watch. Enjoy them while you can.
When I was a youngster in elementary school our whole town had hundreds if not thousands. The town fathers at one point took down the boxes or just stopped maintaining the boxes and putting them up. A major Martin area was put to rest because of cost to maintain the practice. Today there are still a few privately owned colonies in the area. None are in the town that I am aware of. The area farmers know the value of having them. They gladly go to the time and expense to keep Martins. The towns folks could care less.
I had no idea what a Purple Martin was until 3 years ago. Now I love to go down by the lake to watch them!
Our Martins have left the area headed for the roost near Erie, Pa. At the roost the primary activity is gaining strength in the flocks which will leave for the long trip home as soon as the insect supply begins to drop off. They do not all leave in one giant flock. Smaller units make up and depart over several weeks and different routes.
When they left here the late mother had her fledges out and flying pretty good. The whole colony hung around a few days. They all left for the roost together.
They will return about April 1st. next spring.
