One-hundred and twelve (112) interested and excited birders from Germantown,
MD to Scottsburg, VA and from Colonel Beach, VA  to Rocky Mount, VA attended
the Fifteenth Annual Purple Martin Field Day at the Woods' farm in Louisa
county last Saturday. Other guests at the Field Day came from as far away as
Georgia and Tennessee, where they hope to found new martin colonies using the
knowledge gained at the Field Day in Central Virginia.

In his talk Lance Wood covered:
     * how to establish and increase a colony of Purple Martins; 
     * advantages and disadvantages of different types of martin housing; 
     * how to protect Martins from starlings, House Sparrows, owls, climbing
        snakes, raccoons, etc.; 
     * adding the recently-developed starling-resistant entrance holes to
        martin gourds and houses; 
     * how to protect martin housing from windstorms and other hazards; 
     * how to grow and process purple martin nesting gourds; 
     * life history of Purple Martins; etc. 

 
Sue Ridd invited all to the "Gone to the Birds" festival (Purple Martin
roost), at 17th Street Farmers' Market in Richmond on July 25th
http://www.gonetothebirds.org/ .
 
Ron Kingston took questions on bluebirds and Tree Swallows and led a short
nestbox trail tour, including occupied nestboxes of bluebirds, Tree Swallows,
Wood Ducks, kestrels, Barn Owls, etc.

Kathy Laine explained to the crowd the great danger presented by snakes,
raccoons, and other climbing predators, and demonstrated an excellent
"removable" climbing animal barrier that can be quickly and easily added to,
removed from, and adjusted on the pipes that support martin structures.  She
also explained how that barrier can be purchased from a number of commercial
sources.
 
Nanette and Glenn Mickle banded many young Purple Martins, then returned them
unharmed to their nesting gourds, and she demonstrated how natural gourds can
be developed into excellent martin nesting gourds.
 
All those involved agreed that it was beautiful day and a very successful
Purple Martin Field Day.  We look forward to seeing each other at next year's
Sixteenth Annual Purple Martin Field Day, expected to be held on June 26, 2010.