Posted for Adolph White:
The Purple Martins have left Bryan Park and will return next year in greater
numbers. As far as I have observed, there has not been a successful
attack on the purple martins by a hawk or an owl. This basically was
because of the human presence in the area during the day. With the predator
guards built around the houses to, it discouraged the hawks and made the
houses inaccessible to owls at night. As a result, 30 baby purple martins
were hatched and left the martins houses as healthy fledglings. To my
knowledge, not even a single adult purple martin was eaten by a predator.
Victoria Cooper, Sue Ridd, and I have shared information that has made
having the purple martins in Bryan Park an unfailing experience. At the
present time, our purple martins will be roosting in the Bradford Pear trees
on 17th Street at the Farmers Market in Richmond, Va. We have 55 purple
martins, from Bryan Park, to join the thousands and thousands of purple
martins that are roosting in this area now.
You are invited to come at 7:45 p.m. each night to see the purple martins
actually create vortexes, mixing bowls, balls, and sometimes roller coasters
with their aerobatic skillful flying patterns. These patterns are done to
the evade the attack of the peregrine falcon that waits on the tall Monroe
Building.
The purple martins Gone to the Birds Festival 2011 will be held on August 6,
2011 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the 17th Street Farmers’ Market. By that time,
there will 13,000 to 15,000 purple martins landing in the Bradford Pear
trees after giving all on-lookers an air show to remember.
-Adolph White
Richmond, VA
