[Tweeters] Purple Martin nest at Green Lake, Seattle

[Martin Muller via Tweeters]

From: Martin Muller <martinmuller at msn.com <mailto:martinmuller at msn.com>>
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Purple Martin nest at Green Lake, Seattle
Date: August 21, 2024 at 8:42:53 PM PDT
To: "lynnandstan at earthlink.net <mailto:lynnandstan at earthlink.net>" <IMCEAMAILTO-lynnandstan+40earthlink+2Enet at sct-15-20-7719-20-msonline-outlook-fc925.templateTenant <mailto:IMCEAMAILTO-lynnandstan+40earthlink+2Enet at sct-15-20-7719-20-msonline-outlook-fc925.templateTenant>>
Cc: "tweeters at u.washington.edu <mailto:tweeters at u.washington.edu>" <tweeters at u.washington.edu <mailto:tweeters at u.washington.edu>>


Stan, Tweeters,

I guess I should have reported more accurately how I got to six fledged Purple Martins at Green Lake.

I counted the birds perched in the tops of the trees on the island multiple times (> 20). I never got more than eight birds. The adult male (in his unmistakable purplish plumage), the adult female (very gray), and six fledglings (sporting remnants of down, wing-fluttering and food-begging, including vocalizations).

Purple Martins have been using Wood Duck nest boxes put up at the Union Bay Natural Area (Montlake Fill). Larry Hubbell told me about that a few years ago. I believe Larry was involved with placement of those boxes (I may be shortchanging Larry here; he may have been the organizer, but I am blanking on the details right now).

Good point about installing climbing predator guards on the posts. We will take care of that before next year's breeding season. It sounds like we may even have a pole with multiple gourds by then.

No, I have not observed to see if the Martins roost in the nest box.
Yes, lots of video of the adults taking turns flying into the box with food, and the female coming out carrying fecal matter.
I took video of them after fledging too but haven't had time to look at that yet.

Martin Muller, Seattle



From: stan Kostka lynn Schmidt via Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu <mailto:tweeters at u.washington.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Purple Martin nest at Green Lake, Seattle
Date: August 20, 2024 at 1:40:56 PM PDT
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu <mailto:tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Reply-To: stan Kostka lynn Schmidt <lynnandstan at earthlink.net <mailto:lynnandstan at earthlink.net>>


Hello Martin,  and Tweets. 

What a great post !    Very very cool. 
Most noteworthy. Explains all the eBird reports around there. 

In my experience, a clutch of six all surviving to fledge is rare in the Sound.

Neither have I ever before seen a report/record of Purple Martins breeding at Green Lake. Reasonable to assume it has happened, just never been reported/recorded anywhere in the lit as far as I know. It’s all been about the Larrison roosts. 

Also,  noteworthy it’s in a duck box.  Not a whole lot of those records around either.  The few that Im aware of come from the lakes and marshlands of Fort Lewis, those observations,  the first by Wally Wilkins of Tacoma Audubon in 1981,  led to the installation of the first  nestboxes intended for martins going up on the fort,   to the best of my knowledge.  

I’m curious to know the age of the adult pair ?   Conventional wisdom has second year birds generally responsible for new breeding locations.  But it could be after second year birds,  one or both,  that experienced reproductive failure elsewhere  last year.  As you know, it’s a no brainer to ID an after second year male,  all dark blue/black.   Second year males easily confused with females.  After second year females sport some mild purple blueishness to my eyes but can generally appear grayish.   Second year females can appear brownish. Lots depends on the lighting.   And females do not sing the long fluid courtship song that ends with clicks.  See and hear a female looking martin doing this,  and it’s a second year male.  

Have you seen the young return to the nest cavity at the end of the day ? 

Have any photographs been taken ?

Does the box have a climbing predator guard ?

Again,  really great news.   
Stan Kostka 
lynn and stan at earthlink.net <http://earthlink.net/> <http://earthlink.net/> 
Arlington WA   
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