"Can't Touch This...It's Purple Time"

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

Yes, I'm doin' the Purple Martin Hammerdance.

I had to be at Mr. G's at 8 a.m. to help him get his gourds set and everything ready.

He has three gourds that we hang under his very old, heavy metal house. I think it's a vintage 60s Trio that we do need to modify. Perhaps this fall.

It has 6 compartments. They were all filled with the beginnings of HoSP nests. We pulled them all out and he capped off four of the entries, leaving the two facing his work garage open.

I no more than got back home - he lives about six blocks away - when he called and said "I have a martin on the electric line! (Just above his bird pole.)"

This was so worth dragging myself out of bed early. He even gave me another huge rock/boulder to add to my front garden. It took both of us to get in my vehicle.

But wait - there's more!

At about 12:07 p.m.I had a SY female show up to the gourd rack. She was happily exploring each of the 15 gourds, popping in and out of them, and chattering away.

At exactly 12:20 p.m. Mr. Martin, a lovely ASY male, joined her. He didn't house hunt; he flew directly into Gourd 8 and poked his head out to look at her pretty face in the doorway of Gourd 7. They chattered and visited and simply enjoyed themselves.

After about 15 minutes they zoomed off toward the creek; probably to get a snack.

My season has begun!

Now I have two more sites I have to check on, The Colonel's, and Ms. R's. I can be a real Nosey-Parker during this Purple time of year.

Featured Answer

caroline94535
Original Author

11 years ago

Above is an ASY male, and from the ruffled feathers under his neck he is singing his heart out.

Above, a SY male showing a few dark feathers on his chest,

and some Purple iridescence

And above is an alluring ASY female. This season was not her first rodeo.

Above is a SY female, her under-tail coverts are nearly

fully white, a creamy white.

I did not take these photos. They came from internet searches.

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Comments (8)

marie_ndcal
11 years ago
Thanks for the update. Kind of wish I was back in Lansford because my son in law said he would build the house for me, but health issues prevailed. Am now in Minot. Hope you are able to get the pictures for us

Marie
nanny98
11 years ago
What FUN! Keep the news flashes coming. I'm excited too!
PKponder TX Z7B
11 years ago
How exciting!

I know that HOSP is a house sparrow, but don't know what SY and ASY are acronyms for.
caroline94535
Original Author
11 years ago
SY is a "Second Year;" a Purple Martin that hatched last summer. This is their second season at their nesting area after their hatching. Actually they are only about 1 year old, since they hatched last summer; migrated to Brazil in late summer; molted, and flew back to their home area, North Dakota in my birds' case, the following Spring - a year after they hatched.

The males will have a lighter chest with only a few, and sometimes only one, black/iridescent purple feather. They are loud and raucous and fixated on the girls - just like all the males of all the species! LOL

The SY females will have very light chests, bellies, and under-tail coverts. SY females will sometimes breed and raise young, usually with an ASY male. The SY males have a harder time convincing the older females they can support a family.

ASY is "After Second Year," or a fully mature and fully color-phased PM. The males will be completely black; the females dark with a much darker chest than the SYs. The females' chest color will continue to darken as they age.

The ASYs are returning from at least their second migration to Brazil. By looking at an ASY you really can't tell if they are 2 or 10, unless they wear a leg band.

I'll post some color phase pictures next.
Amazing Aunt Audrey
11 years ago
Awesome
PKponder TX Z7B
11 years ago
Thank you for the thorough explanation. They are beautiful and I really understand your enthusiasm.
janey_alabama
11 years ago
Ditto what PK said.